Emerging Federal Guidance on Outside Influence
Integrity is the hallmark of all great universities. MSU, like our peer institutions, requires honesty and full disclosure of material facts related to outside affiliations in faculty research and creative activities.
Recently, the U.S. government began a multifaceted effort to raise compliance standards related to foreign influence on research, intellectual property, and associated technology implementation.
The Office of Research & Innovation wants to emphasize to colleagues at all levels that full and timely disclosure regarding research support and conflicts of interest is essential to the transparency the government requires and MSU expects. Currently the University requires all faculty to:
- Complete a Conflict of Interest disclosure at the time a new grant proposal is submitted, and at least annually:
- Complete the Outside Work for Pay disclosure and approval process, as required by policy:
- Fully and accurately complete all funding agency questions regarding any current and pending requests for financial support.
The Office of Research & Innovation has created this web page to help MSU faculty and staff stay current with emerging federal guidelines. The page will be updated as new information, guidelines, and resources become available.
MSU values its international collaborators and inter-institutional affiliations. Preservation of important international relationships will be facilitated by our careful attention to federal requirements of transparency in research and related activity.
Please read the memo dated July 3, 2019, from MSU leadership for more information.
Also see President Stanley's op-ed from The Hill dated July 30, 2019.
Disclosure of Involvement
- Letter to U.S. Research Community from Office of Science and Technology Policy - September 16, 2019
- NSF Dear Colleagues Letter: Research Protection - July 11, 2019
- Department of Defense Memo - Actions for the Protection of Intellectual Property, Controlled Information, Key Personnel and Critical Technologies - March 20, 2019
- Science article on DOE policies - February 8, 2019
- NIH Dear Colleagues Letter - August 20, 2018
Disclosure of Funding Support
- Current and Pending - Other Support Requirements by Sponsor
- Science magazine update re: NIH investigation - June 22, 2020
- Department of Education Reminder to report ownership/control by, and contracts/gifts from, foreign sources - June 22, 2020
- Science article on NIH investigation – July 5, 2019
- Additional information from MSU's Sponsored Programs on NIH July 10, 2019 Notice
- Reminders of NIH Policies on Other Support and on Policies related to Financial Conflicts of Interest and Foreign Components NOT-OD-19-114 - July 10, 2019
- Advisory Committee to the NIH Director Working Group on Foreign Influences on Research Integrity
- NIH Financial Conflict of Interest: Investigator Disclosures of Foreign Financial Interests - March 30, 2018
Funding Agency Positions
Contact Information
For questions related to proposal and award requirements, e.g., Current and Pending Support, Foreign Component, please contact the appropriate group below:
- If you are developing a proposal, please contact your Proposal Team
- If you have a question related to an award that has already been funded, please email awards@cga.msu.edu
- Alternatively, you may email Twila Reighley at reighley@osp.msu.edu
For questions related to Export Control and Trade Sanctions, please email export@msu.edu or call 517-432-4499