PrintContents
- FAS and University Policies and Operational Guidelines
- FAS Affirmation of Awareness
- Disclosure Form Required for Federal Support
- NSF/PHS Principal Investigator (PI) Certification Form
- Additional Information on Federal Conflict of Interest Regulations
FAS and University Policies and Operational Guidelines
- FAS Policies Relating to Research and Other Professional Activities Within and Outside the University
- This document outlines FAS rules regarding potential conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment, gives examples of activities and situations that could lead to potential conflicts, and explains where individuals should go for further information.
- Statement on Outside Activities of Holders of Academic Appointments
- This document summarizes University policies regarding the outside activites of academic appointees, with particular reference to teaching, research, consulting, the use of Harvard identification, and the production of electronic teaching materials.
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FAS Affirmation of Awareness
At regular intervals, FAS faculty and other academic appointees must complete a web-based Affirmation of Awareness to certify that they are familiar with FAS and University policies that relate to their professional activities, including policies regarding conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment, and have consulted with appropriate FAS and University officials as required. The Affirmation of Awareness must also be updated as relevant circumstances change.
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Disclosure Form Required for Federal Support
Investigators applying for funding from the National Science Foundation or from an agency of the Public Health Service (NIH, NIMH, etc.) must report details of any significant financial interests they or their family members may have that could affect the design, conduct, or reporting of their federally-funded research. This report is included in the web-based Affirmation of Awareness Form, above, and will be held in confidence. In addition, Principal Investigators must include a signed copy of the PI Certification Form (see below) with their proposal.
Although investigators are encouraged to complete the Affirmation of Awareness online, copies of the Affirmation of Awareness Form and the Disclosure Form Required for Federal Support may be downloaded for completion by hand, and mailed to the Secretary of the Committee on Professional Conduct (Dean Gallant, Science Center 130).
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NSF/PHS Principal Investigator (PI) Certification Form
The PI Certification Form must be attached to the Dean's Cover Sheet for all proposals submitted to the NSF or to a PHS agency. This form, which is signed by the PI, indicates that the PI and all other investigators have disclosed all significant financial interests as required.
Download the PI Certification Form in PDF format.
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Additional Information on Federal Conflict of Interest Regulations
The NSF policy on financial conflict of interest can be found in Section 510 of the NSF Grants Policy Manual .
PHS regulations on financial conflict of interest (11 July 1995), also known as "Objectivity in Research," can be found at 42 CFR part 50, subpart F.
A FAQ (frequently asked questions) on the NSF and PHS policies was published on 24 July 1996.
If you are completing a Dean's Approval Form or a PI Certification Form for a sponsored project and need to ascertain whether an investigator has a current disclosure statement on file, contact Dean Gallant at 495-2628 (email: drg@fas) .
