Conflict of Interest

The Virginia State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act (COIA), Virginia Code § 2.2-3100, et al., was enacted by the General Assembly to ensure that state and local government officers and employees conduct government business in a manner that is free of inappropriate conflicts and avoid impaired judgment due to influences from economic interests. Some examples of prohibited conduct per § 2.2-3103 include the following:

• Accepting inducements in exchange for acting in someone’s favor
• Using a position to assist another with getting a job or a contract with the government.
• Using confidential information to improve one’s personal financial situation or another’s financial situation.

The statute also addresses conduct involving an officer’s or employee’s interest in a contract with their agency other than an employment contract (§ 2.2-3106) as well as an officer’s or employee’s interest in a transaction where the officer or employee is engaged in the transaction’s decision-making process and stands to benefit from the transaction (§ 2.2-3112).

Remember: Our primary professional commitment as employees of Virginia State University, a Commonwealth agency, is to the University and fulfilling its mission. Thus, internal and external conduct and conflicts that run contrary to this commitment should be avoided.

If you have questions about whether certain conduct aligns with COIA’s provisions, then please contact us at compliance@vsu.edu or (804) 504 – 7001 to schedule an appointment to discuss.

Statement of Economic Interest Filing

Persons identified as holding positions of trust in the university must complete a training and file a statement of economic interest (SOEI) disclosing their financial interest within one month of employment and thereafter file the SOEI annually on or before February 1st. In certain instances, if a conflict of interest is identified, the employee must file an SOEI to report the conflict and continue to do so annually on before February 1st.

Please contact OIIC for additional information regarding SOEI filings at compliance@vsu.edu or (804) 504 – 7001.

COIA Resources

Conflict of Interest training is required every two (2) years for certain state and local government officers and employees and is available on the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council website at ethicswebinar.dls.virginia.gov. The OIIC oversees Virginia State University’s satisfaction of the two (2) year training requirement. Note that this education opportunity is not limited to those who must fulfill the requirement but instead is available for anyone who desires to have a better understanding of COIA and its components.

To access the training, go to ethicswebinar.dls.virginia.gov and follow the prompts. For the full text of statute, please click on the following link: Virginia State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act - Code of Virginia Code - Chapter 31.