Editors' Conflict of Interest Policy

East Lansing Info

Conflict of Interest Policy for Editors

ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON AUGUST 12, 2014

1. In this document, the word “Editor” applies to all editors of ELi, including the Managing Editor and all Section Editors, Editors at Large, and Guest Editors, whether they are paid or unpaid by ELi.
2. Editors must not propose, solicit, manage, write, or edit stories from which they themselves or their family or household members stand to gain monetarily in a direct fashion outside of any payment by ELi for the work. (This would include, for example, soliciting a story to be written about a business which is owned by an Editor or an editor’s family member or household member. This does not include, for example, writing a story about a possible referendum to reduce property taxes that might, sometime in the future, lead to the editor paying less in property taxes.)
3. Editors must not accept gifts or favors of any monetary value from those about whom they are writing or editing stories. This prohibition extends from the time the story is first discussed with anyone to two years after the publication of any story.
4. If an Editor recommends paid hiring by Eli, for a single payment job or ongoing employment basis, of a family member, household member, or friend, the Editor must disclose to the Editor above him or her that relationship. In the case of the Managing Editor, the disclosure must be made to the Board President. The decision to hire will be made only after the superior has approved the recommendation.
5. For every story an Editor publishes, whether the story is written by the Editor or a reporter who reports to the Editor, the Editor must clearly disclose at the end of the article if the Editor has anything a reasonable person might construe as a reputational, relational, or financial conflict of interest. That disclosure must include the name of the Editor, the role the Editor played on the story, and the nature of the possible conflict of interest. (Example: “The editor of this story was Alice Dreger. Alice owns property in East Lansing.”)
6. All Editors must sign, at least once a year, an acknowledgment of this Policy and an agreement to adhere by this Policy.