Skip to main content

Conflicts of Interest

Section 3.U – Conflicts of Interest

All College employees are to avoid conflicts of interest in accordance with the provisions of N.C. General Statutes sections 115D-26 and 14-234. In accordance with this Conflict of Interest Policy, employees are expected to act in the best interests of the College and shall strive to meet the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior in order to uphold a standard of conduct that engenders public trust in the College and that protects the College’s reputation and financial well-being.

Specifically Prohibited Conduct

Employees are prohibited from using their job title, the College’s name, and/or the College’s property for private profit or benefit.

Employees should neither solicit nor receive any gift, reward, gratuity, favor, promise, or anything of monetary value in exchange for recommending, influencing, or attempting to influence any College activity, including but not limited to selecting, awarding, or administering a contract or purchase order or any decision of the College administration. Employees should not participate in selecting, awarding, or administering any purchase or contract on behalf of the College where, to the employee’s knowledge or information, any of the following has a financial or personal interest in said purchase or contract:

  • The employee;
  • A member of the employee’s immediate family, extended family, or household;
  • An organization in which the employee or a member of his/her immediate family, extended family, or household is an officer, director, or employee;
  • A person or organization with whom the employee or a member of his/her immediate family, extended family, or household is negotiating employment or has any arrangement concerning prospective employment; or
  • A friend of the employee

Definitions used in this policy are as follows:

Conflict of Interest: A conflict of interest relates to a financial or other personal consideration that has the potential to or the appearance of compromising the employee’s objectivity in meeting his/her duties or responsibilities as an employee.

Financial Consideration: A financial consideration involves the employee’s receipt of anything of monetary value, including but not limited to the following:

  • Payments for services by companies with which the College may do business (e.g. consulting fees and salary); and
  • Equity interests involving companies with which the College may do business (e.g. stocks, stock options, ownership interests, patents, copyrights, and royalties).

Personal Consideration: A personal consideration involves any personal interest or affiliation.

Immediate Family: An employee’s immediate family shall include the employee’s spouse or domestic partner, parents, children, sisters, and/or brothers. These relationships include the employee’s biological, adopted, step, half, and in-law relations.

Extended Family: An employee’s extended family shall include the employee’s aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, nieces, and nephews. These relationships include the employee’s biological, adopted, step, half, and in-law relations.

(approved July 16, 2018)

Procedures

Employees shall disclose any potential conflict of interest to the Office of Human Resources. Upon receipt of notice of a potential conflict of interest, the Executive Director of Human Resources shall make a recommendation to the President regarding whether a conflict of interest exists and if so, any necessary actions.

If the President determines that a conflict of interest exists, the interested employee(s) shall not participate in any activity, including but not limited to selecting, awarding, or administering a contract or purchase order, to whom the conflict of interest involves.

It is the personal responsibility of all employees to comply with the provisions of this Conflict of Interest Policy. If it is determined by the President that an employee has violated this policy, the President, shall determine the appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination, for the employee’s violation.

The President’s decision is final in accordance with the Employee Grievance Policy.