8.1.5.3 Outside Activities
Compensated Outside Activities of Faculty and Staff
Each MGA employee with a work commitment of 30 or more hours per week (.75 or >FTE), and faculty members on contracts of nine months or more must obtain written approval prior to engaging in compensated outside activities that relate to the employee’s expertise or responsibilities as an MGA employee. Such activities include consulting, teaching, speaking, and participating in business, professional, or service enterprises.
MGA employees must obtain written approval from the institution President or the President’s designee utilizing institutional procedures for defining and managing potential and apparent conflicts of interest. The President of MGA must obtain approval from the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee.
Direct reports of the MGA President and those with a title of Vice President or equivalent seeking to participate in compensated outside activities should forward their request through the President’s Office to the USG Office of Ethics and Compliance at the following address:
USG Office of Ethics and Compliance
(404) 962-3034
Forms are available on the USG website. Final approval for compensated outside activities for direct reports of a USG President and those with a title of Vice President or equivalent will be made by the appropriate USG President.
Each MGA employee, with a work commitment of less than 30 hours per week (.75 FTE or <), and faculty members on a contract term of less than nine months a year do not need written approval in advance of engaging in compensated outside activities so long as the outside activity does not create a conflict of interest or otherwise violate University System of Georgia or MGA policy.
In competing for outside work, MGA Employees are not to take advantage of their access to University facilities. State law precludes University Employees from using State facilities or property for personal gain or benefit. However, MGA employees may request to use MGA resources through a written contract that provides that MGA will be paid for the use of any MGA personnel, facilities, equipment or materials at a rate which is at least the rate MGA charges to outside entities. Approval of such a contract must be obtained pursuant to MGA’s contracting policies, and is in addition to the approval required to engage in outside activity.
Requests to engage in an outside activity should be submitted using the form here: https://www.mga.edu/human-resources/docs/Outside_Occupational_Activities.pdf (This form is only for requests to engage in outside activities. Conflict(s) of interest or apparent conflict(s) of interest must be disclosed on the form referenced in MGA Policy 8.1.5.1. Additionally, this form is not appropriate for direct reports to the President or those with a title of Vice President or equivalent.)
By adopting this policy, the President delegates to the Vice Presidents the authority to approve Outside Work in each of their Divisions. Employees who are not direct reports to the President or those with a title of Vice President or equivalent should deliver their completed form to their direct supervisor, who shall then, if appropriate, sign it and forward it to the appropriate Vice President for review.
Any agreement for an outside activity executed between an outside entity and an MGA staff employee must include the following statement:
“The consultant has certain obligations to Middle Georgia State University as a faculty member as described in the Intellectual Property policy of Middle Georgia State University (IP Policy). In the event that there is any conflict between the consultant’s obligations to the IP Policy and their obligations to the entity for whom they consult, the obligations to the IP Policy shall control.”
Any presentations or reports written, signed, or prepared by an MGA employee for an outside entity as part of an outside activity must state:
“This content represents the opinions of the consultant. It carries no endorsement of Middle Georgia State University.”
Required Leave and Honoraria for Compensated Outside Activities
Except as authorized for eligible faculty employees, as set forth in Board of Regents Policy Manual Section 8.2.18.2.4 and in the MGA Faculty Handbook, appropriate leave must be used by MGA employees for outside activities during the employee’s work hours consistent with the MGA procedures governing the use of leave.
Non-faculty employees may not receive Honoraria, as defined in Board of Regents Policy Manual Section 8.2.18.2.4 and in the MGA Faculty Handbook, for activities during the employee’s work hours.
Consulting for USG Vendors
MGA employees are generally prohibited from consulting with or otherwise receiving compensation from a current vendor of, or an entity seeking a vendor relationship with MGA.
Exceptions to this provision may be granted by the MGA President or President’s designee for MGA employees that do not supervise, regularly interact with, or participate in the selection of vendors for that employee’s institution or in those instances where the employee seeking to consult for a vendor or potential vendor is not involved in any way with supervising, regularly interacting with, or selecting said vendor or potential vendor. Similar exceptions for the MGA President may be granted by the Chancellor or Chancellor’s designee. This prohibition does not apply to vendor or service relationships between the MGA and other government entities.