PERSONNEL
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Contract and Non-Contract Employment
I.D. Cards for Employees and Dependents
Appointments and Salaries for Non-Faculty Personnel
Workers’ Compensation Coverage
Tuition and Fees Reimbursement
Medical and Hospitalization Coverage
Emergency Leave Upon Retirement
Academic Freedom and Academic Responsibility
Course Load Reductions and Stipends for Faculty
Instructional Responsibilities
Awarding Credits to Faculty Members
Faculty, Counselor, and Librarian Evaluation
Probationary Period for Classified Employees
Probationary Period for Administrative and Professional Employees
Probationary Period for Executive Officers
Termination of Employment/Term Contracts
Employment and Supervision of Relatives
Discharge or Suspension of Faculty Members, Professional Counselors and Professional Librarians
Office Policies and Procedures
Discharge or Suspension of Employees
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT
Number: IV-1
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: October 15, 1974
Policy
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT
NONDISCRIMINATION
The College shall not, because of an
individual’s race, color, handicap,
religion, sex, national origin, or age:
1.
Fail or refuse to hire or discharge any individual, or otherwise
discriminate against any
individual with respect to compensation or terms,
conditions, or privileges of
employment.
2. Limit,
segregate, or classify employees or applicants for employment in
any way that would deprive or
tend to deprive any individual of
employment opportunities or
otherwise adversely affect the individual’s
status as an employee.
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination.
The prohibition against discrimination on the basis
of age shall be limited to
individuals who are at least forty years of age or older.
Exception
As an exception to the policy stated above, the
Board may employ an individual
on the basis of the individual’s religion, sex, national origin, or age in those
certain instances where religion, sex, national origin, or age is a bona fide
occupational reason necessary to the normal operation of the educational
program. (42 U.S.C. 2000e-2, 29 U.S.C. 621, et seq; Meritor Savings Bank v.
Vinson, l06 2 Ct. (1986))
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Number: IV-2
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
No employee of the College shall have any interest,
financial or otherwise,
direct or indirect, or engage in any business, transaction, or professional
activity or incur any obligation of any nature that is in substantial conflict
with the proper discharge of duties in the public interest.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: NEPOTISM
Number: IV-3
Legal Authority: Government Code 573.001 et seq
Board of Trustees Approval Date: November 18, 1991;Revised November 19, 1998
Policy
NEPOTISM
The College may not employ a relative of a member
of the Board of Trustees
who is related to that person within the second degree of affinity or third
degree of consanguinity according to law.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: CONTRACT AND NON-CONTRACT EMPLOYMENT
Number: IV-5
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
CONTRACT AND NON-CONTRACT EMPLOYMENT
Non-contractual personnel shall serve at will, are
not employed for any
specified length of time, and have no property right in their employment.
No employee other than the College President or
specifically designated
representative has any authority to make oral representations or agreements
for employment or for any specified length of time or to make any other
agreement or representation regarding employment.
Non-teaching employees serving without a contract
shall be employed from
pay period to pay period.
The College President or designated representatives
shall be responsible for
hiring non-contract employees with appropriate skills and qualifications to fill
positions with the College.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: PROPERTY INTEREST
Number: IV-6
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
PROPERTY INTEREST
A contract of employment with the College creates a
property interest in the
position only for the period of time stated in the contract. Such a contract
creates no property interest of any kind beyond the period of time stated in
the contract.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: EMPLOYEE CODE OF ETHICS
Number: IV-7
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: August 24, 1995
Policy
EMPLOYEE CODE OF ETHICS
We the employees* of Laredo Community College
affirm the right of all
persons to learn and to that end the employees of Laredo Community
College shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics:
1. Shall treat
all persons with respect, dignity, and justice, discriminating
against no one on any
arbitrary basis such as race, color, religion, sex,
age, disability, national
origin, or social station.
2. Shall
strive to help each student realize his or her full potential as a
scholar and as a human being.
3. Shall by
example and action encourage and defend the unrestricted
pursuit of truth by both
colleagues and students supporting the free
exchange of ideas, observing
the highest standards of academic honesty,
integrity, scholarship, and
tolerance of other viewpoints.
4. Recognizing
the necessity of many roles in Laredo Community College,
shall work in such a manner
as to enhance cooperation and collegiality
among students, faculty,
administrators, and nonacademic personnel.
5. Shall
recognize and preserve the confidential nature of professional
relationships, neither
disclosing nor encouraging the disclosure of
information or rumor which
might damage or embarrass or violate the
privacy of any other person.
6. Shall
maintain competence through continued professional development,
shall demonstrate that
competence through consistently adequate
preparation and performance,
and shall seek to enhance that competence
by accepting and
appropriating constructive criticism and evaluation.
7. Shall
exercise the highest professional standards in the use of time and
resources.
8. Recognizing
the needs and rights of others in the institution, shall fulfill
the employment agreement both
in spirit and in fact, shall give reasonable
notice upon resignation, and
shall neither accept tasks for which he or she
is not qualified nor assign
tasks to unqualified persons.
9. Shall
support the philosophy, mission, and goals of Laredo Community
College and shall act in
public and private affairs in such a manner as to
bring credit to Laredo
Community College.
10. Shall observe the
stated rules and regulations of Laredo Community
College, reserving the right
judiciously to seek revision.
11. Shall participate in
the governance of Laredo Community College by
accepting a fair share of
committee and institutional responsibilities.
12. Shall support the
right of all to academic freedom and due process and
defend and assist those
accused of wrongdoing, incompetence, or other
serious offense so long as
the individual’s innocence may reasonably be
maintained.
13. Shall not support the
continuation of employment in Laredo Community
College of an individual
known by him or her to be persistently unethical
or professionally
incompetent.
14. Shall accept all
rights and responsibilities of citizenship including
participation in the
formulation of public policy, always avoiding use of the
privileges of his or her
public position for private or partisan advantage.
*In this code the term
"employee" refers to administrators, faculty, nonacademic
personnel, and any other persons employed by Laredo Community College.
(Mandated by HB 1, Appropriations Act, 74th Texas Legislative Session)
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: CALENDAR
Number: IV-11
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
CALENDAR
The President will develop the academic calendar
for the approval of the
Board of Trustees and then use it as the basis for determining what
administrative and supportive services will be provided in time periods
beyond the academic calendar.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: I.D. CARDS FOR EMPLOYEES AND DEPENDENTS
Number: IV-12
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: January 19, 1988, Revised February 25, 1999; Revised April 20, 2000
Policy
I.D. CARDS FOR EMPLOYEES AND DEPENDENTS
The Laredo Community College identification (ID)
card serves as an official College identification form and is issued to regular full-time
and part-time employees, retirees, and Trustees. Part-time employee is defined as
employment at less than the standard work load.
The employee ID card is the property of Laredo Community College and is not
transferable. All employees are required to obtain and carry an LCC ID Card
and should be prepared to present the I.D. Card when requested by campus police officers,
supervisors, or College administrators.
Dependent I.D. cards are available to legal dependents of Laredo Community College regular
employees. Employees requesting dependent I.D. Cards must complete a
"Request for Dependent I.D. Card" form in the Human Resources Office.
Employees and dependents accept full responsibility for abiding by all Laredo Community
College rules and regulations associated with the use of privileges extended through the
use of the LCC ID card. Employee and Dependent I.D. Cards must be returned to the Human
Resources Office upon the employee's resignation or termination. Employees retiring from
Laredo Community College must return all Dependent I.D. Cards as part of the employee exit
clearance process.
LCC ID Cards are available for Board of Trustees
members at their request.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: FACULTY SALARIES
Number: IV-21
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: December 16, 1975, August 21, 1997
Policy
FACULTY SALARIES
A faculty pay schedule is used to determine
salaries for instructors,
counselors, and librarians. The schedule includes six (6) levels or grades
for experience, credentials, and instructional discipline according to the
"Definition of Faculty Levels." The schedule also includes steps which are
related to years of successful experience as evidenced by an annual
evaluation rating of "satisfactory" or above. The base for the schedule is
Level 1, Step 0 which is set annually during the budget process. Assuming
available funds, it is the intent to maintain the base at or near the state median
entry salary for master’s Degrees with no experience. The levels increase at a
rate of 2% from Level 1 to Level 4; the increase is 3.5% from Level 4 to level 6.
For each Level, the steps will increase by 1.9% from Step 0 to Step 25, the
increase is 1.5% from Step 25 to Step 30 and 1% thereafter.
Faculty will be placed in the schedule according to
years of experience and
credentials. Faculty are given one step for each year of successful faculty
experience (instruction, counseling, library) at LCC. Faculty who are selected
for an annual administrative appointment may count those years as steps when
they return to the faculty ranks. Steps for previous experience not to exceed
ten steps will be granted for full-time faculty employment at the high school,
college, or university level. Up to ten steps will also be granted for directly-related
full-time work experience for faculty in the health, technical, and vocational fields.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: APPOINTMENTS AND SALARIES FOR NON-FACULTY PERSONNEL
Number: IV-22 Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975; revised June 17, 1999
Policy
Laredo Community College provides a system of job classifications and a pay plan. The system of job classification begins with a consideration of the similarity of individual job functions and common job characteristics. Each position is assigned a job title and then assigned to a specific numbered pay group which includes a minimum rate of pay.APPOINTMENTS AND SALARIES
When determining an employee's placement on the College's salary schedule, the employee's position, responsibilities, experience, education, and years of service shall be considered.
Appointments and salaries of executive personnel will be based on recommendations of the College President to the Board of Trustees. The salary schedule for administrative and professional personnel is the basis for determining executive officer salaries. Initial placement on the salary schedule for executive officers will be negotiated and based on education, directly related full-time experience, degree of difficulty in attracting qualified individuals, market conditions, and salary of previous incumbent or other executive officers.
Appointments and salaries of administrative and professional personnel will be approved by the College President. The salary schedule for administrative and professional personnel is the basis for determining salaries. Initial placement on the salary schedule for administrative and professional personnel at grades 32 and 33 will be negotiated and based on education, directly related full-time experience, degree of difficulty in attracting qualified individuals, market conditions, and salary of previous incumbent or employees in that grade.
Employment and salaries of classified personnel will be approved by executive officers. The salary schedule for classified employees is the basis for determining the salaries.
Annual continued satisfactory performance salary increases (step increases) will be granted to regular employees that receive a rating of "satisfactory" or better on the appropriate annual employee evaluation form. Annual salary step increases will only be granted at the beginning of a fiscal year (September 1). Employees hired on or after March 1 of a fiscal year are not eligible for annual salary step increases in the immediately following fiscal year.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: OVERTIME
Number: IV-23
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: July 22, 1986; Revised February 22, 2001
OVERTIME
Overtime is time actually worked by a non-exempt
employee in excess of
forty hours during the official workweek. Hours worked in excess of eight
in any one day do not constitute overtime. Overtime is not permitted on a
voluntary basis but must be authorized by the employee’s supervisor and
normally approved in advance by the respective executive officer.
Overtime when incurred by a non-exempt employee may be paid either:
A. As
compensatory time off at the rate of one and one-half hours for
each hour of overtime
worked; or
B. By paying a
rate of one and one-half times the employee’s regular
hourly rate of pay for
each hour of overtime worked.
The method of compensation for overtime is a management prerogative.
Non- exempt employees of Laredo Community College may at their own option, but with the approval of their regular employment supervisor, undertake employment for the College on an occasional or sporadic basis in a part-time job in a different capacity than their regular employment.
MANUAL
OF POLICY
Title: Grant Stipends
Board
of Trustees Approval Date: June 28,
2001
Policy
Grant
Stipends
The
College President is authorized to award a stipend or make other salary or work
adjustments on an annual basis to college employees for grant related funded
activities. Stipends and salary
adjustments for the employee will not exceed a total of fifteen percent of the
employee’s regular salary for each year.
The
grant must result in additional goods and services for the College such as
construction, equipment or supplies; or replace funds normally covered in the
regular operating college budget.
Grant
related activities may include writing, management or other responsibilities
within the grant. The activities
must be above and beyond the employee’s typical scope of responsibility and
regular job description.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS
Number: IV-30 Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS
Employees may request in writing that a specific
deduction be made from
their paychecks for purposes approved by the College.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COVERAGE
Number: IV-31
Legal Authority: TITLE 5, TX Labor Code
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975; Revised October 15, 1998
Policy
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Laredo Community College is
required by State law to provide workers’
compensation coverage for its employees. Workers’ compensation provides
income and medical benefits to employees for injuries and illnesses sustained in
the course and scope of their employment. An employee receiving workers’
compensation income benefits may use available paid leave concurrently with
workers’ compensation benefits, and shall be paid the difference between the
weekly income benefit received under workers’ compensation and the employee’s
regular weekly compensation; leave shall be charged proportionately. If the
employee chooses not to use paid leave, or when available paid leave is exhausted
and the employee is still unable to return to duty, the employee shall be placed on
Family and Medical Leave, if eligible. An employee shall not be placed on Family
and Medical Leave while receiving paid leave benefits.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: LIMITED DUTY
Number: IV-32
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: November 18, 1991
Policy
LIMITED DUTY
Laredo Community College employees eligible to
receive worker’s compensation
insurance coverage may be required to perform limited duty work under the
following conditions:
1. The employee is injured while on the job; and
2. The
employee’s physician provides a written statement indicating the type of
work the employee can
perform while on limited duty; and
3. The College is able to provide limited duty work without creating a new position.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: ANNUITIES AND OTHER INSURANCE
Number: IV-33
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
ANNUITIES AND OTHER INSURANCE
Under present tax laws, College employees are
eligible to defer a portion of their
salary to future years by purchasing annuities from life insurance companies
licensed to sell deferred income annuities. Payroll deductions may be made for
this purpose and for other group and medical insurance programs approved by
the College.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: EMPLOYEE TUITION AND FEES REIMBURSEMENT
Number: IV-34
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: October 29, 1987; Revised March 3, 1994; February 22, 2001; November 21, 2002
Policy
EMPLOYEE TUITION AND FEES REIMBURSEMENT
Regular employees of Laredo
Community College and their dependents are
eligible for reimbursement of tuition and fees upon successful completion of
regular academic and vocational/technical courses at Laredo Community College
with a grade of "C" or better. Regular employees, but not
dependents, are eligible for
reimbursement of tuition and fees for College-sponsored Employee Wellness
Program courses upon successful completion with a minimum attendance of 75%.
Regular employees, but not
dependents, are also eligible for reimbursement of tuition and fees for
continuing education courses that are directly related to their employment as
part of their professional development upon successful completion with a minimum
attendance of 75%, but permission must first be obtained from the supervisors
and the appropriate executive officer.
In order to qualify for
reimbursement, the employee must be in current regular
status at the beginning and end of the term during which the course or courses
were taken. For the purpose of qualifying for this benefit, an employee
whose death occurs during an enrollment term will be considered employed through
the end of the term. Any
outstanding financial obligations to the College must be cleared, or the
obligations will be deducted from the employee’s payroll check.
A dependent is defined as the
employee’s spouse and unmarried children of less
than twenty-five (25) years of age permanently residing in the employee’s
household.
Child means the employee’s son or daughter, a legally adopted child, or a
stepchild.
Tuition and fees will be computed
as specified in the College catalog, without
exception. Tuition and fees for the purpose of auditing a course, and late
fees, are not reimbursable. Tuition and fees paid by grants or
scholarships that are awarded specifically for the payment of tuition and fees
are not reimbursable. Employees and
qualifying dependents who expect reimbursement
for a
course or courses in which
they will enroll must first consult with the Financial Aid Office to see if they
qualify for a financial aid grant program or scholarship prior to enrolling and
paying tuition and fees for the course or courses. Said consultation with the
Financial Aid Office must be done once per fiscal year in which the employee or
dependents wish to enroll.
Employees are encouraged to
further their formal education. Full-time
employees may enroll for courses outside working hours so long as this does not
interfere with their job performance. They
may enroll for courses scheduled during working hours if they are required to do
so by their supervisors or with the approval of the president.
An "Employee Tuition and
Fees Receivable” account will be used to record initial payments for
employees’ and dependents’ tuition and fees. Upon successful
completion of enrolled courses, the “Receivable” account will be charged to
an “Employee Tuition and Fees” expense account.
Tuition and Fees for courses not successfully completed will be charged
to individual employees and deducted from payroll checks.
All employees and dependents entitled to tuition and fees reimbursement
will be certified by the Personnel Office at the time they apply for enrollment.
Laredo
Community College encourages employees to continue their educational
development
at the College. Nothing in this policy is meant to deter or exclude
employees
from furthering their education.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: CREDIT UNION
Number: IV-36
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
CREDIT UNION
College employees are eligible for membership in
the Laredo Teachers Federal
Credit Union and may request payroll deductions for this purpose.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: MEDICAL AND HOSPITALIZATION COVERAGE
Number: IV-37 Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
MEDICAL AND HOSPITALIZATION COVERAGE
The College provides basic group life and health
insurance for all regular full-time
employees and assists with the cost of dependent coverage. All personnel are
issued booklets which explain this coverage and identification cards which must
be surrendered upon termination of employment.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: UNIFORMS
Number: IV-38 Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
UNIFORMS
Where uniforms are required, such uniforms are
issued by the College at no
personal cost to the employee.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
Number: IV-39
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
The College will abide by State and Federal laws
regarding unemployment
compensation.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: OTHER EMPLOYMENT
Number: IV-40
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: Revised May 4, 1995; February 22, 2001
Policy
OTHER EMPLOYMENT
Full-time personnel may be permitted to accept outside employment,
other college employment, or participate in business interests which neither interfere with their job performance and responsibilities,
compete with the college programs or services, nor discredit their position at the College.
Other outside employment which requires time to be devoted to an activity for
compensation during the normal work hours or responsibilities of the employee may be approved only if the employee is on approved leave.
Requests for permission for other outside employment must be submitted in writing prior to beginning the activity through appropriate administrative channels for approval by the College President on an annual basis and a copy of such approval forwarded to the Personnel Office.
This policy does not apply to the assignment of additional course loads for faculty members.
Noncompliance with this policy may be considered cause for termination.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title NORMAL HOURS OF WORK
Number: IV-41
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: March 30, 1993
Policy
NORMAL HOURS OF WORK
The normal hours of work consists of forty (40)
hours and are scheduled 8:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday. Certain offices shall remain open during the noon
hours each working day to accept calls, receive visitors or transact business. For
the purpose of keeping certain offices open and to serve special needs, employees
will be scheduled to work outside the normal hours of work.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: SABBATICAL LEAVE
Number: IV-44
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: February 25, 1987, revised November 18, 1991,
August 25, 1992, and August 24, 1995, December 18, 1997
Policy
SABBATICAL LEAVE
Tenured LCC faculty and administrators may apply
for a sabbatical for the purpose
of obtaining an advanced degree, advanced occupational training, or other form of
career development relevant to their employment including research, writing, and
study provided that they have at least seven years of full-time LCC service and that
the sabbatical leave benefits both the employee and the college.
A sabbatical may be granted for the fall semester,
the spring semester or both.
Sabbaticals may also include the summer, with the two summer sessions considered
as the equivalent of one semester, if the employee is normally contracted for twelve
months. A full-time sabbatical may be granted for two semesters for a total of
$15,000
or for one semester for a total of $10,000. Part-time sabbaticals will be prorated.
In accepting the sabbatical, the recipient also agrees to the following obligations:
1. To return to LCC on termination of sabbatical;
2. To repay
LCC for any benefits provided while on sabbatical should the applicant
not return, whatever the
reason, according to the following given under the
application information
section below;
3. To provide
evidence upon return that the purpose for which the sabbatical was
approved was satisfactorily
fulfilled or to show cause for nonfulfillment.
4. To not
accept employment while on sabbatical leave from any other person,
corporation, or governmental
agency unless expressly approved by the College
Board of Trustees except as
allowed by law.
In granting the sabbatical, the College agrees to adhere to the following obligations:
1. To reassign
the person to a position in the same or related area at least
equivalent to the one in
which the recipient was assigned prior to the sabbatical;
2. To
reinstate employee benefits accrued prior to sabbatical after the employee
returns from sabbatical;
3. To treat
the reinstated employee for salary compensation as if the employee
was on duty at LCC during the
sabbatical leave;
4. To provide all fringe benefits except emergency or vacation leave.
The application for sabbatical must contain the following:
1. Desired effective date and duration of sabbatical;
2. A statement of the specific purpose for which the sabbatical is requested;
3. A statement
justifying the sabbatical in view of the College, student, and
individual needs;
4. A statement
of intention to return to LCC for at least three years upon
completion of sabbatical, if
approved;
5. A statement
of agreement to repay the College for the grant provided while
on sabbatical should the
recipient not return to LCC according to the
following formulas:
A. If the recipient does not return to LCC after the sabbatical, l00% of
the
grant must be repaid;
B. If the recipient leaves LCC after one year, 70% of the grant must be
repaid;
C. If the recipient leaves LCC after two years, 35% of the grant must be
repaid;
D. If the recipient leaves LCC after three years, no amount is due.
6. Signature of applicant and date of application.
7.
Letter of acceptance into an advanced degree program if the sabbatical
is for
that purpose.
APPLICATION DATE:
All applications should be
submitted through administrative channels by March 1
for consideration for the coming academic year.
APPROVAL PROCEDURE:
The Sabbatical Leave Committee,
appointed by the President of the College, will
examine all applications for sabbaticals and will recommend candidates for leaves.
These will be the candidates with the highest rating according to an assessment
instrument to be developed by the Committee and a personal interview. The
Committee may reject any and all candidates. It will send its recommendations to
the President, who may accept or reject the Committee’s recommendations. The
Board of Trustees approves or disapproves all sabbaticals. If no sabbaticals are
approved, the funds will be made available for other Staff Development projects.
REJECTION PROCEDURE:
If sabbatical is denied, the applicant will be notified by the President.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: LEAVES OF ABSENCE
Number: IV-46
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
LEAVES OF ABSENCE
The College, with the President’s approval,
may grant leaves of absence from
work assignments to employees after such requests are submitted in writing to
their immediate supervisors. Employees on leave may arrange to continue
insurance coverage at their personal expense.
Leave of absence without pay may be granted for
reasons related to professional
development or for approved time periods beyond accumulated emergency leave.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS
Number: IV-47
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS
The College shall not discriminate against or
penalize in any way an employee
who is absent from work for the observance of a religious holy day and gives
proper notice of that absence if the College generally permits personal absence
by an employee. If personal absence is customarily penalized, the penalty for
absence due to observance of a religious holy day under this section shall be
forfeiture of one day’s pay equivalent for each day of absence.
Proper notice shall consist of providing a list of
religious holy days to be observed
during the year to the supervisor. This notice shall be in writing and shall be
personally delivered to the supervisor, receipt therefore being acknowledged and
dated by the supervisor, or it shall be sent by certified mail return receipt requested,
addressed to the supervisor.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: VACATION
Number: IV-48
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975 ; revised March 27, 2003
Policy
VACATION
Regular College personnel employed on a twelve-month basis are entitled to ten working days (80 hours) per fiscal year as vacation time. Regular College personnel employed on a twelve-month basis for less than full-time but at least half-time will accrue vacation on a pro-rated basis. Personnel should schedule vacation leave in advance with their immediate supervisor. Individuals who terminate their employment at the College will be paid their unused vacation time not to exceed two years accrual. Vacation time paid upon termination of employment will be paid from the current year’s salary budget, and the position vacated by the terminating employee will be kept vacant until the paid vacation time is recovered.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: EMERGENCY LEAVE
Number: IV-49
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975, revised June 9, 1987 and January 28, 1992
Policy
EMERGENCY LEAVE
Regular full-time employees accrue emergency leave
with full-pay at the rate of
one day (8 hours) per month. Regular College personnel employed for less than
full-time but at least half- time will accrue emergency leave on a pro-rated basis.
Emergency leave may be granted for time periods approved by immediate
supervisors for reasons related to illness (including pregnancy), bereavement, court
appearances, and personal leave. The College requires a doctor’s certification
for
an absence of three or more continuous work days. The College may also require a
doctor’s certification for returning to work.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: PERSONAL LEAVE
Number: IV-50
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 9, 1987 , February 12, 2004
Policy
PERSONAL LEAVE
Personal leave represents hours not worked for
which an employee may be paid.
Regular full-time employees are eligible for personal leave. The use of personal
leave may be granted by the supervisor so that the employee can conduct essential
business which could not be accomplished at times outside the normal work hours.
Personal leave taken will be deducted from the employee’s accrued emergency leave.
A supervisor may not grant to an employee more than thirty
(32) hours of personal
leave each fiscal year.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: BEREAVEMENT LEAVE
Number: IV-51
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: May 27, 1987
Policy
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE
Bereavement leave is authorized for regular
employees because of the death of
an employee’s family member or family member of the employee’s spouse as
follows: grandparents, father or mother, son or daughter, grandchildren, uncle or
aunt, brother or sister.
Bereavement leave may not exceed three days.
The three days of bereavement
leave shall not be counted against any other leave the employee may have accrued.
With the approval of the supervisor, a maximum of two additional days may be
deducted from emergency leave. The supervisor shall consider arrangements to be
made, travel to, and attendance at the funeral in determining the amount of time to
approve within the above maximums.
Vacation and/or leave without pay must be used for
absences for bereavement leave
to attend funerals which do not qualify for approved bereavement leave. Part-time
and temporary employees may be excused from work because of the death of a
family member as stated above, but such absence shall be without pay.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: EMERGENCY LEAVE UPON RETIREMENT
Number: IV-53
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: October 10, 1981, revised June 23, 1988, January 28, 1992,
April 24, 2003, June 19, 2003
Policy
EMERGENCY LEAVE UPON RETIREMENT
Full Payment of Emergency Leave
Upon retirement, employees are entitled to receive 100% of their accumulated emergency leave up to a maximum of 720 hours based on their current salary under these conditions:
1. If they have been employed on a full-time basis at Laredo Community College for a minimum of ten years and have reached their sixty-fifth birthday at the time of retirement; or
2. If they have been employed on a full-time basis at Laredo Community College for a period of ten (10) years and have thirty years (30) of Texas Service Credit under the Teachers Retirement System, Employee Retirement System, the Optional Retirement Program, or a combination thereof, or
3. If they have a disability which meets the applicable requirements for disability retirement under the Teachers Retirement System of Texas.
Partial Payment of Emergency Leave
Employees who have reached their fifty-fifth birthday and who have been employed by the College on a full-time basis for a minimum of ten years shall be entitled to receive 50% of their accumulated emergency leave, not to exceed 360 hours or 45 workdays based on their salary at the time of their retirement.
Payment of Emergency Leave Upon Death
For all intents and purposes of this policy only, employees who die while employed at Laredo Community College and were otherwise eligible to receive this benefit will be considered as having retired and their estate will be entitled to payment of accrued emergency leave as provided herein.
Calculation of Hourly Salary Rate
For the purpose of determining the amount of accrued sick leave to be paid upon retirement, the hourly salary rate will be calculated as follows:
1. The annual salary for the retiring employee’s grade/level and step listed in the appropriate current salary schedule will be divided by the number of annual working hours specified below to arrive at the hourly salary rate.
2. Full-time employees paid from the Administrative/Professional/Technical salary schedule or the Classified salary schedule are considered to be employed for 2,080 hours in a fiscal year, including holidays.
3. Full-time employees paid from the faculty salary schedule are considered to be employed for 1,560 hours in a fiscal year, including holidays.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE
Number: IV-54
Legal Authority: 29 U.S.C.261 (2), 2612(a)
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 18, 1994; Revised October 15, 1998
Policy
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE
An employee who has been employed by Laredo
Community College for at least
twelve months and for l, 250 hours during the previous l2-month period shall be
entitled to a total of l2 workweeks of leave, without loss of any employment benefit
accrued prior to the beginning of the leave, during any l2- month period for one or
more of the following reasons:
1. Because of
the birth or adoption, including placement for foster care, of the
employee’s child and in
order to care for the child, provided the leave is taken
within l2 months of the
birth, adoption, or placement of the child. By
agreement between the
employee and the College, this leave may be taken
intermittently or on a
reduced leave schedule.
2. To care for
the employee’s spouse, child, foster child, or parent if the spouse,
child, foster child, or
parent has a serious health condition.
3. Because of
the employee’s serious health condition that makes the employee
unable to perform functions
of his or her position. (P.L. l03-3, Act of 103rd
Congress.)
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: MILITARY LEAVE
Number: IV-55
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
MILITARY LEAVE
The President of the College is authorized to
approve leaves of absence for
employees engaged in certain types of military training and duty.
Authorized Training and Duty for National Guard and Military Reserves
Employees who are members of the State Military
Forces or members of any of the
Reserve Components of the Armed Forces are entitled to limited leave of absence
from their respective duties without loss of time, efficiency rating, vacation or
emergency leave, or salary on all days during which they are engaged in authorized
training or duty ordered or authorized by proper authority. Such military leave is
not to exceed l5 working days in a federal fiscal year; however, the days need not
be consecutive.
After exhausting the l5 days of military leave, the
employee may use accrued
vacation leave to the extent available or be placed in a leave-without-pay status
(or a combination of the two) for the remainder of the active duty period. Employees
whose earnings are based on the time worked (as distinguished from a fixed
semi-monthly salary) shall be paid for the amount of time they would normally have
earned but for their being engaged in such authorized training or duty.
The work schedule of any employee who is a member
of the National Guard or any
reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be adjusted so
that two of the employee’s non-work days per month coincide with two days of
military duty for the employee.
As a matter of general policy, employees having
budgeted appointments of less than
twelve months are expected to fulfill their training requirements during the period of
non-employment with the College. If the training period cannot be so arranged, a
complete statement of the circumstances will be kept.
Leave of Absence for Emergency Military Duty
An employee who is a member of the National Guard
called to active duty by the
Governor because of an emergency is entitled to receive and shall be granted
emergency leave with pay. The taking of such military leave shall not be charged
against the employee’s vacation or sick leave entitlements or military training
privileges. The employee shall accrue sick leave and vacation leave during the
time of emergency service but may not take such leave or receive payment for
vacation leave earned until he/she returns to duty with the College. The employee
accrues service credit for the period of emergency service.
An employee called to active duty during a national
emergency by a reserve
branch of the Armed Forces of the United States will be granted a leave of absence
without pay. Such leave shall not be charged against the employee’s vacation or
sick leave entitlements (balances) or military training leave privileges; however, the
employee will not accrue sick leave and vacation entitlements during such leaves
of absence. The employee will accrue service credit during the absence.
Employees on leave of absence without pay will be
allowed at their option to
continue insurance coverage, provided satisfactory arrangements are made in
advance for payments of existing coverage, i.e., lump sum or periodic payment(s).
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: JURY DUTY
Number: IV-56
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
JURY DUTY
Regular full-time employees summoned for jury duty will be given leave with pay.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: RETIREMENT
Number: IV-61
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 23, 1988
Policy
RETIREMENT
Laredo Community College does not have mandatory
retirement for its employees,
except tenured faculty. Mandatory retirement for tenured faculty shall take place
at the age of seventy until January 1, l994. The effective date of retirement for
tenured faculty shall be August 31 of the fiscal year in which the age of seventy
is reached. Nothing in these provisions shall be construed to prevent retirement
at an earlier age as approved by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
Any withdrawal from employment, if not at age
fifty-five (55) or older, shall be
considered a resignation and not retirement, except in the case of a disability
which meets the applicable requirements for disability or unless the employee
has thirty (30) years of Texas service credit under the Teacher Retirement Program,
Optional Retirement Program, or a combination thereof.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICE
Title: TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM
Number: IV-62
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM
Employees employed for one-half (l/2) or more of
the standard workload at a rate
comparable to the rate of compensation for other persons in similar positions for
a definite period of 4 l/2 months or a full semester of more than four (4) calendar
months during a school year are eligible for membership in the Teacher Retirement
System of Texas. Certain employees are eligible for participation in the Optional
Retirement Program (ORP). Eligibility for participation in the (ORP) must be in
accordance with Section l.6, Chapter l, Agency Administration, Rules and Regulations
of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: SOCIAL SECURITY
Number: IV-63
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: January 12, 1960, revised June 17, 1975
Policy
SOCIAL SECURITY
The College participates in the Social Security
program. The standard Social
Security deduction is paid by the employee, and the College matches this
contribution as required by federal law. Information regarding these benefits is
available at the local Social Security Administration Office.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: FACULTY SENATE
Number: IV-64
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: December 16, 1975
Policy
FACULTY SENATE
The Faculty Senate is organized for Faculty
members, professional counselors,
and professional librarians on campus as recommended by the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools.
The principal objectives of the Faculty Senate are as follows:
1. To promote academic fellowship and cooperation among its members,
2.
To promote faculty participation in the College’s academic growth
and
development,
3.
To coordinate faculty activities in exploring ways and means to serve
the
interests and welfare of its members,
4.
To develop a continuing program of faculty responsibility keyed to the
College’s students’ present and future needs,
5.
To provide a formal and recognized channel of communication between
faculty and student body and between faculty, the administration, and the
College’s Board of Trustees, and
6. To recommend policies and measures to implement them.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES
Number: IV-65
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975, revised November 10, 1994, November 20, 2003
Policy
EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to provide employees an orderly process for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints. The Board intends that, whenever feasible, complaints be resolved at the lowest possible administrative level. An employee’s legal right to present a grievance is satisfied at each level when someone in a position of authority hears the employee’s concern; however, the individual in a position of authority who hears the employee’s concern is under no legal compulsion to rectify the matter as requested by the grievant. The Board shall ultimately provide an opportunity at a duly called meeting for an employee to present his complaint or grievance to the Board as set out below.
DEFINITION:
A complaint under this policy includes grievances concerning an employee’s wages, hours, or conditions of work and specific allegations of unlawful discrimination in employment on the basis of gender (including allegations of sexual harassment), race, religion, national origin, age, or disability, or on the basis of the employee’s exercise of constitutional rights.
OTHER REVIEW PROCESSES:
Some topics are governed by other review processes and are not subject to this policy. The procedures for terminating a tenured faculty member or terminating a contract employee during the written term of the contract are found in Board Policy DDA and DDB, respectively. A non-contract employee’s termination or the non-renewal of an employee’s contract at the end of its term may be the subject of a complaint under this policy. This policy shall not be construed to create new or additional rights beyond those granted by Board Policy or law.
FREEDOM FROM RETALIATION:
The College will not tolerate any form of retaliation against employees who use this procedure. An employee, however, is expected to fulfill his or her responsibilities as an employee of the College and will be held to the same standards as other employees in similar positions. Filing a complaint or grievance does not shield an employee from being expected to perform the assigned tasks and follow directions from his or her supervisor. Nothing in this policy limits or delays the College’s right to take appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination, when an employee’s behavior warrants the action.
RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION:
An employee or group of employees may be represented in a grievance presentation at any level through an attorney or through any other person or organization that does not claim the right to strike.
NOTICE OF RIGHTS
The dean or head of each department of the College shall ensure that all employees under their supervision are informed of this policy. Employees shall be provided a copy of this policy at the time of employment and whenever it is revised.
WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS
Employees who allege adverse employment action in retaliation for reporting a violation of law to an appropriate authority shall initiate a grievance under this policy within the time specified by law.
The complaint shall first be filed in accordance with LEVEL TWO, below. Time lines for the employee and the College District set out in this policy may be shortened to allow the Board to make a final decision within 60 days of the initiation of the complaint.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT:
An employee who believes he or she has been or is being subjected to any form of sexual harassment shall bring the matter to the attention of the immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Director. No procedure or step in this policy shall have the effect of requiring the employee alleging harassment to present the matter to a person who is the subject of the complaint.
GENERAL COMPLAINT PROCEDURE:
An employee having a grievance shall set forth the nature of his or her complaint in writing, specifying the person against whom or with whom such complaint exists, a description of the events, including dates of the events and the specific harm alleged. All time limits shall be strictly complied with, unless extended by mutual consent. Failure to meet the deadlines set out below may constitute waiver of any right to further complain of the matter. All references to “days” shall be interpreted as College “business days.” Announcing a decision in the employee’s presence constitutes communication of the decision. Costs of any grievance shall be paid by the party incurring them.
INITIATING GRIEVANCE:
A grievance must be initiated within 10 days of the time the employee first knew or should have known the event or series of events about which the employee is complaining by delivering the grievance in writing to the appropriate person designated below for each level. Unless otherwise specified in policy, an employee shall initiate a grievance as provided at LEVEL ONE, below.
LEVEL ONE
An employee who has a grievance shall request a conference with the immediate supervisor by submitting the grievance in writing on a form provided by the District. The form must be delivered to the supervisor within 10 days of the time the employee first knew or should have known the event or series of events about which the employee is complaining.
The immediate supervisor shall hold the conference within 10 days after receipt of the written request. The supervisor shall have 10 days following the conference within which to conduct any investigation deemed appropriate and to respond to the grievant.
LEVEL TWO
If the outcome of the conference at Level One is not to the employee’s satisfaction or if the time for a response has expired, the employee may request a conference with the President or designee to discuss the grievance. The request shall be in writing on a form provided by the District and must be filed within 7 days following receipt of a response or, if no response is received, within 7 days of the response deadline.
The President or designee is not required to consider issues not previously presented at Level One.
The President or designee shall hold the conference within 10 days after receipt of the written request. The President or designee shall have 10 days following the conference within which to conduct any investigation deemed appropriate and to respond to the grievant.
LEVEL THREE
If the outcome of Level Two is not to the employee’s satisfaction or if the time for a response has expired, the employee may submit to the President or designee a request to place the matter on the agenda of a future Board meeting. The request shall be in writing on a form provided by the District and must be delivered to the President within 7 days following receipt of a response or, if no response is received, within 7 days of the response deadline.
The President or designee shall inform the employee of the date, time, and place of the meeting.
The President or designee shall provide the Board with copies of the employee’s original grievance, all responses, and any other written documentation previously submitted by the employee and the administration. The Board is not required to consider documentation not previously submitted or issues not previously presented at Level Two.
The presiding officer may set reasonable time limits for the grievance proceeding. The Board shall hear the grievance and may request a response from the administration. The Level Three proceeding before the Board shall be recorded by audiotape or by stenographic means.
The Board shall make and communicate its decision orally or in writing at any time up to and including the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.
CLOSED MEETING:
The Board is not required to conduct an open meeting to deliberate in a case in which a complaint or charge is brought against a College employee by another employee and the complaint or charge directly results in the need for a hearing. However, the Board may not conduct a closed meeting for this purpose if the employee against whom the complaint or charge is brought makes a written request for an open hearing.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITY
Number: IV-66
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITY
Academic Freedom
Institutions of higher education are conducted for
the common good. The
common good depends upon a free search for truth and its free expression.
Hence, it is essential that the faculty members, professional counselors, and
professional librarians be free to pursue scholarly inquiry without undue restriction
and to voice and publish their conclusions concerning the significance of evidence
they consider relevant. They must be free from the corrosive fear that others inside
or outside the College community, because their vision may differ from that of the
faculty members, professional counselors, or the professional librarians, may
threaten their professional career or the material benefits accruing from it.
Faculty members, professional counselors, and
professional librarians are entitled
to full freedom in the classroom in discussing the subject they teach. They are also
citizens of the nation, state, and community. When they write or speak as such, they
must be free from institutional censorship or discipline. The concept of academic
freedom must be accompanied by an equally demanding concept of academic
responsibility imposed upon the faculty members, professional counselors, and
professional librarians.
Academic Responsibility
The fundamental responsibilities of faculty
members, professional counselors, or
professional librarians as teachers, counselors, librarians, and scholars require a
maintenance of competence in their fields of specialization and exhibition of such
competence in lectures, discussions, or publications.
Faculty members, professional counselors, or
professional librarians should be
judicious in the use of controversial material in the classroom and should introduce
such material as it relates to the subject field.
Exercise of academic responsibility by faculty
members, professional counselors,
or professional librarians includes a recognition that the public will judge their
profession and their institution by their statements. They should strive, therefore,
to be accurate, to show respect for the rights of others who hold opinions different
from their own, and to avoid creating the impression that they act or speak for the
College when they, in fact, act or speak for themselves.
A proper understanding of their responsibilities
will prevent a faculty member,
professional counselor, or professional librarian from impairing the usefulness of
or lessening respect for the institution of which they are a part.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Number: IV-67
Legal Authority: Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964
Board of Trustees Approval Date: August 24, 1995; Revised April 20, 2000
Policy
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Sexual harassment is defined as verbal or physical
conduct that denigrates or
shows hostility or aversion toward an employee, student, or group of employees
or students because of his or her gender and that:
1. Has the
purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive
working or academic
environment; or
2. Has the
purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s
performance of duties or
studies; or
3. Otherwise
adversely affects an individual’s employment or academic
opportunities.
Harassing conduct includes (1) epithets, slurs,
negative stereotyping, or threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts that relate to gender
and (2) written or graphic material
that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because
of gender and that is placed on walls, bulletin boards, or elsewhere on Laredo
Community College premises, or is circulated in the workplace.
Employees shall not engage in conduct constituting
sexual harassment. Laredo
Community college officials or their agents shall investigate all allegations of sexual
harassment and officials shall take prompt and appropriate disciplinary action against
employees found to engage in conduct constituting sexual harassment.
An employee or student who believes he or she has
been or is being subjected to any
form of sexual harassment, or has knowledge of any employee or student being subjected to
sexual harassment, shall bring the matter to the attention of the appropriate
Dean, Immediate Supervisor, or Human Resources Director. Nothing in this policy
shall require the employee or student alleging sexual harassment to present the matter
to a person who is the subject of the complaint.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: RACIAL HARASSMENT
Number: IV-68 Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: August 27, 1991; Revised April 20, 2000
Policy
RACIAL HARASSMENT
Laredo Community College is committed to provide an
educational and work
climate conducive to the development of each individual. This development
addresses the diversity and uniqueness of the individual in all aspects and levels of
society as well as the protection of the rights and privileges of all its members.
Faculty, staff, and students should be aware that any form of harassment, humiliation,
and illegal discrimination against any individual is not a practice nor consistent with
the values and ideals of Laredo Community College.
Any violations are to be reported to the Vice
President for Instruction if faculty related;
to the Human Resources Director if employee related; and to the Dean of Student
Development if student
related. (See Grievance Procedure in Respective Handbooks)
MANUAL
OF POLICY
Title: RACIAL PROFILING
Number: IV-69
Legal Authority: Article
2.132, CCP
Board
of Trustees Approval Date:
January 24, 2002
Policy
The
purpose of the policy is to reaffirm the Laredo Community College Police
Department’s commitment to unbiased policing in all its encounters between
officer and any person; to reinforce procedures that serve to ensure public
confidence and mutual trust through the provision of services in a fair and
equitable fashion; and to protect our officers from unwarranted accusations of
misconduct when they act within the dictates of departmental policy and the law.
It
is the policy of this department to police in a proactive manner and, to
aggressively investigate suspected violations of law.
Officers shall actively enforce state and federal laws in a responsible
and professional manner, without regard to race, ethnicity or national origin. Officers
are strictly prohibited from engaging in racial profiling as defined in this
policy. This policy shall be
applicable to all persons, whether drivers, passengers or pedestrians.
Officers
shall conduct themselves in a dignified and respectful manner at all times when
dealing with the public. Two of the
fundamental rights guaranteed by both the United States and Texas constitutions
are equal protection under the law and freedom from unreasonable searches and
seizures by government agents. The
right of all persons to be treated equally and to be free from unreasonable
searches and seizures must be respected. Racial
profiling is an unacceptable patrol tactic and will not be condoned.
This
policy shall not preclude officers from offering assistance, such as upon
observing a substance leaking from a vehicle, a flat tire, or someone who
appears to be ill, lost or confused. Nor
does this policy prohibit stopping someone suspected of a crime based upon
observed actions and/or information received about the person.
Racial
Profiling – A law enforcement-initiated action based on an individual’s
race, ethnicity, or national origin rather than on the individual’s behavior
or on information identifying the individual as having engaged in criminal
activity.
Racial profiling pertains to persons who are viewed as suspects or
potential suspects of criminal behavior. The
term is not relevant as it pertains to witnesses, complainants or other citizen
contacts.
The prohibition against racial profiling does not preclude the use of
race, ethnicity or national origin as factors in a detention decision.
Race, ethnicity or national origin may be legitimate factors in a
detention decision when used as part of an actual description of a specific
suspect for whom an officer is searching. Detaining
an individual and conducting an inquiry into that person’s activities simply
because of that individual’s race, ethnicity or national origin is racial
profiling. Examples of racial profiling include but are not limited to
the following.
1.
Citing a driver who is speeding in a stream of traffic where most other
drivers are speeding because of the cited driver’s race, ethnicity or national
origin.
2.
Detaining the driver of a vehicle based on the determination that a
person of that race, ethnicity or national origin is unlikely to own or possess
that specific make or model of vehicle.
3.
Detaining an individual based upon the determination that a person of
that race, ethnicity or national origin does not belong in a specific part of
town or a specific place.
A law enforcement agency can derive at two principles from the adoption
of this definition of racial profiling.
1.
Police may not use racial or ethnic stereotypes as factors in selecting
whom to stop and search, while police may use race in conjunction with other
known factors of the suspect.
2.
Law enforcement officers may not use racial or ethnic stereotypes as
factors in selecting whom to stop and search.
Racial profiling is not relevant as it pertains to witnesses, etc.
Race or Ethnicity – Of a particular descent, including Caucasian, African, Hispanic, Asian or Native American.
Pedestrian
Stop – An interaction between a peace officer and an individual who is being
detained for the purpose of a criminal investigation in which the individual is
not under arrest.
Traffic
Stop – A peace officer who stops a motor vehicle for an alleged violation of a
law or ordinance regulating traffic.
Officers are responsible to adhere to all Texas Commission on Law
Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) training and the Law
Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) requirements as mandated by
law.
All officers shall complete a TCLEOSE training and education program on
racial profiling not later than the second anniversary of the date the officer
is licensed under Chapter 1701 of the Texas Occupations Code or the date the
officer applies for an intermediate proficiency certificate, whichever date is
earlier. A person who on September
1, 2001, held a TCLEOSE intermediate proficiency certificate, or who had held a
peace officer license issued by TCLEOSE for at least two years, shall complete a
TCLEOSE training and education program on racial profiling not later that
September 1, 2003.
The Chief of Police, as part of the initial training and continued
education for such appointment will be required to attend the LEMIT program on
racial profiling.
An individual appointed or elected as a police chief before the effective
date of this Act shall complete the program on racial profiling established
under Subsection (j), Section 96.641, Education Code, as added by this Act, not
later than September 1, 2003.
V.
COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION
1.
The department shall accept complaints from any person who believes he or she
has been stopped or searched based on racial, ethnic or national origin
profiling. No person shall be discouraged, intimated or coerced from
filing a complaint, nor discriminated against because he or she filed such a
complaint.
2.
Any employee who received an allegation of racial profiling, including the
officer who initiated the stop, shall record the person’s name, address and
telephone number, and forward the complaint through the appropriate channel or
direct the individual(s). Any
employee contacted shall provide to that person a copy of a complaint form or
the department process for filing a complaint.
All employees will report any allegation of racial profiling to their
superior before the end of their shift.
3.
Investigation of a complaint shall be conducted in a thorough and timely manner. All complaints will be acknowledged in writing to the
initiator who will receive disposition regarding said complaint within a
reasonable period of time. The
investigation shall be reduced to writing and any reviewer’s comments or
conclusions shall be filed with the chief.
When applicable, findings and/or suggestions for disciplinary action,
retraining, or changes in policy shall be filed with the chief.
4.
If a racial profiling complaint is sustained against an officer, it will result
in appropriate corrective and/or disciplinary action, up to and including
termination.
5.
If there is a departmental video or audio recording of the events upon which a
complaint of racial profiling is based, upon commencement of an investigation by
this department into the complaint and written request of the officer made the
subject of the complaint, this department shall promptly provide a copy of the
recording to that officer.
This department will inform the public of
its policy against racial profiling and the complaint process.
Methods that may be utilized to inform the public are the news media,
radio, service or civic presentations, the Internet, as well as governing board
meetings. Additionally, information
will be made available as appropriate in languages other than English.
VII. CITATION DATA COLLECTION & REPORTING
An officer is required to collect information relating to traffic stops
in which a citation is issued. On
the citation officers must include:
1.
the violators race or ethnicity;
2.
whether a search was conducted;
3.
was the search consensual; and
4.
arrest for this cited violation or any other violation.
By
March of each year, the department shall submit a report to their governing
board that includes the information gathered by the citations.
The report will include:
1.
a breakdown of citations by race or ethnicity;
2.
number of citations that resulted in a search;
3.
number of searches that were consensual; and
4.
number of citations that resulted in custodial arrest for this cited
violation or any other violation.
Not
later that March 1st of each year, this department shall submit a
report to our governing
body containing this information from the preceding calendar year.
VIII.
USE OF VIDEO AND AUDIO EQUIPMENT
Each motor vehicle regularly used by this department to make traffic and pedestrian stops that is equipped with a video camera and transmitter-activated equipment, and each motorcycle regularly used by this department to make traffic and pedestrian stops that is equipped with transmitter-activated equipment; and
Each traffic and pedestrian stop made by an officer of this department
that is capable of being recorded by video and audio, or audio, as appropriate,
is recorded.
This
department shall retain the video and audiotapes, or the audiotape of each
traffic and pedestrian stop for at least ninety (90) days after the date of the
stop. If a complaint is filed with this department alleging that
one of our officers has engaged in racial profiling with respect to a traffic or
pedestrian stop, this department shall retain the video and audiotapes, or the
audiotape of the stop until final disposition of the complaint.
Supervisors will ensure officers of this
department are recording their traffic and pedestrian stops.
A recording of each officer will be reviewed at least once every ninety
(90) days.
If the equipment used to record audio and/or video of traffic or
pedestrian stops is malfunctioning or absent, the officer making the stop may
properly record and report the information as required in Section IX.
IX.
COLLECTION AND REPORTING INFORMATION GATHERED FROM
TRAFFIC
AND PEDESTRIAN STOPS
An
officer who stops a motor vehicle for an alleged violation of a law or ordinance
regulating traffic, or who stops a pedestrian for any suspected offense, shall
record and report the following information:
1.
A physical description of each person detained as a result of the stop,
including:
a)
The person’s gender
b)
The person’s race or ethnicity, as stated by the person or as
determined by the officer to the best of his/her ability.
2.
The street address or approximate location of the stop.
The suspected offense or the traffic law or ordinance alleged to have
been violated.
3.
Whether the officer conducted a search as a result of the stop and, if
so, whether the person detained consented to the search.
4.
Whether probable cause to search existed and, if so, the fact(s)
supporting the existence of that probable cause.
5.
Whether any contraband was discovered in the course of the search and, if
so, the type of contraband discovered.
6.
Whether the officer made an arrest as a result of the stop and/or search,
and if so, a statement of the offense charged.
7.
Whether the officer issued a warning or a citation as a result of the
stop and, if so, a statement of the offense charged.
This
department shall compile and analyze the information contained in these
individual reports. Not later than
March 1st of each year, this department shall submit a report to our
governing body containing the information compiled from the preceding calendar
in a manner they approve. This
report will include:
a) Determine the prevalence of racial profiling by officers in
this department; and
b)
Examine the disposition of traffic and pedestrian stops made by this
department’s officers, including searches resulting from stops.
The report will not include identifying information about a peace officer who makes a stop or about an individual who is stopped or arrested by a peace officer.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES
Number: IV-71
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: December 16, 1975
Policy
FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES
Division Chairpersons are responsible for
conducting division meetings, for
disseminating information to instructors under their direction, and for directing
appropriate queries to the appropriate executive officer.
Faculty members should assume duties and
responsibilities for the development
of Laredo Community College. These will include such activities as are related to
professional growth and development, faculty and general meetings, committee
assignments, student activities, student discipline, convocation activities and
meetings, and registration and advisement duties.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: COURSE LOAD REDUCTIONS AND STIPENDS FOR FACULTY
Number: IV-72
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: December 16, 1975, revised January 25, 1996; August 22, 2002, November 21, 2002
Policy
COURSE LOAD REDUCTIONS AND STIPENDS FOR FACULTY
Department
Chairs Course Load Reductions. Release time is granted for department chairs
based on the number of full-time faculty in the department.
Due to the changes in department size, release time for department chairs
may fluctuate from year to year.
Exceptions
may be made and will be determined at the beginning of each calendar year in
cases where department chairs have:
1.
An exceptional number of students majoring in their department.
2.
An exceptional number of adjunct faculty or overloads for full-time faculty.
3.
Responsibilities for students doing clinical or cooperative education projects.
4.
Extra responsibilities for non-credit programs related to their college credit
program.
Department
Chairs’ Differential Pay Stipend.
Department Chairs will receive a differential pay stipend based on the number of
full-time and adjunct faculty they supervise and evaluate.
The
differential pay stipend is calculated in the Fall Semester and paid throughout
the year. For full-time
faculty, the count includes the faculty members teaching within the particular
department and the department chair. Other college employees who also teach are
included in the adjunct faculty count. Guidelines for department chair release
time and department chair differential pay stipend are located in the Faculty
Procedures Manual, Number 2-5, Academic Year Loads.
Other
Course Load Reductions or Stipends. Faculty members will also be eligible
for course load reductions of no more than six semester hours per semester, or
stipends based on additional responsibilities for special projects or
administrative duties beyond their faculty duties. An instructor will be paid a
student overload stipend for carrying student loads beyond the maximums
prescribed in the Class Size Limits Guidelines.
If the total number of students in the instructor’s regular class
assignments exceeds the total number of students prescribed in the Class Size
Limits Guidelines, the difference will be eligible for the student overload
stipend. Extra compensation
opportunities are for exceptional time-consuming and atypical duties. Faculty
members will not be paid for typical responsibilities such as developing
curriculum, sponsoring student organizations, and completing extra duties as
outlined in their job descriptions.
Limitations.
Course load reductions and stipends are calculated on an annual basis. The Vice
President for Instruction, with the advice of the Instructional Council will
approve Department Chairs’ and Special Project Coordinators’ overloads,
reductions, and stipends. The Instructional Council will develop procedures to
be published in the faculty procedures manual that will allow every faculty
member an opportunity to be considered for these assignments. Faculty members
may also develop their own original proposals to the Instructional Council for
course load reduction and stipends considerations. The administration, with the
approval of the President, may also approve administrative stipends for faculty
during exigencies not to exceed a one-semester period. The procedures manual
will outline the responsibilities and requirements that each faculty member must
fulfill before or during their period of the assignment.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: INSTRUCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Number: IV-73
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
INSTRUCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
All faculty members are responsible for carrying
out instructional responsibilities
as outlined in the FACULTY PROCEDURES MANUAL.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: AWARDING CREDITS TO FACULTY MEMBERS
Number: IV-74
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 22, 1986
Policy
AWARDING CREDITS TO FACULTY MEMBERS
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
criteria for faculty qualifications
mandates that Laredo Community College protect its accreditation status by
insuring that all faculty are appropriately degreed. This policy regarding the awarding
of credit to faculty members is directed essentially at non-degreed faculty currently
teaching in Associate in Applied Science programs and non-degree clock hour
programs.
1. Laredo
Community College will grant specific course credit for all courses the
faculty member has taught or
has been approved to teach.
2. There will be no cost to the faculty for this service.
3. Grades will
not be entered on the transcript, only credit along with semester
hours awarded.
4. The Vice
President for Instruction will work with faculty members in compiling
all the necessary
documentation verifying approval and A.A.S courses taught.
5. The Salary
Placement Committee will review the documentation and make the
appropriate recommendation on
the courses and number of credits to be
awarded to the Vice President
for Instruction for final approval or other action.
The Vice President for
Instruction shall keep the documentation on file.
6. Faculty
teaching in clock hour programs shall follow the same procedure for
the awarding of credit as
recommended for non-degreed A.A.S. faculty. A
conversion formula of one
semester hour for each forty-eight (48) clock hours
will be utilized.
7. Faculty may
earn credit for courses not covered by this policy through the
following procedures:
A. Enrolling in and completing the course(s);
B. College Level Examination Program (CLEP);
C. Departmental Credit-by-Examination;
D. Correspondence or extension study from an appropriate institution.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: FACULTY TRAVEL
Number: IV-75
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: December 16, 1975
Policy
FACULTY TRAVEL
The College will advance money to faculty members,
professional counselors,
and professional librarians traveling on official College business to cover expenses
as reflected on the Travel Request form available in administrative offices.
Instructional faculty members, professional
counselors, and professional librarians
whose travel involves absence from classes must have the approval of the division
chairperson, the Vice President for Instruction, or the Dean of Students. Adequate
arrangements must be made for instruction of the classes during the absence of the
instructor.
Upon returning from a professional meeting, faculty
members, professional
counselors, and professional librarians should share the benefits of the meeting with
colleagues whenever possible.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: EMPLOYEE EVALUATION
Number: IV-76
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
EMPLOYEE EVALUATION
Although evaluation of employees is a continuous
process, College personnel will
be evaluated formally in writing at least once a year. A rating of continued
satisfactory performance entitles the employee to receive the annual continued
satisfactory
performance increment not to exceed the maximum of the appropriate grade or
degree. These formal evaluations will become part of employees’ personnel
files.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: FACULTY, COUNSELOR, AND LIBRARIAN EVALUATION
Number: IV-77
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
FACULTY, COUNSELOR, AND LIBRARIAN EVALUATION
The performance evaluation of professional faculty
members, professional
counselors, and professional librarians will be used as one of the criteria by which
the administrators and College trustees determine renewal of contracts for the
above mentioned persons. Faculty members, professional counselors, and
professional librarians will undergo a performance evaluation at least once each
academic year.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES
Number: IV-78
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: February 24, 1987, revised January 28, 1992; June 17, 1999
Policy
PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES
All full-time non-contract personnel paid from the classified salary schedule will serve a probationary period of three months of employment. This period shall be utilized for observing the employee's job performance, attitude, and work habits and securing the most effective adjustment to the assigned position.
Whether the employee has satisfactorily completed the probationary period will be determined by a written performance rating using the appropriate employee evaluation form. Failure to obtain a satisfactory rating will result in non-retention of the employee. Satisfactory evaluation will move the employee into regular employee status.
A classified employee's probationary period may be extended up to an additional three months beyond the original three-month period. This extended period may be used in those cases where the supervisor deems it necessary to require more time for proper evaluation with the approval of the appropriate executive officer.
The College may provide notice of non-retention to classified personnel at any time during their probationary period. While on probation, the employee is not entitled to the grievance procedure for non-retention of employment, except where the employee claims discrimination under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act and/or Title IX.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEESNumber: IV-79
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: February 24, 1987, revised January 28, 1992, June 17, 1999
Policy
PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL
All full-time administrative and professional personnel paid from the administrative and professional salary schedule will serve a probationary period of six months of employment. This period shall be used for observing the employee's job performance, attitude, and work habits and securing the most effective adjustment to the assigned position.
Whether the employee has satisfactorily completed the probationary period will be determined by a written performance rating using the appropriate employee evaluation form. Failure to obtain a satisfactory rating will result in non-retention of the employee. Satisfactory evaluation will move the employee to regular employee status.
An administrative and professional employee's probationary period may be extended to an additional three months beyond the original six-month period. This extended period may be used in those cases where the supervisor deems it necessary to require more time for proper evaluation with the approval of the appropriate executive officer.
The College may provide notice of non-retention to administrative and professional employees at any time during their probationary period. While on probation, the employee is not entitled to the grievance procedure for non-retention of employment except where the employee claims discrimination under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act and/or Title IX.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Number: IV-80 Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: February 24, 1987, revised January 28, 1992; June 17, 1999
Policy
PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
All full-time executive officers will serve a probationary period of twelve months of employment. This period shall be used for observing the employee's job performance, attitude, executive skills and securing the most effective adjustment to the assigned position.
Whether the executive employee has satisfactorily completed the probationary period will be determined by a written performance rating using the appropriate employee evaluation form. Failure to obtain a satisfactory rating will result in non-retention of the executive employee. Satisfactory evaluation will move the executive employee to regular employee status.
The College may provide notice of non-retention to executive officers at any time during the probationary period. While on probation, the employee is not entitled to the grievance procedure for non-retention of employment except where the employee claims discrimination under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act and/or Title IX.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: CHANGE IN STATUS
Number: IV-81
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 18, 1991; Revised September 23, 1999
Policy
CHANGE IN STATUS
Employees who are promoted, upgraded, demoted or
downgraded will
be placed on probationary status in accordance with their job classification.
PROMOTIONS - A regular employee who is promoted
will receive a salary increase of five percent for a one-grade promotion, ten percent for
more than one grade promotion, or the entry level salary for
the new position, whichever is the greater increase, but not higher than the maximum
salary for the new position. If the increase falls between steps, the employee will
be placed at the higher
step.
UPGRADES - A regular employee whose position is
upgraded will receive a two
percent (2%) salary increase for each grade of movement to a maximum of six percent
(6%) or the entry level salary for the new grade, whichever is the greater increase, but
not higher than the maximum salary for the new grade. If the
increase falls between steps, the employee will be placed at the higher step.
DEMOTIONS - A regular employee who is demoted will
receive a salary decrease of five percent for a one-grade demotion, ten percent for more
than one grade demotion, or the maximum salary for the new position, whichever is the
greater decrease, but
not lower than the entry level salary for the new position. If the decrease falls
between steps,
the employee will be placed at the higher step.
DOWNGRADES - A regular employee whose position is
downgraded will receive a two
percent (2%) decrease in salary for each grade of movement to a maximum of six
percent (6%), or the maximum salary for the new grade, whichever is the greater decrease,
but not lower than the entry level salary for the new grade. If the decrease
falls between steps, the employee will be placed at the higher step. Downgrades as a
result of external equity studies will not lower the salary of an incumbent employee.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: PROBATIONARY PERIOD
Number: IV-82
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 18, 1991
Policy
PROBATIONARY PERIOD
Non-faculty employees who assume a new position,
voluntarily or involuntarily, will
serve a probationary period in their new position.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: FACULTY TENURE AND EVALUATION POLICY
Number: IV-83 Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: February 24, 1987; revised April 2, 1998; February 5, 1999; November 15, 2000; March 7, 2002
Policy
FACULTY
TENURE AND EVALUATION POLICY
DEFINITION
OF TENURE
Institutional
recognition of tenure provides that a full-time faculty member (instructor,
professional counselor, or professional librarian) qualified for appointment by
credentials, experience, and performance may expect to continue in his/her
academic, counseling, or library position unless adequate cause for dismissal is
demonstrated following established procedures of due process.
ELEMENTS
JUDGED FOR TENURE
Tenure
will be considered for faculty in tenure-track positions who meet job
performance requirements following a series of annual employment contracts.
Job performance evaluations used to recommend a faculty member for annual
contracts or tenure may include (a) performance review in the classroom or
professional assignment and (b) performance review in other job-related
non-teaching duties.
FACULTY RATINGS
Faculty
members receive one of the following overall ratings:
E = Exceptional Performs very well; a model for other
instructors.
G = Good Performs well; above average performance.
S = Satisfactory Satisfactory or average performance; may
need
improvement.
NI = Needs Improvement Below average performance; must
improve.
U
= Unsatisfactory
Does not meet College requirements.
PROCESS
FOR OBTAINING TENURE OR CONTINUING EMPLOYMENT
1.
A faculty member, with the appropriate credentials, is hired after having
demonstrated ability to provide instruction or services (in the case of a
counselor or librarian) at a required level.
2.
At the start of employment, a professional development plan is prepared
jointly by the appropriate Department Chair or Director (in the case of a
counselor or librarian), and the faculty member. The plan, which is defined in the procedures manual,
specifies what is expected of the faculty member and the criteria upon which
employment recommendations are made.
3.
An annual evaluation is conducted and a performance rating developed for
non-tenured teaching faculty members by the Department Chair in consultation
with the Dean and the Vice President. The
results are shared with the faculty member on a timely basis and are reflected
in the faculty member’s professional development plan.
The annual evaluation and performance rating are based on the following:
· Evaluation by students conducted in every class every fall. Additional student evaluations may be conducted at the discretion of the Department Chair or Dean. Evaluations are conducted halfwalk through a course and no later than three-fourths through the course.
Evaluation by the Department Chair based on teaching duties (one class
visit per year) and on
non-teaching duties. Additional
class visits may be conducted at the discretion of the Department Chair or Dean.
·
Evaluation by the Dean based on teaching duties (one class visit per
year) and on non-teaching duties. Additional class visits may be conducted at the
discretion of the Dean.
·
Self-evaluation by the faculty member.
·
An evaluation by a tenured peer at the request of the faculty member may
also be conducted for self-improvement but this is not a part of the formal
process.
An
annual evaluation is conducted and a performance rating developed for
non-tenured librarians by the Director of the Library in consultation with the
Dean and the Vice President. The
results are shared with the faculty member on a timely basis and are reflected
in the librarian’s professional development plan.
The
annual evaluation and performance rating are based on the following:
·
Evaluations by library patrons conducted during the year at random.
·
Evaluation by the Director.
·
Evaluation by the Dean
·
Self-evaluation by the librarian.
·
An evaluation by a tenured peer at the request of the faculty member may
also be conducted for self-improvement but this is not a part of the formal
process.
An
annual evaluation is conducted and a performance rating developed for
non-tenured counselors by the Director of Counseling in consultation with the
Dean and the Vice President. The
results are shared with the faculty member on a timely basis and are reflected
in the counselor’s professional development plan.
The
annual evaluation and performance rating are based on the following:
·
Evaluations by students conducted during the year at random.
·
Evaluation by the Director.
·
Evaluation by the Dean.
·
Self-evaluation by the counselor.
·
An evaluation by a tenured peer at the request of the faculty member may also be conducted for self-improvement but this is not a part of the
formal process.
Note:
All evaluators (except students) will be required to participate in
training program on evaluations.
4.
By February 15, the Department Chair or Director will summarize the
evaluations and determine an overall evaluation rating in consultation with the
other employee evaluators.
By
May 1, all non-tenured faculty will be notified of the College’s intent to
offer or not offer a contract for the next year.
5.
A
faculty member who receives a “U” (Unsatisfactory) rating is not eligible
for a contract for the following year.
6.
A
faculty member who receives an “NI” (Needs Improvement) or “S”
(satisfactory) rating is eligible for a contract for the following year at the
discretion of the College if the rating is within the first four years of
employment. After the first four
years, the faculty member is not eligible for a contract for the following year.
7.
A
faculty member who receives an “E” (Exemplary) rating or “G” (Good) rating is eligible for a contract for the following
year at the discretion of the College.
8.
In
order to be eligible for tenure, the faculty member must be in at least the
fifth continuous year of service in a tenure track position with the current
year rating being an “E” or “G” and the previous two years a rating of
“E” or “G”.
9.
When a faculty member is not eligible for tenure but is eligible for an
annual contract the decision to offer a contract is at the discretion of the
College and will be developed by the Vice President in consultation with the
Dean with final approval of the President.
There is no right of appeal, but any faculty member not recommended for
an annual contract may request an audience with the Vice President or with the
President.
10. For those faculty
who are eligible for tenure, the faculty member with the assistance of the
Department Chair or Director will prepare a portfolio which includes the following: (a) appropriate
paperwork for teaching and other job-related evaluations; and
(b) Department Chair’s, Director’,
and Dean’s recommendation.
The portfolio will be forwarded to the Vice President.
11.
The
President and the Vice President will review the portfolio for each
faculty member who is recommended for tenure and will prepare any
recommendations for tenure for Board consideration.
A faculty member who is not being recommended to the Board for tenure
will be notified by March 15. There
is no right of appeal, but any faculty member not recommended for tenure may
request an audience with the Vice President or with the President.
12.
The
President will prepare and submit favorable recommendations for tenure to the
Board. Following a Board decision,
the faculty member will be notified by May 1 that he/she has received tenure or
that the Board has not approved tenure. There
is no right of appeal, but any faculty member not recommended for tenure or not
receiving tenure may request an audience with the Vice President or with the
President.
13. A faculty
member who was eligible for tenure but was not granted tenure remains eligible
for an annual contract unless it was at the end of the seventh year in which
case he/she is not eligible for continuing employment.
POST-TENURE REVIEW
Post-tenure review will be
conducted on an annual basis for all tenured faculty members and includes the
same evaluation instruments as that for non-tenured faculty although the
frequency of the evaluations may vary. The results of the review will be
included in the faculty member's professional development plan for continuous
improvement. (See Evaluation Procedures)
For tenured teaching
faculty members, the annual evaluation and performance rating are based on the
following:
·
Evaluation by students conducted every
other spring in three classes selected by the chairperson.
Additional classes may be selected by the faculty member. Additional
student evaluations may be conducted at the discretion of the Department Chair
or Dean. Evaluations are conducted
halfwalk
through a course and no later than three-fourths through the course.
Evaluation by the Department Chair or the Dean based on teaching duties
(one class visit per year) and on non-teaching duties.
Additional class visits may be conducted at the discretion of the
Department Chair or Dean.
·
Self-evaluation by the faculty member.
·
An evaluation by a tenured peer at the request of the faculty member may
also be conducted for self-improvement but this is not a part of the formal
process.
An
annual evaluation is conducted and a performance rating developed for tenured
librarians by the Director of the Library in consultation with the Dean and the
Vice President. The results are
shared with the faculty member on a timely basis and are reflected in the
librarian’s professional development plan.
The
annual evaluation and performance ratings are based on the following:
·
Evaluations by library patrons conducted during the year at random.
·
Evaluation by the Director.
·
Evaluation by the Dean
·
Self-evaluation by the librarian.
·
An evaluation by a tenured peer at the request of the faculty member may
also be conducted for self-improvement but this is not a part of the formal
process.
An
annual evaluation is conducted and a performance rating developed for tenured
counselors by the Director of Counseling in consultation with the Associate Dean
and the Vice President. The results
are shared with the faculty member on a timely basis and are reflected in the
counselor’s professional development plan.
The annual evaluation
and performance rating are based on the following:
·
Evaluations by students conducted during the year at random.
·
Evaluation by the Director.
·
Evaluation by the Dean.
·
Self-evaluation by the counselor.
·
An evaluation by a tenured peer at the request of the faculty member may
also be conducted for self-improvement but this is not a part of the formal
process.
DISMISSAL
AS A RESULT OF EVALUATION
A
tenured faculty member can be discharged or suspended for unsatisfactory
performance which shall constitute lawful cause.
For the purpose of this policy, “unsatisfactory performance” as a
cause for discharge is defined as one “unsatisfactory” evaluation rating or
two consecutive “needs Improvement” ratings, or in a four year period three
“needs improvement” and/or “satisfactory” ratings. (See “Dismissal of
Faculty During Contract Period or Tenure; Appeals and Due Process" in this
policy.)
PERSONNEL
ACTION EFFECT ON TENURE
1.
Leaves of absence pre-authorized by the President neither interrupt
nor terminate tenure.
2.
A faculty member who leaves employment at LCC loses his/her
tenure status. If subsequently
re-hired for a faculty position, the faculty member starts the tenure process
anew.
3.
A faculty member whose position is funded in part or in whole by
restricted funds is not eligible for tenure.
4.
A tenured faculty member whose position is shifted wholly or partially to
restricted funds continues to be tenured.
5.
A faculty member who receives an annual appointment to a non-faculty
position is eligible to retain tenure status.
6.
A faculty member who is hired in a non-faculty permanent position loses
his/her tenure status after two years. The
faculty member, who loses tenure because of such appointment and is subsequently
re-hired for a faculty position, starts a shortened two-year tenure process.
7.
For years of tenure service, all tenured years will count for a faculty
member who has had tenure, lost it, and regained it.
REDUCTION
IN FORCE
A tenured faculty member may be discharged
or dismissed due to general reduction of personnel caused by financial exigency,
reduction of class offerings in a program due to low enrollment, reorganization
of a program due to loss of accreditation or program review performance, or
phasing out of instructional programs or classes (see Reduction in Force
Policy).
DISMISSAL
OF FACULTY DURING CONTRACT PERIOD OR TENURE; APPEALS AND DUE PROCESS
The President may take action to suspend a faculty member during his/her contract period or during tenure for any reason which negatively affects job performance as described in the Discharge or Suspension of Employees (IV-119) policy which states:
“Any
College employee may be discharged or suspended by the President for one or more
of the following reasons, which shall constitute lawful cause for discharge or
suspension if they adversely affect job performance: violation of College
policies, gross negligence, insubordination, habitual tardiness, unexcused
and/or excessive absences, malingering, excessive use of alcoholic beverages,
unsatisfactory performance, or physical or mental incapacity.
In addition, any College employee may be discharged or suspended for
unauthorized use, sale of, and/or possession of controlled substances. In
addition, lawful cause for discharge or suspension may include the necessary
reduction of personnel by the College caused by bona fide financial exigency or
phasing out of this instructional programs or classes due to continued low
enrollment.” For the purpose of this policy, “unsatisfactory performance”
as a cause for discharge is defined as one “unsatisfactory” evaluation
rating or two consecutive “needs improvement” ratings, or in a four year
period three “needs improvement” and/or “satisfactory” ratings.
A
termination may also occur when a family relationship develops that is
prohibited by the “Employment and Supervision of Relatives” policy (IV-85).
Whenever a faculty member is considered for suspension or dismissal, all
other appropriate alternatives will be considered. The immediate supervisor and all other supervisors in the
line of authority will review the circumstances and any documentation before
developing a recommendation for the President.
Extenuating circumstances will be considered during the deliberations to
suspend or discharge. The individual’s past record will also be given
consideration in all disciplinary actions.
The
faculty member is notified of the suspension and the reason(s) for the
suspension. Within ten working days of notification, the faculty member may
request a hearing. A Hearing
Committee shall consist of five tenured faculty members who are appointed by the
President on an annual basis. The
members are selected from a list of ten nominees from the Faculty Senate.
Members of the committee may be replaced by another member of the list
when a conflict of interest exists. The
members shall choose one to serve as Chairperson.
The Chairperson is responsible for insuring that records of the
proceedings, findings, and recommendations are maintained.
Each party at the hearing may be represented by counsel. Any procedural disputes arising during the hearing shall be
settled by a majority vote of the committee members. The person filing the request for hearing shall present
written evidence and witnesses first. The
other side will present second. Each side shall have an opportunity to question
all witnesses. Each side will then
be given an opportunity to sum up their position in the order in which the
evidence was presented. It should
be remembered that this is not a court of law but an internal due process
procedure. The recommendation of
the committee, if any, is non-binding. Any recommendation will be forwarded to
the Board with the President’s recommendation.
The
faculty member may also opt to request a hearing before the Board in executive
session. A hearing before the Board
is at the discretion of the Board.
Dismissal
or discharge of a faculty member during a contract period or while tenured shall
be upon the recommendation of the President with final approval by the Board.
Although
not eligible for tenure, adjunct faculty are evaluated with the same instruments
as all other faculty. Their
evaluation consists of the following:
·
Evaluation by students conducted in every
class, every fall and spring semester, during the first four semesters and every
other semester thereafter. Additional
student evaluations may be conducted at the discretion of the Department Chair
or the Dean. Evaluations
are conducted halfwalk
through a course and no later than three-fourths through the course.
·
Evaluation by the Department Chair based on at least one class visit per
semester.
Additional class visits may be conducted at the discretion of the
Department Chair or Dean.
·
An evaluation by a tenured peer at the request of the faculty member may
also be conducted for self-improvement but this is not a part of the formal
process.
This policy is in effect upon approval of the Board of Trustees except that the length of service required before becoming eligible for tenure remains at three years for faculty hired through the fall of 1996.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT/TERM CONTRACTS
Number: IV-84
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
TERM CONTRACTS
Termination During Contract Grounds for Dismissal
Any employee may be dismissed for good cause before
the completion of the term
fixed in his contract.
Laredo Community College may terminate employment
of employees subject to
and consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: EMPLOYMENT AND SUPERVISION OF RELATIVES
Number IV-85
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date November 19, 1998
Policy
EMPLOYMENT AND SUPERVISION OF RELATIVES
It is in the best interest of the
College and its employees to remove or limit the
possibility of conflict of interest or personal influence that might bear upon an
employee's decision in his/her capacity as an employee. This policy serves to
outline the circumstances under which relatives may or may not be employed by
the College.
EMPLOYMENT
In the event a relative of a
college employee is an applicant for a position at the
college, the Human Resource Director will excuse the employee from any
involvement in the screening and selection process.
An individual may not be employed
for any position in which he/she will exercise
any direct supervision or control over the employment or the employment activities
of a relative. An individual may not be employed for any position in which he/she
will be directly supervised or controlled in their employment or employment
activities by a relative.
SUPERVISION
It shall be a violation of this policy for an
employee to supervise or be supervised
directly by a relative.
DEFINITIONS
Individuals are considered
relatives if they are related according to the definitions
provided in the nepotism laws of the State of Texas.
Working relationships that are
within two levels of supervision are considered to
be within the definition of direct supervision or control.
EXCEPTIONS
When an employee and a supervisor
become related, the new relationship will be
reported to the appropriate Executive Council member. After consultation with the
Human Resources Director, the Executive Council member will make a
recommendation to the President. The President may seek the recommendation
of the Personnel Policy and Procedures Committee. The President will have final
approval over reporting arrangements which prevent violations of this policy and/or
authorize exceptions from this policy if the reporting relationship is in the second
level of supervision and after a written determination that it is in the best interest of
the College and there is no reasonable alternative. In no case, however, will an
employee directly supervise a relative within one level without the approval of the
Board of Trustees.
TERMINATIONS
When an employee and a supervisor
within one level of supervision become related,
and there is no reasonable alternative, a termination may result. The following
guidelines will be followed when applicable to determine the employee to be
terminated:
1.
If one of the employees is within the initial probationary period, that
employee
will be terminated.
2.
If one of the employees is tenured and the other employee is not, the
non-tenured employee will be
terminated.
3.
If both employees are tenured, the lower level employee will be
terminated at the
end of the fiscal year after
the year in which the relationship occurred.
4.
Otherwise, the lower level employee will be terminated at the end of
the contract
or annual employment period.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: RESIGNATION
Number: IV-86
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
RESIGNATION
Any employee serving under a term contract may
relinquish his or her position and
leave the employment of the College at the end of any school year without penalty,
provided such employee submits written resignation to the Board prior to April 1 of
the school year in which he/she resigns. A prepaid certified or registered letter of
resignation is considered submitted upon mailing.
The employee may resign with the consent of the
Board at any time mutually
agreeable.
Non-contract employees who wish to terminate their
College employment should
give at least two weeks’ advance notice in writing to their immediate supervisor.
The College President shall have the authority to
accept resignations. Exceptions to
the deadline requirement may be granted in extenuating circumstances.
Administrators and executive personnel with an
unexpired employment period
should seek a contract release. This release will be considered by the College
President. The College President with an unexpired employment period should seek
a contract release which will be approved or disapproved by the Board of Trustees.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title DISCHARGE OR SUSPENSION OF FACULTY MEMBERS,
PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS, AND PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS
Number: IV-87
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: February 24, 1987
Policy
DISCHARGE OR SUSPENSION OF FACULTY MEMBERS,
PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS, AND PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS
1. Reasons
constituting lawful cause for discharge or suspension of any faculty
member, professional
counselor, or professional librarian are found in PART III,
POLICIES FOR ALL PERSONNEL,
SECTION 13, NUMBER 2, of the FACULTY
PROCEDURES MANUAL.
2. Failure to
receive a satisfactory performance rating during the probationary
period shall mean
non-reappointment of the faculty member, professional
counselor, or professional
librarian.
3. Faculty,
professional counselors, and professional librarians on their first or
second contract are not
entitled to a statement of reasons for non-renewal of
contract.
4. Grounds for
non-reappointment and reasons constituting lawful cause for
discharge or suspension of
any faculty member, professional counselor, or
professional librarian on the
third or subsequent contract and procedures to
be followed are given in
Section l3 of the FACULTY PROCEDURES MANUAL.
5. In addition
to those reasons, lawful cause for discharge or suspension may
also include the necessary
reduction of personnel by the College caused by
bona fide financial exigency
or phasing out of instructional programs or
classes due to continued low
enrollment.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: REDUCTION IN FORCE POLICY
Number: IV-91
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: February 24, 1987
Policy
REDUCTION-IN-FORCE POLICY
Statement of Basic Assumptions
Laredo Community College, an affirmative action
employer, must remain a viable,
responsive, and effective institution. This policy recognizes, however, that the
College may undergo significant programmatic changes or may face financial
exigency which could require a reduction in force. The fundamental and stated
purpose of Laredo Community College is instruction, and all other segments of the
institution exist for the purpose of supporting the instructional component. All
reduction-in-force decisions shall be made on this basis.
Before recommending to the Board a
reduction-in-force, the administration must
explore all reasonable alternatives to the termination of full-time positions. These
shall include at least the following:
1. Before
salary reductions or terminations are considered, the Board of
Trustees should seriously
contemplate raising revenues by raising the tax
rate, increasing tuition,
adding fees, or any other reasonable means.
2. Part-time,
term, and other temporary positions and salaries, as well as
budgets for maintenance,
equipment, and supplies, shall be carefully
examined for reduction or
temporary freeze.
3. Full-time
faculty members with less than a full work load may be temporarily
assigned teaching or other
duties in another program or department if
qualified, provided such
reassignment will not displace a full-time faculty
member in the receiving
program or department. Full-time faculty members
that have less than a full
class load may be temporarily or permanently
assigned to available
non-teaching duties at no reduction in pay, provided
that such reassignment will
not displace a full-time employee in the receiving
program or department.
4. Full-time
non-teaching employees with less than a full work-load may be
temporarily or permanently
assigned other duties in another program or
department if qualified,
provided that such reassignment will not displace
a full-time faculty member or
a full-time employee in the receiving program
or department.
5. The
administration may offer employees who qualify for retirement under
either the Teacher Retirement
Systems of Texas, pursuant to Texas Education
Code, Chapter 3, as amended,
or the Optional Retirement Program, Texas
Education Code, 51.351 et.
seq., as amended, a one-time lump sum payment
equal to one-half of their
current contract salary in addition to payment for
accumulated sick leave in
accordance with policy approved by the Board.
6. The
administration may offer employees leaves, normally not to exceed one
year, at half the base pay
for the purpose of retraining in program areas where
there is need.
7. Prior to
activating any reduction-in-force procedures, an institution-wide
referendum of all full-time
employees will be conducted for advisory purposes.
In this referendum, employees
will be given the option of an "across-the-board"
salary reduction or the
continuation of the reduction-in-force process. The
"across-the-board"
reduction in salary would be of the percentage required to
alleviate the financial
deficit which caused the state of fiscal exigency to be
declared.
Before a reduction-in-force procedure is
implemented, the President of the College
must promptly inform the Quality Improvement Council of the perceived need for
programmatic change or the perceived state of financial exigency and provide said
body with documentation and detailed financial data to support either conclusion.
seek suggestions for meeting the financial crisis
from all segments of the College
and shall consult with and offer advice to the President.
Except in cases involving contractual
agreements/institutional policy, no
displacement rights shall go beyond the employee category, i.e., no "bumping"
across employee category lines.
This policy does not apply to the President of
Laredo Community College or to
Executive Officers with the exception of Executive Officers who have been previously
tenured in an instructional department.
Definitions
ACADEMIC YEAR: fall and spring semesters as defined by the College Catalog.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN: a detailed,
results-oriented set of procedures designed
to achieve prompt and full utilization of minorities and women at all levels and in all
parts of an organization’s workload.
APPOINTMENT YEAR: beginning and ending dates of
present employment as stated
in the employees’ appointment letter. Full-time and tenure-track appointments will be
a minimum of nine months for this policy.
EMPLOYEE CATEGORY: employee categories are
Executive, Administrative,
Professional, Faculty, Counselors, Librarians, and Classified.
FINANCIAL EXIGENCY: as declared by the Board, a
financial crisis that shall exist if
a bona fide projection of the financial condition of the District indicates that a
budgetary deficit will occur during either or both of the next two succeeding years.
FISCAL YEAR: September 1 to August 31.
PART-TIME: employed for less than one-half the standard work load.
PROGRAM DECLINE: the probational status of a
program or service judged against
the core criteria of the Program Review Policy. In rare instances, a program in the
conditional status may qualify.
PROGRAM DISCONTINUANCE: the termination of a
program or service as described
in the Program Review Policy.
PROGRAM REVIEW: an Instructional Program Review
Policy or Service Program
Review Policy adopted by the Board together with any subsequent revisions.
RETRENCHMENT OR REDUCTION IN FORCE: that action
taken to reduce
personnel due to conditions of financial exigency, program discontinuance, or
program decline.
RETRENCHMENT UNIT: (1) a department funded by
restricted or non-restricted
funds and consisting of one or more programs or services in an administrative
unit with a designated chairperson or department head or (2) a discipline funded by
restricted or non-restricted funds and consisting of a set of closely related courses
offered within a division and carrying the same course prefix. A retrenchment unit
will vary according to the nature of the problem. In the case of financial exigency,
the President and the executive officer shall study every program, department,
service, and discipline to identify the necessary retrenchment units. In the case of
program or service discontinuance or decline, the program or service shall be the
retrenchment unit.
REVERSE SENIORITY: commencing with the least senior
employee and proceeding
to the most senior employee in terms of years of seniority.
SENIORITY: status covered by length of full-time
continuous employment by Laredo
Community College. Experience at Laredo Community College prior to the most
recent full-time appointment does not count toward seniority except where so indicated
in contractual agreements.
1.
Seniority begins on the effective date of the most recent full-time
employment
as shown on the notice of
appointment.
2.
Seniority is transferable from one department and/or program or service
area
to another.
3.
Seniority is continuous and cumulative during a leave of absence for
administratively approved
educational enhancement and is continuous but not
cumulative during an
administratively approved leave of absence for purposes
other than educational
enhancement.
TEMPORARY: employed for a definite
period of time less than or equal to one
academic or fiscal year.
TENURE: the legal entitlement of
faculty members, counselors, and librarians to
continuous employment terminable for cause or for reason of disability, mandatory
retirement, program decline, program discontinuance, or financial exigency. Tenure
status ensures legal entitlement to certain due process requirements prior to dismissal.
TERMINATION PRIORITY ORDER
Classified Staff Employees
The following sequential order
shall be followed within the retrenchment unit when
classified employees are to be terminated: first, temporary employees; second,
part-time employees; third, full-time employees in order of reverse seniority. If
two
or more classified employees facing reduction have the same seniority, then seniority
within the position in question will be the determining factor.
Consideration will be given to
specific job responsibilities, skill requirements for the
positions involved, and the needs of the College.
Displacement Rights of Terminated
Classified Staff Employees
Bumping should be restricted to classified employee category.
Bumping is an option, not a requirement, of the classified employee.
The employee exercising this option
must be evaluated as having "continued
satisfactory performance" on the latest Performance Evaluations.
Bumping shall follow in a
descending order, starting with the highest classified
grade and working down to the lowest classified grade, provided said person is
qualified. A classified employee who is displaced to a lower grade position shall
have the first right of refusal for reinstatement if the position is reinstated or a
similar
position becomes available.
Administrative and Professional Staff
The following sequential order
shall be followed within the retrenchment unit
once administrative and professional positions have been identified and employees
are to be terminated: first, temporary employees in those positions; second, part-time
employees in those positions; third, full-time employees in those positions in order of
reverse seniority within the institution. If two or more administrative and
professional
employees facing reduction have the same seniority status, then seniority within the
position in question will be the determining factor.
Displacement Rights of Terminated
Administrative and Professional Employees
Any full-time administrative and
professional employee whose position has been
eliminated shall be provided the option to displace another administrative and
professional employee within the retrenchment unit. However, this displacement
option can be exercised only wen all of he following conditions are met:
1.
The employee exercising this option must be evaluated as having
"continued
satisfactory
performance" on the latest Performance Evaluation.
2.
The targeted position for displacement must be at the same employee job
title
or lower than that which has
been eliminated.
3.
The employee exercising this option must meet the job specifications
required
for the targeted position.
4.
The employee exercising this option must have more seniority than the
employee with the least
seniority within the targeted position.
5.
Consideration must be given to specific job responsibilities skill
requirements,
and specific needs of the
College.
Counselors
The following sequential order
shall be followed within the retrenchment unit when
counselors are to be terminated: first, temporary counselors; second, part-time
counselors; third, full-time, non-tenure track counselors; fourth, full-time, non-tenured
counselors; and fifth, full-time tenured counselors.
For all counselors within a
retrenchment unit, the following criteria shall be used in
determining the order of reduction:
1.
Seniority shall be given first consideration in reduction, commencing
with the
least senior counselor and
proceeding in reverse order of years of seniority.
2.
If two or more counselors facing reduction have the same seniority
status,
then (a) academic degrees
held shall be the factor in determining the order of
reduction among counselors of
equal seniority, commencing with the least and
proceeding with the most
advanced degree earned and credited for salary scale.
(b) If it is still necessary
to distinguish among several counselors, the President
of the College shall
determine the order of reduction.
Displacement Rights of Terminated Counselors
Displacement rights shall be restricted to counselors.
Librarians
The following sequential order
shall be followed within the retrenchment unit when
librarians are to be terminated: first, temporary librarians; second, part-time
librarians;
third, full-time non-tenured librarians; and fourth, full-time tenured librarians.
For all librarians within the
retrenchment unit, the following criteria shall be used in
determining the order of reduction:
1.
Seniority shall be given first consideration in reduction, commencing
with the
least senior librarian and
proceeding in reverse order of years of seniority.
2.
If two or more librarians facing reduction have the same seniority
status, then
(a) academic degrees held
shall be the factor in determining the order of
reduction among librarians of
equal seniority, commencing with the least and
proceeding to the most
advanced degree earned and credited for salary scale.
(b) If it is still necessary
to distinguish among several librarians, the President
of the College shall
determine the order of reduction.
Displacement Rights of Terminated Librarian
Displacement rights shall be restricted to librarians.
Faculty
The following sequential order
shall apply within the Instructional Division when
faculty must be reassigned or positions terminated:
1.
First, faculty of programs/disciplines in discontinuance may be
reassigned or
positions terminated in order
of reverse seniority.*
2.
Second, faculty or programs/disciplines in decline may be reassigned or
positions terminated in order
of reverse seniority* until enrollment is within
faculty load guidelines or
until the program/discipline has been discontinued.
3.
Third, faculty of programs/disciplines in which enrollment is within
faculty load
guidelines may be reassigned
or positions terminated in the following order:
A. Faculty will be reassigned or positions terminated first within
programs/disciplines in which reduction in force will cause the least
negative impact on instructional programs.
B. Within a program/discipline, faculty reassignment or position
termination
shall take place in the following order: first, part-time faculty; second,
temporary full-time faculty; third, lab instructors; fourth, non-tenure track
faculty; fifth, non-tenured tenure track faculty; and sixth, tenured faculty.
C. Within each of the six groups listed in 3b, faculty reassignment or
position
termination shall take place in order of reverse seniority.*
4.
Fourth, faculty with tenure shall be reassigned or dismissed in order
of
reverse seniority.*
*If two or more faculty members facing reduction have the same seniority status,
then the following criteria
shall be applied:
A. The highest academic degree and extra credits for which an instructor
is
salaried shall be the primary factor in determining the order of reduction
among faculty of equal seniority, commencing with the least and proceeding
to the most advanced degree earned in the teaching field.
B. The number of years of tenured employment at Laredo Community College
shall be the secondary factor in determining the order of reduction among
faculty of equal seniority, commencing with the least and proceeding to the
greatest number of years of tenure.
C. After application of the above criteria, if it is still necessary to
distinguish
among several faculty members, the matter shall be referred to the Vice
President for Instruction for consideration, and a recommendation shall be
made by him or her to the President of the College, who shall make the final
decision on the order of reduction.
Displacement Rights of Terminated Faculty
Seniority for faculty is
transferable from one discipline/program to another provided
the minimum job requirements are met as per the LCC POLICY MANUAL, i.e., an
instructor with an M.B.A. teaching C.I.S. but qualified to teach Business Administration
could exercise his/her seniority or displacement rights. This displacement procedure
must be facilitated by the Vice President for Instruction or designee.
Termination Procedure
Financial exigency will normally be
declared no later than May 31 if employees are to
be terminated in the following fiscal year. The declaration of financial exigency
must
be presented by the President of the College to all employees within two working days.
Full-time employees may be
terminated by reason of financial exigency, program
decline, or program discontinuance, provided the following actions are taken:
A.
A termination letter from the President of the College shall be sent by
registered
mail to the employee prior to
the beginning of the academic year for faculty and
the fiscal year for other
employees stating the effective date of termination,
rationale for termination,
evidence that the termination priority order has been
followed, and evidence that
all reasonable alternative actions have been explored.
A copy of the letter will be
sent to the Director of Personnel to be placed in the
employee’s personnel
file.
B.
Employees notified of termination shall be afforded the opportunity of a joint
meeting with the President of
the College, the appropriate Executive Officer,
the Department Director, and
the president of the appropriate employee group
to review the termination
action. The request for such a meeting shall be made
by the affected employee in
writing to the President of the College within ten
working days of the receipt
of notification of termination. All relevant documents,
facts, figures,
interpretations, and statistical data must be made available without
charge to an employee facing
termination.
Additional Considerations
All full-time employees terminated under this
policy shall be offered the following
options:
A. If circumstances
improve so that reduction of employees within the retrenchment
unit is not required, a
letter from the President of the College rescinding the
termination notice shall be
sent as soon as possible to the appropriate employee
and department head. A
copy shall be sent to the Director of Personnel to be
placed in the employee’s
personnel file.
B. A terminated
employee shall have the first right of refusal for re-employment
within his or her area of
expertise for a period of three years, with seniority
status held at the time of
termination. The offer, sent by registered mail, must be
accepted or rejected in
writing within thirty calendar days of notification. Failure
to respond in writing within
thirty calendar days will be considered as a rejection
of the employment offer.
If an offer is rejected, there is no further obligation on
the part of Laredo Community
College.
C. Under financial
exigency, if there is termination of appointments, the College
will not, at the same time,
create new positions except in extraordinary
circumstances where serious
distortion of academic programs or services
would otherwise result.
D. A terminated
employee shall be given the opportunity to work part-time within
his or her area of expertise
as a need exists.
E. A terminated
employee shall be given reasonable assistance in seeking
employment, including
explanatory letters of recommendations.
F. A terminated
employee will be offered the opportunity to continue participating
in any group benefits for
which he or she is eligible. Cost of such participation
will be the sole
responsibility of said employee.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: EXIT INTERVIEWS
Number: IV-101
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
EXIT INTERVIEWS
Exit interviews will be scheduled prior to the last day of employment.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: CLEARANCE CHECKLIST
Number: IV-102
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: December 16, 1975
Policy
CLEARANCE CHECKLIST
Upon termination of employment at Laredo Community
College, each employee
must have a Clearance Checklist form completed and signed by the appropriate
administrator before the final pay check will be issued by the Personnel Officer.
The Clearance Checklist forms are available in the Personnel Office.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: PERSONNEL REFERENCES
Number: IV-103 Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: August 25, 1992
Policy
PERSONNEL REFERENCES
All inquiries made of the Personnel Department
regarding former or present
employees of the College should uniformly be answered by insisting that the person
requesting such information make such request in writing. Upon receiving written
request for information about former or present employees of the College, the College
should respond uniformly to such request, giving the name of the employee, the date
of his/her employment, the department or subject matter taught by the employee and
if the employee is no longer at the College, the date his/her employment ceased and
if the employee remains an employee of the College, that fact.
No further information shall be given. All
inquiries will be forwarded to the Personnel
Office.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: OFFICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Number: IV-111
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
OFFICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Office policies and procedures should be based on
the policies approved by the
Board of Trustees and the administrative policies and procedures approved by the
President. Administrators and their employees should honor the policies and
procedures developed for their own offices and those developed for employees in
cooperating offices.
Classified personnel are responsible for
understanding and for honoring policies
and procedures established for their offices and/or areas of responsibility in addition
to understanding and honoring the policies and procedures governing staff members
employed in other areas of the College.
Policies approved by the Board of Trustees and
administrative policies and
procedures approved by the College President will serve as the basis for developing
operating procedures.
Administrators are responsible for developing,
implementing, and enforcing operating procedures based on policies approved by the Board
of Trustees. Their
administrative responsibilities include assuring that staff members fully understand
and honor College policies and procedures, that they receive official College
information, and that they receive adequate support and direction in performing their
duties.
Classified personnel are responsible for
understanding and for honoring College
policies, procedures, and official information. Questions regarding office or College
policies and procedures should be directed to their immediate supervisors.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: PERSONAL INFORMATION
Number: IV-112
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975, revised January 28, 1992
Policy
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Personnel should report changes in names, home
address, telephone numbers,
marital status, number of dependents, and/or other changes to the Personnel Office
as they occur.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: PERSONAL APPEARANCE
Number: IV-113
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
Personal Appearance
The personal appearance of employees should be
appropriate for their work
assignments.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: WORK STATION APPEARANCE
Number: IV-114
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
Work Station Appearance
Work stations should be kept orderly and in the
condition most conducive to
efficient production and to efficient maintenance.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: CONSERVATION
Number: IV-115
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
Conservation
College personnel are expected to perform their
assignments efficiently so as to
conserve electrical energy, supplies, materials, and equipment.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
Number: IV-116
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: Revised August 25, 1992
Policy
POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
In pursuing political activities, employees need to
be cautious not to create the
impression that they officially represent the College and not to neglect their duties.
Political activities involving employees will be conducted away from the campus
except as noted below. Employees will not conduct political activities during their
normal working hours. Officially recognized employee groups shall not endorse
political candidates.
On-campus permitted political activities are as follows:
1. Forums may be held if all candidates are invited to present their platforms.
2. Receptions may be held if all candidates are invited to meet people on campus.
3. Faculty
shall not invite individual candidates to speak to classes unless the
discipline, such as political
science, is directly related to the political process.
In such cases, all candidates
shall be offered the same opportunity.
4. Political
materials may be displayed and distributed only in areas designated by
the Dean of Students.
Use of College equipment or supplies for partisan
political activities is strictly
prohibited. Violation of the provisions of this policy may result in the suspension
or
termination of the employee.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY
Number: IV-117
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: May 4, 1995; Revised April 20, 2000; January 24, 2002
Policy
SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY
Laredo Community College prohibits
the use, possession, and/or distribution of
controlled substances which are not medically necessary and prescribed by a
licensed physician. It is further the policy of Laredo Community College to prohibit
the possession, consumption or distribution of alcoholic beverages on its campus.
The following specific guidelines apply to the College’s Substance Abuse Policy:
Standards of Conduct
The College recognizes that
alcoholism, drug and/or controlled substance
dependency are illnesses or "disorders". To assist individuals with
substance
abuse problems, the College accepts responsibility for providing channels of
referrals for help, but it is the student’s or employee’s responsibility to seek
the
necessary assistance. Individuals who refuse to accept referrals for diagnosis or
treatment will be handled just like any other employee or student whose academic
or job performance is declining. Employees and students will report to work or
class in a fit condition. Being under the influence of alcohol, drug, inhalants, or
controlled
substances is prohibited.
Legal Sanctions
Employees and students should
recognize that local, state, and federal laws
provide legal sanctions for unlawful possession of illegal drugs and alcohol.
Violation of these laws may subject an employee or student to applicable legal
sanctions.
Health Risks
Employees and students should be
aware that numerous health risks are
associated with the use of Inhalants, illegal drugs, and the abuse of alcohol.
Substance Abuse Policy
Individuals may contact Laredo Community College Health Services or Guidance and Counseling Departments to obtain specific information related to the health risks associated with inhalant, drug, and alcohol abuse.
Referral
When personal or behavioral
problems as a result of substance and alcohol abuse,
begin to affect an employee’s work or a student’s academic performance, the
individual should be referred to the Guidance and Counseling Department, Health
Services Department, or Human Resources Office for assistance and/or referral to local
community professionals. For Substance Abuse or Alcohol problems, the employee
or student is responsible for any cost and/or fees incurred for professional services
outside of the College. Information concerning a student or employee’s
diagnosis,
referral, treatment, and medical records will be kept strictly confidential.
No employee or student shall be
discriminated against because he or she is known
to have had alcohol, drug or any other behavioral problems as evidenced by his or
her responsibly seeking or utilizing counseling or treatment services.
As outlined in the College Sick
Leave Policy, employees may utilize accumulated
sick leave or a reasonable leave of absence without pay for the purpose of treatment
or rehabilitation as in any other illness.
Enforcement
Failure to comply with this policy
may subject employees and students to adverse
administrative action, which may include termination of employment or dismissal
from current classes. Laredo Community College will impose disciplinary sanctions
on employees and students which are consistent with law and established
institutional policies. A disciplinary sanction may include the required completion
of an
appropriate rehabilitation program.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: FIREARMS
Number: IV-118
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975; Revised April 20, 2000
Policy
FIREARMS
Firearms, weapons, and explosives are banned from
campus, except firearms
carried by campus police or by Federal, State, County, City, or other certified peace
officers on official
duty.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: DISCHARGE OR SUSPENSION OF EMPLOYEES
Number: IV-119
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: January 28, 1992
Policy
DISCHARGE OR SUSPENSION OF EMPLOYEES
Any College employee may be discharged or suspended
by the President for one
or more of the following reasons, which shall constitute lawful cause for discharge
or suspension if they adversely affect job performance: violation of College policies,
gross negligence, insubordination, habitual tardiness, unexcused and/or excessive
absences, malingering, excessive use of alcoholic beverages, unsatisfactory
performance, or physical or mental incapacity. In addition, any College employee
may be discharged or suspended for unauthorized use, sale of, and/or possession
of controlled substances. The individual’s past record will be given
consideration
in all disciplinary actions. In addition, lawful cause for discharge or suspension
may
include the necessary reduction of personnel by the College caused by bona fide
financial exigency or phasing out of instructional programs or classes due to
continued low enrollment. (See Retrenchment Policy.)
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS
Number: IV-120
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: June 17, 1975
Policy
ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS
Employees convicted in a Court of Law of a
misdemeanor or felony related to job
performance or of a crime of moral turpitude will be dismissed. If a higher court
reverses a conviction, however, an employee may be reinstated without back pay
whenever an appropriate opening occurs.
Employees arrested, charged, or indicted for a
crime may be suspended by the
Board of Trustees after a hearing at which these employees may be represented
by an attorney or person of their choice, and may include suspension with or
without pay depending on the evidence of the employees guilt, the seriousness of
the offense charged, and the connection of the offense with the College or the
employees duties at the College. Conditions of suspensions will be determined by
the Board of Trustees.
LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
Number: IV-121
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date:
Policy
DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
Official information is disseminated through the
reporting system which links the
College President, executive officers, members, administrators, classified personnel,
division chairs, faculty, and supervisors. Personnel will direct queries regarding
College policies and procedures to their immediate supervisors, who are then
responsible for forwarding the information to the appropriate administrator.
Internal communications activities will include the
publishing of official written policies
and procedures in publications including the College catalog, staff publications, policy
manual, and procedures handbooks. Less formal communiques may be channeled
through these and other campus media. Public information, advertising, and
publications activities will include the dissemination of information about the College
to the community.
MANUAL OF POLICY
Title: CHRONIC COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Number: IV-122
Legal Authority:
Board of Trustees Approval Date: March 27, 1990
Policy
CHRONIC COMMUNICABLE DISEASE POLICY FOR EMPLOYEES
Laredo Community College places a high priority on
the need to prevent the spread
of chronic communicable diseases on its campus and is committed to educate its
staff, students, and the community in this regard. Specifically, because there is
currently no cure or vaccine for AIDS, education regarding methods by which this
virus may be transmitted and how to prevent transmission is essential. By adopting
this policy, it is the intention of Laredo Community College to promote the health and
regular attendance of its staff and its students. Discrimination against persons
with
AIDS, ARC, HTLV-lll infection, or a related condition is prohibited.
An employee identified as having a chronic
communicable disease, specifically AIDS,
shall be permitted to retain his or her position whenever, through reasonable
accommodation of the employee’s physical condition and without undue hardship
to the employer, there is no reasonable risk of transmission of the disease to others.
Such employee shall remain subject to the Laredo Community College employment
policies, including but not limited to sick leave, disability, and termination.
Employment decisions will be made by utilizing the
general legal standard in
conjunction with current available public health guidelines. Each AIDS case shall be
handled on an individual basis. The disposition of an individual case by the College
Administration shall be determined only after proper input by the employee’s
physician
or any other health professional who is deemed as experienced in treating and
diagnosing AIDS.
The College shall respect the right to privacy of
all employees, including any individual
with a chronic communicable disease. The employee’s medical condition shall be
disclosed only to the extent necessary to minimize the health risks to the employee
and others. Only those persons deemed to have a "direct need to know" will
be
provided with the appropriate information.