EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Revised July, 2011 LAGRANGE COLLEGE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK This Handbook replaces and supersedes any previous employee handbook published and issued by the College. The recipient is responsible for reading and understanding its contents, including any updates. ISSUED TO: ____________________________________________________ I hereby acknowledge that I received a copy of the LaGrange College Employee Handbook and will read and comply with the provisions contained therein. ______________________________________ ________________________________ Signature Date A signed copy of this page will be placed in the employee’s personnel file. pg. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Purpose of Handbook 5 Mission Statement 6 Organization and Administration 7 Accreditation and Degrees 7 Board of Trustees 7 Leadership Council 8 President 8 Cabinet 8 Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost 9 Vice President for Finance & Operations 9 Vice President for Advancement 10 Vice President for Enrollment Management 10 Vice President for Spiritual Life & Church Relations 10 Institutional Planning Council 10 Administrative Council 11 Staff Council 11 Policies and Procedures Absences 12 Academic Calendar 12 Americans with Disabilities Act 12 Bereavement Leave 13 Bookstore 13 Budget Cycle 13 Campus Mail 14 Cell Phone Acquisition 14 Cell Phone and Pager Usage 14 College Publications 14 Confidentiality of Records 15 Conflicts of Interest 15 Copy Center 15 Dental Insurance 15 Drug-Free Workplace 15 Emergencies or Crimes on Campus 16 Employee Classification 16 Employee Identification Cards 16 pg. 2 Employee Records 16 Facilities Scheduling 16 Family Medical Leave (FMLA) 17 Flexible Benefits Plan “Cafeteria Plan” Section 125 17 Food Services 17 Fund Raising Activities 17 Health Insurance 17 Hiring Process 18 Holidays 18 Jury Duty 18 Keys 18 Leave of Absence 19 Library 19 Life Insurance 19 Loan Funds 19 Long-Term Disability Insurance 19 Maintenance, Housekeeping, and Grounds 20 Maternity/Paternity Leave 20 Military Leave 20 Natatorium 20 Non-Discrimination Statement 20 Office Hours 20 Office Supplies 21 Other Employment 21 Overtime and Compensatory Time Off 21 Parking 21 Payment of Salaries 21 Personal Use of Telephones, Computers, Copiers, Etc. 22 Personal Appearance and Dress Code 22 Posting and Promotion 23 Probationary Period 23 Promotions and Transfers 23 Rest Periods 24 Retirement Plans 24 Salary Increments 24 Security 25 Sexual Harassment 25 Shared Sick Leave 28 Sick Leave 28 Smoking Policy 28 Staff Evaluations 28 Travel 28 Tuition Remission for Employees and Dependents 29 Vacation 29 pg. 3 Weight Rooms 30 Weapons 30 Workers’ Compensation 30 Workplace Safety 30 pg. 4 Purpose of the Handbook The LaGrange College Staff Handbook provides information concerning the College’s organizational structure and the procedures the College has adopted to carry out its mission. The Staff Handbook contains general statements of College policy, but should not be read as including the specific details of each policy. It is not intended to be all-inclusive, and should not be interpreted as forming an express or implied contract or promise that the policies discussed in it will be applied in all cases. LaGrange College reserves the right to interpret, change, alter, suspend and cancel all policies and practices without advance notice. The College will periodically update the Staff Handbook, but there will be times when policy will change before material in the Staff Handbook is revised. Nothing contained in the Staff Handbook should be construed as a contract or guarantee of continued employment. All staff employees of the College are hired on an at-will basis for no specific term of employment, and the College reserves the right to terminate the relationship at any time. The College is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person may be unlawfully discriminated against in employment because of race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national orientation, disability or veteran status. The office of Human Resources is responsible for revision of the Staff Handbook and for the interpretation of statements made in it. pg. 5 Mission Statement LaGrange College challenges the minds and inspires the souls of its students. Founded in 1831 and committed to its relationship with the United Methodist Church and its Wesleyan and liberal arts traditions, the college supports students in their search for truth. An ethical and caring community valuing civility, diversity, service and excellence, LaGrange College prepares students to become successful, responsible citizens who aspire to lives of integrity and moral courage. LaGrange College challenges the minds and inspires the souls of its students. • Through an interdisciplinary, broad-based general education curriculum (for undergraduates), rigorous study in the major disciplines, innovative learning opportunities and integrative co-curricular programs, LaGrange College students encounter experiences that challenge and inspire them to develop intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Founded in 1831 and committed to its relationship with the United Methodist Church and its Wesleyan and liberal arts traditions, the college supports students in their search for truth. • The oldest private college in the state of Georgia, the institution has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church for more than 150 years. • Firmly rooted in the Christian faith and grounded in the Wesleyan and liberal arts traditions, both of which are devoted to the unfettered pursuit of truth, the college encourages students to deepen their understanding of their faith and empowers them to engage in free intellectual inquiry. • Welcoming students from widely diverse backgrounds and a variety of faith traditions, the college fosters an environment of hospitality and humility and is committed to the ideals of religious and academic freedom. An ethical and caring community valuing civility, diversity, service and excellence, LaGrange College prepares students to become successful, responsible citizens who aspire to lives of integrity and moral courage. • Understanding the necessity of informed thought directed toward responsible decision making, the academic programs of the college provide opportunities for students to grow in their ability to communicate effectively, to encounter the world with critical insight, and to approach problems and opportunities with creativity. • Committed to the success of students as members of the college community and as alumni, the institution encourages students to see life and work as deeply related and to engage themselves in rich opportunities for meaningful service. • Aware of the global nature of 21st -century learning and living, the college provides multiple opportunities for students to experience distant cultures and diverse peoples through study-away options, language study, internships, and a wide exposure to cultural-enrichment events – all in the context of academic study and action that foster responsible, sustainable stewardship. (This mission statement was approved by the faculty and the Board of Trustees in 2010.) pg. 6 Organization and Administration Accreditation and Degrees LaGrange College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097: Telephone number 404-679-4501) to award the degrees of Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Education and Master of Arts in Teaching. LaGrange College is also approved by the United Methodist University Senate. It has membership in the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the Georgia Independent Colleges Association. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission, which confers professional certificates upon College graduates meeting requirements in early childhood, middle grades or secondary education, has awarded highest approval to LaGrange College's program of teacher education. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is accredited by the National League for Nursing. The undergraduate in business administration is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs. Board of Trustees Ultimate authority for LaGrange College is vested in a board of trustees. The membership is self- perpetuating, all nominees being confirmed by the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church before becoming active. The Provost, Vice President for Finance and Operations, Vice President for Spiritual Life, Vice President for Advancement, Vice President for Enrollment Management, and a tenured faculty member, elected by the faculty for a three- year term, serve as consultants to the Board of Trustees. The elected faculty member cannot succeed himself/herself. The Board of Trustees establishes the basic policies of the College, but does not participate in administrative management. It sets the budget and provides funds for capital development by gifts and solicitations, planning for long-range campus development and administering investments. The board operates under a charter and by-laws and meets semiannually during the fall and spring. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees meets three times per year with called meetings scheduled as necessary. The following standing committees meet on call: Finance Committee, Buildings and Grounds subcommittee, Development subcommittee, Investment subcommittee, Education Committee, Enrollment subcommittee, Academic Affairs pg. 7 subcommittee, and Student Affairs subcommittee. Leadership Council The Leadership Council is an advocacy, service-oriented group of friends of the College whose primary purpose is to assist in developing resources for the College. Members of the Leadership Council are selected by the Leadership Council membership. President The President is the principal executive officer of the College, responsible to the Board of Trustees. The President presides over official meetings of the faculty, administration and student body. The President's duties also involve relations with various constituencies on and off campus, including other members of the administration, faculty, staff and student body, as well as with the United Methodist Church, educational associations, parents, alumni and the general public. The President has a major responsibility in institutional development and finance. The President sets the agenda for sessions of the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees. The President has the final responsibility for the implementation of College policy, the selection and continuance of all personnel, and College operation. The President may dismiss students for breach of College conduct codes or failure to meet academic standards. The President confers College degrees and serves as ex officio vice chairman of the Board of Trustees. The original 1831 charter (under which the College still operates) stipulates that the Trustees appoint a principal (president) who "shall have the right and power to appoint assistants, (to) prescribe a course of studies, to make and enforce all such laws as the internal policy of the institute may require, (to) establish a rate of tuition, (to) adjust expenses, and (to) adopt such regulations as the good of the institution may require." Cabinet The President is the principal executive officer of the College, responsible to the Board of Trustees. Other members of the Cabinet responsible directly to the President include the Provost, Vice President for Finance and Operations, Vice President for Spiritual Life, Vice President for Advancement, and Vice President for Enrollment Management. The Cabinet typically meets weekly. pg. 8 Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost is a faculty member and serves as chair of the faculty. The Provost is ordinarily called on by the President to preside over faculty meetings. The Provost also presides over sessions of the Academic Advisory Council. The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost has a major responsibility in the selection of the faculty members in consultation with appropriate members of the faculty. The Provost sets the annual calendar and supervises the scheduling of preschool planning sessions and academic orientation of students. The Provost has the responsibility for assigning faculty members and determining teaching responsibilities, consistent with the approved curriculum of the College. He/she is responsible for the academic part of a student's orientation to the College and for the implementation of a faculty advising program for students. The Provost is responsible, with the Academic Advisory Council, for the academic information in the LaGrange College Bulletin and is the editor of the Bulletin although the Provost may hire a member of the faculty to assist with these editorial duties. The Provost also works with appropriate committees of the faculty in reviewing and evaluating curricula. The Provost cooperates with other personnel in the establishment of special committees and is responsible for special programs of an academic nature. He/she is the chief counselor to the members of the faculty who are responsible to the Provost for effective performance in keeping with the aims of the College. The Provost has the ultimate responsibility to see that students meet the academic requirements of the institution for admission, advancement and graduation. The Provost recommends the dismissal of students for failure to meet academic standards. The academic status of any student is determined by the Provost. The Provost serves as a consultant to the Board of Trustees and is responsible for affecting a program for faculty development. The Vice President and Provost is also responsible for the quality of student life outside the classroom. This includes housing, health services and recreation activities, including counseling, discipline, cultural enrichment opportunities and support services including career planning and placement and retention. The Vice President supervises the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students supervises the counselors, the resident staff, and student officers and representatives. The Dean of Students acts as student advocate and serves as a liaison between students and members of the faculty, administration and staff. The Provost and Dean of Students give special attention to the retention of students with the aim of helping the College to increase significantly its persistence rate. The Dean of Students is responsible for the production of the Student Handbook and Panther Planner. Vice President for Finance & Operations The Vice President for Finance & Operations is the chief financial officer, serves as Treasurer of the Board of Trustees, and is responsible for the business, financial, human resources, physical pg. 9