University of Illinois Chicago
IN-3: Academy-Industry Connections

Academic integrity is the key to a successful university in all its aspects of learning, teaching, research and service. Faculty, staff and students of the University of Illinois ensure integrity and high quality in their research and publications by strict adherence to professional standards set both within and outside the university, to individual ethical codes and by self-regulation. Underlying academic integrity are the universal principles of honesty, fairness, trust, respect and responsibility. The University of Illinois has the highest expectations for integrity; and university personnel are expected to comply with the strictest ethical codes and guidelines for the conduct of research. Research misconduct cannot be condoned as it is damaging to the researcher, the institution and the discipline, and betrays public trust. With these values in mind, the university has revised and updated the Policy and Procedures on Integrity in Research and Publication. The overarching goal of the document is to promote compliance with the highest scholarly standards and prescribe procedures for impartial fact-finding and fair adjudication of allegations of academic misconduct. When questions regarding academic integrity and the responsible conduct of research and publication arise, all university personnel are encouraged to consult proactively with the appropriate unit executive officer and research integrity officer. Violations of professional standards are subject to peer review and censure and may be accompanied by disciplinary action by the university as well. The University policies on conflict of interest are available on the Vice President for Academic Affairs site: https://www.vpaa.uillinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=420456&pageId=469764 • University Policy on Conflicts of Commitment and Interest (COCI): https://www.vpaa.uillinois.edu/UserFiles/Servers/Server_420372/File/RNUA/COCI%20Policy%207.19.18%20-%20BOT%20approved.pdf • University Policy on Financial Conflicts of Interest in Research (FCOIR): https://www.vpaa.uillinois.edu/UserFiles/Servers/Server_420372/File/RNUA/FCOIR%20-%207.19.18%20-%20BOT%20approved.pdf • University Policy on Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCOI): https://www.vpaa.uillinois.edu/UserFiles/Servers/Server_420372/File/RNUA/OCOI%20policy%207.19.18%20-%20BOT%20approved.pdf • Require that all significant consulting contracts (e.g. those worth $5,000 or more a year) be reported to a standing committee charged with reviewing and managing individual and institutional conflicts of interest; The University requires disclosure of income from consulting activities (via the Reporting of Non-University Activities (RNUA) process). RNUAs are reviewed by the unit executive officer. If the financial interest if related to a university research project and meets the $5,000 or more threshold, then disclosure is required at proposal and must be managed prior to execution of the award. See the COCI Policy and the FCOIR Policy. • Prohibit faculty, students, postdoctoral fellows, medical residents, and other academic professionals from engaging in industry-led “ghostwriting” or “ghost authorship”; This is very much recognized as a bad practice and not condoned. Section D3 of the College of Medicine's policy discusses ghostwriting. It states that "Faculty and staff are prohibited from publishing articles that are substantially or completely “ghost” written by industry representatives. Faculty and staff who publish articles with industry representatives must participate in the preparation of the manuscript and shall be listed as authors or otherwise appropriately cited for their contribution. The financial interest of all authors shall be disclosed in accordance with the standards of the journal." College of Medicine’s policy: http://p1cdn2static.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_442934/File/policies/Final_UIC_COM_Health_care_industry_COI_managment.pdf • Prohibit participation in sponsored research that restricts investigator access to the complete study data or that limits investigators’ ability to verify the accuracy and validity of final reported results; and • Ban confidential corporate research (i.e. research that cannot be published). These are addressed by the University Policy on Classified and Restricted Research. http://policies.uic.edu/uic-policy-library/research/policy-classified-restricted-research/ which states "Consistent with that requirement, it is also the policy of UIC to maintain and encourage full freedom within the law of inquiry, discourse, research, and publication and protect any member of the academic staff against influences, from within or without the University, which would restrict the member’s exercise of these freedoms in the member’s area of scholarly interest. "Toward that end, UIC shall not accept any grant or contract involving Classified or Restricted Research, and unless prohibited by law, no restriction on participation in research may be based on one’s country of origin or citizenship. No Classified or Restricted Research may be undertaken in the name of the University, or using UIC facilities or resources, except as permitted in this policy, other UIC policies, or the General Rules." Additional guidance is on the Export Control page: http://research.uic.edu/compliance/export-controls