Disclosure is a cornerstone of research integrity. WVU requires faculty, staff, and students participating in sponsored research to fully disclose outside professional activities, financial interests, and foreign affiliations.
These disclosures help protect individual researchers and the University by identifying potential conflicts of interest or commitment before they become compliance issues.
Why It Matters
Federal sponsors and research partners expect full transparency regarding outside relationships and support. Failure to disclose can jeopardize funding, lead to reputational damage, and violate federal requirements under NSPM-33 and agency-specific policies.
Disclosure ensures WVU research remains accountable, ethical, and in line with national security expectations.
When to Disclose
You must disclose when:
- Submitting a new proposal for external funding.
- Beginning a new appointment, consulting engagement, or paid activity outside WVU.
- Establishing or participating in an international collaboration or partnership.
- You receive foreign support, gifts, or materials related to your research.
- Any change occurs that affects a previously submitted disclosure.
How to Disclose
Disclosures are managed through WRAP, including Research COI, Institutional COI, and Outside Consulting Arrangement approvals.
Outside Activities and Interests
All teaching faculty and researchers are required to disclose any outside activities, relationships, or financial interests involving external entities (such as companies or organizations). This includes paid consulting, ownership in a company, foreign academic appointments, research support from foreign institutions, and—when required by federal sponsors—travel related to research activities.
WVU Policies
- Conflict of Interest (COI) Guidelines
- WVU BOG's Outside Consulting Arrangements: Dos and Don’ts
- WVU BOG: Ethics, Conflicts of Interest and Outside Consulting Arrangements FAQs
- Faculty Handbook: Outside Employment and Consulting
Other Support / Current and Pending Support
Most federal agencies require researchers to disclose all Other Support or Current and Pending Support related to their sponsored projects. This information provides a complete picture of a researcher’s active and proposed funding and helps ensure transparency and compliance with agency requirements.
Other Support may need to be reported when submitting a proposal, during the Just-In-Time stage, in annual or final progress reports, or whenever requested by the sponsor.
Federal sponsors are applying an increasingly broad definition of what must be disclosed. For example, if you host a visiting scholar who receives salary or research funding from a foreign institution, that relationship may need to be included as Other Support.
Resources
- NSF Pre- and Post-award Disclosures Relating to the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support Table
- Pre- and Post-award Disclosures Relating to the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support
- NIH Disclosure related to the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support Table
- NIH Other Support Guidance
The Office for Research Protections (ORP) and the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) work together to support the disclosure process and are available to answer questions as needed.
Need Help?
Questions about what or when to disclose?
Contact the Research Security or Conflict of Interest team before submitting your proposal or accepting outside funding.