Outside Employment Approval and Reporting

1. Background and Rationale
   The University encourages dissemination of the expertise and creativity of its employees. The University also has a statutory responsibility to establish policies that balance this dissemination with the other important roles of the University and to prevent abuses of the University’s resources. Further, the State of Illinois Faculty Research and Consulting Act (110 ILCS 100) prohibits full-time members of faculty to undertake, contract for, or accept anything of value in return for research or consulting services for any person other than that institution on whose faculty they serve without prior approval from the President of the University, or designee. The Act requires an annual report of outside employment.
   
   Definition of Outside Employment: Additional employment for which compensation is paid by an external source while the employee is also under full-time contract with the University. This employment can be of any sort, including teaching, consulting, direct delivery of professional services, and advisory services.
   
   Illinois State University Policy 3.3.7, Secondary/Outside Employment, requires that all tenured/tenure-track faculty, faculty associates, department chairs, school directors, and AP staff seek prior approval of outside employment and also that they report, on an annual basis, the outside employment they completed during the previous fiscal year.
   
   At Illinois State University, approval authority for outside employment is delegated to the Provost.
   
   
2. Procedures
   1. Overview
      1. Requesting pre-approval:
         1. Submit request for secondary/outside employment approval at least two weeks prior to the start of secondary/outside employment.
         2. Department/School chair or first-level supervisor reviews and makes decision.
         3. If approved, dean or second-level supervisor reviews and makes decision.
         4. If approved, President’s designee reviews and makes decision.
         5. If approved, submitter receives notification of approval and next steps to submit report.
         6. NOTE: If request is denied, the submitter will receive an email.
            
            
      2. Submitting annual report:
         1. When outside employment engagement has ended or no later than August 31 of the following fiscal year, those with approved outside employment must submit an annual report associated with their secondary/outside  employment.
         2. When outside employment engagement has ended or no later than August 31 of the following fiscal year, those with approved outside employment must submit an annual report associated with their    secondary/outside  employment.
         3. The annual report will be located in their Action Center at My.IllinoisState.edu.
         4. Department/School chair or first-level supervisor reviews.
         5. If approved, dean or second-level supervisor reviews.
         6. If approved, submitter receives notification of approval.
         7. NOTE: If request is denied, the submitter will receive an email
            
            
   2. Submit Request for Secondary/Outside Employment Approval
      1. Faculty, faculty associates, and AP staff should complete their requests online at Secondary/Outside Employment Request & Report.
      2. Requests for approval should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the start of the outside employment to assure timely Provost approval.
      3. Outside employment must be submitted and approved on an annual basis following the University’s fiscal year, July 1 through June 30.
      4. If your secondary/outside employment engagement extends beyond one fiscal year, you will need to submit a request for re-approval each year (see below).
         
         
   3. The Review Process
      1. Any questions, including any possible conflicts of interest or commitment, should be discussed and clarified informally with the faculty member or other employee to ensure protection of the University and the employee.
      2. If potential conflicts remain unmanaged, or other concerns about the proposed outside employment are not addressed, an attempt will be made to resolve these issues so approval can be granted.
      3. The Provost may refuse approval for outside employment if such issues cannot be resolved.
         
         
   4. Secondary/Outside Employment Extending Beyond One Fiscal Year
      1. If the secondary/outside employment will continue past June 30 and into the next fiscal year, a new request will need to be submitted for the new fiscal year prior to June 15 to allow for timely processing.
      2. Renewals provide faculty and staff the opportunity to verify any changes in the circumstances of the outside employment and confirm or update their conflict management plans, as needed.
         
         
   5. Secondary/Outside Employment Annual Report
      1. When the secondary/outside employment engagement is complete (or at the end of the fiscal year, if it is continuing), please complete the Secondary/Outside Employment Annual Report located in the Action Center at My.IllinoisState.edu.
         1. If you received approval for secondary/outside employment prior to September 17, 2025, please use this link to submit your annual report.
      2. In all cases, submission of the report for the previous year (July 1 through June 30) are due annually by
         August  31. 

All submissions will be held by the Office of the Provost for record retention.

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