Many State of Kansas officials, including university professors, are required by law to file conflict of interest statements, called “statements of substantial interest (SSIs),” with their institutions and the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission.  But 33 university employees are simply ignoring their legal requirements. 

While there is not aggressive enforcement of the Kansas law to file SSIs, failure to file can result in significant fines.  Last year a Fort Hays professor was fined $300 for ignoring multiple requests by the Ethics Commission to complete the necessary paperwork.

The law affecting university employees has changed.  Carol William, Executive Director, Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, explains:

The new law that permits a university to opt out of having faculty members earning $50,000 or more file SSIs with the Secretary of State became effective July 1, 2009 and will be valid for one year. Therefore, SSIs, this calendar year were required to be filed with the Secretary of State by all designated employees for all state agencies between April 1 and April 30 of this year.

The head of every state agency is required to provide the Commission a listing of its employees designated to file a SSI before March 31 each year.

Here is the list of university officials obtained from the Ethics Commission, who were tardy in their ethics homework assignment on Sept 30, 2009.  (The due date was April 30, 2009.)

Name

Title

Agency

Division

Eric Gillock

Associate Professor

FHSU

Biological Sciences

Gorman Glaze

Instructor

FHSU

Agriculture

Michael Jilg

Professor

FHSU

Art

Mohsen Modarres

Associate Professor

FHSU

Mangement and Marketing

Jeffrey Pape

Coordinator

FHSU

Computing Center

William Stark

Associate Professor

FHSU

Biological Sciences

Andrew Chermak

Professor

KSU

Mathematics

Linda Hessman

Operations Manager

KSU

Family Studies & Human Service

Loretta Johnson

Associate Professor

KSU

Biology

David Krishock

Instructor

KSU

Grain Science & Industry

Bonnie Lynn-Sherow

Associate Professor

KSU

History

Ruth Miller

Associate Professor

KSU

Electrical & Computer Engr

Charles Sanders

Associate Professor

KSU

History

Arthur Selman

Network Specialist/Instru

KSU

Agronomy

Gene Tebbutt

Physical Plant Supervisor

KSU

Department of Housing & Dining

Mary Todd

Director/KSU Women's Cent

KSU

Student Life Office of

Karen Winslow

Purchasing Systems Admin

KSU

Department of Housing & Dining

Sue Zschoche

Associate Prof/ Chair

KSU

History

Adam D. Benson

Instructor

ESU

Accounting and Information Sys

Elizabeth Locey-Hampe

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

ESU

Modern Languages and Literatur

Cecilia L. Salvatore

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

ESU

SLIM-On Campus Support

Mary Jo Litten

Employee

PSU

Shirley Triplett

Employee

PSU

Jason Ward

Employee

PSU

Thomas Alius Schreiber

Associate Professor

KU

Psychology

Patrick E Fields

Assistant Professor

UKMC

Barry Badgett

Employee

WSU

Carl Baker

Employee

WSU

Deborah Baxter

Employee

WSU

Alexandre Boukhgueim

Employee

WSU

Jeffrey Jarman

Employee

WSU

David Koert

Employee

WSU

Chunsheng Ma

Employee

WSU

At the monthly Ethics Commission meeting in September, Williams explained that a total of 39 SSIs were outstanding, which was much better than a year ago when 544 were outstanding. Some state employees who are late with their filing may receive a visit from the Ethics Commission’s investigator, or receive a notice in the mail.

The intent of the law is to provide transparency of government expenditures by key government officials, who may have conflicts of interest as they make purchases on behalf of the state.  The SSIs are intended to help the public make sure tax dollars are spent wisely.

The Kansas Watchdog is also researching those who may be exempted from filing SSIs.