COI: L&S OAR Review Process

This document provides an overview of the process of review for yearly outside activities reports (OARs) within the UW-Madison College of Letters and Sciences.

Following submission, Outside Activity Reports (OARs) go through several levels of review by different campus organizations. 

  • OARs are reviewed at the unit level by department chairs, center directors or their equivalents (Primary Review).  This level of review evaluates potential conflicts, including conflict of commitment.
  • OARs are reviewed at the Division level (Secondary Review) in the College of Letters & Science by the Associate Dean for Research Services or designee.  Typically, the Division level review within L&S is to ensure that time and effort spent on outside activities is not so onerous as to conflict with the employee's ability to fulfill their institutional obligations.
  • OARs are also reviewed institutionally by the COI Program within the Graduate School.   Typically, the COI Program determines whether any activity reported on an individual's OAR represents a Significant Financial Interest (SFI)

Significant Financial Interest (SFI)

A SFI includes the following interests of an investigator:

  • Compensation received from a publicly-traded company or the value of any equity interest which exceed $5,000
  • Compensation received from a non-publicly traded entity of greater than $5,000
  • Any equity interest in a non-publicly traded entity
  • Royalty income from intellectual property rights not assigned to WARF
  • Reimbursed or sponsored travel paid by a non-government or educational entity 
  • Service in positions with financial responsibility, whether or not the investigator receives compensation for such service

SFI do not include the following:

  • Salary, royalties, or other compensation received from UW-Madison or affiliated entities
  • Royalties generated by intellectual property rights assigned to WARF
  • Income from seminars, lectures, or service on advisory committees sponsored by government or U.S. educational entities
  • Travel reimbursed or sponsored by a government or educational entity (only required for PHS-funded individuals)
  • Interests in mutual funds and retirement accounts

If a Significant Financial Interest (SFI) is identified by the COI Program, the OAR/SFI is then reviewed by the UW-Madison COI Committee. More information on the review of SFIs and the COI Committee may be found COI in L&S: Conflict of Interest Committee .

Questions?  Contact:
Breeana Hubbard, Ph.D.
Conflict of Interest
College of Letters & Science
breeana.hubbard@wisc.edu 



Keywordsconflict interest outside activity report activities committee   Doc ID42848
OwnerBreeana H.GroupL&S KB
Created2014-08-12 15:02:43Updated2022-03-07 12:13:12
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