Southern Illinois Will Tighten Conflict of Interest Rules

The board of Southern Illinois University plans to adopt rules requiring trustees to report any potential conflict of interest -- including "indirect" benefits -- for consideration of whether the board members should recuse themselves from various matters, the Chicago Tribune reported. The move follows criticism of such an "indirect" benefit, in which a trustee voted for many construction contracts to companies to which the trustee's insurance business -- which specializes in construction project insurance -- sold policies.