Personnel Policies

Criminal Background Check.  A background check on each final candidate for all permanent, full-time positions at LSUS must be completed by the Office of Human Resources.  This is required for all positions - academic, classified and unclassified.  The background check must be made PRIOR to any offer being extended to a candidate.

Contracts.  All faculty members and administrative officials of LSUS are appointed subject to the approval of the President and confirmation by the Board of Supervisors. Faculty members' (or administrators') contracts with LSUS are their completed and approved appointment forms.  Faculty members holding limited term appointments will receive confirmation that their appointments are being extended in accordance with Section 2-7 of the LSU Bylaws and Regulations.  Full-time faculty appointments span Fall Semester orientation and Spring Commencement.  Faculty are expected to participate in all registrations and all Commencement ceremonies whenever possible.

Personnel Records.  The following information must be submitted before the personnel appointment form is prepared and the appointment completed:

1. Affirmative Action Summary of recruiting efforts;
2. Letter offering position--with signatures of Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dean, Department Chair, Affirmative Action Officer, and Appointee;
3. Biographical Data Card;
4. At least three letters of recommendation;
5. Resume;
6. Federal and State Employee's Withholding (W-4 and L-4) forms;
7. Group Insurance Application or Waiver Cards:
   1. Medical and Life Enrollment Sheet for
      Group Life;
      Dependent Life;
      Comprehensive Medical;
      Catastrophic Illness Benefit;
   2. Accidental Death and Dismemberment application or waiver;
   3. Long Term Disability Application or waiver card;
   4. Dental Care Insurance;
   5. Vision Care Plan;
   6. Long Term Care
8. Retirement/Optional Retirement System membership application form or Retirement Status Form;
9. Registration of Permanent Pre-Existing Disability;
10. Check Direct Deposit Request (Optional). Employees wishing to have their pay electronically deposited to a bank should complete this form.
11. Pay Basis Selection (academic employees) for continuing employees to indicate if salary is to be paid in 18 or 24 semi-monthly installments. (One-year appointees do not have this option.)
12. I-9. By law this document must be completed in the Human Resource Management Department within three (3) days of appointment to prove citizenship or legal alien status.
13. Official transcript - At the individual's request, the institution granting the highest degree should forward an official transcript directly to the Human Resource Management Office.
14. Parking fees of $20 are assessed on an annual basis.

Personnel Policies and Procedures.  The document Academic Personnel Employment Procedures and its revisions outline the steps necessary to create and fill a position as well as to fill a vacancy. Affirmative action guidelines must be followed carefully.  Anyone seeking a faculty position at LSUS should confer with the chair of the appropriate department.  The letter of application and a vita should be sent to that department chair, who may request an interview.  Departmental faculty members serve on search committees and interview applicants but the recommendation to hire is made by the department chair through the offices of the college dean and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.  Prior to appointment, each prospective faculty member shall be informed of the employment expectations--teaching, service, research, other creative activities, and/or other duties.  These duties must be consistent with both that which is commonly expected of a professional in the field as well as what is required by the position being sought.  Should there be changes to these terms at any time, the applicant shall be properly informed of them.  Guidelines (Refer to PS 2 01.04, available in all administrative offices) for promotion, tenure, and retention should be reviewed in the interview.

Nepotism.  See PS 3 01.01 and Bylaws and Regulations, sections 2-13.

Equal Opportunity Employer.  LSUS assures equal opportunity for all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, marital status, or veteran's status in the admission to, participation in, or employment in its programs and activities.

Salaries, Recruitment, Promotion, Tenure, and Retention.  The University does not operate on a fixed salary scale.  Salaries are reviewed annually and adjustments recommended within the framework of available funds.  Increases may result from promotion in rank, from general University raises, or from recognition of individual merit or inequity.  The department chair will initiate all such recommendations and forward to the Dean for his or her recommendation to be forwarded to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

The original recommendation, any changes, and reasons for those changes are expected to be communicated to the faculty member concerned as soon as practicable.  Similarly, once new salaries have been finally approved, they will be communicated through channels to the faculty as expeditiously as possible.

Candid communication at all stages is encouraged.  All should understand that off-campus approvals of proposed salaries are required and, therefore, even campus recommendations are subject to modification.  PS 2 01.04, "Faculty Promotion, Tenure, and Retention" and PS 2 04.02, "Evaluation of Instruction Program" should be consulted.

Appointment and Promotion.  Each appointment or promotion of a member of the academic staff shall be made upon the basis of merit and the special fitness of the individual for the work demanded by the position. All appointments, reappointments, promotions, and dismissals of members of the academic staff shall be made upon the authority of the President, subject to the approval of the Board.

The terms of the appointment of each member of the academic staff shall be in writing, with a copy furnished to each of the contracting parties.

Tenure.  Members of the academic staff may be appointed for specified periods (term appointments) or for indeterminate terms (tenured appointments).  The former are used for the lower academic ranks and ordinarily for initial appointments at all levels.  Associate Professors and Professors and those holding equivalent ranks are tenured once specified criteria are met, except as noted in System regulations.  Under certain circumstances tenure may be awarded to those holding lower ranks.

The provisions of tenure apply to full-time faculty members with respect to their academic rank and not to administrative titles or assignments.  Tenure applies only on the campus on which it is earned.

The foregoing shall not be construed to exclude contracts between the Board and members of the academic staff on mutually acceptable terms other than those stated herein.

Details regarding Promotion and Tenure can be found in Policy Statement No. 2 01.04, which can be accessed from the Faculty/Staff page of the LSUS website, under the heading Policies & Handbooks.

Any appointment, whether tenured or term, may be terminated for cause.

Non-renewal or Termination.  Any appointment, whether tenured or term, may be terminated for cause, which shall include incompetence, failure to perform assigned duties, willful breach of University policies and procedures, serious breach of professional ethics, dishonesty, conviction of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude and any other illegal, unprofessional or improper conduct which is seriously prejudicial to the University.  Actions that constitute exercise of academic freedom or of rights guaranteed by state or federal law shall not be cause for termination.  Prior to termination for cause, a member of the academic staff shall be entitled to due process as set forth in the rules and regulations of the Board of Supervisors.  Failure to reappoint a member of the academic staff at the expiration of a term appointment is not termination for cause and is not governed by this section.

Responsibilities.  It is a basic principle that every member of the academic staff of whatever rank shall at all times be held responsible for competent and effective performance of appropriate duties.  No principle of tenure shall be permitted to protect any person from removal from a position after full and careful investigation, according to procedures of due process, has revealed that the person has not met and does not give promise of meeting the responsibilities of the position. (See Board of Regents' Statement on Academic Freedom, Tenure and Responsibility.)

Faculty are employed as professionals, are given teaching and other university assignments, and do not report work hours.  Faculty are deemed to be fulfilling their responsibilities if they show satisfactory and timely progress toward completion of their assignments.  Faculty are expected to schedule personal business, personal family matters, non-university related events, and vacations at times which do not interfere with university assignments.

Faculty are expected to work a minimum of 40 hours in a seven day period. Faculty are allowed flexibility in accomplishing their assignments and may be authorized to reschedule a class meeting/office hour or miss a class meeting (if appropriately covered), provided it does not impose a hardship on students or colleagues. Rescheduling which creates an absence of more than one day must be reported.

The University is required to certify that ALL absences are approved.

Leave of Absence.  Normally, only paid leaves of absence count in determining tenure eligibility. The University does have the option of counting "leave without pay" in the pretenure probationary period.  Requests for leaves of absence should be noted by the department chair as to whether the leave, if approved, would count toward tenure.  Personnel action forms will specify whether or not the leave time applies toward earning tenure.

A request for a leave of absence is submitted by the appropriate department chair through the dean of the college to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs who will transmit it to the Chancellor.  If there is lack of agreement among the chair, dean, and Vice Chancellor, the request shall state specific objections and be transmitted as indicated. See PS 3 04.01.

Sabbatical Leave.  Paid leave may be awarded to a faculty member when it is determined that the individual's effectiveness in serving the University may be enhanced by providing the opportunity to:

1. improve an individual's research, artistic or scholarly skills;
2. change the direction, thrust or area of an individual's specialization within a subject field;
3. actively participate with a peer in a worthy project or activity which could not be done under a normal academic workload;
4. conduct intensive research or other scholarly activity that requires access to and review of material not available at local museums, archives, libraries, etc.;
5. utilize equipment, laboratories, facilities, etc. not available on the individual's home campus;
6. conduct extended field research;
7. initiate or facilitate cooperative projects with other universities;
8. develop and prepare material for a book or new course when completion of the task during the sabbatical leave is both anticipated and expected; or
9. perform other scholarly endeavors of equal merit.

Sabbatical leaves are not awarded for the purpose of working toward an advanced degree.  When compensation is received from sources outside the LSU System during a sabbatical leave, justification must be provided and approved prior to the acceptance of the compensation.  At the conclusion of a sabbatical leave, the faculty member is to submit a report that cites "accomplishments under each leave granted."  The report is sent to the department chair who in turn submits it to the dean.  Ultimately the report is placed in the faculty member's file in the Office of Academic Affairs as an indication of that person's professional growth and activity.

Sabbatical leaves are not for "rest and recreation," nor for "retreading."  There is no six-year sabbatical cycle.  Acceptance of a sabbatical leave obligates the faculty member to return to the University for at least one year.

Leave To Obtain Advanced Degree.  Educational leave is awarded only when the recipient is almost certain to receive an advanced degree during the course of the leave or immediately after it.  Such leave is awarded only when the benefits are evident to both the University and the individual.  Acceptance of a leave to obtain an advanced degree obligates the faculty member to return to the University for at least two years.

Sick Leave.  This is leave with pay granted an employee who has earned and accumulated it and who is suffering with a disability as a result of accident, illness, or childbearing which prevents the employee from performing usual duties and responsibilities, or who requires medical, dental, optical consultation or treatment. 

Faculty member absence because of illness must be reported to the department chair as soon as possible and a leave slip should be submitted for approval on the day the faculty member reports back for duty.  A doctor's statement must be forwarded with the leave slip for absences of ten days or more.  Sick leave is granted only for personal illness.  A minimum of one-half hour of sick leave will be recorded.  An employee's sick leave accrual rate increases with years of service.  See PM 20 and PS 3 04.01.

Maternity Leave.  Sick leave is granted for maternity purposes in the same manner as any other temporary disability. See PS 3 04.01.

Holidays.  Holidays for faculty members employed on an academic year are the same as for students and are listed in the academic calendar in the catalog.

Holidays for fiscal year employees are listed in PM-5 each year.

LEAVE WITHOUT PAY.  Leave without pay is appropriate for absences (not fitting other types of leave) that interfere with the satisfactory and timely progress of duties and/or inconvenience students and/or impose upon colleagues.  Leave without pay for personal reasons MUST be approved in advance by the faulty member’s immediate supervisor.

OTHER.  Any absences not reported in another manner shall be recorded and reported on the leave request/report form.

Outside Employment.  (See PM-11.)  The University recognizes the right of employees to serve as expert witnesses and consultants and to engage in other outside employment consistent with their university connections.  Such employment should give promise of contributing to the competence or professional stature of the faculty member.

A member of the faculty should not engage in outside activities, paid or unpaid, which would impair the instructional, scholarly, and other services rendered in University employment or which would reflect adversely on the University.

A full-time member of the faculty or staff who is presently in or who plans to engage in gainful activities of an extensive, recurring, or continuing nature outside of his broad institutional responsibilities during any period of full-time employment by the University should report in writing the nature and extent of such activities for the approval of the dean, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and the Chancellor.

Consulting.  (See PM-67).  Act 229 of 1987 allows a university faculty or staff member to consult for an entity that contracts with the University and to be paid by a private company for services substantially related to the responsibilities, programs or operations of the University provided:

1. The consulting activities to be rendered are within the academic discipline of the faculty or staff members or are related to the area of expertise in which the faculty or staff member is employed by the University;
2. The services are approved in writing by the appropriate chancellor (s);
3. The approval is in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Board of Supervisors; and
4. The rules and procedures have been approved by the Board of Regents and the Commission on Ethics for Public Employees.

Guidelines on the conduct of such activities are outlined in PM-67.  See also PM-11 for additional information on outside employment.

Age Discrimination.  There is no mandatory retirement age for University employees except for University law enforcement personnel who must retire at the attained age of 65 years unless specific extension of employment is granted under appropriate state law and System policy.  Any such extension will be given only when it is to the advantage of the University System, and shall be on a year-to-year basis.

Sexual Harassment.  This is a form of unlawful sexual discrimination.  For the purposes of Policy Statement 2 14.01, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature. Either sex may be the victim or the initiator of such harassment and both victim and initiator may be of the same sex.

Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

1. Submission to such conduct is an explicit or implicit term or condition of employment or academic success;
2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for an employment or academic decision that has the purpose or effect of;
   1. Unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance; or
   2. Creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work or academic environment.
3. Additionally, sexual harassment may also include repeated, unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances or propositions, continued or repeated verbal abuse of a sexual nature, graphic or degrading verbal comments about an individual or his or her appearance, the display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures, or any offensive abusive physical conduct.

The University is committed to maintaining a community free from all forms of sexual harassment.  No employee, student, applicant for employment, or other person shall be subjected to unsolicited and unwelcome sexual conduct, either verbal or physical.  Sexual harassment violates University policy as well as state, federal, and local laws.  It is neither permitted nor condoned, but specifically prohibited.

It is a violation of this policy for any employee or student at the University to attempt in any way to retaliate against a person who makes a claim of sexual harassment.  Any individual who violates the University's policy against sexual harassment will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.  Such determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis in consideration of the severity of the offense.

Complaint Procedure.  Any employee or applicant for employment who believes he/she has been sexually harassed should file a complaint with his/her immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Office.  Any faculty, administrator or staff member who receives a complaint will contact the Human Resources Office immediately.  If this process is not a viable option or does not result in appropriate action, complaints should be addressed to members of the Chancellor's Executive Council: either the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Business Affairs, or University Relations.  Complaints will be investigated promptly.

Any student who feels he/she has been a victim of sexual harassment should contact any faculty or staff member, department chair or dean.  Any individual so contacted should immediately notify the Human Resources Office.  If this process is not a viable option or does not result in appropriate action, complaints should be addressed to either the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs or Student Affairs.

If sexual harassment is determined to have occurred, correction of the situation will be prompt and without retaliatory measures against the person who was harassed.

Faculty Grievance Procedure.  The purpose of the Faculty Grievance Procedure is to provide a fair process and means for faculty to seek resolution of problems related to inequitable treatment at LSUS during performance of their responsibilities.

A grievance shall be defined as an expression of alleged unfair or inequitable treatment with respect to the application of policy, procedure or regulation.  Grievances may include (but are not restricted to) decisions affecting appointment, tenure, promotion, and salary; assignment of teaching duties, space or other facilities; and general matters of academic freedom.

A grievance shall be brought in a timely manner.  Retaliation against any person involved in a grievance is forbidden.

The goal of the grievance policy is to reach resolution of problems in a professional manner at the administrative level closest to the focus of the grievance.  The policy is intended to ensure that:

Step 1: Informal Administrative Efforts

A faculty member should attempt to resolve the grievance at the administrative level closest to the focus of the grievance.  A grievance may be presented at any level of the academic administration through the Associate Vice Chancellor for Planning and Instruction.  If a written record is desired, the grievant shall submit the complaint in writing and the person(s) against whom the complaint exists will make a written response within seven working days.

Step 2: Meeting with Policy and Personnel Committee

A faculty member not satisfied with the outcome from Step 1 may request to meet with the Policy and Personnel Committee to seek information, advice and general guidance regarding grievance policy and procedures.

The purpose of this session is to explore possible recommendations for resolving the grievance other than filing a formal complaint.

Step 3: Grievance Hearing

No later than five working days after the completion of Step 2, a faculty member wishing to file a formal grievance shall submit a written request to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.  The grievance should clearly set forth the grounds for the grievance and the requested resolution.

The Vice Chancellor will appoint a minimum of three faculty members (not department chairs or deans) selected from a list of ten faculty submitted by the Personnel and Policy Committee to serve as an ad hoc Grievance Committee.  No more than one untenured faculty will be appointed, and the group should reflect campus and faculty diversity.  Committee members who are selected should have no preconceived conclusions about or involvement in the grievance.  The Committee shall have the right to permit witnesses.  Legal counsel may be present but may not participate in the grievance hearing.

Within ten working days of its creation, the Committee will hear the complaint and seek a mutually acceptable settlement.  If no mutually acceptable resolution is reached, the Committee shall meet in executive session after the formal hearing to draft recommendations(s) for the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.  The recommendation(s) shall be accompanied by an explanation of the Committee's findings and, if not unanimous, any minority report(s).  The final report is due to the Vice Chancellor within five working days of the hearing.

Step 4: Action by Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs shall review the findings and recommendation(s) of the ad hoc Grievance Committee.  The Vice Chancellor will make a decision, notify appropriate parties and forward the decision to the Chancellor within ten working days after receiving the Committee's recommendation.

Step 5: Action of the Chancellor

As authorized by the LSU System, the Chancellor is the final authority for the institution.  The Chancellor shall have ten working days from the time of receiving the decision of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs to consider it and may adopt, reject, alter, or change the decision.  The Vice Chancellor's decision will be considered final if the Chancellor has not acted by the end of the ten-day period of time.

Time lines indicated herein may be revised by mutual consent of parties involved, e.g., if some parties are out of town or ill.

The regular administrative procedures of the University are in no way suspended by the filing of a grievance. Furthermore, a faculty member shall not be penalized for filing a grievance, whether that grievance is upheld or denied.  If a faculty member seeks resolution of a grievance through any agency outside the University before or during the formal filing of the grievance, the University shall have no obligation to entertain or proceed with this grievance procedure, except as required by law or judicial order.