The Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA) administers Conflict of Interests (COIs) and Conflicts of Commitments (COCs) related to research.
What is a Conflict of Interest (COI) and Conflict of Commitment?
A Conflict of Interest (COI) may arise when the interests, activities, or relationships of any Cornell individual to whom this Policy applies compete with or are perceived to compete with the interests, activities, or concerns of the university such that the individual’s actions or decisions on behalf of the university, or related to the individual’s employment responsibilities, are compromised, or appear to be compromised.
In short, a COI is anything that appears to create bias about the design, conduct, or reporting of research.
A Conflict of Commitment (COC) is a situation caused when an individual undertakes external commitments that may burden or interfere with their primary obligations and commitments to the university, even if the outside activity is valuable to the university or contributes to professional development.
In short, a COC is anything that appears to create a divided loyalty, incentive, or motivation.
COIs and COCs are not inherently bad but must be properly managed to protect the integrity of Cornell’s research.
Who Needs to Complete a COI Report?
Note: Only individuals who are required to complete COI reports are sent an email asking them to do so. If you receive such an email, the reporting requirement does apply to you.
You must complete a COI report if you:
- Have an academic title (including but not limited to Professor, Postdoc, Lecturer, Research Associate, etc.)
- Are a Principal investigator, co-principal investigator, co-investigator, key personnel
- Are involved in the design, conduct, reporting, or direct administration of research (funded or unfunded).
Where Should I Complete a COI Report?
To complete or update your COI report, please log into RASS.
Where Can I Find Out More?
For information about how to navigate COI and COC issues, see the following pages.
- For more information about COI policies, federal regulations, reporting requirements, and management of conflicts, contact coi@cornell.edu.
- For help, questions, or feedback about the RASS-COI system, contact the Research Administration Support Systems (RASS) team at rass@research.cornell.edu.