Carnegie Mellon University Policy on Conflict of Interest & Commitment states that Conflicts of interest occur when university members are in a position to influence a decision on policy or purchases where they might directly or indirectly receive financial benefit or give improper advantage to associates. Conflicts of commitment arise when university members' involvements in outside activities substantially interfere with their primary commitments to the university: to teach, to conduct research and to meet related obligations to students, colleagues and the university

The following examples demonstrate potential or actual conflicts of interest that can be derived from the whole policy statement: Go to: http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/IntConflict.html
  • Undertaking evaluative research when the investigator or his family has a financial, managerial, or ownership interest in the sponsoring company or in the company producing the product tested.
  • Using students or employees of the institution to perform services for a company in which a faculty member has an ownership interest or receives any type of remuneration.
  • Accepting gratuities or special favors related to teaching, research, or administrative duties.
  • Giving well-paid lectures for companies or organizations whose economic or political interests are affected by an investigator's scholarly work.
  • Entering into a paid consultant-ship arrangement with an organization or individual having an economic interest in related research.
  • Assigning as required texts in their course, books for which the instructor derives significant financial benefits.
  • Accepting support for research under terms and conditions that results be held confidential, unpublished, or significantly delayed in publication.
  • Providing privileged access to information, developed with University resources to an entity in which the faculty member, or administrator has a political or financial interest.
  • Influencing the negotiation of contracts between the academic institution and outside organizations with which a faculty member or administrator has a financial interest or other relationship.
The above examples are not complete, but are good examples of potential and actual conflicts of interest that must be disclosed, managed or eliminated prior to the materializing into conflict of interest.