3.10 FACULTY
DEVELOPMENT (revised
12/18/02) (revised 7/18/2007)
3.10.1 Support
for Faculty Research and Development
3.10.1.1 Faculty
Development Using data
from evaluation, the faculty member can improve teaching by identifying
strengths and opportunities for change. The Vice President and Dean for
Academic Affairs is charged with nurturing teaching
skills by working with individual faculty members. The Dean will use data
collected from student opinion and other matters of record and, in consultation
with the school dean and the individual faculty member, plan a program for
growth wherever it is needed and desired.
3.10.1.2
Policies Regarding Faculty Research The College encourages non-degree related research and creative
activity of faculty members through the provision of individual grants. These
do not ordinarily exceed $400, although exceptions will be considered. These
grants are subject to approval by the Faculty Development Committee and are subject
to budgetary limitations. Occasionally a grant may be made to a professor on
sabbatical leave, but the primary purpose of this aid is to support research
conducted by individuals engaged in regular teaching activities. Faculty
members are encouraged to schedule research during the summer or at other
breaks in the College year if it is likely to interfere with regular
responsibilities.
3.10.1.3
Guidelines for Requesting Research Funds A faculty member asking for support of a long-range research
project or creative activity should prepare a request according to the
guidelines provided by the Faculty Development Committee. Copies of the request
are submitted to the chairperson of the Faculty Development Committee.
3.10.1.4
Participation in Professional Societies Application for funds for the presentation of a scholarly paper or
for travel support in connection with duties as officer or session chairperson
for a meeting of a recognized professional society must follow guidelines set
by the Faculty Development Committee. Requests shall be submitted to the
Committee in sufficient time for action at one of the regularly scheduled
meetings of the committee.
3.10.1.5 Travel
to Professional Meetings
The College encourages faculty to continue their professional development and
will assist in defraying costs incurred: while traveling to professional
meetings; attending appropriate workshops; buying necessary equipment or books;
the cost of membership in professional organizations; and other appropriate
academic uses as approved by their School Dean and the Associate Vice President
and Dean for Academic Affairs. Each full-time and regular part-time faculty
member has an allowance of $500 a year for this purpose, and funds may be
accumulated to a maximum of $1,000 within any period of two years. These
allowances are subject to budgetary limitations, and are not transferable to
another individual. Equipment purchased with these funds will be the property
of the College.
See 3.10.3 for
special provisions for board members or officers of professional organizations.
3.10.2
Sabbatical Leaves The
College supports a sabbatical leave program to allow development and
rejuvenation of full-time faculty members.
3.10.2.1
Policies The sabbatical
year is not regarded as a reward for meritorious service; it is a provision
whereby a person can prepare for greater service to the College and greater
personal satisfaction in work. Sabbatical leave is granted upon approval of the
Board of Trustees and the condition of continuing satisfaction of the
sabbatical leave conditions and requirements. The acceptance of a sabbatical
leave implies that the faculty member intends to return to the College and to
bring the values that result. Thus a faculty member is obligated to serve the
College for at least a year following the sabbatical leave. [For those
tenure-track candidates applying for sabbatical leave in the same year in which
they apply for tenure, the approval of sabbatical leave is contingent upon
reception of tenure.]
Faculty members are
eligible for sabbatical leave after six consecutive years of full-time service
at the College and at seven-year intervals thereafter. Approved leaves of
absence will not be considered as interruptions to continuous service; however,
such periods of absence will not be counted as years of service to the College.
A leave of absence due to illness is considered continuous service unless it
extends beyond one academic year.
The sabbatical
leave is taken during the seventh year, either for one semester (at full semester
pay) or for two semesters (at half annual pay).
Ordinarily a
faculty member on sabbatical leave is not eligible for regular teaching duties.
3.10.2.2
Procedures The steps in
the application process are as follows:
1. Guidelines for
submission of sabbatical proposals are updated annually and are available from
the Office of the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs.
2. The faculty
member will notify the School Dean and the Vice President and Dean for Academic
Affairs no later than July 1 of intent to apply for a sabbatical leave.
3. The faculty
member will submit to the School Dean two completed copies of the Sabbatical
Request form and the sabbatical Proposal.
Detailed instructions describing the expected content of the Sabbatical
Proposal are included on the Sabbatical Request form.
4. The School Dean
will evaluate the proposal for its worth and contribution to the school and the
individual's professional growth and will describe the staffing necessary to
cover the professional responsibilities of the applicant. Two copies of the
completed application materials will then be forwarded to the Vice President
and Dean for Academic Affairs.
5. The deadline for
receipt of complete sabbatical application materials in the Office of the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs is September 1.
6. The Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs will send one copy of the completed
sabbatical application materials to the chairperson of the Faculty Personnel
Committee. One copy will be retained in the Dean's Office.
7. A proposal approved by the School Dean, the Faculty
Personnel Committee, and the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs will
be forwarded to the President for submission to the Board of Trustees at its
October meeting.
8. The Vice President
and Dean for Academic Affairs will notify faculty members of approval of
sabbatical requests after the October meeting of the Board of Trustees.
9. Upon
completion of the sabbatical, the faculty member must submit a brief summary
and evaluation of project outcomes to the Faculty Personnel Committee and the
Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs.
Appropriate
activities for sabbatical leave include:
3.10.3
Official Travel Subject
to the availability of funds each year, the College supports official travel in
four categories:
3.10.3.1 Travel
to Professional Meetings
(See section 3.10.1.1 for standard travel allowance for faculty)
3.10.3.2 Special
Allowance for Board Members or Officers A faculty member who is a member of the board of directors or an
officer of a national professional or scholarly organization involved in an
area important to the College program may be reimbursed up to $600 for expenses
incurred in attending meetings of such a board. This provision is available for
a maximum of four consecutive academic years, after which it may not be used
for two consecutive academic years. Application for these funds is to be made
through the Faculty Development Committee.
3.10.3.3
Institutional Travel In
certain instances members of the faculty and staff may be called upon to
represent the College at meetings of associations in which the College
maintains institutional membership or to represent the College at meetings with
federal or state governmental agencies. In these cases the College bears the
basic costs of the travel. This travel is subject to the approval of the
President, the Vice President for Business and Finance and Treasurer, the Vice
President for External Affairs, the Vice President and Dean for Academic
Affairs, or the Dean of Student Affairs, as appropriate.
3.10.3.4
Instructional Travel When
a faculty member is called upon to meet a class outside the
3.10.3.5
Reimbursable Expenses The
usual items of travel expenses which are reimbursable include necessary
transportation, meals and lodging, and essential miscellaneous services, such
as taxi fare or parking. Transportation may be by public carrier (railroad,
airline, or bus), or when no College vehicle is available, by privately owned
automobile. Paid receipts for all expenses must be obtained and submitted to
the Business Office within ten working days. Transportation by privately owned
automobile, when approved in advance, will be reimbursed at a rate not to
exceed $ .30 per mile. An accurate record of mileage must be shown from the
point of origin to the point of destination and return.
3.11
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF TEACHING FACULTY (revised
7/18/07)
3.11.1 General
Statement As
professionals in their fields, teaching faculty at Lynchburg College accept
professional responsibilities that include all of the following: teaching,
academic advising, professional and scholarly pursuits, and college service.
Community service may also be related to professional responsibilities of
individual faculty members. A faculty member's primary responsibility is
effective teaching, which is defined and described under the subject of
evaluation in section 3.6. Every faculty member will have significant
involvement in both of the other areas--1) professional and scholarly pursuits
and 2) college service--and the division of time between the two is determined
by the interests of the individual faculty member so long as those interests
support the mission of the College.
3.11.2 Teaching
Responsibilities (revised
12/18/02)
3.11.2.1 Regular
Session The academic year
begins with the first announced fall activity and ends with spring commencement
and submission of final grades. The normal teaching load during the academic
year for full-time faculty members is twelve credit hours each semester. The
general policy for determining teaching credit hours is that one hour of credit
for the student equals one hour of credit for the instructor. School Deans may
negotiate with the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs for an
adjustment in that policy in cases where the policy is not appropriate,
specifically in certain laboratory, clinical, studio, and activity courses.
Such adjustments require a rationale for the request, and the adjustment requested
must be logical, compelling, equitable as compared to others' work loads, and
must support the College's best interests. Determining equity in teaching loads
within a department is the primary responsibility of the School Dean and will
be determined in consultation with the Vice President and Dean for Academic
Affairs. Achieving equity among schools is the responsibility of the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs.
3.11.2.2
Overloads After
consultation with School Deans, the Vice President and Dean for Academic
Affairs and the President may authorize an overload, ordinarily not to exceed
more than once in four semesters for any individual faculty member. The
compensation for such service may be in the form of a comparable reduction in
load for another semester or in the form of salary at the regular adjunct rate.
3.11.2.3 Summer
Session A full load for a
three-week term of the summer session is one three- or four- credit course or
two one-credit HMSR activity courses. Normally, a faculty member will teach
during no more than two summer sessions. Schools are expected to establish an
equitable system for rotating teaching in the event that there are more
requests for summer teaching than enrollment justifies. Faculty compensation is
at the adjunct rate. One-credit or two-credit courses may be offered during
summer session, with prorated compensation. A course with a history of low
enrollment during the regular session may not be duplicated during the summer
session. Independent study, internships, and study tours may be offered during
the summer session in an acceptable time frame.
3.11.2.4 Winter
Term One three-credit
course constitutes a full load for the three week winter term between
semesters. Faculty compensation will follow the guidelines for summer session.
One-credit or two-credit courses may be offered during this period, with
prorated compensation. A course with a history of low enrollment during the
regular session will not be offered for winter term. Independent study,
internships, and study tours may be offered during the winter term in an
acceptable time frame.
3.11.2.5
Condensed Courses A
special one-week course may be offered only when the substance of the course
warrants the amount of credit granted and when the course can be properly
taught in the condensed time frame. The Educational Policies Committee must
approve first-time offerings for such courses.
3.11.2.6
Availability All faculty
members are available to students outside of the classroom, and full-time
faculty are normally on campus each weekday. Faculty members inform students
via syllabi of when and where they are available. Consultation with students
may be executed through office hours, by phone, e-mail, voicemail, or other
electronic means. All faculty members are expected to be available for student
consultation at minimum one hour per semester hour of teaching up to ten hours
each week.
3.11.2.7
Released Time All
released time from normal teaching responsibilities is approved by the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs. For released time to be approved,
faculty members must demonstrate that they have a full load of teaching,
scholarship, and college service and that additional duties can only be
undertaken if released time is granted. Supporting documentation should include
a description of the anticipated activities for which released time is granted,
and explain how those activities support the mission and goals of the College.
It is expected that an average of 7-1/2 hours per week will be spent on
activities for each three credits of released time.
3.11.3 Academic
Advising All faculty
members, excepting those in their first year of teaching at the College, should
be prepared to advise in a professional manner. The number of advisees should
be assigned equitably among school faculty members. Schools with few advisees
are encouraged to participate in freshmen advising. Freshmen advisers agree to
take part in training and provide support for their advisees and each other.
When warranted, other duties may be substituted for academic advising.
3.11.4
Professional and Scholarly Pursuits Professional and scholarly pursuits are a normal part of faculty
professional responsibilities. Professional and scholarly pursuits include, but
are not limited to, continued formal study, professional authorship, productive
research, development of significant new course materials, participation in
professional organizations, attendance at workshops and institutes,
professional recognition with honors, appropriate consulting activities, recitals,
performances, and shows, and maintenance of clinical skills.
Although scholarly
activities are part of faculty professional responsibilities and are therefore
encouraged, they never substitute for teaching responsibilities. Students
should be included in faculty scholarly activities whenever possible.
3.11.5
3.11.5.1 Faculty
Meetings The faculty
member's participation in faculty meetings is essential to College governance.
Faculty members will report unavoidable absences to the Office of the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs prior to faculty meetings. Faculty
members initial a roll sheet as they enter the meeting room.
3.11.5.2
Convocation, Commencement, Parent's Weekend and Faculty Workshops All faculty members are expected to
participate in scheduled convocations, commencement, Parent's Weekend
activities, and relevant faculty workshops.
3.11.5.3
Committees and Task Forces
Faculty members are expected to be involved directly in the business of
standing committees and task forces during any year, accepting either nominations
to stand for election to committees, or appointments to committees or task
forces. Individual faculty preferences for committee work are honored when
possible. Faculty members of committees are expected to attend meetings,
participate, and accept leadership roles as appropriate.
3.11.6 Community
Service Faculty members
are encouraged to participate in various aspects of community service,
including but not limited to service to churches, hospitals and health care
agencies, schools, interest groups, service clubs, governmental units, and
other religious, charitable, and public service organizations. Faculty members
are also encouraged to participate in community service activities that involve
students, including those sponsored by the College and those sponsored by
outside organizations.
3.11.7 Outside
Employment It is contrary
to College policy for a full-time faculty member to engage in outside
employment activities during the academic year when those activities are in
conflict with the best interests of the College. A faculty member who engages
in outside employment activities shall discuss those activities with the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs and the faculty member's School Dean.
Any significant changes in those activities shall be reported to both the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs and the faculty member's School Dean.
3.11.8 Conflict
of Interest A conflict of
interest is a situation in which there is potential for a conflict between the
best interests of the College and the personal interests of the faculty member.
If a conflict of interest arises, it is the responsibility of the faculty
member to remove him or herself from the situation creating that conflict. If
there is a question as to whether a given situation is a conflict of interest,
the issue shall be resolved in consultation with the Vice President and Dean
for Academic Affairs and/or the President.
Examples of
situations that would be improper include (but are not limited to) the
following:
1. Participation in
a decision to purchase goods or services from a faculty member, the faculty
member's spouse, or the faculty member's dependent, or from a firm in which any
of these has ownership or other significant financial interest or control. The
faculty member shall neither vote on such a decision nor attend that portion of
any meeting at which such a decision is discussed.
2. Participation in
a decision to employ, compensate, promote, or grant tenure to a faculty
member's spouse or dependent. The faculty member shall neither vote on such a
decision nor attend that portion of any meeting at which such a decision is
discussed.
3. Having a
consensual amorous relationship with a student who is registered in any class
taught by the faculty member or who is otherwise evaluated, supervised, or
officially advised by the faculty member.
4. Instructing for
credit a faculty member's own spouse or dependent. If the situation cannot be
avoided (for example, if the faculty member is the only person teaching the
course), steps shall be taken to minimize the conflict. Such steps may include
asking another faculty member to grade tests and to assign a final grade. The
faculty member shall inform the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs if
such a situation arises, and shall seek advice from the Dean concerning the
best way to resolve the conflict.
3.11.9 Access to
Academic Records The
following is a statement of policy stipulating individuals in addition to
academic administrative staff who may have access to student academic records.
The following conditions apply:
1. Students'
Academic Advisors and School Deans are regularly provided progress reports on
their advisees and majors, respectively, as part of the normal support roles
that these individuals play.
2. Specific admissions
progress criteria apply to certain programs or pre-professional tracks on
campus (i.e., Teacher Preparation, Nursing). As a consequence, students who
apply to these programs do so with the understanding that various faculty
committees will have access to their academic records in order to review their
academic standing and monitor their progress.
3. Due to
governmental regulations that apply to International Students, academic records
can be reviewed by the International Student Advisor in order to ensure
compliance with stipulations concerning satisfactory academic progress.
4. Individuals
receiving a variety of forms of financial aid including loans and scholarship
assistance may require regular monitoring in order to ensure that these
students meet any specified conditions that affect the continuation of the
grant. Therefore, individuals who are serving as coordinators of these programs
are provided access to applicable academic records when necessary under such
conditions (e.g., Westover Honors Program, Dupont
Grant).
5. Advisors to
Campus Honor Societies are provided access to academic records for selected
populations of students who meet standards for consideration for admission.
6.. There
are a variety of circumstances including athletics and Greek Service
Organizations that might justify access to the academic records of an
individual student which do not fall under the above five policy statements. In
these instances, students must explicitly indicate willingness to have their
records reviewed before access will be provided. In cases where this is deemed
essential, it should be explicitly stated as a condition for participation. For
example, a program director may indicate to the students that participation in
that program brings with it the importance of monitoring their academic
progress.
3.12 WORKING
CONDITIONS
3.12.1 Faculty
Housing
3.12.1.1 Faculty
Drive College-owned
houses on
3.12.1.2 Other
Rental Housing A limited
number of apartments and individual homes located near the campus are available
for rental to faculty and staff. Further information on availability, rates,
and application procedures can be obtained from the Business Manager.
3.12.1.3
Ministerial Housing
Allowance Full-time members of the faculty or staff who are ordained ministers
may be eligible for a housing allowance on their income tax returns.
Information on this possibility should be obtained from the Personnel Manager.
3.12.2 Academic
Regalia The College
shares equally with full time or regular part-time faculty or administrative staff
in the purchase of academic regalia. Listed below are the conditions of
purchase:
1. The academic
regalia is the property of the faculty member.
2. The College and
the faculty member are to share on an equal basis in the cost of standard
regalia.
3. All orders must
be approved by the Chairperson of the Commencement Committee before the order
is placed with the Bookstore.
3.12.3 Order in
the Classroom Faculty
members have the responsibility and the authority to maintain order in the
classroom and may ask students to leave the classroom if necessary to maintain
order.
3.13 LEAVES (revised 11/15/02)
3.13.1 Sick
Leave Sick leave is
granted to full-time and regular part-time employees on the following basis:
Years of Service
Leave Allowance
During sick leaves,
compensation will be at the rate of full salary for the first thirteen weeks,
and three-fourths salary for the remaining period of eligibility.
The College
reserves the right to require submission of medical evidence to substantiate
the reason for absence.
Because this policy
is designed as income protection in the event of actual illness or disability,
there is no provision for the accumulation of sick leave from one year to the
next. Rather, increased allowance for sick leave is scheduled on a graduated
basis to reflect longevity of service. In other words, the benefits increase
with time whether previously used or not.
3.13.2 Funeral
Leave In the event of
death in the immediate family, the employee is normally granted a maximum of
three working days without loss of pay for funeral and other necessary
arrangements. Immediate family includes grandparents, parents, spouse,
children, grandchildren, sibling, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother or
sister-in-law and son or daughter-in-law. Additional time may be granted as
needed for travel (if extensive) or for making arrangements. To take time in
excess of three days, suitable arrangements must be made with the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs or the School Dean (if the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs is unavailable).
3.13.3 Maternity
Leave Maternity leave on
a short-term basis is treated as sick leave. Paid sick leave, to the extent
that it has been earned, is granted for absences due to pregnancy and
childbirth. The extent of the allowed absence will be based on medical factors.
Extended leave due to maternity is covered under FMLA policy (see section
3.13.5).
3.13.4 Family
Sick Leave Up to three
days of absence in any fiscal year may be charged to an employee's sick leave
when the absence is required by an illness or injury of someone in the
immediate family or household who is regularly dependent on the employee's care.
3.13.5 Family or Medical Leave Employees
who have been employed by the college for at least twelve cumulative (not
necessarily consecutive) months are entitled to up to twelve work-weeks' leave
per year as dictated by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Employees
requiring leave for family or medical reasons may do so using their accumulated
sick leave (section 3.13.3.2). The 12-month period in which the twelve weeks of
leave entitlement occurs will be determined on a rolling basis, measured backwards
from the date the employee uses any FMLA leave. Any leave required in excess of
the accumulated sick leave may be taken either as unpaid or paid (if
successfully negotiated) for the following verified reasons:
3.13.5.1 Advance Notification The employee
may be required to provide advance leave notice and medical certification. Taking
leave may be denied if the requirements are not met. The employee ordinarily
must provide at least 30 days advance notice when the leave is
"foreseeable." The College may require medical certification to
support a request for leave because of a serious health condition, and may
require second and third opinions (at the college's expense).
3.13.5.2 Unpaid Leave Leave
over and above that accumulated by the sick leave policy may be granted at the
discretion of the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs in accordance
with the requirements of the FMLA.
3.13.5.3 Paid Leave Family or medical leave
will be paid as sick leave as described in section 3.13.1. If leave in excess
of that accumulated as sick leave (see section 3.13.1) is required, this leave
will typically be unpaid. If unpaid leave would constitute a hardship to the
employee, they may request a reallocation of workload from the Vice President
and Dean for Academic Affairs. The means by which the employee will adjust for
this paid leave must be satisfactorily resolved prior to taking paid leave in
excess of the earned leave. The College is not obligated to provide alternative
workload for paid leave. The employee will be responsible for fulfilling the
responsibilities of the reallocated workload within one year following the
leave, failure to do so may necessitate that the employee reimburse the
college.
3.13.5.4 Return to the Position Approved
Family and Medical Leave anticipates that the employee will return to their
position, and the position is held for the employee if the appointment's
termination date has not been reached. To return to the position, the employee
must be able to perform the essential functions of the position (with
reasonable accommodation, if necessary) and, in cases of the individual's own
serious health condition, must be released to return to work, at least
part-time, by the health care provider.
3.13.5.5 Re-Assigning Work during an Academic's
Family and Medical Leave During a faculty member's Family and Medical
Leave, School Deans and Program Coordinators are expected to maintain the
academic program's integrity by reassigning duties or, when necessary, by
hiring (although not necessarily with the same title) a short-term employee.
The offering letter to a short-term employee must state explicitly that the
appointment is short-lived and will end when the regular employee reclaims the
academic position held before the leave.
3.13.5.6 Benefits (approved 09/20/02)
3.13.5.6.1 Group Health Program For the duration
of a FMLA leave, the employee is allowed to continue in the group health
program by making prior arrangements in the Human Resources Office to continue
paying their share of monthly premiums by personal check. There will be a
30-day grace period for you to make payment of the premiums without affecting
your health benefits.
3.13.5.6.2 Insurance Coverage While on FMLA
leave, the employee is eligible to continue in the disability and group life
insurance programs with premiums paid by the College. Optional life insurance
coverage can be continued by making prior arrangements in the Human Resources
Office to continue paying the monthly premiums by personal check.
3.13.5.6.3 Retirement and Other Employment
Benefits The employee will not be eligible to make contributions to the
College's retirement plan while on FMLA leave. They will not lose any
employment benefit that accrued prior to the start of a FMLA leave.
3.13.5.7 Failure to Return to the Position
If the employee chooses not to return from Family and Medical Leave (for a
reason other than the continuation, recurrence, or onset of a serious health
condition that would qualify for Family and Medical Leave) while the
appointment is still in effect, the employee may be required to reimburse the
college for its share of health insurance premiums paid on the employee's
behalf.
Family and Medical
Leave cannot extend beyond the appointment's termination date, nor does it
extend the appointment's termination date.
The College has no
obligation to restore the employment of an academic employee if the employment
term has expired; if the appointment project has been completed if funding has
ended or been withdrawn; or if the College would not otherwise reappoint that
individual for reasons other than the taking of Family and Medical Leave.
In cases of
reorganization, the College may take whatever action it would have taken
without the Family Medical Leave, but careful thought must be given in not
allowing Family and Medical Leave and the qualifying situations to influence
reorganization decisions.
Family and Medical
Leave does not preclude dealing with performance issues, nor does it protect an
academic from steps to improve or deal with what the department regards as
performance issues. Communications about the leave and about performance should
be kept distinct, and, as much as possible, separate.
3.13.6 Vacations Faculty members have vacations during the
academic year, duties permitting, when students are on vacation and the College
is not in session.
3.14 FRINGE
BENEFITS (revised
12/18/02)
3.14.1 Worker's
Compensation The College
provides Worker's Compensation Insurance for all employees. This insurance
provides for coverage for accidents occurring as a result of performing
services for the College. Please contact the Personnel Manager for further
information.
3.14.2 Medical
Services for Faculty Faculty members who become ill on the campus are eligible
for emergency treatment by the College physicians and nurses at the
3.14.3 Medical
and Hospitalization Insurance. Group basic medical, surgical and hospitalization, and major
medical insurance for individual and family is available to full time and
regular part-time faculty. The College contributes 50 per cent of the cost of
this coverage. No physical examination is required.
To obtain this coverage,
the eligible employee must apply in writing to the Human Resource Office. The
employee's share of the premiums will be deducted in advance of the period of
coverage. Detailed information on the current medical insurance coverage and
related costs is provided to all participants.
Upon retirement an
individual may elect to continue to remain on group health coverage.
Arrangements must be made with the Human Resource Office prior to the effective
date of retirement. The retiree must pay the entire amount of the monthly
premium in advance of the period of coverage. The College does not contribute
to the retired employee's premium.
Employees absent
without pay from work due to health reasons may continue to remain on the group
health program up to a maximum time of one year. Group health insurance
benefits are continued if arrangements are made with the Human Resource Office
prior to the effective date and the employee pays the employee's share of
monthly premiums in advance of the period of coverage.
Upon termination of
employment, individuals are offered continuance with group health coverage for
18 months as outlined under the provisions of the COBRA Act of 1986. Employee
participation is contingent upon payment in advance of the total premium plus
an administration fee.
Employees who
become totally disabled, according to the provisions of the disability plan,
may continue to remain on group health coverage, providing they pay in advance
the employee's share of the premium. Upon the attainment of age 65, employees
who are totally disabled will be treated as retired for health insurance
purposes and will be eligible to remain on group health coverage under the
conditions stated above.
3.14.4
Retirement Benefits
3.14.4.1
TIAA-CREF, Fidelity, and Church Pension Fund All full-time and regular part-time employees of the
College are immediately eligible to participate in the retirement plans
available, whereby both the College and the employee make contributions.
Participation is voluntary and contributions are vested immediately. Detailed
information about the schedule for contributions is available in the Human
Resource Office.
3.14.4.2 Social
Security All eligible
employees are required by federal law to participate in the F.I.C.A. (social
security) protection plan. Participating employees have a percentage of their
salary deducted from their paycheck (annual salary not to exceed the taxable
wage base) with the College contributing an equal amount. Social security
contributions are deducted from the earnings of an employee who begins
employment after the first of the calendar year without regard to the amount
deducted at a previous place of employment. A refund of excess deductions may
be claimed by the employee on his or her tax return for that year.
3.14.4.3 Privileges
of Retired Faculty
Privileges of retired faculty members include the following, subject to the
policies and procedures governing these items:
1. Lynchburg
College Identification Card for library services
2. Admission to campus events
3. Dining Room rates for faculty
4. Faculty discount in bookstore
5. Tuition remission for dependent children at LC
6. Tuition remission
7. Participation in supplemental Medicare program with LC health insurance
group
8. Tuition grants, if eligible, for dependent children
9. College faculty/staff parking sticker for parking privileges
10. Enhanced stipend for adjunct teaching (approximately 150% regular stipend)
11. Faculty
Research Scholar (by request to Faculty Personnel Committee)
3.14.5 Flexible
Benefits Plan Full-time
and regular part-time employees are eligible for this plan which allows payment
of health insurance premiums, uninsured health related expenses, and dependent
care expenses with pre-tax dollars. These expenses are ones which would
otherwise be paid with money that was subject to federal, state and social
security taxes. Under this benefits plan these expenses can be paid with
pre-tax dollars. This reduces one's taxable income and thus results in less tax
withholding.
Before the
beginning of each calendar year the employee must file with the Human Resource
Office an election form indicating the amount of money to be withheld in equal
amounts from paychecks throughout the year. Further information is available in
the Lynchburg College Flexible Benefits Plan Summary Plan Description available
to all employees from the Human Resource Office.
3.14.6
Disability Insurance Full-time
or regular part-time employees are immediately eligible for disability income
protection. All employment information concerning the group disability benefits
will be provided the employee. Questions concerning this should be directed to
the Human Resource Office.
3.14.7 Life
Insurance
3.14.7.1 Term
Life Insurance Employees
classified as full-time or regular part-time are eligible for term life
insurance while employed at
3.14.7.2
Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Employees eligible for participation in the College's life
insurance benefit are also eligible for Accidental Death and Dismemberment
Insurance.
Accidental death
and dismemberment insurance is payable in the event of death from accidental
drowning or bodily injury caused by external, violent and accidental means
which results directly and independently of all other causes in loss of life,
sight, or limb within 365 days of the date of the injury. An amount equal to
the percentages of the amount of Accidental Life and Dismemberment Insurance
are payable as follows:
3.14.7.3 Optional
Insurance In addition to
the College-paid insurance there is an optional life insurance plan which
provides a further benefit for which the faculty member pays the premiums.
Optional insurance is canceled immediately on the date of the employee's separation
from the college. Detailed information about this option is available in the
Human Resource Office.
3.14.7.4
Continuation Privileges While Absent Without Pay Employees absent without pay from work
due to health reasons continue to remain covered under the same provisions as
active employees for a maximum length of time of one year. Continuation of
participation in optional insurance is permitted if the following conditions
are met:
1. Arrangements are
made with the Human Resource Office prior to the effective date of the leave.
2. The employee
continues to pay the monthly premium by personal check in advance of the period
of coverage.
3.14.7.5
Conversion Privileges Upon Termination of Employment Upon termination of employment,
individuals cease to be eligible for group coverage. However, the person may be
eligible to convert to an individual policy within a 31 day period by applying
to the insurance company. The limits of coverage and the amount of the premium
will be dependent on the plan selected, class of risk, and age on the nearest
birthday.
3.14.8 Tuition
Remission and Grants
3.14.8.1
Eligibility
3.14.8.1.1
Definitions and Conditions
1. An applicant for
tuition remission must meet admission standards for the College.
2. A
"full-time employee" is a faculty member who teaches 12 credit hours
during each of two semesters or who performs equivalent duties or a staff
member who is employed 1,950 hours or more a year.
3. A "regular
part-time employee" is a faculty member who teaches fewer than 12 credit
hours during one or two semesters without performing equivalent duties or a
staff member who is employed on a regular basis less than full-time, but works
at least 1,000 hours per year.
An "adjunct
faculty member" who is hired to teach one or more courses per semester and
is paid by the course, does not qualify as a "regular part-time
employee."
A "part-time
employee" who works less than 1,000 hours per year does not qualify as a
"regular part-time employee."
A "temporary
employee" who is hired for a short period of time does not qualify as a
"regular part-time employee."
4. A
"dependent" of a faculty or staff member is one who is so defined by
the Internal Revenue Service. In the case of adoption or a child by a spouse's
prior marriage, the faculty or staff member must claim the child on his or her
federal income tax return in order for the child to qualify for tuition
remission.
5. A "credit
hour" refers to a unit of academic credit, undergraduate or graduate, which
is assigned to a course and awarded to a student upon the satisfactory
completion of that course. The term "credit hour" refers to all
courses carrying academic credit offered by
6. Tuition
remission for all categories of full-time students is available only after all
applicable state and federal grants have been applied to the student's account.
Remaining tuition costs, after the application of state and federal grants,
will be remitted up to the limits stated below.
7. Should an
employee's status change during a semester, it will not affect tuition
remission benefits until the start of the next semester.
8. All persons
eligible for tuition remission (faculty, staff, dependents, spouses, or
retirees) are required to submit their cashier's copy of their registration
form to the Human Resource Office for approval. The Human Resource Office will
then forward it to the Cashier's Office. Tuition remission application forms
are required only for spouses and dependents and must be obtained and processed
through the Human Resource Office.
3.14.8.1.2
Employees
1. A full-time
employee may take up to 18 credit hours on a tuition remission basis during a
12 month period beginning with the fall semester of each academic year. No more
than six credit hours may be taken during each of the fall and spring
semesters.
2. A regular
part-time employee may take up to nine credit hours on a tuition remission
basis during a 12 month period beginning with the fall semester of each
academic year. No more than six credit hours may be taken in either the fall or
spring semester.
3. An adjunct
faculty member may take up to three credit hours (undergraduate or graduate) on
a tuition remission basis during a 12 month period beginning with the fall
semester of each academic year.
3.14.8.1.3
Spouses of Employees
1. The spouse of a
full-time employee may take a full academic load (up to 17 credit hours during
the fall and spring semesters and up to three credit hours during each three
week summer term) on a tuition remission basis during a 12 month period
beginning with the fall semester of each academic year. A spouse who is a
full-time student must apply through the Financial Aid Office for all available
federal and state grants.
The benefit is
equal to a full tuition charge for the student, less the amount of any other
"across the board" financial aid, such as the Virginia Tuition
Assistance Grant.
An applicant for
tuition remission must apply through the Financial Aid Office for all available
federal and state grants.
Applications for
tuition remission should be made on forms provided by the Human Resource
Office, normally no later than June 1 for the following academic year.
Tuition remission
does not apply to special fees for music lessons, movement science courses or
other academic activities.
Benefits eligible
from spouse's employer must be applied first toward tuition.
2. The spouse of a
regular part-time employee may take up to nine credit hours during the fall and
spring semesters and up to six credit hours total during the four three week
summer terms on a tuition remission basis during a 12 month period beginning
with the fall semester of each academic year.
3.14.8.1.4
Dependents
1. A dependent
(other than a spouse) of a full-time faculty or staff member is eligible for
undergraduate tuition remission and may take up to 136 undergraduate credit
hours at
- The benefit is
equal to a full tuition charge for the student, less the amount of any other
"across the board" financial aid, such as the Virginia Tuition
Assistance Grant.
- An applicant for
tuition remission must apply through the Financial Aid Office for all available
federal and state grants.
- Application for
tuition remission should be made on forms provided by the Human Resource
Office, normally no later than June 1 for the following academic year.
- Tuition remission
does not apply to that part of the Medical Technology Program which is conducted
at the hospital or to special fees for music lessons, movement science courses,
or other academic activities.
2. A dependent
(other than a spouse) of a regular part-time employee is eligible for partial
tuition remission, subject to the conditions stated above, and may take up to
136 undergraduate credit hours on this basis. After the amount of any federal,
state, and institutional grants are subtracted from the dependent's charges, he
or she will receive tuition for one-half of the remaining tuition charge.
3. Students
at
3.14.8.1.5
Death, Disability or Retirement of Employee In the case of death, disability or retirement of a
full-time employee who shall have been employed for five continuous years prior
to that death, disability or retirement, the retiree, his or her spouse or
other dependent may claim the benefit on the same basis as if the employee were
still employed, except that the spouse or other dependent's study at Lynchburg
College must be begun:
1. Within five
years after the death, disability or retirement in the case of a spouse.
2. Within 21 years
after the death, disability or retirement, in the case of a dependent other
than the spouse.
3.14.8.1.6 The
College reserves the right to change or withdraw the tuition remission benefit.
3.14.8.2
Conditions for Tuition Grants for Faculty and Staff Dependents
1. For undergraduate
work at other colleges and universities on the part of single, dependent
children of full-time faculty and staff members whose service at
2. The maximum
amount of the grant each academic year will be limited to the lesser of the
following:
the amount of
undergraduate academic tuition charged by the other college; or
the tuition charge in effect at Lynchburg College when initial enrollment
occurs, reduced by the amount of any across-the-board financial aid such as the
Lynchburg Area Grant and the State Tuition Assistance Program.
All applicants must
file for all available federal and state grant assistance with amounts of any
awards to be deducted from the amount which otherwise should be paid by the
College. In addition, a financial aid form, obtainable from the Financial Aid
Office, must be completed and submitted to the College Scholarship Service.
3. Payments of
tuition grants will be made directly to the institution. Application forms are
available in the Human Resource Office and should be completed and submitted on
or before June 1 preceding the requested enrollment period.
4. The tuition
grants will be used for not more than four years of undergraduate education.
5. Death,
Disability, or Retirement of Employee: In the case of death, disability, or
retirement of the employee, the single, dependent child who meets all the
requirements stated above shall qualify for a tuition grant according to the
rules and procedures stated in Section 3.14.8.1.5.
6. The College
reserves the right to discontinue or revise this program.
3.14.9 Campus
Amenities
3.14.9.1
Admission to Fine Arts Programs, Lectures, and Athletic Events Students, faculty, staff and members of
their immediate families are admitted at a discounted rate or free of charge to
fine arts programs, lectures, and athletic events sponsored by the College. The
Theatre, the Fine Arts Committee, and the Lectures Committee may assess a
nominal reservation fee of all patrons, but tickets will be held only until 15
minutes before curtain time, after which any remaining tickets will be offered
the above groups without payment of a reservation fee.
3.14.9.2 Meals
at the College The
College Dining Room is open seven days each week and serves three meals a day.
Exceptions to this schedule are during vacations, holidays, and summer months.
The meals are priced on a discounted basis for employees and their guests.
Children under 12 years of age in the company of their parents are charged
one-half price. As a convenience, meal tickets may be purchased in the Dining
Room and in the Bookstore. Employees and their dependents are requested to
present their College identification cards to the cashier when eating in the
Dining Room.
3.14.9.3
Bookstore Purchases
Employees (full-time and regular part-time) are entitled to receive a ten per
cent discount on all purchases (excluding textbooks), totaling more than $2.00
in the College Bookstore.
Employees may open
a charge account after an application for an account has been completed by the
employee and approved by the bookstore. The credit limit is $200. A monthly
statement will be mailed from the Bookstore reflecting purchases and payments
to the individual accounts. Payments are made through payroll deduction.
Employees are also allowed to authorize payroll deductions from their paycheck
to be applied to their dependent child's bookstore account. Upon termination of
employment, any balance remaining on the individual's bookstore charge account
is deducted from the final paycheck.
3.14.9.4 Credit
Union All employees may participate in the College Branch of the Limitorque Credit Union. Payments to credit union accounts
may be made through payroll deduction. Further details can be obtained directly
from the Credit Union, telephone 845-1514.
3.14.9.5 Campus
Facilities All employees
of the College and their immediate families are allowed to use the College
facilities during the usual hours, providing this use does not conflict with
other regularly scheduled program use. This includes facilities such as the
library, tennis courts, and gymnasium.
Employees and their
dependents are requested to present their college identification cards for
admittance to these facilities. Employees and their dependents must sign a
waiver and release before being permitted to use the College athletic
facilities.
To check
availability of these facilities, information can be obtained from the Library
or Turner Gym for the tennis courts and gymnasium.
3.14.9.6 Campus
Parking Employees of the
college may park in areas designated for faculty and staff. All vehicles must
be registered with Security at the campus switchboard, and all operators are
subject to campus traffic regulations. Parking citations are issued to
employees violating College parking policy; fines are charged in accordance
with the violation. Unpaid parking fines may be deducted from an employee's
payroll check.
An employee who is
requesting a special parking space due to personal injury or medical condition
will make a request in writing to the Human Resource Office, indicating the
reason for the request. The faculty or staff member will submit a supporting
written statement from the attending physician. The College Human Resource
Office will make a determination as to whether this request should be approved.
Questions and
problems related to parking are handled by the Supervisor of Security.
3.14.9.7 Employee
Assistance Program The
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a service designed to help faculty members
and their families resolve personal problems which may be interfering with work
or home life. Services typically involve short-term counseling and are provided
by qualified mental health professionals. The goal of the EAP is to restore
faculty members to their full productivity.
3.15
COMPENSATION
Faculty members
receive a nine month contract corresponding to the instructional calendar, but are
paid over the 12 months of the academic year.
3.16 GRIEVANCE
PROCEDURES
3.16.1 Purpose
of the Faculty Grievance Committee The Faculty Grievance Committee is established to investigate
grievances brought by members of the College faculty for alleged procedural
violations involving the granting of tenure, promotion or reappointment, or the
dismissal of tenured faculty according to guidelines in the 1940 Statement of
Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure and subsequently published revisions
set forth by AAUP, and in Sections 3.7 and 3.8 of the Faculty Handbook; alleged
violations of academic freedom; alleged violations of procedures governing the
enforcement of regulations pertaining to professional ethics, personal conduct,
and professional responsibilities; and violations of procedures governing the
Human Rights Hearing Panel.
Membership and
tenure of the members of the Faculty Grievance Committee, and method of
assignment to the Committee are detailed in Section 2.2.7 of the Faculty
Handbook.
For all disputes
that fall within its jurisdiction, the Faculty Grievance Committee shall have
the authority to form a Grievance Panel. The Panel shall have the authority to
review and accept or reject requests for an investigation, to conduct an
investigation of the dispute, and to make recommendations to the Vice President
and Dean for Academic Affairs or the President where appropriate. In cases
where the grievance is directed to actions of the President, the full report
shall also be forwarded to the Board of Trustees. The Grievance Panel also
shall have the authority to determine whether the dispute should be resolved by
a formal hearing. The Panel may also, at its discretion, mediate disputes where
mediation appears likely to provide a resolution.
The Grievance
Panel's role is advisory only, and the final authority for action resides with
the President and the Board of Trustees.
3.16.2 Who May
Grieve Access to the
grievance procedure is open to all members of the full-time and regular
part-time teaching faculty. Librarians and administrative faculty shall have
access to the faculty grievance procedure only in cases involving violation of
academic freedom.
3.16.3
Jurisdiction of the Faculty Grievance Committee The Faculty Grievance Committee shall
have jurisdiction over disputes in the following specific categories:
1. Violations of
academic freedom as set forth in Section 3.9.1 of the Faculty Handbook.
2. Violations of
procedures governing enforcement by the College of regulations pertaining to
professional ethics and personal conduct indicated in Section 3.9.2 and
professional responsibilities of teaching faculty indicated in Section 3.11.
3. Violations of
procedures governing the Human Rights Hearing Panel as provided in Section
3.9.3.
4. Violations of
procedures governing dismissal for cause of a faculty member holding a
continuous appointment or tenure as indicated in Section 3.8.1.6 of the Faculty
Handbook.
5. Failure by the
College to reappoint or promote a faculty member to a higher academic rank or
to grant tenure. In such disputes the Faculty Grievance Committee's
jurisdiction extends to alleged violations of procedures for consideration of
reappointments, promotions, and tenure decisions established in Section 3.7 of
the Faculty Handbook and in guidelines in the 1940 Statement of Principles on
Academic Freedom and Tenure and subsequently published revisions set forth by
AAUP. The Committee shall limit its considerations to whether established
procedures were substantially complied with, and has no jurisdiction to review
the decision on its merits.
3.16.4 Grievance
Procedures If a faculty
member believes that a grievable issue exists, he or
she may, within 30 days of the action or failure of action which precipitated
the grievance, attempt an informal resolution as indicated below, or file a
request with the Faculty Grievance Committee for an investigation as indicated
below. If unusual circumstances prevent the filing of a request with the
Committee for an investigation within the 30-day limit, then the faculty member
must inform the Committee of those unusual circumstances in writing. Following
a review of those unusual circumstances, by a majority vote, the Faculty
Grievance Committee may enforce or extend the 30 day deadline for filing a
grievance with the Committee.
3.16.4.1
Informal Resolution As an
optional first attempt to have a satisfactory resolution of his or her
complaint, a faculty member is encouraged to, but is not required to use, the
informal channels at his or her disposal. In most cases the complainant may
first discuss his/her complaint with his/her school dean. If unsatisfied with
the results of the discussion, the complainant may discuss the matter with the
Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs. At the request of either the
complainant or respondent, the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs
selects a mutually agreed upon neutral third party may be asked to participate
in these informal discussions. If, however, the grievance raised is against the
faculty member's own school dean, or if the complainant is himself/herself a
school dean, then the mutually agreed upon neutral third party may be called in
immediately as an informal mediator.
3.16.4.2 Request
for an Investigation If the faculty member chooses not to pursue an informal
resolution, or if attempts to resolve his/her grievance dispute through the
informal channels do not succeed to the faculty member's satisfaction, the
complainant may request an investigation by the Faculty Grievance Committee.
Investigations by
the Faculty Grievance Committee shall be initiated by the submission of a
written complaint to the Chairperson of the Grievance Committee. The complaint
must contain:
1. A concise
statement of the action complained of
2. The person or
persons involved
3. The relief
requested
4. The efforts
already made by the complaining party to resolve the dispute
5. An affirmation
that the dispute is not pending in some other forum in or outside the College
Complaints may
contain more than one claim of wrongful action and seek more than one form of
relief, but separate claims must be listed clearly, and no claim may be raised
more than 12 months after the events that gave rise to the claim. It is
suggested that the written complaint should be clear, concise, and not exceed
five pages unless more information is deemed relevant and essential to the
precise explanation of the complaint.
Along with the
written complaint, the complainant may submit supporting or clarifying
documentation. It is suggested that supporting documents should be clear,
concise, relevant, and no more than 20 pages unless more information is deemed
essential to the precise explanation of the complaint. The Committee may also
request a complaining party to submit further documentation where doing so
might be vital to the Committee's decision-making process.
3.16.4.3 Forming
a Grievance Panel Upon
receipt of a Request for an Investigation, the Chairperson of the Faculty
Grievance Committee shall prepare a list of five Committee members to serve
with the Chairperson as the Grievance Panel. No member of the complainant's
department nor of the respondent's department shall serve on the Grievance
Panel. [The respondent(s) is (are) the person(s) who has (have) responsibility
for following the procedure which has allegedly been violated, or who has
(have) allegedly abridged the academic freedom of the complainant.] The list
shall be shared with the complainant and the respondent prior to notifying any
members on the list. The complainant and the respondent shall each have the
right to strike one member (including the Chairperson) from the proposed Panel,
in which case the Chairperson appoints other members from the larger Committee.
Only after this has been completed are the Grievance Panel members remaining on
the list notified.
If the Chairperson
of the Grievance Committee is the complainant or the respondent, or if the
Chairperson is struck from the Grievance Panel, the Vice-Chairperson shall
immediately assume all of the responsibilities described above. If more than one
active grievance is being heard, the Vice-Chairperson shall assume the
responsibilities of the Chairperson for the second case. If, in order to
complete a Grievance Panel, it becomes necessary to add members to the
Grievance Committee, the Faculty Steering Committee shall appoint new members
no later than seven days after being advised of the need to do so.
3.16.4.4 Review
of the Request for an Investigation and Decision by the Panel The Grievance Panel shall review the
Request for an Investigation and decide whether it should be accepted or
rejected, according to the standards set forth in Sections 3.16.4.4.1 and
3.16.4.4.2. The Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson of the Faculty Grievance
Committee will inform the complainant and the respondent in writing of the
decision of the Grievance Panel within five days after that decision is
reached.
3.16.4.4.1
Rejection of the Request
1. Does Not Meet
the Criteria The Grievance Panel may reject complaints that do not meet its
criteria, without prejudice to the complaining party's ability to correct the
defects and submit a new complaint. The Panel may also reject complaints that
are too vague or disorganized to provide the basis for an effective inquiry.
2. No Jurisdiction Should
the Panel decide the complaint does not fall within its jurisdiction, the Panel
shall dismiss the complaint.
3. Insubstantial
After considering the complaint and accompanying material, the Grievance Panel
may reject the complaint if, in its judgment, the complaint is insubstantial or
the dispute is not sufficiently related to the concerns of the academic
community to justify further investigation. In making this determination, the
Panel may take into account whether the complaining party has made baseless or
insubstantial complaints in the past.
3.16.4.4.2
Resubmission of the Request
Once the complainant has been informed by the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson
that his/her Request for an Investigation has been rejected, he/she has 90 days
to resubmit an appropriately modified Request to the Grievance Panel for their
reconsideration. As in the case of the original Request, a resubmitted Request
will not automatically entail an investigation.
3.16.4.4.3
Acceptance of the Request
If the complaint is within the Panel's jurisdiction and is otherwise suitable
for investigation, the Panel shall notify the complainant and send to the
respondent(s) a copy of all materials submitted earlier to the Grievance
Committee. The Grievance Panel shall request a written response from the
respondent. The response must meet the same standards specified for complaints.
The Panel may also request the respondent to submit appropriate documentation.
The Panel may set reasonable time requirements for the submission of materials in
response to a complaint. If no response is made, the Panel may take such
inaction into consideration in its resolution of the dispute.
3.16.4.5
Conducting the Investigation The nature and means employed in pursuing the investigation,
including the interviewing of relevant parties and gathering relevant
information, shall be in the discretion of the Grievance Panel, but the
investigation shall be as extensive or as brief as necessary to resolve the
dispute fairly. The Grievance Panel may conduct its own interviews, request
additional evidence from the parties, consult with individuals it considers to
be potentially helpful, and review the written materials already before it. The
Panel may decide to not seek further materials, consultations, or interviews if
it deems a review of only the materials submitted to it can render a fair
decision.
At any stage of the
investigation, the Grievance Panel may exercise its ability and discretion to
resolve the dispute through mediation and reconciliation between the parties.
3.16.4.6
Concluding the Investigation The Panel may pursue a resolution of the grievance satisfactory
to both parties. If in the opinion of the Panel a mutually agreeable resolution
is not possible, or is inappropriate, the Grievance Panel will reports its
recommendations to all parties directly involved, the Vice President and Dean
for Academic Affairs, and the President. In cases where the grievance is
directed to actions of the President, the full report shall also be forwarded
to the Board of Trustees.
The investigation
shall be concluded when any of the following occur:
1. The dispute is
resolved with the consent of the parties.
2. The Grievance
Panel issues its report and recommendations.
3. The Grievance
Panel determines that a formal hearing should be held.
In its report the
Grievance Panel shall indicate in writing the results of its investigation,
including its view of the merits of the claim(s) made in the complaint, the
resolution of any factual disputes essential to the Grievance Panel's conclusion,
and the Grievance Panel's judgement about what
actions, if any, should be taken by the College. The report need be no more
detailed than necessary to summarize the Panel's findings.
Within 30 days
after receipt of a report from the Grievance Panel, the President shall in
writing either affirm or modify the report or refer it back to the Grievance
Panel with objections. The President's response shall be delivered to the
Chairperson of the Grievance Panel and to the parties involved. Failure to act
within the 30-day time period shall constitute an affirmation of the Grievance
Panel's decision.
If the report is
referred back, the Grievance Panel shall reconsider the case and, taking into
account the objections or suggestions of the President, the Grievance Panel
shall resubmit the report, with any modifications, to the President, who may
affirm, modify, or reject it. The President's decision shall be final and
conclusive, and the matter in question shall be deemed closed, unless either
party requests an appeal to the President within 30 days after receipt of a
written copy of the President's decision.
If at any point in
its investigation the Grievance Panel determines that a formal hearing must be
held, the dispute may proceed directly to the formal hearing as described in
the next section of this document. In such instances, the Investigative Panel
shall prepare a brief report setting forth the reason(s) for moving directly to
a formal hearing.
3.16.5 Formal
Hearings Formal hearings
shall be held in disputes in which the Grievance Panel determines that a
hearing is appropriate because the issues are so serious and the facts so
unclear that live testimony and quasi-judicial procedures are appropriate to
resolve the dispute fairly. Formal hearings should be the exception, not the
rule, in faculty dispute resolution. No formal hearing shall be held if the
complaining party expresses the desire, in writing, not to have such a hearing.
3.16.5.1
Procedures for Formal Hearings Formal hearings shall be conducted and heard by the Grievance
Panel.
In conducting a
formal hearing, the Grievance Panel shall use the following procedures:
1. The Panel
Chairperson, after consulting both parties to the case, shall promptly notify
them of the time and place of the hearing, which shall be held within 15 days
of determining that such a hearing is merited.
2. The parties may
submit written evidence or documentation to the Chairperson before the hearing.
3. Each party shall
notify the Chairperson and the other party of the witnesses they intend to call
no later than five days before the hearing. Each party has the responsibility
for arranging the attendance of any witness they intend to call.
4. In conducting
hearings, the Panel meets in closed session.
5. Each party to a
case is entitled to bring one person as an advisor to accompany them to the
hearing. The advisor may speak with the party at any point during the hearing,
but may not address the hearing except as a witness.
6. Each party can
call witnesses or present other evidence, can examine any evidence submitted to
the Panel by anyone else, and can question any witnesses. Each party is
entitled to be present during all phases of the hearing itself.
7. A transcription
or electronic recording of the hearing shall be kept and shall be filed for
safekeeping with the Registrar. Upon request, a copy thereof shall be furnished
to either party at the College's expense, no later than 30 days after the
Chairperson of the Grievance Panel receives the request.
8. The Grievance
Panel may adjourn the hearing to permit the parties to obtain further evidence.
9. A grievance
hearing is not a formal judicial proceeding. Its ultimate purpose is to
evaluate whether proper procedures were followed, or whether academic freedom
was abridged. To achieve that end, the Grievance Panel can exclude issues or
evidence that it deems irrelevant, and can place reasonable limits on argument,
on the presentation of evidence, and on the questioning of witnesses.
10. The Grievance
Panel can decide when it has enough information to decide the merits.
11. Except as
disclosures are reasonably necessary in the notification, hearing, and final
disposition of a grievance, the complainant, members of the Grievance
Committee, and others having knowledge of a grievance shall preserve the
confidentiality of the grievance, provided that anyone accused in a grievance
of misconduct shall be so informed and shall have an opportunity to respond to
the charges.
3.16.5.2
Decision of the Grievance Panel At the conclusion of the hearing, the Panel shall retire to
decide what action to take. Only members of the Panel shall be present during
these deliberations. All five members, including the Chairperson, shall have a
vote. A majority of the members shall determine what action to take.
The Panel shall
determine whether a violation has taken place that is within its jurisdiction
as set forth in Section 3.16.3 above. The Panel shall communicate in writing
its findings, as well as recommendations for corrective action, if applicable,
within five days of the conclusion of a hearing, to the complainant, the
respondent, and the President of the College.
At the next meeting
of the general faculty, the Chairperson of the Grievance Committee shall report
that a grievance was heard, and that the Grievance Panel either found a
procedural violation did or did not occur, or that a faculty member's academic
freedom was or was not abridged. No other details shall be reported.
3.16.6 Decision
of the President The
President of the College shall make the final determination on actions to be
taken in response to findings of the Grievance Panel. At the next meeting of
the general faculty, the President shall report either acceptance or rejection
of the findings of the Grievance Panel. No other details shall be reported.
If, at any time, a
party to a case alleges that new information has come to light, he or she may
petition the Chairperson of the Grievance Committee to rehear the grievance.
Based on the petition alone, a Grievance Panel shall decide whether to grant
such a hearing, four affirmative votes being required.
3.16.7 Appeal to
the Board of Trustees The
Board of Trustees may, at its discretion, hear appeals from the President's
decision.
3.17 SCHEDULE OF FACULTY BENEFITS
BENEFIT
RECEIVED WHO PAYS WHAT EMPLOYEE
ACADEMIC
REGALIA 50% LC / 50% EMPLOYEE ACADEMIC
ADMISSION TO
FINE ARTS PROGRAMS,
LECTURES, AND
ATHLETIC EVENTS LC FREE ADMISSIONS
BOOKSTORE
PURCHASES EMPLOYEE 10% DISCOUNT (EX. TEXTS)
CREDIT UNION
EMPLOYEE PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS -
SAVINGS,
LOANS
HOLIDAYS LC
PAID HOLIDAYS
INSURANCE
DISABILITY
INCOME PROTECTION LC MONTHLY BENEFITS STARTING FIRST
DAY OF 7TH
MONTH OF DISABILITY
LIFE
INSURANCE LC 150% OF CURRENT SALARY LEVEL
MEDICAL AND
HOSPITALIZATION 50% LC / 50% EMPLOYEE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS
AND FAMILY
MEALS AT THE
COLLEGE EMPLOYEE MEALS IN DINING ROOM FOR FAMILY AND GUESTS AT DISCOUNT RATES
PARKING LC
FREE PARKING
RECREATIONAL
PROGRAMS LC INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES
RETIREMENT
PLAN 50% LC / 50% EMPLOYEE TAX SHELTERED PROGRAMS IN THE PENSION FUND,
TIAA/CREF OR FIDELITY INVESTMENTS
SABBATICAL
LEAVE LC FLEXIBLE PROGRAM
SICK LEAVE LC
SICK PAY
SOCIAL
SECURITY 50% LC / 50% EMPLOYEE
TRAVEL TO
PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS LC SHARE TRAVEL COSTS (SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS)
TUITION
REMISSION AND GRANTS LC TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY
EMPLOYMENT
COMPENSATION LC FEDERAL/STATE BENEFITS
WORKMEN'S
COMPENSATION LC INSURANCE FOR INJURIES ON THE JOB
FLEXIBLE BENEFITS
PLAN EMPLOYEE COVERED EXPENSES PAID WITH PRE-
FOR PAYMENT
OF HEALTH INSURANCE, TAX DOLLARS
MEDICAL AND
DEPENDENT-CARE
EXPENSES WITH
PRE-TAX DOLLARS
3.18
3.18.1
Introduction The
Lynchburg College
reserves the right, at all times, to suspend or revoke the privilege of system
access if a user's system activity threatens to overload the system network,
threatens the security or integrity of the College, threatens the computer
system, or if the user has violated institutional policies or committed a
violation of law.
Certain
responsibilities and possible liabilities accompany this privilege and
understanding them is important for all computer users. This policy strives to
balance the user's ability to benefit from these computing resources and the
College's responsibility to maintain the system and assure that its
institutional polices are complied with.
3.18.2
Guidelines for Responsible Use
3.18.2.1 In General Some constraints are necessary
for the efficient and appropriate use of shared computer resources. Since
network capacity is limited, academic needs must take precedence. All users
must act responsibly and use the facilities in an ethical, professional
and legal manner. This means that users agree to abide by the following
standards of responsible use:
3.18.2.2
Personal Use; Use By Third Parties Students, faculty and staff have the privilege of reasonable use
of the College's computing and electronic communications facilities and
services for personal activities related to teaching scholarship, research, professional
development, and public service, as well as other incidental personal use, so
long as such use does not interfere with the College's operation of these
facilities and services, or with the user's employment or other obligations to
the College. Use of the facilities and services for commercial purposes not
under the auspices of the College is not permitted.
The use of College
facilities and services by individuals and organizations who are not part of
the College community is not permitted unless approved by the President,
Academic Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs, or Vice President for
Business and Finance. Such approval will generally be granted only where
the use is in connection with a College-sponsored event or activity, the
use is in connection with a public service activity and comparable
equipment is not otherwise reasonably available to the user, the use is
by a guest of the College and is an otherwise appropriate use, or the use is
part of a contractual agreement between the College and a governmental agency,
private business, educational institution, or other entity.
3.18.2.3
Plagiarism; Protection of Intellectual Rights The College Honor Code regarding plagiarism and other
violations of academic integrity applies to course work completed with use of
the computer just as it does to other course work.
The College
endorses the following statement on software and intellectual rights:
"Respect for
intellectual labor and creativity is vital to academic discourse and
enterprise. This principle applies to work of all authors and publishers in all
media. It encompasses respect for the right to acknowledgement, right to
privacy, and right to determine the form, manner, and terms of publication and
distribution. Because electronic information is volatile and easily reproduced,
respect for the work and personal expression of others is especially critical
in computer environments. Violations of authorial integrity, including
plagiarism, invasion of privacy, unauthorized access and trade secret and
copyright violations, may be grounds for sanctions against members of the
academic community." 1
1 - adopted by
EDUCAUSE, a non-profit consortium of colleges and universities committed to the
use and management of information technology in higher education, and ADAPSO,
the computer software and services industry association.
3.18.3 Examples
of Misuse
As a guideline for
users, computing facility/ resources abuse consists of, but is not limited to,
the following examples:
3.18.4 Privacy;
Enforcement and Sanctions
3.18.4.1 Privacy
of Users While not
legally required to do so, the College respects the privacy of the users of its
computing and electronic communications facilities. While the College's intent
is to respect privacy, users should not expect complete privacy of electronic
files. For example, I.T.S. personnel may observe the contents of electronic
files/messages as a result of regular maintenance or user support. Users must be
aware that the security of electronic files on shared systems is not
inviolable. Due to addressing errors, it is possible that a user or I.T.S.
personnel may receive a sent message that is meant for another person. Except
when legally required to do otherwise, it is expected that private information
obtained unintentionally be treated confidentially.
3.18.4.2
Investigation of Violations and Revocation of Access Monitoring users' accounts or conducting
spot checks of users' activities is prohibited except as set forth below.
Computer programs, e-mail, voice mail, phone logs, network traffic logs, web
site cache, and electronic files can be accessed by I.T.S. personnel, and other
College personnel to whom such authority has been delegated, to investigate suspected
violations of this policy, or other College policy and rules, to investigate
possible disruption to the network or other shared services, to monitor the
volume of system activity and to track work flow, to restore system integrity
in the event of a crash, to restore or protect the security of the system, and
to cooperate with law enforcement officials. Such access must ordinarily be
authorized by the President of the College, who can delegate this authority to
the appropriate College administrator as listed below:
The officials
listed above have the authority, based on the results of an authorized
investigation, immediately to revoke or limit the user[s]' access to College
computing and electronic communication facilities and services.
In emergency cases,
as for example where system integrity is threatened and the appropriate
administrator is not available, access may be authorized by either of the other
three administrators listed, and if neither of those officials is available,
designated I.T.S. personnel have the authority to lock or search accounts or
log sessions. Any emergency entry will be recorded in writing and forwarded to
the appropriate College authority, and its appropriateness reviewed after the
fact.
Where a user's
electronic files or other electronic material listed above is accessed by the College
as part of an investigation into a suspected violation of this policy or other
College policy or rules, the College will notify the individual of this access
within five business days. This notice requirement shall not apply where the
notice would, in the judgment of the College, interfere with an ongoing law
enforcement investigation.
3.18.4.3 Other
Sanctions for Misuse; Reporting Misuse If abuse of
Abuses of computer
resources are direct violations of the College's standards of conduct as
outlined in the Faculty Handbook, Staff Handbook and Student Handbook (The
Hornet).
Alleged violations
of this policy will be processed according to the procedures outlined in
these handbooks.
Users are expected
to cooperate with authorized investigations of technical problem or use of
campus computer facilities that may be unauthorized, illegal or in violation of
this policy. Except as noted in Section IVB above, an explanation of any
revocation of access will be provided to the user and an appeal may be made
following existing appeal procedures.
Any user who is the
victim of harassment or other abuse involving the College's computing or
electronic communication facilities, or becomes aware of a violation of this
policy, should report the possible abuse or violation to his or her supervisor
or to the appropriate administrator listed above. Such reports will be handled
in accordance with the College's Human Rights Policy, and where appropriate,
the College will inform the user of the right to file a complaint under that
policy.
3.18.5
Publication This policy
shall be published in the Student/Faculty/Staff Computer Use manuals, made
available on the College's Web Pages, and at additional locations as needed.
System users shall acknowledge acceptance of the conditions of this usage
policy when first access is provided.
3.18.6
Acknowledgements Portions
of the policies from several educational institutions have been adapted in the
development of this policy. Appreciation is extended to:
3.19
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY POLICY
3.19.1 Introduction The purpose of this policy is
to insure fairness and equity in the development and dissemination of useful
creations, products or processes at Lynchburg College (LC). This policy
clarifies individual and institutional copyrights associated with ownership and
with the distribution of benefits that may be derived from the creation of
various types of intellectual property. This policy applies to all full- or
part-time employees, who may create intellectual property related to the scope
of their employment while under contract with
3.19.2 General
Policy Ownership of the various rights associated with copyright and patent are
dependent upon the specific type of intellectual property involved.
3.19.3 Definitions and Comments
3.19.3.1 Work for Hire Work for hire, as used in
this policy, is defined by the federal copyright law as work prepared by an
employee within the scope of his employment. The 1976 Copyright Law further
provides that in the case of work made for hire, the employer owns all of the
rights comprised in the copyright. In this policy, the College has applied the
work-for-hire doctrine in a manner designed to allow faculty, staff, and
students to benefit substantially from their creative works. In implementing
the policy, and in resolving questions that may arise thereunder,
the College will use the definition of work for hire that is established
federal law.
3.19.3.2 Substantial Use Substantial use of
institutional resources will mean that the creator of the materials received
staff, salary or material support beyond that normally provided to a typical
faculty member at LC. Should a question arise about whether support is beyond
the norm, a written opinion will be obtained from the unit leader (Program or
School Head, Dean, etc.) concerning the level of use of LC support and
facilities.
3.19.3.3 Quality Teaching The term quality teaching refers to standards as
defined by the evaluation, promotion, and tenure criteria of the Program or
school in which a faculty member is appointed.
3.19.3.4 Mediated Courses Mediated courses are
defined as courses taught primarily through electronic media, such as
web-based, videotaped and/or audio taped, distance-learning courses. These
courses have the capability of being duplicated and disseminated
electronically.
3.19.3.5 Mediated
Courseware Mediated courseware is defined as teaching aids created and/or
deployed electronically. Mediated courseware may incorporate text, graphics,
video, and audio elements. Examples of such materials include, but are not
limited to, hypertext modules, simulation software, web sites, and databases
containing numbers, images, or text.
3.19.3.6 Institution-Directed Mediated courses,
courseware, or mediated instructional materials are institution-directed when
the assignment is made to a faculty member or employee in the normal course of
their employment contract and the assignment is made by the administrator to
whom the faculty member or employee reports under that contract.
3.19.3.7 Rights,
Responsibilities and Liabilities Ownership of intellectual property implies responsibility and liability as well as the right to
control use of the property. The owners of intellectual property as described
in this document will be responsible for assuring the proper use by others of
materials for which copyright is held.
3.19.4
Copyrightable Property
3.19.4.1
Mediated Courses and Mediated Courseware
3.19.4.1.1
Self-initiated Mediated Courses/Courseware
1. Self-initiated
course material developed without assistance of College Support Units The
employee who develops a course/courseware shall be considered the initiator of
the course/courseware when he/she develops an idea for a new course or changes
an existing course beyond the level ordinarily required for quality teaching.
In this case, notwithstanding the work-for-hire doctrine, the ownership of both
the content and presentation shall remain with the initiator. Ordinarily, no
royalty, rent or other consideration shall be paid to the employee when that
mediated course/courseware is used for instruction at LC and such mediated
course/courseware shall not be used or modified by other LC staff without the
consent of the creator. Even though the initiator owns the course/courseware,
the initiator shall not sell, lease, rent or otherwise use it in a manner that
competes with for-credit or revenue-producing offerings of LC, unless that use
has received the approval of the Program Head and Dean. Approval to offer the
course outside of the institution can be requested through the Program Head and
Dean. Approvals shall be forwarded to the President. If approval is granted,
the initiator shall reimburse LC, from revenues derived from offering the
course/courseware, for any substantial use of institutional resources. As owner
of the materials, the initiator is responsible for securing and maintaining any
and all copyright permission related to the content or presentation of the
course/courseware and for responding to any other legal actions resulting from
the use of the material.
2. Self-initiated
course material developed with assistance of Lynchburg College Support Units
When employees develop mediated courses/ courseware, both content and
presentation, without specific direction from LC or its agents, and also
utilize the services of College support units such as Information Technology
& Resources (ITR), etc. in its development, the College makes no claim to
the content of the course/courseware, notwithstanding the work-for-hire
principle. However, the ownership of the specific presentation or materials
created by the support unit shall remain with LC. A written agreement that
specifies the respective contributions of the employee and of the support
unit(s) should be prepared. Ordinarily no royalty, rent or other consideration
shall be paid to the employee when that mediated course/courseware is used for
instruction at LC. Such mediated course/courseware shall not be used or
modified without the consent of the creator(s). If the creators wish to use the
presentation or materials in a manner that competes with for-credit or
revenue-producing offerings of LC, they must obtain the approval of their
Program Head and Dean and also of the Director of any and all support units
which aided in the creation of the presentation. This approval to offer the
course outside of the institution can be requested through the Program Head,
Dean and support unit Director. Approvals shall be forwarded to the President.
If approval is granted, LC, as owner of the copyright of the material created
by the support unit, will provide the employee with a limited license to use
the material and will share revenues derived from offering the course in a
manner similar to the sharing of royalties from patents. The creator is
responsible for securing and maintaining any and all copyright permission
related to the content. The support units involved in the creation of the presentation
will secure and maintain any and all copyright permission related to
presentation of the course/courseware and to responding to any other legal
actions resulting from the use of the presentation.
3.19.4.1.2
Institution-Directed Mediated Course/Courseware When
3.19.4.2
Materials Other Than Mediated Courseware
3.19.4.2.1
Scholarly and Artistic Works Notwithstanding any use of institutional resources or the
"work-for-hire" doctrine, the ownership of textbooks, scholarly
monographs, trade publications, maps, charts, articles in popular magazines and
newspapers, novels, nonfiction works, supporting materials, artistic works,
syllabi, lecture notes, and like works shall reside with the creator and any
revenue derived from their work shall belong to the creator. Except for
textbooks, institutions shall have royalty-free use of the work within the
institution unless otherwise agreed in writing.
3.19.4.2.2
Manuscripts for Academic Journals
1. Notwithstanding
any use of institutional resources or the work-for-hire doctrine, the ownership
of manuscripts for publication in academic journals shall reside with the
creator and any revenue derived from the works shall belong to the creator.
2. If the
manuscript is to be published, the creator shall request the right to provide
the institution with a royalty-free license to use the manuscript within the
institution in its teaching, research, and service programs, but not for
external distribution and, if successful, the creator shall grant such right to
the institution.
3. Upon the
establishment of national government or nonprofit entities whose purpose is to
maintain academic manuscripts in an electronically accessible and publicly
available manner, Lynchburg College will review each entity and upon
determination that providing the manuscripts will not jeopardize the
publication of articles or infringe on academic freedom, require the creator(s)
to provide to the appropriate entity a limited license for the use of each.
4. Ownership, as
described in sections 3.19.4.2.1 and 3.19.4.2.2, is limited to the scholarly
work and does not necessarily extend to data or other scholarly information
which the scholar may have collected or obtained during the course of the
project or to other creations which may be based on the same scholarly
information. If the scholar's project is supported by funds or other resources
from agencies external to LC the ownership and location of the scholarly
information will be determined by the agreement between LC and the agency, or
by the published requirements of the agency. In the absence of such
requirements or agreements and for projects that receive no external support
and where substantial use of college resources is to be provided, the College
must indicate if there is intent to claim ownership of the data and other scholarly
information. In the presence of such an understanding the
data/information will remain the property of
3.19.5 Patent
and Registrationable Intellectual Property
3.19.5.1 General
Provisions The rights to
patentable inventions resulting from College-sponsored research shall be
assigned in writing to
3.19.5.2
Patentable Inventions
3.19.5.2.1
Disclosure Anyone who
conceives an invention resulting from a research project sponsored by the
College shall inform the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs, who will
recommend whether or not Lynchburg College should pursue a patent application
on the subject invention. The College is free to follow the recommendation of
the Dean, or to waive its rights to the invention subject to the rights of any
sponsor. If the College waves its rights, the inventor is free to patent the
invention. In such case, however, the College does not relinquish its right to
publish any of the data (pursuant to 3.19.4.2.2 #4) obtained in the research
project.
3.19.5.2.2
Assignment/Sharing of Revenues When any revenue is obtained by the College from the assignment
or licensing of any patent, not less than fifty (50) percent of revenues shall
be paid to the inventor(s). This revenue sharing shall begin only after the
College recoups its direct costs in patenting the invention. The remainder of
any shared revenue, less a portion that may be retained by the College to fund
its operation, shall be used to sponsor further research and research-related
activities in the College. The College underwrites all costs of obtaining a
patent and of legal counsel retained for that purpose.
In case of projects
sponsored in part by an outside party or individual, a written contract shall
be made between the institution and the cooperating agency and shall include a
statement of policy regarding patents that is substantially equivalent to this
policy.
In case of a
research project where all costs, including overhead, salary of investigator,
reasonable rent on the use of equipment, etc., are paid by an outside party,
the outside party and the College may negotiate the allocation of all patent
rights prior to the provision of any funding by the outside party. The College
shall always reserve the right to publish all data (pursuant to 3.19.4.2.2 #4)
of fundamental value to science and technology.
3.19.5.3
Software Software is another form of intellectual property covered
by this policy. Software can be copyrighted, and is therefore subject to the
policies in Section 3.19.4, above. Some software embodies algorithms that can
be the subject of a patent. Any software that may fall into that category
should be treated as an invention, and handled by its inventor, and the College
as described in the paragraphs (3.19.5.2) that apply to patentable inventions.
Software that falls into the mediated courseware category will be covered by
the Mediated Courseware section of this policy. Software that is to be
distributed with textbooks as supporting material will be covered by the
Scholarly and Artistic Works or the Mediated Courseware sections of this
policy, as appropriate. Software that does not fall into any of these
categories, that may be commercialized, and as to which the creator made substantial
use of College resources, will be treated as mediated courseware under Section
3.19.4.1.1, as appropriate, of this policy.
3.19.5.4 Other
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property may exist in the form of material that is not patentable,
but which by its nature can be protected. An example of this would be anything
produced from a biological material harvested from a unique continually growing
culture. This type of intellectual property may be protectable and revenue may
be generated by licensing agreements with parties interested in commercial
production. This type of intellectual property is to be treated by its creator
and the College in the same fashion as described above for patentable
inventions.
3.19.6 Student's
Academic Creations The
ownership of student works submitted in fulfillment of academic requirements
shall be with the creator(s). By enrolling in the institution, the student
gives the institution a nonexclusive royalty-free license to mark on, modify,
and retain the work as may be required by the process of instruction. The
institution shall not have the right to use the work in any other manner
without the written consent of the creator(s). Students are responsible for
obtaining and maintaining copyright permissions related to their creations.
This ownership is
limited to the creation of the student, does not extend to data or other
scholarly information the student may have collected or obtained during the
course of a project or to other creations which may be based on the same scholarly
information. If the student's project is supported by funds or other resources
from agencies external to LC, the ownership and location of the scholarly
information will be determined by the agreement between LC and the agency or by
the published requirements of the agency. In the absence of such requirements
or agreements and for projects which receive no external support and where
substantial use of college resources is involved, the data and other scholarly
information collected as a result of the student academic creation will remain
the property of
This policy
has been based on a model developed by
3.20 IRB Policy -
Human Subject Research Policy
Policy for the
Protection of Human Subjects Involved in Research
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
The Board consists of five members as follows: At least three faculty members, preferably
one from psychology, and including one whose primary concerns are in the
scientific areas (any discipline may have more than one member represented on
the Board); and two additional members ; a community person who is not
affiliated with the College, and who is not part of the immediate family of a
person who is affiliated with the College; and one who may or may not be
affiliated with College. At least one of the IRB members must be someone whose
primary concerns is in nonscientific areas. All terms are for three years,
staggered so that no more than two new members must be appointed in any one
year.
Members will be recommended by the Faculty Steering Committee, in consultation
with the Chair of the IRB, and appointed by the President or Vice President and
Dean for Academic Affairs. The Chair, who is preferably a faculty member, shall
be appointed by the Faculty Steering Committee. The Board reports to the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs.
The function of the Board is to Review all proposed research which involves the
use of human subjects. Full reviews require action by the entire board and may
necessitate the convening of meetings at which a majority of the members of the
Board are present, including at least one member whose primary concerns are in
nonscientific areas. Expedited reviews may be conducted by phone or through the
mail, or may only require the attention of the Chair.
The Board approves or rejects research proposals, and notifies the
investigators and the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs in writing
of its decision to approve or disapprove the proposed research activity, or of
modifications required to secure Board approval.
The Board also submits an annual report of its activities to the Vice President
and Dean for Academic Affairs.
Protection
against harm
Researchers are
responsible for identifying, justifying, and minimizing the risks of real or
potential harm accruing to human subjects involved in their proposed research;
such risks include physical, psychological, and social harm. Physical harm may
range from unnecessary discomfort or inconvenience to physical pain or
disfigurement. Psychological harm includes emotional distress, loss of
self-esteem, and impairment of the subject's ability to judge behaviors or make
decisions. Social harm includes damage to reputation and social or legal
standing.
Protection against coercion and deceit
Researchers must respect a subject's right to autonomy and guard against
unnecessary deception. Therefore, researchers are required to obtain in writing
the informed consent of their subjects, except as otherwise approved in advance
by the IRB. In obtaining "informed consent" researchers must meet the
following conditions: (l) before agreeing to participate in the study, prospective
subjects must be given the most detailed and accurate description of the study
as the research design will allow; (2) consent and subsequent participation
cannot be coerced and perspective subjects must be provided with written and
oral reassurance that they are free to refuse to participate or to withdraw
from the study at any time; (3) if parties other than the researchers
identified with the study are to have access to the individual contributions of
the participants, prospective subjects must be provided with a written
statement identifying these parties; (4) under no circumstances may prospective
subjects be misled or uninformed as to any risks associated with the study; (5)
when the design of the study necessitates concealment or deception on other
matters, researchers are ultimately required to reveal to participants the
reasons for the actions; and (6) any other items required by law. The IRB is
legally required to determine whether the proposed "informed consent"
contains the necessary types of information. Ideally, prospective subjects
should understand all features of the research that reasonably might be
expected to influence willingness to participate. Furthermore, at the
conclusion of the study researchers should freely provide to participants upon
request information explaining the purposes of the study, the genuine nature of
the design, and the results. This access to information should be clearly
stated in writing on the consent form which participants sign. If a prospective
subject is less than eighteen years of age, then the prior informed consent of
a parent or legal guardian is required and the conditions prescribed herein
pertain also to the parent or guardian.
Protection against violations of privacy and personal integrity
Researchers must respect the privacy and human dignity of subjects. Research
participants possess the right to decide how much of themselves to share with
others. When possible, subjects should participate anonymously. If the research
design precludes the anonymity of research participants, then information that
is traceable to the individual subject or to their contributions to the study
must be treated with strict confidentiality. Once obtained, personal data about
subjects may not be revealed to any third parties or the public in such a way
as to make possible the identification of individual participants. A statement
explaining the anonymity or confidentiality of information associated with the
individual participants and their contributions to the research must be
presented in writing to proposed subjects prior to their participation.
Researchers should make every effort to preserve the personal integrity and
dignity of human subjects, including refraining from research which could
conceivably humiliate or belittle participants.
Student research
Student research projects involving human subjects must comply with the
policies and procedures prescribed in this document and must be properly
reviewed. Faculty members guiding such research share with their students the
responsibility of compliance.
3.21 DISTANCE
LEARNING POLICY
According to the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, distance education is defined as:
“formal educational process in which the majority of the instruction occurs when
student and instructor are not in the same place. Instruction may be
synchronous or asynchronous. Distance education may employ correspondence
study, or audio, video, or computer technologies”.
The Commission on
Colleges further defines distance learning as “that educational process that
occurs when instruction is delivered to students physically remote from the
main campus, the location or campus of program origins, or the primary
resources that support instruction. In this process, the requirements for a
course or program may be completed through face-to-face interaction and/or
through remote communications with instructional and support staff including
either one-way or two-way written, electronic, or other media forms”.
At
In addition to the
FIPSE-funded initiatives,
The
The
The College has not
engaged in any other correspondence study (other than formally approved
independent study classes) or any additional coursework based on audio, video,
or computer technology. Nevertheless, we anticipate that there may be
additional opportunities that may present themselves in the future.
While
1. All distance
learning courses must be consistent with the institutional mission and related
to on-campus academic programs.
2. All courses
taught through distance learning methodologies must be evaluated each semester
using instruments consistent with the College’s course evaluation system
complemented by appropriate questions which focus specifically on the unique
distance learning aspects of the particular course.
3. Faculty teaching
distance learning classes must meet the same SACS criteria as established for
regular on-campus instructors for both undergraduate and graduate classes.
4. Faculty teaching
distance learning classes must be available on an ongoing basis to students
through a structured, planned system of access such as complementary in-class
sessions and/or regular email, phone, and mail contacts.
5. Courses offered
through distance learning methodologies must ensure that appropriate resources
(e.g., library) are directly available to students.
6. Distance
learning courses require faculty approval consistent with procedures used for
on-campus courses.
7. Responsibility
for the supervision of distance learning classes follows the existing
institutional structure (i.e., school deans, Vice President and Dean for
Academic Affairs).
3.22 EXTERNALLY
FUNDED GRANTS
For purposes of
this document, external grants are divided into two groups: institutional
support and program support. These two types of support are defined and
discussed below.
Institutional
Support
Institutional
support grants represent a collaborative effort of the President’s Office, the
Office of College and Community Advancement, and the Office of External Affairs
in ensuring that grant proposals are consistent with identified and agreed-upon
institutional priorities. These offices work collaboratively in determining
potential sources of external support and in the development and submission of
proposals. When appropriate, other offices on campus are involved in this
effort depending upon the particular project (e.g., the Business and Physical
Plant offices in the development of plans for new construction on campus).
Program Support
Program support is
an essential element of the efforts of
Program support
includes specific grant proposals that are developed to provide external
assistance to: individual faculty members (e.g., research initiatives);
academic programs (e.g., the acquisition of laboratory equipment); academic
schools (e.g., the development of major initiatives including endowed
professorships); and other administrative units on campus (e.g., support for
student development programs). A number of key issues relate to program support
grant submission and project management.
The Grant Proposal
Clearance Form provides a mechanism for communication by offices that have
responsibilities for, or an essential interest in, a particular grant project.
The form (see attached) is intended to be completed by the principal
investigator or project director, approved by his/her school dean or
supervisor, and then routed through a series of administrative offices. The
form requires attention to: the nature of the proposal, consistency with the
institutional mission, financial aspects of the proposal including potential
institutional match, implications of funding of the project for personnel and
facilities, and plans for the project at the conclusion of external project
support. Once appropriate approvals have been received, the submission of the
proposal can proceed.
In order to be
approved for submission, grant proposals must meet the following requirements:
- The proposed
project must be consistent with the mission of
- Externally funded
grants must appropriately balance designated project activities with the
primary instructional responsibilities of faculty as determined by the
respective school dean and the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs.
- All
externally-funded research projects must be consistent with College guidelines governing
the use of human and animal subjects.
- While enforcing
appropriate standards for research, the College will implement no policies
which interfere with the opportunity for faculty (and staff, as appropriate) to
engage in legitimate research and report results accordingly. According to the
Faculty Handbook (3.9.1.1), “faculty members are entitled to full freedom in
research and in the publication of the results, subject to the adequate
performance of their other academic duties.... Research for pecuniary return
shall be based upon an understanding with the Vice President and Dean for
Academic Affairs”.
- Faculty members
can petition to include academic release time as one component of external
grants. This petition must be submitted to the appropriate school dean and
should relate the amount of time required to implement the grant project to the
appropriate amount of release time expressed in terms of the percentage of
full-time equivalency for that faculty member’s position. It will be the
responsibility of the school dean to ensure that the faculty member’s
involvement in research or outreach complements instructional and other
academic responsibilities.
- For summer grant
salaries for faculty, grant proposal budgets should reflect stipends (when appropriate)
that are consistent with the current rate of summer salary associated with a
three credit summer class. For example, the current compensation for such a
class is $2500. Thus, the grant proposer should describe the responsibilities
of the faculty personnel supported by the proposed grant according to the
relative amount of time to be devoted to the project (e.g., approximately six
weeks of full-time commitment to a grant project could be supported at $5000).
- For salary
supplements paid to faculty through grants during the regular academic year,
additional compensation can be received by faculty consistent with
institutional procedures related to overload pay. Currently, faculty who are
paid for an additional course for instruction receive $2500 (determined as the
adjunct rate); as noted above in the discussion on summer grant salaries, the
relative level of commitment to the project would govern the size of such a
stipend. In general, stipends provided for the summer are preferred because of
the related issues that additional academic year compensation may cause
relative to core work responsibilities (i.e., instruction, advising).
- Additional grant
salary support can only be received by staff members who clearly are performing
their responsibilities outside of their standard contract. For example, staff
members who are on an eleven month contract could receive grant support during
the twelfth month. Normally, staff would not be eligible to receive support
for, for example, evening work associated with a grant or contract during the
academic year. For further clarification, the individual staff member should
discuss this question further with his/her supervisor and the Director of
Personnel prior to seeking such support.
- For all
externally funded grants or contracts,
- Project directors
for funded grants should meet with Business Office representatives (and, as
applicable with the Personnel Director) upon notification of funding to ensure
appropriate implementation including following the College’s internal control
procedures for handling the receipt and distributions of funds and determining
the necessary resources for the project (e.g., account numbers, phone line,
equipment).
- Continuity of
support for ongoing institutional activities must take precedence over
significant institutional support for research grants. Thus institutional
matching funds used to enable the College to secure external support must be
consistent with existing program, school, and/or institutional resources and
the benefits of the funded project must be clear and consistent with the
magnitude of institutional resources committed. The inclusion of matching funds
in the budget of a proposal should be reviewed, as relevant, with the Business
Office, Personnel Director, and Office of College and Community Advancement.
- All grants
awarded must include a specified period of time which should be identified on
the Grant Proposal Clearance Form. As applicable, individuals pursuing submission
of a grant proposal must indicate how the project will be continued beyond the
period of time for which external funding will be provided.
- In terms of
indirect costs,
- Funds which come
to the College through an indirect costs allowance on academic program grants
are divided as follows: 35% to the institution, 35% to the academic school, and
30% to the academic program. This distribution is operative only if the funds
are used by the school and the program for initiatives central to mission and
approved by the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs.
- The Faculty
Development Committee also assists in efforts to provide support to members of
the faculty. This committee establishes criteria, invites and reviews proposals
from faculty members for financial assistance in research and development, and
advises the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs regarding the
nominations of faculty for outside grant support and external awards.
- A Grant Proposal
Tracking Form is provided by the Office of College and Community Advancement
(attached) which provides guidelines for the grant submission and grant
management processes.
NOTE: According to
SACS, the policies governing externally funded grants should be available to
the campus community. They recommend that this information be included in “such
documents as the Faculty Handbook and made known to all faculty members”.
Further, “policies [for salary supplements] must also be published and made
known to faculty.” The Faculty Policies Committee will need to determine
whether they wish to modify the Faculty Handbook to incorporate the information
provided herein.
3.23 EXTERNALLY
FUNDED CONTRACTS POLICY
For purposes of
this document, contracts are divided into two groups. These two types of contracts
are defined and discussed below. The primary focus of these guidelines is
related to contracts for services provided by the College.
Contracts for
Services to the College
The majority of the
contracts that are handled by the College are for obtaining goods and services
from another party. Procedures have been established for this process by the
College’s Business Office and are available from the Business Manager.
Contracts for
Services by the College
Program support is
an essential element of the efforts of
The Grant Proposal
Clearance Form (also applicable for contracts) provides a mechanism for
communication by offices which may have responsibilities for, or an essential
interest in, a particular contract arrangement. The form is intended to be
completed by the project director, approved by his/her school dean or
supervisor, and then routed through a series of administrative offices. The
form requires attention to: the nature of the proposal, consistency with the
institutional mission, financial aspects of the proposal including potential
institutional match, implications of funding of the project for personnel and
facilities, and plans for the project at the conclusion of external project
support. Once appropriate approvals have been received (typically a two week
process is required dependent on the number of offices affected by the
project), the development and submission of the proposal can proceed.
In order to be
approved for submission, contract proposals must meet the following
requirements:
- The proposed
project must be consistent with the mission of
- Externally funded
contracts involving faculty must appropriately balance designated project
activities with the primary instructional responsibilities of faculty as
determined by the respective school dean and the Vice President and Dean for
Academic Affairs.
- All
externally-funded contractual research projects must be consistent with College
guidelines governing the use of human and animal subjects.
- While enforcing
appropriate standards for research, the College will implement no policies
which interfere with the opportunity for faculty (and staff, as appropriate) to
engage in legitimate research and report results accordingly. According to the
Faculty Handbook (3.9.1.1), “faculty members are entitled to full freedom in
research and in the publication of the results, subject to the adequate
performance of their other academic duties.... Research for pecuniary return
shall be based upon an understanding with the Vice President and Dean for
Academic Affairs”.
- Faculty members
can petition to include academic release time as one component of external
contracts. This petition must be submitted to the appropriate school dean and
should relate the amount of time required to implement the project to the
appropriate amount of release time expressed in terms of the percentage of
full-time equivalency for that faculty member’s position. It will be the
responsibility of the school dean to ensure that the faculty member’s
involvement in the project complements instructional and other academic
responsibilities.
- For programs and offices
which have not established a standard rate for contractual salary stipends for
faculty (e.g., such as ones based on market considerations), proposal budgets
should reflect stipends (when appropriate) that are consistent with the current
rate of summer salary associated with a three credit summer class. For example,
the current compensation for such a class is $3000. Thus, the proposer should
describe the responsibilities of the faculty personnel supported by the
proposed contract according to the relative amount of time to be devoted to the
project (e.g., approximately six weeks of full-time commitment to a grant
project could be supported at $6000).
- For salary
supplements paid to faculty through contracts during the regular academic year,
additional compensation can be received by faculty consistent with
institutional procedures related to overload pay consistent with the above
discussion
- All payments of
salaries and wages to faculty, staff and students must be consistent with
existing College guidelines and be reviewed with the Human Resource Office in
advance..
- Additional
contract salary support can only be received by staff members who clearly are
performing these additional responsibilities outside of their standard College
contract. For example, staff members who are on an eleven month contract could
receive support during the twelfth month. Normally, staff would not be eligible
to receive support for, for example, evening work associated with a contract
during the academic year. For further clarification, the individual staff
member should discuss this question further with his/her supervisor and the
Director of Personnel prior to seeking such support.
- If compensation
is paid within the proposed contract, fringe benefits should be addressed in
the proposed budget.
- For all
externally funded contracts,
- Project directors
for funded contracts should meet with Business Office representatives (and, as
applicable with the Personnel Director) upon notification of funding to ensure
appropriate implementation including following the College’s internal control
procedures for handling the receipt and distributions of funds and determining
the necessary resources for the project (e.g., account numbers, phone line,
equipment).
- All contracts
should specify the billing and payment arrangements.
- Continuity of
support for ongoing institutional activities must take precedence over
significant institutional support for research contracts. Thus institutional
matching funds used to enable the College to secure external support must be
consistent with existing program, school, and/or institutional resources and
the benefits of the funded project must be clear and consistent with the
magnitude of institutional resources committed. The inclusion of matching funds
in the budget of a proposal should be reviewed, as relevant, with the Business
Office, Personnel Director, and Office of College and Community Advancement.
- All contracts
awarded must include a specified period of time which should be identified on
the Grant Proposal Clearance Form (which is also applicable to contracts). As
applicable, individuals pursuing submission of a proposal must indicate how the
project will be continued beyond the period of time for which external funding
will be provided. For continuing contracts, project evaluation must be
completed on at least an annual basis.
- In terms of
indirect costs,
- Contracts should
provide for the College as applicable to be reimbursed for its added costs
related to the activities supported by the contract.
- Funds which come
to the College through an indirect costs allowance on contracts related to
academic programs are divided as follows: 35% to the institution, 35% to the
academic school, and 30% to the academic program. This distribution is
operative only if the funds are used by the school and the program for
initiatives which are central to institutional, school and program mission and
approved by the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs.
- A Grant Proposal
Tracking Form is available from the Office of College and Community Advancement
which provides guidelines also applicable for contract submission and
management processes.