Academic Personnel Office

The University encourages faculty to engage in outside activities that contribute to their respective professions and the community. A conflict of commitment occurs when the commitment to external activities, whether compensated or uncompensated, professional or non-professional, interferes with the successful performance of the faculty member's University obligations.

The UC Regents’ Standing Order 103.1(b) states that faculty members shall not allow outside employment to interfere with primary University duties. Since some outside activities may raise the appearance of a conflict of commitment, the University has established specific guidelines for managing such activity. Academic Personnel Manual sections 025 (general campus faculty), 671 (Health Science Compensation Plan Faculty), 240 (Deans), and 246 (Faculty Administrators, 100% Time) clarifies a faculty member's commitment to the University and outlines reporting guidelines for outside professional activity. Each policy includes specific time limits for certain types of outside professional activities.

To comply with APM policy, UCR faculty must:

1. Obtain Prior Approval for Category I activities by
   • Completing an APM-025 Prior Approval Request OR an APM-671 Prior Approval Request using UC OATS and;
   • Submitting the request for approval following the campus routing instructions (pdf). For more information on supporting document requirements, refer to the Category I Prior Approval Checklist (pdf).
2. Submitting an Annual Report each fiscal year for Category I and/or Category II activities using UC OATS.

Important Notices and Guidelines

• For Vice Provost Jeske communication on conflict of commitment, click on this link: pdf.
• For Conflict of Commitment Obligations and Reminders, click on this link: pdf.
• For UCR's general information on conflict of commitment, click on this link: pdf.
• For UCR's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on conflict of commitment, click on this link: pdf.
• Academic Personnel Policy Issuance: Revision of APM Policies 025 and 671 effective July 1, 2024 (pdf).

University of California Outside Activity Tracking System (UC OATS)

UC OATS was deployed at UCR as of May 4, 2020. Accounts were automatically generated and campus users can login via the UCR OATS portal with their UCR NetID and Password.

TO LOG-IN TO UC OATS, HAVE YOUR UCR NETID AND PASSWORD AND CLICK ON THIS LINK: https://ucr.ucoats.org/

What is UC OATS?

UC OATS is a web-based application that supports the required collection, review, approval, and annual reporting of the outside professional activities subject to the University of California's Conflict of Commitment policies: APM-025, APM-240, APM-246, and APM-671.

UC OATS replaced the current APM 025, 240, 246, 671 annual reporting online system and the paper-based prior approval processes. The system helps to broaden understanding around the University's conflict of commitment policies, support compliance requirements, and improve reporting capabilities.

UC OATS supports the following:

• Requests to engage in an APM 025/APM 671 Category I activity
• Requests to involve students in an outside professional activity
• Report and record time engaged in APM 025/APM 671 Category I and II activities
• Annually certify outside professional activities that are subject to APM 025, 240, 246, 671
• Track earnings for Health Sciences Compensated faculty, Deans, and Faculty Administrators

For more information on the system-wide initiative and project, visit the system-wide OATS project page or watch the UC OATS Introduction video.

For questions or more information, please send an email to oats@ucr.edu.