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The UC Outside Activity Tracking System (UC OATS) is a multi-campus collaboration formed to facilitate the reporting and tracking of Outside Professional Activities (OPA) and identify potential cases of Conflict of Commitment (COC). UC OATS is an interactive, web-based application that enables faculty to comply with the University of California, Conflict of Commitment policies outlined in the Academic Personnel Manual (APM). In UC OATS faculty report outside professional activities, request prior approval, report effort/income, and complete annual certification.
UC OATS is an interactive, web-based application that enables faculty to comply with the University of California, Conflict of Commitment policies outlined in the Academic Personnel Manual (APM).
What is Conflict of Commitment?
This policy acknowledges the value of outside professional activities while recognizing the likelihood that some outside activities may cause real or apparent conflicts of commitment. Outside professional activities that interfere with a faculty member’s professional obligations to the University represent a conflict of commitment. The Department Chair, in consultation with the faculty member and the Dean, shall resolve all questions related to whether an individual activity constitutes an outside non-professional activity or is an activity within the course and scope of employment. To learn more, visit the APM-025-2 General section of the APM-025 policy.
What are Outside Professional Activities?
Outside professional activities, compensated or uncompensated, and regardless of financial interest, are defined as those activities that are within a faculty member’s area of professional academic expertise, and that advance or communicate that expertise through interaction within the industry or community, or with the public.
Outside professional activities are distinct from non-professional activities, i.e., activities that are part of the faculty member’s private life and are not expressly governed by University regulations, or by the guidelines on outside professional activities.
Outside professional activities must not interfere with a faculty member’s obligations to the University.
What is a Faculty Member’s Obligation to the University?
Outside professional activities must be undertaken in a manner consistent with the faculty member’s professional obligations to the University. Outside activities must not conflict with the faculty member’s obligations to students, colleagues, or to the University as a whole. In order to fulfill those obligations, faculty members must maintain a significant presence on campus, meet with classes, keep office hours, hold examinations as scheduled, be accessible to students and staff, be available to interact with University colleagues, and share service responsibilities throughout every quarter or semester of active service.
Which Conflict of Commitment Policies are covered by UC OATS?
The conflict of commitment policies covered by UC OATS are APM-025, APM-671, APM-240, and APM-246.
APM 025: Conflict of Commitment and Outside Activities of Faculty Members”
This policy defines which outside professional activities must be disclosed to the University, approved prior to engagement, and/or reported annually. This policy limits the amount of time a faculty member may devote to outside professional activities and describes the requirements when involving a student in outside professional activities. It defines activities as Category I, II, or III, and includes a Prior Approval form as well as an annual reporting form. All faculty who are not members of a Health Sciences Compensation Plan (HSCP) are subject to this policy; however, faculty holding appointments of less than 50 percent time are not subject to the annual reporting and prior approval requirements.
APM 671: “Conflict of Commitment and Outside Activities of Health Sciences Compensation Plan Participants” Faculty who are members of a Health Sciences Compensation Plan (HSCP) have additional requirements related to Outside Professional Activities, specific to income earned while engaged in outside professional activities. This policy also defines monitoring, compliance, and consequences for non-compliance. Faculty members appointed in Health Sciences schools that are not participants in the Health Sciences Compensation Plan are subject to APM-025.
APM 240: This policy is specific to academic deans, defined as a head of a division, college, school, or other similar academic unit, with administrative responsibility for that unit. APM 240-20c outlines additional restrictions on outside professional activities for Deans beyond the requirements of APM 025/671.
APM 246: “Faculty Administrators (100% Time)” - Faculty Administrators who are appointed at 100% time are primarily responsible for administrative duties, but maintain their underlying faculty appointment. A Faculty Administrator holds a concurrent University faculty appointment. APM 246-20c outlines additional restrictions on outside professional activities for Faculty Administrators beyond the requirements of APM 025/671.
How do I gain access to UC OATS?
To request access to UC OATS, contact your campus UC OATS administrator. Visit your campus UC OATS help page for more information.
Campus Help Pages:
Who do I contact for help with UC OATS?
For detailed instructions on how to use UC OATS please visit our extensive UC OATS training knowledge base. If you need further support, please email your campus UC OATS administrator.
How do I provide feedback about UC OATS?
The UC OATS consortium has a working group that discusses and decides on enhancements and functionality. If you would like to provide specific feedback regarding UC OATS, please reach out to your campus's working groups members. Below is a link to each campus UC OATS help site and the campus UC OATS email address.
For detailed instructions on how to use UC OATS please visit our extensive UC OATS training knowledge base. The following will link you directly to each role's knowledge base:
General Campus (APM-025):
Health Science (APM-671):
Other:
How do I access the UC OATS portal?
You can access your campus's UC OATS portal by selecting the link below.
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