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Mass. Ethics Panel Fines Ex-UMass Associate Provost $10,000 Over Hiring of Her Brother

The commission said she violated conflict-of-interest rules by taking part in employment decisions about an immediate family member without the required written disclosure.

Entrance to the campus of University of Massachusetts at Amherst. (Christopher Evans/Boston Herald, File)
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Overview

  • Heather Sharpes-Smith admitted the violation in a disposition agreement, waived a public hearing, and paid the $10,000 civil penalty.
  • In May 2023 she asked to hire an unnamed “guy” for a temporary learning management role without revealing he was her brother, and HR said she could not supervise him.
  • She signed his offer letter, verified his identity for a background check, approved timesheets and pay, screened candidates for a permanent role, and forwarded the committee’s recommendation that led to his November 2023 hire at $68,000.
  • State law bars participation in matters affecting an immediate family member’s financial interest unless a written disclosure is filed and the appointing authority issues a public determination, which the commission said did not occur.
  • Executive Director David A. Wilson said such conduct erodes confidence in fair hiring and pay, and reporting notes she now works at URI Online while UMass did not comment.