Conflicts of Interest Review Committees

AHC Committee Members

Paul Olin, Chair Associate Professor - Restorative Sciences School of Dentistry	J. Michael Oakes, Vice Chair Associate Professor - Epidemiology School of Public Health
Reggie Bowerman, Ex Officio Asst. Business Development Specialist Office of Technology Commercialization Vice President for Research	George Chresand, Outside Representative Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Fairview Health Services
Stephen Downing Associate Professor UMD Anatomy and Cell Biology UMD School of Medicine	Arthur Erdman Professor Mechanical Engineering College of Science and Engineering
Daniel Feeney Professor Veterinary Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine	Marti Hope Gonzales Associate Professor Psychology College of Liberal Arts
Jon Guden, Ex Officio Assistant Program Director Office of Institutional Compliance Presidents Office	Moira Keane, Ex Officio Executive Director Human Research Protection Program Vice President for Research
Karen Matz, Ex Officio Compliance Officer University of Minnesota Physicians	Jeffrey McCullough Professor Lab Medicine and Pathology Medical School
Kevin McKoskey, Ex Officio Senior Associate Director Sponsored Projects Administration Vice President for Research	Russ Straate, Ex Officio Associate Director, Venture Center Office of Technology Commercialization
Sarah Waldemar, Ex Officio Associate Director Office of Oversight, Analysis and Reporting Vice President for Research	Lynn Zentner, Ex Officio Director Office of Institutional Compliance

Provost Committee Members

Arthur Erdman, Chair Professor, Mechanical Engineering College of Science and Engineering	Zata Vickers, Vice Chair Professor Food Science and Nutrition College Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
Leza Besemann, Ex Officio Technology Strategy Manager Ofc of Technology Commercialization Vice President for Research	Graham Candler Professor, Aerospace Engineering & Mechanics College of Science and Engineering
David DeMuth, Jr Professor UMC Learning Foundations Center for Learning Foundations	Vance Fiegel External Representative Embro Corporation
Jon Guden, Ex Officio Assistant Program Director Office of Institutional Compliance Presidents Office	Eric Hockert, Ex Officio Technology Marketing Manager Office of Technology Commercialization Vice President for Research
Richard Painter Professor Law School	Barbara Shiels, Ex Officio Associate General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel
Russ Straate, Ex Officio Associate Director, Venture Center Office of Technology Commercialization	Sarah Waldemar, Ex Officio Associate Director Office of Oversight, Analysis and Reporting Vice President for Research
Pamela Webb, Ex Officio Associate Vice President, Sponsored Projects Administration	Lynn Zentner, Ex Officio Director Office of Institutional Compliance

Institutional Committee Members

Daniel Feeney, Chair Professor Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Arthur Erdman Professor Mechanical Engineering College of Science and Engineering	Elizabeth Eull Deputy Chief of Staff Office of the President UMN Twin Cities
Jon Guden, Ex Officio Assistant Program Director Office of Institutional Compliance Presidents Office	Tom Johnson Former DA - Hennepin County Gray Plant Mooty Law Firm * Community Member
Moira Keane, Ex-Officio Executive Director Human Research Protection Program	Gail Klatt Associate Vice President Internal Audit
Tom McGinnis Chief Financial Officer Department of Athletics	Hon. H. Bryan Neel, III, MD, Ph. D Regent Emeritus (Former Regent)
Paul Olin Associate Professor - Restorative Sciences School of Dentistry	Jeffrey Ratliff-Crain Associate Professor UMM Div of Social Sciences
Jay Schrankler, Ex Officio Executive Director, Ofc of Technology Commercialization Vice President for Research	Barbara Shiels, Ex Officio Associate General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel
Mike Volna, Ex Officio Associate Vice President The Controller’s Office	Sarah Waldemar, Ex Officio Director Office of Research Integrity and Oversight Vice President for Research
Pamela Webb, Ex Officio Associate Vice President Sponsored Projects Administration	Lynn Zentner, Ex Officio Director Office of Institutional Compliance

Roles and Responsibilities

What are the committees?

The Conflict of Interest Program works with two individual conflict review committees (CRCs), the AHC CRC and the Provost CRC. The AHC CRC reviews potential conflicts of interest of faculty and staff with appointments in the Academic Health Center. The Provost CRC reviews potential conflicts of interest of faculty and staff with appointments in colleges and academic units outside the AHC. Each CRC has an executive committee ("Executive CRC"). Committee review of potential conflicts of interest begins with the Executive CRC.

In addition, there is an Institutional CRC established to review matters related to University Officials or issues that involve institutional conflicts.

Executive committees for each of the CRCs are comprised of the CRC chair and vice chair, an Associate General Counsel, and COI Program staff. The full committees are comprised of a chair, vice chair, faculty, professional and academic administrative staff, ex officio (non voting) members who represent various regulatory roles and at least one community member.

What are the roles of the CRCs?

Executive CRCs review the information reported on an individual's Report of External Professional Activities (REPA) or Financial Disclosure of University Officials (FDUO), and any other relevant information obtained to determine:

• whether additional information is needed;
• whether a conflict of interest likely exists and, if so;
• whether the conflict should be eliminated, reduced, or otherwise managed.

If the Executive CRC determines that no conflict of interest exists, the REPA or FDUO will be approved by COI Program staff and no further action is required. If the Executive CRC determines that a potential conflict of interest exists, the matter is referred to the appropriate CRC for review and resolution. All matters involving human subjects research are referred to a CRC for review.

What does a CRC review include?

The CRCs review the REPA or FDUO to determine if an actual conflict of interest exists. In conducting its review, a CRC considers many factors, to include:

• the nature of the business or financial interests;
• whether the financial interest is a "significant financial interest";
• when and how the business or financial relationship commenced, and any changes to the relationship during the past reporting year;
• whether the financial or business interest is related to the covered individual's University expertise and responsibilities;
• if it is determined that a financial or business interest is related to the covered individual's University expertise and responsibilities, whether the covered individual is in a position or has the opportunity to take action in his or her University role that might benefit the commercial interests of the company;
• the nature of the University activity that may be impacted if a conflict of interest finding is made and the extent of that impact;
• whether the covered individual has unique qualifications that should be taken into consideration when determining the outcome of the review; and
• the existence of any mitigating factors.