Conflict of Interest

The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires the California State University (CSU), as an agency, to adopt and communicate Conflict of Interest (COI) codes. The Act contains a general prohibition against conflicts of interest. Conflict of Interest law seeks to minimize the extent to which public employees pursue their own financial interests at the expense of the public interest. Under the Act, no CSU employee shall make, participate in making, or attempt to use his or her official position to influence a University decision in which he or she has a financial interest. University employees cannot make, participate in making, or attempt to use their official position to influence a CSU decision in which they have a financial interest. An employee is deemed to have personal financial interest in a decision if that decision will have a material financial effect on themselves, a member of their immediate family, or on any one of the five kinds of economic interest as defined in the Political Reform Act of 1974.

The CSU Conflict of Interest Code requires employees in designated positions to file a Statement of Economic Interests Form 700 upon assuming office and on an annual basis. Employees are required to complete ethics training within 6 months of assuming office and every two years thereafter. 

New employees in designated positions or current employees newly appointed to designated positions will be notified by the Human Resources department about their requirement to file and take the training. Designated positions and disclosure categories can be found in Attachments A and Attachments B.

If you have any questions about any action that you believe may constitute a conflict of interest, please contact Kimberly Lillo, Classification and Compensation Specialist at (707) 664-3717 or via email.  For more information on complying with the CSU Conflict of Interest regulations, visit the following links on the CSU Conflict of Interest Policies and Programs web site.

Annual Filing and Training

Newly Appointed: CSU employees in designated positions are notified of their requirement to file and take training by the university's Conflict of Interest Officer. Employees must file a Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700 or Form 700U) within 30 days of being appointed to a designated position.

Annual Filing: Sonoma State University employees in designated positions are required to file a Form 700 or Form 700U each April 1. The university’s Conflict of Interest Officer is responsible for notifying all employees who must file.

Leaving Office:  When an employee in a designated position leaves that designated position, they must file a Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) for “Leaving Office.”  This form must be completed and filed with the Conflict of Interest Officer within 30 days of leaving office.

Publications:

Form 700 Statement of Economic Interests 
Form 700 Disclosure - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Form 700 Reference Pamphlet 
Form 700-U Statement of Economic Interests for Principal Investigators

Training

Training Link: Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
Training Contact: SSU Training

Gifts to Agency/Distribution of Tickets and Passes to Events/Reports of Ceremonial Roles

In addition to the administration of the annual filing of Statement of Economic Interests forms for designated positions, the University is required to report Gifts and Tickets/Admissions to Events given to the agency.

Payments made to the CSU by an outside source that are used by CSU employees to conduct CSU business or to achieve a stated public purpose may not be treated as gifts or income by the employee who uses them. These payments may be reported on a Form 801 or Form 802 instead of the employee's Form 700.

Publications:

Gifts to Agency Report

The Form 801 is used to disclose gifts made to the CSU and used by one or more CSU employee to conduct CSU business. This may include payments such as travel and reimbursements (other than tickets or passes).

Ceremonial Role Events and Ticket/Pass Distributions Agency Report

The Form 802 is used to disclose tickets or passes to an entertaining or sporting event given to the CSU by an outside source and provided to a CSU employee to achieve a stated public purpose.
 

CSU Office Of General Counsel

State of California Resources

Office of the Attorney General

Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC)