UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State is launching the comprehensive Conflict of Interest System (COINS) Transformation Project to consolidate multiple disclosure processes into one digital platform. The new version of COINS will roll out this fall with all University faculty, researchers and officials using the new system for their annual disclosures in spring 2025.

“The goal of this transformation is to better support our researchers and faculty members by providing a simplified disclosure process,” said Andrew Read, senior vice president for research. “This integrated approach will make it less burdensome for researchers to fulfill their federal reporting obligations and will foster Penn State’s vibrant research environment.”

University policy, in alignment with federal policies, requires researchers to disclose any outside interests that may intersect with their work at the University. For example, a faculty member may own a start-up company or provide consulting to industry related to their University research. Currently, faculty members use one system for disclosing outside financial interests and a separate PDF-based mechanism for outside activities.

The updated COINS aims to:

• Provide a single system (COINS) to fulfill multiple federal and University disclosure requirements: Individual Conflict of Interest (policy RP06), Institutional Conflict of Interest (policy AD83) and Conflict of Commitment (policy AC80)
• Modernize and consolidate the current PDF-based Conflict of Commitment (policy AC80) pre-approval and disclosure processes into one digital platform
• Integrate COINS with existing compliance and award systems such as CATS IRB and SIMS IAF for a more streamlined process

“We’ve engaged stakeholders from the beginning, and this collaborative effort will enhance the University's efficiency in compliance processes while improving the researcher experience,” said Kathy Bieschke, vice provost for faculty affairs.

Starting this fall, the Office for Research Protections will offer on-demand, comprehensive training, including separate learning paths based on a user’s work at the University and other resources to ensure a smooth transition for users. All researchers, faculty members and university officials will be required to submit their disclosures in the new version of COINS starting in spring 2025.

Led by the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and the Office for Research Protections, this initiative is the result of the work of many offices, including the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research, the Penn State Conflict of Interest Program, and the Office of Research Information Systems. Visit the COINS Transformation Project website for updates. Have questions or feedback? Contact the COINS Transformation Project team at coinsadmin@psu.edu or submit your questions via this form.