The University of Arizona has established a review committee that will meet behind closed doors to examine potential conflicts of interest among all university employees.

The committee, created due to requirements of the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, will meet about once a month.

Charles Geoffrion, associate vice president for research and graduate studies, staffs the committee. He keeps up with the flow of paperwork as well as recording the minutes of meetings.

He said he wants to maintain the university's integrity.

"I like to think about how it would look in a headline in The (Arizona Daily) Star or the (Tucson) Citizen," Geoffrion said. "We don't want even the perception of impropriety."

In the event an employee believes he or she has a potential conflict, he or she must complete a disclosure form. The case is then reviewed by the committee. If a conflict does exist, the research project or other conflict can continue only after an adjustment is made.

Michael Cusanovich, vice president for research and graduate studies, said many conflicts of interest can be managed to remove the direct benefit the individual receives from the conflict.

"The committee may require the researcher to submit financial reports every six months," he said. "There could also be special care taken in regard to equipment to insure what equipment is being used for research."

Geoffrion said while it is important to preserve the integrity of the university, it is also important to preserve confidentiality.

"People don't like their private financial information revealed in public," Geoffrion said. "That is why I assure people that the information will be kept confidential."

The committee's first meeting was in April. At the last meeting, about two weeks ago, Geoffrion said 12 cases were reviewed with three or four of them approved.

The remainder were sent letters with instructions on how to comply with the conflict of interest policy. Those cases will likely be reviewed again at the next meeting and if found to be in compliance with rules the committee recommended, they would "likely be approved," Geoffrion said.

Employees face disciplinary action if they fail to comply with the conflict of interest policy, with a maximum penalty of termination.

In the past, the university has dealt with conflicts of interest at the college level or when a problem arose after a study was completed.

"This is actually better because we can take care of any problems early," Cusanovich said. "The federal government usually dealt with the issue after a study was already done."

Federal law defines a conflict of interest as equity in a company of more than $10,000 or 5 percent, while state law figures a conflict at $10,000 or 3 percent.

According to the Interim UA Conflict of Interest and Commitment Policy, other potential conflicts of interest include acceptance of payment for consulting beyond a nominal fee and/or reimbursement for expenses.

Regulations are increasing in all areas of education, which leads to increased bureaucracy. The university is being told to devote more of its budget to oversight as a requirement of accepting grant funds.

"I have seen three times as many regulations in the eight years I have been with the university," Cusanovich said. "I have to submit 51 assurances to the federal government that we are complying with regulations of research."

Geoffrion said the policies, committees and reviews are part of the current system.

"It is frustrating that this bureaucracy exists," he said. "But the problem is part of human nature."

Nominees for the seven-member committee were selected by the Faculty Senate and approved by Cusanovich. Members of the committee include Ronald Heimark, associate professor of surgery at the Arizona Health Sciences Center; Charlie Hurt, director of the School of Library Science; and Colin Kaltenbach, vice dean of the College of Agriculture.

Also on the committee are Peter Mather, director of administration for the College of Engineering and Mines; Glen Miller, associate professor of agriculture education; Gayle Zizzo, business manager of geosciences; and Richard Polheber, senior vice president of Health Partners of Southern Arizona. Polheber is the public member of the committee.

The members will serve three-year terms. Cusanovich said a process to stagger the terms has yet to be worked out. He said he would like to see one-third of the members rotate off the committee each year as is the case with other university committees.