Human Anatomic Materials Procurement

USC is committed to ensuring that human anatomical materials used for academic purposes meet all applicable regulatory and safety requirements.

Purchasing and Signature Authority

The purpose of this policy is to control the commitment of university funds, including purchasing and contracting activities.

HIPAA RES-301 Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information for Research Purposes

Federal and state regulations govern the protection of human subjects in research. While these regulations provide for some patient confidentiality protections, the HIPAA Privacy Rule adds additional privacy protections for human subjects and establishes the conditions under which protected health information (“PHI”) may be used or disclosed
by the University of Southern California (USC) for research purposes.

Injury and Illness Prevention

USC is committed to excellence in environmental health and safety stewardship on our campuses and in the larger USC community. This policy outlines safety responsibilities and requirements placed on all USC personnel (faculty, staff, students, contractors, and volunteers)—to support injury and illness prevention, maintain a safe and healthful workplace, and ensure individual and institutional compliance with relevant environmental health and safety regulations.

Conflict of Interest in Research

The purpose of this policy is to promote the highest ethical standards in situations where conflicts of interest may occur in the conduct of research.

Biorepositories

USC encourages the creation of repositories (sometimes called biorepositories, registries, banks, or libraries) that provide access, for use in future research, to data and human biospecimens.

Hiring Foreign Nationals and Immigration Employment Sponsorship

The process of employing foreign nationals (as faculty, staff, or employees claiming student status) involves federal rules and regulations that, if not carefully followed, can result in severe penalties to both employee and employer.

HIPAA GEN-105 Disclosures of Deidentified

The University of Southern California (USC) may use or disclose de-identified health information without obtaining a patient’s authorization.

HIPAA GEN-102 When to Obtain Authorizations

The University of Southern California (USC) may use and disclose an individual’s Protected Health Information (PHI) only pursuant to a written Authorization of the
patient or the patient’s Personal Representative with the following exceptions.

Recharge Centers

USC schools, academic departments and other university divisions (units) may establish a recharge center (RC) to provide goods and/or services to university activities, programs and organizations.

University Signature

This policy identifies who is authorized to enter into Agreements on behalf of the University and how authorized individuals may delegate signature authority. This policy also outlines conditions that must be met before any Agreement on behalf of the University is signed and the use of electronic signatures.

Relationships with Industry

The purpose of this policy is to: Support USC’s standard of maintaining a culture of ethics in its business relations and to minimize conflicts of interest and the appearance of impropriety in our relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, device and medical equipment manufacturers and other healthcare suppliers (“Industry”).

Institutional Conflict of Interest in Research

The objective of this policy is to promote the highest ethical standards in the conduct of research in situations where institutional conflicts of interest (“ICOI”) may occur, and to determine those instances when an ICOI is unacceptable.

Records Management

All units of the university are responsible for ensuring appropriate use, retention and destruction of university records by establishing and following record management practices consistent with this policy.

Misappropriation of University Assets

It is the responsibility of every university employee, regardless of rank or job title, to safeguard university assets and to report any suspected misappropriation of university assets.

Diverse Supplier Guidelines

The Department of Supplier Diversity Services works in tandem with Procurement Services to provide maximum procurement opportunities for Diverse Suppliers.

Courseware

The purpose of this policy is to define courseware ownership by way of creation, generating income and/or royalties, outlining contractual courseware agreements, competition, conflict of interest and USC Trademarks and Third-Party Copyrights. 

Hazardous Waste Management (Environmental Management)

The purpose of this policy is to protect the health and safety of university faculty, staff, students and visitors through safe handling and disposal of chemical, infectious, and radioactive wastes; to reduce the potential environmental liabilities and costs of hazardous waste disposal; and to help ensure that hazardous wastes are disposed of in accordance with all applicable regulations.

Political Activity

USC, as an institution, will not participate in (including the publishing or distributing of statements) any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office (collectively, “Political Statements”) and no employee or agent of USC is authorized to make any Political Statement, or expend any university funds for or against a candidate, on USC’s behalf.

Intellectual Property

The purpose of this Policy is to educate members of the University community about their rights and responsibilities regarding intellectual property.

Cost-Sharing

The sponsor’s award document normally includes the form and the amount of the cost-sharing commitment or it may reference the proposal submitted to the funding agency.