Compliance

SJSU employees may not personally benefit from their official positions or decisions. Any employee who has, or whose relative has, a substantial interest in providing a product or service to SJSU, shall make known that interest and shall refrain from participating in the procurement decision making process.

SJSU's conflict of interest policy includes university faculty.  In addition to the legal contracts existing between students and the university, there is an equally important "social contract" between students and the faculty, in which each fulfills their duties and obligations to the other. Many of the faculty's responsibilities under this contract are found in Section II.B.2. of Academic Senate Policy 99-8 [pdf]. Interests that conflict with those obligations include actions or requirements of the faculty that appear to be grounded in private interest or gain, not in professional responsibility. Examples of conflicting interests include but are not limited to:  requiring the purchase of course materials from which an instructor makes a profit (texts and other materials professionally reviewed, published, and distributed are excluded); and giving academic credit for student research which the instructor puts to use for private gain or profit.

SJSU employees shall not accept or solicit, directly or indirectly, anything of economic value as a gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment or loan which is or may appear to be designed to influence official conduct in any manner, particularly from a person who is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial arrangements with SJSU. (Example: a vendor who has interests that might be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the employee's duty.)

SJSU employees may accept from vendors:

  • Unsolicited advertising or promotional material such as pens, pencils, scratch pads and calendars
  • Occasional food and refreshments of insignificant value
  • Other items of nominal or minor value that are merely tokens of appreciation and not related to any particular transaction.
    • Examples: A box of candy or donuts