6.3 Conflict Disclosure

6.3.1. General Policy Statement

As public employees, Mines faculty and staff members have a fiduciary obligation and statutory duty to the people of the State of Colorado to adhere to ethical principles of conduct (C.R.S. §§24-18-103, 104). Specifically, the holding of employment at a state university such as Mines is a public trust and any effort to realize personal gain through official conduct, other than as compensation set through established processes, or by inappropriate disclosure of confidential information is a violation of that public trust. Accordingly, the employee’s external obligations, financial interests and activities must be conducted in a manner that does not create an actual conflict of interest, result in the appearance of impropriety, or interfere with the employee’s primary obligation and commitment to Mines.

Conflicts of interest arise from time to time and are not necessarily unethical or illegal, as long as they are appropriately disclosed and managed. However, failure to be transparent and fully disclose conflicts or potential conflicts of interest is unethical and may be illegal in certain circumstances. The Mines Conflict of Interest Policy, accessible at the online Policy Library, provide a means for disclosing actual and potential conflicts so that these may be managed, reduced, or eliminated, to the extent possible, without detriment to the reputation, integrity, or position of Mines and the employee, and to avoid, whenever possible, compromising the employee’s appropriate scholarly and professional pursuits.