Home > III. Human Resources > Ch.8 - Conflict of Interest in Employment (Nepotism)

8.8 Management Plans

(Amended 4/1/25)
  1. A management plan will ensure that the associated individual with decision-making responsibility is removed from the decision-making processes that affect the employment status of the other associated individual. In addition, the management plan must include the sound institutional reason to manage, rather than avoid, the conflict.

    A template describing the elements of a management plan is available at https://hr.uiowa.edu/policies/conflict-interest-employment. In addition, the co-chairs of the Committee on the Conflict of Interest in Employment (see III-8.3 above) are available for consultation regarding development of a management plan.
  2. A neutral supervisor superior to the first neutral supervisor may develop the management plan.
  3. The associated individuals may be consulted by the department in developing a management plan, but the department is responsible for the final development of a management plan. The associated individuals must sign the management plan document to acknowledge their awareness of the plan.
  4. The management plan shall be reviewed and approved by the university official as defined in III-8.2, and then submitted to the Committee.
  5. The Committee shall evaluate the proposed management plan, considering the plan’s effectiveness in providing for objective decision making, creating and maintaining an atmosphere of fairness, providing consistency in the treatment of employees, and allowing for the effective and efficient operation of the unit(s) in which the associated individuals are employed. The Committee may approve or reject the proposed management plan. If the Committee rejects the proposed management plan, the Committee will inform the department of the reasons for rejection and may make recommendations  for modifications to improve the management plan's probable effectiveness in managing the conflict of interest in employment.
  6. If the Committee recommends modifications to the proposed management plan, the recommendations shall be made to the university official as defined in III-8.2, and the unit may resubmit a modified management plan. If the Committee approves the management plan, the university official is responsible for implementation of the management plan.
  7. The Committee shall evaluate, annually or upon request of any individual who believes they are affected adversely by the management plan, the effectiveness of the established plan created to manage the conflict of interest in employment. As part of the annual evaluation, the department will survey faculty, staff, and students who are in positions to be affected significantly by the conflict of interest in employment as to whether there are any concerns or issues related to the management plan. The Committee may recommend continuation, revisions as appropriate, or may reject continuation of the management plan. The Committee’s decision shall be submitted to the university official to oversee implementation.