Professors' secondary jobs automatically disappear from register

Universities do not always make it easy for their staff to be open and transparent. Professors are required to report when they take on other positions, but in Utrecht and Rotterdam, for example, this information automatically disappears from the website after a while. Spokespeople for these universities told the Higher Education Press Agency (HOP) that they do that to prevent outdated information from remaining online.

But that's not the only thing keeping professors from reporting on their secondary jobs. They must also ask for permission from their secondary employer. However, in the universities in question, the permission expires after three years, at which point the secondary position automatically disappears from the central register and from the professor's personal page. This happens even if the professor continues to work in that capacity.

Tax advisor
Secondary positions are sometimes an extension of the professor's academic work. Tax specialists, for example, often act as tax advisors, and professors of corporate law often work as lawyers for large companies. These side jobs should be listed in the register of secondary positions and on their personal profile page.

Two recent studies on tax and corporate law revealed that a relatively large number of professors have side jobs, which are not always listed in the register or on their websites. Two weeks ago, following news reports on this issue, the House of Representatives passed a motion by a large majority calling on the government to make agreements with universities on this matter. 

The motion states that additional positions can lead to conflicts of interest, "and thus undermine people's trust in science". Politicians believe that, from now on, universities should provide "complete, accurate and accessible information about all professors' side jobs in the private sector." That seems like a tall order. After all, universities depend on the information provided by professors. But that's not the whole story.

“Missed the expiry date”
Utrecht University confirms that registrations of secondary jobs have an "automatic expiry date" after three years. Ideally, professors should receive an annual reminder to check their details. The subject must also be discussed during performance reviews.

This had escaped the attention of Paul de Vries, Professor of Corporate Law. In addition to his work at Utrecht University, he is a partner at Houthoff, a law firm, but this side job was not listed in the university's register. A few weeks ago, when asked, he explained that he had “missed the expiry date”. He emphasised that his secondary position had previously been listed in the register and on his profile page.

Two professors at Erasmus University, Kleis Broekhuizen and Emanuel van Praag, also wrote that they had permission to exercise their side jobs, even though they were no longer registered. 

At Maastricht University, entering an end date is optional, a spokesperson said. If a professor chooses to use an end date, the secondary job will automatically disappear from the website. Maastricht professor Hans van den Hurk reported having “technical problems” back in April, which caused his registrations to disappear from the site.

In Rotterdam, it is standard to use an expiry date, but not all employees receive an automatic reminder. The process is still done on paper for "special professors". Erasmus University acknowledges that “keeping the secondary employment register up to date can be difficult in practice”.

Politics
Members of Parliament do not understand why the registrations disappear. After all, they must disclose their financial interests and report every gift worth fifty euros or more, as emphasised by Sandra Beckerman (Socialist Party). "I think it's nonsense to let those registrations expire automatically." However, she notes that professors also have a responsibility to keep the register up to date. "Saying that you didn't notice... That's not possible either."

Keeping track of your side jobs can't be difficult, agrees the MP Rosanne Hertzberger (NSC), who submitted the motion alongside SP and GroenLinks-PvdA. "Universities, professors and financiers should feel responsible for keeping this in order. That is essential for people's trust in science."

Luc Stultiens (GroenLinks-PvdA) agrees. "This news about the expiry date shows exactly why our motion is so important. Universities need to prioritise transparent and up-to-date information more."

Professors
A professor from a completely different field, working at Leiden University without any paid side jobs, was unaware that additional positions could expire. "But I think I could have known that. We receive an annual reminder to update our additional activities."

Another professor, affiliated with Erasmus University Rotterdam, believes that her colleagues, including special professors, should all be aware of this. "A special professor is not that special, after all."

How do other universities handle this? Public information shows that several institutions impose a maximum term on the approval of secondary activities. It is not clear whether they also automatically remove the side jobs from their websites. The association of Dutch universities (UNL) states that no agreements have been made on this matter at the national level.