This website publishes administrative rules on their effective dates, as designated by the adopting state agencies, colleges, and
universities.
| Rule |
Rule 3342-6-01 | University policy regarding employment.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Policy statement. The vice president
for the division of people, culture and belonging is responsible for the
development, implementation, and enforcement of the employment policies and
practices at Kent state university, as delegated by the president. The vice
president may delegate to the appropriate staff the authority to assist in the
execution of these responsibilities. (B) Employee code of conduct. Every
employee of Kent state university is required to comply with the policies and
guidelines established for employees, as well as applicable local, state, and
federal laws. Therefore, the following are expected of each individual
employee: (1) To maintain a
professional demeanor. Each Kent state university employee will exhibit a high
degree of maturity and self-respect and foster an appreciation for other
cultures, one's own cultural background, as well as the cultural matrix
from which Kent state university exists. Also, each will adhere to the lawful
instructions and orders of their supervisors and other university officials who
are performing duties within their official capacities. (2) To respect the
dignity and well being of others. Each employee of Kent state university will
demonstrate respect for all campus and external community members. Therefore,
to purposely threaten, accost, demean, or to engage in gender, sexual or
religious harassment, use vile, obscene or abusive language or exhibit lewd
behavior, to be under the influence of alcohol or a drug of abuse while
performing employment responsibilities is prohibited. Also, to be involved in
the possession, use, distribution of and sale of illegal drugs is strictly
prohibited. Deadly weapons, unless authorized by law, are also strictly
prohibited. (3) To respect and
safeguard the rights and property of others, and to better provide for the
safety and security of each person, each employee of Kent state university will
be subject to all applicable local, state and federal laws and to all
applicable provisions listed as part of university policy register. Therefore,
individuals found in violation of local, state, federal laws or university
policies are subject to disciplinary action which could include dismissal from
the university. (4) To prohibit
discrimination, while respecting the differences in people, ideas, and
opinions. Each employee of Kent state university will support equal rights and
opportunities for all. (5) To practice personal
and professional integrity, and to discourage all forms of dishonesty, deceit,
and noncompliance to the code of conduct.
Last updated September 2, 2025 at 2:26 PM
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Rule 3342-6-01.1 | Administrative policy and procedure regarding grievances of nonteaching unclassified and unrepresented classified staff.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Purpose. The purpose of this policy
is to secure equitable solutions as quickly as possible to complaints that may
arise relative to the working conditions of university employees. Members of
the faculty have other grievance resolution machinery available and are
excluded from this policy. (B) Definitions. (1) Employee. For the
purposes of this policy, the term "employees" is defined as
unclassified administrative and professional staff members and unrepresented
classified civil service appointees. (2) Grievance. A
"grievance" is defined as a claimed violation of a specified
university regulation, policy, or procedure. Generally, it is expected that a
grievance can be resolved at the point at which it arises. This means that the
aggrieved employee and his immediate supervisor should attempt to settle the
issue, with the right to appeal to a higher level exercised only after it is
determined that mutual satisfaction cannot be reached. Consequently, every
effort should be made to settle the grievance on the spot, on its merits, and
with minimal delay. (C) Eligibility. This policy may be
utilized by nonteaching unclassified and unrepresented classified staff. Under
the Revised Code, certain classified civil service employees may appeal certain
actions of the appointing authority to the state personnel board of review.
Included are such matters as job abolishment, reduction in pay or position,
layoff, suspensions in excess of three working days, discharge, and job
classification. Actions which may be appealed to the state personnel board of
review are not subject to appeal under this grievance procedure. If, however,
an appeal is filed in a timely manner and that board denies jurisdiction, a
grievance may be initiated at step three of this local grievance
procedure. (D) Implementation. (1) General. (a) It is the right of every employee to use the prescribed
grievance machinery without fear of reprisal. The employee and labor relations
coordinator is available to render guidance and assistance concerning the
grievance procedure to be followed. (b) It is the policy of the university to afford its
employees the right to have assistance form a fellow employee in attempting to
settle a grievance with a supervisor or department head after the employee and
his or her supervisor have failed to reach a satisfactory solution in their
initial discussion. (c) It is further the policy of the university to recognize
the right of the employee to have additional representation at conference held
at the personnel office level and above. (d) Reasonable administrative time-off shall be permitted
for aggrieved employees of the university and fellow employees who assist in
presenting a grievance. (2) Time
limits. (a) It is important that complaints and grievances be
processed as quickly as possible at each administrative level. The number of
days indicated herein at each level shall be considered the maximum. Every
effort should be made to expedite the process and to render a decision as
quickly as possible. The time limits specified may, however, be extended by
agreement between the university and the employee. A grievance will be acted
upon provided the employee submits it in writing within ten working days of the
occurrence or discovery of the complaint or grievance. (b) The phrase "working days" as used in this
policy means days exclusive of holidays and days the employee may be on
authorized vacation, sick leave, or absence. (c) Failure of the grievant to appeal a decision within the
specified time limits shall be deemed a withdrawal of the grievance and shall
bar further action or appeal. Failure of the university to render a decision on
a grievance within the specified time limits shall permit its appeal by the
grievant to the next step. (E) Procedural steps. (1) Employee and
immediate supervisor. (a) The aggrieved employee shall take the matter up with
his or her immediate supervisor at the "earliest possible moment,"
which is defined herein as not exceeding ten working days from the occurrence
or discovery of the complaint or grievance. (b) In the event the problem is not resolved at this
informal level, the employee may prepare a formal written grievance, accurately
stating the nature of the grievance and a suggested solution. (c) The formal grievance as filed by the grievant shall be
submitted on the university employee complaint form. (d) The formal grievance should be signed and presented to
the supervisor. This must be done within three working days after the final
discussion with the supervisor. (e) The supervisor shall promptly record the decision which
he or she has rendered and sign the form as indicated. Copies of the grievance
and the supervisor's decision shall be distributed within three working
days in the manner indicated on the form. (f) In organizational situations where the immediate
supervisor and the department head are the same person, the grievance mechanism
will begin with paragraph (E)(2) of this rule. (2) Employee and
department head. (a) If the aggrieved employee is not satisfied with the
decision of the immediate supervisor, the employee may, within five working
days of such decision, file a written appeal with the department
head. (b) On receipt of the formal written appeal, the department
head shall meet within five working days with the grievant to discuss the facts
of the grievance in an effort to effect a settlement. After considering the
facts presented, the department head shall give his or her decision in writing
within three working days of the meeting. (c) Should a group of employees within a department have a
grievance, the department-head phase shall become the first step in the
employee grievance procedure. (d) In the event the grievant is employed in an
administrative position at the department-head level or above (including
academic chairpersons and directors), the grievance shall be presented to the
grievant's immediate superior and is subject to appeal only to the next
higher organizational level beyond that superior. Administrative grievances of
this type are not subject to the step three and step four provisions of the
procedure that provide for personnel department review and impartial
arbitration. (3) Employee and
employee and labor relations coordinator. (a) If the aggrieved employee is not satisfied with the
decision of the department head, the employee may appeal the grievance to the
employee and labor relations coordinator within five working days after receipt
of the second-step decision. The employee and labor relations coordinator or
designated representative will make an investigation of the complaint and, if
necessary, hold a meeting with the employee and the employee's
representative, if any. The employee and labor relations coordinator may
determine that attendance of the supervisor, department head, or other
management officials would be helpful in resolving the complaint. Upon
completion of the investigation, the employee and labor relations coordinator
will give the grievant a written decision. (b) If a grievance is not appealed within ten working days
after receipt of such decision, the grievance will be considered settled and
will not be subject to further appeal and/or review.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:49 AM
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Rule 3342-6-01.2 | Administrative policy regarding flexible work arrangements.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) Policy statement. Kent state
university recognizes that providing employees with workplace flexibility
increases their efficiency and promotes more effective use of available
resources. The position of the university to encourage flexible work
arrangements insofar as such arrangements do not adversely affect the efficient
and effective operation of the university itself. Flexible work arrangements
are a privilege and may be structured in different ways that are best for the
specific department and job role. (B) Definitions (1) Flexible work arrangement. Alternative work
arrangements that vary from the normal full-time in-person work arrangements
are generally limited to the following options: (a) Compressed workweek.
A schedule where the total number of hours expected to work each week are
conducted in less than five full workdays. (b) Alternative
arrival/departure time. An arrangement that permits a variation from the
employee's core hours in starting or departure times but does not alter
the total number of hours worked in a week. (c) Extended lunch
duration. An arrangement that allows employees to extend the duration of their
lunch break (maximum one hundred fifty minutes per week) but does not alter the
total number of hours worked in a week. To accommodate this type of flex time,
employees must make up these hours by arriving earlier or departing later
and/or shortening the duration of their lunch break on other workdays.
(d) Telecommuting. An
arrangement in which employees complete a portion of or all of their regular
workweek from an off-campus location. (C) Eligibility. This policy shall apply to eligible
full-time unclassified employees and full-time, non-represented classified
employees on all Kent state university campuses. Bargaining unit employees may
be eligible for flexible work arrangements, but such arrangements require
additional discussion between relevant university officials and union
leadership. Except where required by law, this policy shall not apply to
student employment under rules 3342-6-25 and 3342-6-25.1 of the Administrative
Code. (1) Not all positions are
eligible for flexible work arrangements and all flexible work arrangements are
at the discretion of the employee's supervisor. (2) To be eligible for
flexible work arrangements, employees: (a) Successfully completed their probationary period if
applicable, and (b) Been deemed satisfactory on the latest performance review and
has continued to perform satisfactorily. (3) All flexible work
arrangements require written approval from the supervisor, or designated
approver, prior to commencement. Failure to seek written approval of the
supervisor shall result in immediate termination of the flexible work
arrangement and may result in disciplinary action. The electronic flexible work
arrangement request form must be completed by the employee and supervisor prior
to the commencement of the work arrangement. (4) To be eligible for telecommuting arrangements
specifically, the employee must have a dedicated workspace to perform their
work. The university shall not be responsible for any costs or expenses accrued
by the employee during periods of telecommuting (e.g. internet, utilities,
insurance, equipment), except when such costs or expenses would cause the
employee to earn less than minimum wage over a particular pay period (in which
case, the employee should follow standard university procedure for requesting
reimbursement of business expensessee the division of people, culture
and belonging for more information). (5) An employee engaging in telecommuting must be available
during their normal work hours for meetings, assignments and routine
communications as if the employee was present on campus. Moreover, employees
may be required to attend in-person meetings and activities as determined by
the university and shall be responsible for their own commuting expenses.
(6) Flexible work arrangements are not
intended to be used as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, leave as
provided for in Chapter 3342-6 of the Administrative Code. (D) Criteria. (1) Flexible work
arrangements must meet the needs of the university, the department, and the
position. Supervisors should consider the impact on the department and other
departments' workload and productivity; other faculty, staff, students
and other members of the university community; cost; and business needs.
(2) Flexible work
arrangements shall not: (a) Maternally change the
duties of the position; (b) Adversely affect the
academic and administrative services provided to students, faculty, and
staff; (c) Reduce the number of
total hours worked in a week. (3) Flexible work
arrangements shall be administered consistently within each department and
across the university to the extent possible. (4) Flexible work
arrangements are not guaranteed and may be revised or discontinued for any
reason at any time by the supervisor. The approval, denial, revision or
discontinuation of all flexible work arrangements must be in writing with a
copy provided to the employee. A copy of all approved flexible work
arrangements shall also be retained in the employee's personnel file.
(5) Regarding
telecommuting arrangements specifically, as a general rule, telecommuting
arrangements should be limited to no more than twenty per cent of any
division/unit's staff at a time, so that at least eighty per cent of
employees are working on campus in person on any given day. The vice president
for the division of people, culture and belonging is responsible for the
development, implementation, communication and training of the operational
policies and procedures necessary to establish flexible work arrangements at
Kent state university and shall also be responsible for revising such policies
and procedures as necessary.
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:40 AM
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Rule 3342-6-02 | University policy regarding equal opportunity.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Equal opportunity
policy. (1) In academic and
student programs. It is the policy of this university that there shall be no
unlawful discrimination against any student or applicant for admission as a
student because of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation,
national origin, disability, military or veteran status. Such policy shall
apply to, but not necessarily be limited to, the following: recruiting,
admission, access to programs, financial aid, and social, recreational and
health programs. This policy shall be applicable to all campuses and units of
the university. This policy also shall apply with reference to discrimination
on the basis of age insofar as required by law. (2) In employment. It is
the policy of this university that there shall be no unlawful discrimination
against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, race, color,
religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability,
military or veteran status. Such policy shall apply to, but not necessarily be
limited to, the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer;
recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or
other compensation; and selection for training, including apprenticeship. This
policy shall be applicable to all campuses and units of the
university. (B) Implementation of policy with respect
to employment. (1) There shall be
promulgated and maintained, under the authority of the president of the
university, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, and the
vice president for people, culture and belonging, pursuant to this equal
opportunity policy, the federal contractor compliance program. Full achievement
of equal opportunity shall be deemed a major effort of the university, and the
federal contractor compliance program shall be the principal official
arrangement, as to organization, methods and procedures, whereby the university
shall pursue that effort in employment. (a) The federal contractor compliance program shall
include, but not necessarily be limited to, nondiscrimination provisions of
general application to all employees and applicants for employment, including
nondiscrimination provisions applicable to age, race, color, religion,
ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, military
status, or veteran status. Such provisions of general application shall reflect
and pursue the central purposes and provisions of relevant laws and regulations
of the United States, and of the state of Ohio. Such provisions of general
application shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the
following: (b) Establishment of responsibilities for conduct and
monitoring of the university's federal contractor compliance
program. (c) Internal and external dissemination of the
university's equal opportunity policy and federal contractor compliance
program. (d) Workforce analyses; analyses of major job groups;
appraisal of labor force utilization; and annual reports of
progress. (e) Development and pursuit of intellectual diversity,
which could reasonably be attained through good faith efforts. (f) Equal opportunity of access by employees to educational
and training programs for advancement of occupational and professional
qualifications as set forth in rule 3342-6-02.101 of the Administrative
Code. (g) Application of the university's equal opportunity
policy in all employment actions. (h) Design and implementation of appropriate audit and
reporting systems. (i) Provisions for notice, verification and reporting, as
may be required by law regarding equal opportunity policies and practices of
unions, contractors, and vendors having dealings with the
university. (j) Provisions for resolution of complaints and
grievances. (2) The federal contractor compliance
program shall further include nondiscrimination provisions of special
application to individuals with disabilities, and to protected veterans. Such
provisions of special application shall reflect and pursue the central purposes
and provisions of relevant laws and regulations of the United States, of the
state of Ohio, and of this university, which have special application to
equality of opportunity for those who are disabled, for veterans with
disabilities, and for veterans of the Vietnam era. Wherever provisions of
general application can have application, they shall apply, provided: that
where such provisions of special application exist and are relevant, they shall
prevail. (3) The university shall update and make
available upon written request, a publication titled, "federal contractor
compliance program." Such publication shall include, but not be limited
to, the equal opportunity policy which is in effect; , the executive summary by
the vice president of the division of people, culture and belonging; the full
text of the federal contractor compliance program which is in effect; and, for
further guidance of all employees, an appendix. The appendix shall include but
not be limited to, applicable forms and procedures utilized in all elements of
the federal contractor compliance program, paragraphs (B)(2)(a) to (B)(2)(h)(i)
of this rule; relevant provisions found elsewhere in the university register
and the Administrative Code; unit goals and timetables currently in effect; and
forms, examples and processes of record-keeping and reporting. The office of
equal opportunity and compliance (or designee) shall have primary
responsibility for preparation of this publication and for its dissemination to
all unit heads and its availability to employees and applicants for
employment.
Last updated September 2, 2025 at 2:26 PM
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Rule 3342-6-02.1 | Administrative policy and plan regarding affirmative action.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) Policy statement. This federal
contractor compliance program is adopted, and shall be maintained and
implemented, pursuant to paragraph (B) of rule 3342-6-02.101 of the
Administrative Code, and of this register, the equal opportunity policy
promulgated by the board by resolution of October 4, 1979. (B) Establishment of responsibilities for
conduct of the federal contractor compliance program. (1) The president of the
university, as chief executive officer, shall have overall responsibility for
effective implementation of this federal contractor compliance program and
shall exercise general oversight of such implementation. (2) The vice president
for the division of people, culture and belonging (DPCB) shall have special
responsibility in the implementation of this federal contractor compliance
program, and shall assure pursuit of the president's instructions in the
interest of effective implementation. (3) The office of equal
opportunity and compliance (EOC) in the division of people, culture and
belonging and under supervision of the vice president for division of people,
culture and belonging shall be the principal administrative office for
effective implementation of this federal contractor compliance program
throughout the university. Responsibilities of the office of equal opportunity
and compliance shall include the following: (a) Provisions, for benefit of all departments of the university,
of professional expertise in the appropriate and lawful techniques of equal
opportunity and compliance; in current developments in the field of equal
opportunity and compliance; and in the requirements of law governing federal
contractor compliance. (b) Provision of the specific staff services hereinafter
required, including dissemination of policy; work force and major job group
analyses; ascertainment of all demographic groups, including persons with
disabilities, disabled veterans, and veterans of the Vietnam era, for possible
employment, promotion or transfer; analyses of the all demographic groups,
including persons with disabilities, disabled veterans, and veterans of the
Vietnam era; design and implementation of appropriate audit and reporting
systems; participation as hereinafter provided in the resolution of grievances
and complaints; preparation of external reports and responses as may be
required by law; and annual status and progress reports to the
president. (c) Provisions of liaison, monitoring, and implementation
services, in consultation with other departments of the university, including
development and execution of action-oriented programs; development and pursuit
of goals and timetables, as hereinafter provided; access to education and
training programs whereby personnel might improve their capability of
advancement in the university; application of the university's equal
opportunity policy in all personnel actions; and verifications of policies and
practices of unions, contractors, and vendors having dealings with the
university, as may be required by law. (d) Procurement of reports from other units of the university,
for purposes of auditing and reporting systems authorized elsewhere in this
plan; and collation, publication, submission, and/or dissemination of contents
of such reports, as may be required by laws, regulations, or university
policies to ensure that the equal opportunity policy is carried
out. (e) Individuals are encouraged to contact the office of equal
opportunity and compliance to obtain information concerning the
university's equal opportunity and compliance policies and
procedures. (4) There shall be compliance facilitator
in each vice presidential division, designated by his or her respective vice
president. Each such facilitator shall be responsible for liaison between the
division and the office of equal opportunity and compliance, and for
dissemination of information and submission of reports to the director of the
office of equal opportunity and compliance and to the respective vice
presidents. (5) Each unit head or administrator
having supervisory responsibility, from the level of departmental chairperson
or administrative unit director upward, shall be specifically responsible for
implementation of the equal opportunity policy of the university, and of those
elements of this federal contractor compliance program lying within the
administrative purview of their unit, especially including but not limited to
nondiscrimination in employment, upgrading, demotion, or transfer; recruitment
or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination, rates of pay or other forms
of compensation; selection for training, including apprenticeship; and posting
and other forms of dissemination of the equal opportunity policy and other
appropriate information among personnel of the unit. (C) Internal and external dissemination
of the equal opportunity policy and the federal contractor compliance program.
(1) The substantive
content of the equal opportunity policy, and such elements of the federal
contractor compliance program as may be deemed appropriate, shall be posted
continuously at each principal posting location in each building on each
campus. In addition, so shall be posted all applicable federal and state civil
rights posters, as required under law. (2) Each unit head or
administrator having supervisory responsibility as identified in paragraph
(C)(6) of this rule, shall be reinformed at least once each year of the equal
opportunity policy; of the federal contractor compliance program and procedures
pursuant thereto; and of any needed updating relative to such policy and plan.
Each such unit head or administrator also shall inform each new employee of the
equal opportunity policy and federal contractor compliance
program. (3) The university's
equal opportunity policy and federal contractor compliance program shall be
made available for review by contacting the office of equal opportunity and
compliance at compliance_equalopp@kent.edu. (4) The university's
identity as an equal opportunity employer shall be imprinted upon all
documents, publications, and advertisements having specific relevance to equal
opportunity in employment or used in recruitment of employees. (5) The external
communications program of the university shall include special efforts to
inform the general public, unions, professional associations, and especially
the potential sources of recruitment from all demographic groups, including
persons with disabilities, and veterans, about the equal opportunity policy and
federal contractor compliance program. (6) Communications will
be maintained with all demographic groups, veterans, and vocational
rehabilitation groups, making university opportunities known to them and
seeking referrals from them. Referrals from these and other sources will be
internally communicated and, insofar as is feasible, records of such referrals
and their ultimate results will be kept and analyzed from time to time. Insofar
as is feasible, university representatives will participate in community
programs designed to publicize employment opportunities and will utilize such
participation for dissemination of notice of opportunities in the
university. (D) Annual reports of status and
progress; work force analyses; analyses of major job groups; appraisals of
labor force utilization. (1) The office of equal
opportunity and compliance shall compile and submit to the vice president for
the division of people, culture and belonging annual reports of the status and
progress of the federal contractor compliance program. (2) Report shall
include, but not limited to, annual analyses of the university work force, and
of major job groups, and of the utilization of the available labor force with
special reference to veterans and persons with disability who are qualified in
terms of job-related position specifications in the university. Procedures in
preparation of this annual report shall include, but not be limited to, the
following: (a) Each department or unit shall detail the veteran, ability,
race, gender, and ethnic status of employees within all job titles in the
department or unit, ranked from lowest paid to highest paid. (b) Utilizing labor-availability data provided by the office of
equal opportunity and compliance, each department or unit will present
statistical analysis showing the rate of utilization of qualified applicants in
each major job group. (c) After compilation of departmental and unit data,
university-wide, the office of equal opportunity and compliance shall
incorporate in the annual report an appraisal of the utilization of available
qualified applicants, university-wide, by major job groups, and by department
or unit. (E) Development and pursuit of goals and
timetables (1) Apart from the annual
report of work force and job group analyses, but with benefit of data therein,
the university shall maintain an annually updated set of goals and timetables
for progress in equal opportunity and compliance. (2) Recommended updated
goals and timetables shall be developed by the director of the office of equal
opportunity and compliance and shall be subject to approval of the vice
president for the division of people, culture and belonging. (3) Goals may not be
quotas which must be met, but targets reasonably attainable by means of
applying good faith effort to make all aspects of the entire equal opportunity
and compliance program work. (4) In establishing
timetables to meet goals and commitments, the university will consider the
anticipated expansion, contraction, and turnover in the work force, by the
department or unit, by major job group, and university-wide. (5) The university, and
each of its departments and units, will annually identify particular
opportunity areas in which statistical experience shows special opportunity or
need for improved equal opportunity. Toward this end each department or unit
head will consult with the director of the office of equal opportunity and
compliance, drawing upon recorded experience in personnel actions of the
department or unit. (F) Equality of access to educational and
training opportunities. (1) Subject to
availability of resources, the university will provide training and educational
programs for advancement of the qualifications of employees. All members of the
university, including persons with disabilities, disabled veterans, and
veterans of the Vietnam era will be encouraged to avail themselves of such
programs where applicable. (2) Availability of
employee training and educational programs will be communicated by posting
appropriate notices. (3) Eligibility
requirements for participation in employee training and educational programs
shall be related to the purposes and goals of such programs respectively, and
shall not be designed to exclude or inhibit participation by any member of the
university community including persons with disabilities, disabled veterans, or
veterans of the Vietnam era. (G) Application of equal opportunity
policy in all personnel actions. (1)
Recruitment. (a) In all recruitment activities, effort will be made to attract
numbers of candidates including qualified persons for whom equality of
opportunity is especially sought by the equal opportunity policy, so that fair
consideration can be given to them. As may be feasible, candidates will be
sought from sources, institutions, or publications through which such qualified
candidates might be expected to be located and informed of the job
opportunities at all levels. (b) The division of people, culture and belonging will serve as
the central recruiting office for classified civil service employment and will
apply the principles specified in paragraph (F)(1)(a) of this rule in
recruitment of personnel into such employment and in referrals of candidates to
appointing officers. (c) Other units, departments, and appointing authorities in the
process of recruitment of non-classified civil service, faculty, and other
contract personnel, will also apply the principles specified in paragraph
(G)(1)(a) of this rule. (d) In order to maintain capability of evaluation of recruitment
processes, records will be kept on the history of each recruitment, sufficient
to indicate whether, in what manner, and to what extent the provisions of
paragraphs (G)(1)(a), (G)(1)(b), and (G)(1)(c) of this rule have been pursued.
Records will include, for each applicant, name, gender, race, religion,
national origin, disability (optional), armed forces service, referral source,
and disposition of application. These records shall be retained for a minimum
of three years. (e) The university will regularly publish and widely disseminate
throughout the internal university community, full information about current
job opportunities in the university, so that all employees, including persons
with disabilities, disabled veterans, and veterans of the Vietnam era will have
knowledge and therefore opportunity to compete for such announced
positions. (2) Selection for
employment. (a) Applicants for job openings will be considered on a basis of
qualifications only as those qualifications relate to job related selection
criteria. (b) Reasonable records will be kept on the history of each
employment, sufficient to indicate whether, in what manner, and to what extent
the principles specified in paragraph (G)(2)(a) of this rule have been applied.
Such records will reflect, but not be limited to, the specific basis on which
one candidate was offered appointment in reference to all others. Such records
will include, with respect to each employment, a recruitment profile completed
by the appointing unit in consultation with the director of the office of equal
opportunity and compliance. The recruitment profile will include or reflect the
position description, application forms, interview processes and/or test
administration, and final selection process. (c) All applications for regular positions will be retained for a
minimum of three years. All applications for temporary positions will be
retained for three years. From these and other sources, departments and the
office of equal opportunity and compliance will maintain files of potential
candidates as a further resource for future recruitment, available to all units
of the university. (d) The director of the office of equal opportunity and
compliance will monitor the flow of appointments and of their respective
recruitment profiles, and will counsel officers of the university and
department and unit heads, especially with reference to areas of operations
where major opportunity for improvement or simplification of processes emerges.
Job criteria will be reviewed as necessary to guard against invalid
disproportionate rejection of candidates by racial or ethnic groups or by
gender. (3) Job assignment.
Candidates accepted for appointment will be assigned to positions for which
they are qualified without reference to age, race, religion, color, gender,
sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or identity as a disabled
veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era. (4) Testing. (a) Applicants who are required to pass a test to be considered
for employment, job assignment, transfer or promotion will be advised of the
achievement requirements insofar as rigid requirements for passing are imposed,
and will be informed of their test results. (b) Results of tests taken by persons hired will be recorded in
each such person's file. (c) Tests and standards of passing shall not, inadvertently or
otherwise, be such as to result in unlawful discrimination, and will be
reviewed wherever evidence is found that such unlawful discrimination might be
occurring. (5) Promotion. (a) Records shall be maintained, and updated annually, whereby
the lateral and/or vertical movement of employees can be ascertained and
evaluated with special reference to equality of opportunity for
promotion. (b) Formal promotion procedures shall be maintained to ensure
equality of opportunity for promotion. Promotion procedures for academic
personnel shall be those specified by the board elsewhere in the official
policies of the university. Bases for promotion of nonacademic employees shall
include but not be limited to the employee performance record; the demonstrated
qualification of the employee to perform successfully in the more advanced
position; and also, as may be allowable under law and regulations, length of
service. Policies and procedures governing promotion and tenure shall conform
to the university's equal opportunity policy and shall be implemented
pursuant to this affirmative action plan. Such policies and procedures shall be
reviewed from time to time to this end. (c) Labor agreements between the university and unions or
professional organizations, insofar as they apply to promotions as well as to
other matters, shall conform to law both as to content and
implementation. (6) Layoffs and
terminations. (a) Unlawful discrimination shall not be the basis for layoff or
termination of employment of any employee. (b) In the event of any substantial and necessarily planned
reductions in force, the university will prepare such plans with reference to
the equal opportunity policy, in addition to other factors; and all reasonable
and lawful steps will be taken to assure that no layoff or termination occurs
on a basis of age, race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, national
origin, disability, or identity as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam
era. As to persons covered under a collective bargaining agreement, the lawful
terms of the agreement regarding layoff and termination shall
prevail. (c) The director of the office of equal opportunity and
compliance will be available, upon employee request, to counsel affected
employees as to appropriate and lawful steps whereby adverse effects upon the
employee's occupational and economic security might be mitigated, insofar
as personnel and other resources of the director's office can sustain such
counseling. (7) Salary and fringe
benefits. (a) No award of salary or fringe benefits to any employee shall
be on a differentiated basis of unlawful discrimination as to age, race, color,
religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or identity
as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era. (b) Each department or unit of the university will review
periodically the salary and fringe benefit status of all of its employees, with
special reference to reassurance that no unlawful discrimination exists between
individual employees in equivalent positions with comparable qualifications,
experience, responsibilities, and performance levels. Work force analyses
prepared pursuant to paragraph (D) of this rule will include these data.
Remedies proven to be needed will be made, pursuant to law and subject to
availability of resources. (8) Terms and conditions
of employment. (a) There shall be no unlawful discrimination as to the terms and
conditions of employment, on a basis of age, race, color, religion, gender,
sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or identity as a disabled
veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era. For purposes of this rule, terms and
conditions of employment shall include but not be limited to such factors as
working environment, educational and training opportunities, research
opportunities, use of facilities, opportunities for participation in
professional discourse or deliberative processes, or attendance
requirements. (b) Subject to law and regulations, women will not be specially
penalized in their conditions of employment because of pregnancy or childbirth.
Reasonable leaves of absence for these purposes will be considered on the same
basis as leaves of absence without pay for other valid purposes as provided
under official policies of the university; and maintenance of seniority or
other fringe benefits shall be on the same basis as in the case of such other
officially authorized leaves of absence. (c) The university policy regarding nepotism shall be
administered on a nondiscriminatory basis, pursuant to the equal opportunity
policy. (H) Design and implementation of
appropriate audit and reporting systems. (1) Appropriate equal
opportunity records shall be kept, and reports rendered, as required above in
paragraph (D) of this rule, work force analysis and annual report to the
president; paragraph (E) of this rule, goals and timetables; paragraph (G) of
this rule, personnel actions; and otherwise as may be directed by the
president. The director of the office of equal opportunity and compliance shall
have primary responsibility for design and scheduling of such records and
reports, subject to appropriate supervision by the vice president for division
of people, culture and belonging (or designee), and in appropriate consultation
with other university officers, and department and unit heads. (2) Records shall be
kept, and reports rendered externally, pursuant to laws calling for such
records and reports. (3) In the event of a
filing of a formal complaint, and/or enforcement procedures in individual
cases, records of such cases shall be maintained continuously and kept until
final disposition of such cases, and for such further periods as may be
required under law. (I) Verification and reporting; equal
opportunity policies and practices of unions and contractors having dealings
with the university. (1) The university will
send notice to each labor union or representative of workers having a
collective bargaining agreement or contract with the university, advising the
labor union or workers; representative of its obligations under laws and
regulations pertaining to equal opportunity, and of the university's equal
opportunity policy. All contracts shall conform to law and to the
university's equal opportunity policy. (2) The university will
send, through its purchasing department or other appropriate officer, a notice
equivalent to that prescribed in paragraph (I)(1) of this rule to vendors and
contractors engaging in transactions with the university, also advising such
vendors and contractors of responses that may be required of them under
law. (3) The senior vice
president for finance and administration shall have responsibility for
procurement, from contractors or vendors of appropriately executed
nondiscrimination statements, with copies sent to the office of equal
opportunity and compliance, as may be required by law; and will maintain files,
available for inspection, of all notices and executed statements rendered
pursuant to paragraph (I) of this rule. (4) University officers
responsible for contractual dealings with contractors or vendors will maintain
rosters or directories of minority enterprises, as defined by law; and will,
pursuant to law, enable such enterprises to compete for opportunities to sell
goods and services to the university. (J) Provision for resolution of
complaints and grievances. (1) The university
maintains formal grievance procedures, pertaining to a variety of potential
bases of grievance, available to faculty and staff, elsewhere in its officially
published policies. Whenever any such formal grievance or complaint is filed,
and consist of or includes alleged discrimination in violation of the equal
opportunity, the procedure also shall include notification to the office of
equal opportunity and compliance. In such an instance, the director of the
office of equal opportunity and compliance will separately examine the element
or elements of the grievance alleging discrimination, and will make the results
of such examination known to the vice president for division of people, culture
and belonging (or designee), with a copy to the appropriate sector vice
president or other appointing authority, before final disposition of the
grievance. (2) In any instance in
which a complainant files a complaint with a governmental agency of competent
jurisdiction, alleging discrimination in violation of valid laws and
regulations, and in which the university is officially notified of such
complaint, the complaint shall be examined by the director of the office of
equal opportunity and compliance. In instances requiring external response
including more than routine rendering of data of public record, there shall be
consultation with the appropriate divisional facilitator, and the president,
before formal response. (K) Special provisions relative to
persons with disabilities. The section set forth below as well as the other
sections contained in this rule are intended in good faith to incorporate
sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the American
Disabilities Act of 1990, and other relevant federal, state and local
regulations as required by law. (1) The director of the
office of equal opportunity and compliance is designated as the compliance
coordinator for purposes of compliance with law applicable to persons with
disabilities. (2) Special care will be
taken to ensure that employment practices and criteria are job related and do
not needlessly have the effect of excluding the person with a disability from
consideration. To this end the vice president for the division of people,
culture and belonging (or designee), and where appropriate, the office of
faculty affairs, in consultation with the director of the office of equal
opportunity and compliance, will periodically review position employment
practices and criteria. (3) Pursuant to law, and
subject to further provisions set forth in this paragraph, the university will
not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of
disability, as defined, in regard to any position for which the employee or
applicant for employment is qualified; and generally will apply the affirmative
action federal contractor compliance program on behalf of persons with
disabilities as well as other groups affected by the equal opportunity
policy. (a) Has a physical or mental impairment which substantially
limits one or more major live activities; (b) Has a record of such impairment; (c) Is being regarded as having such an impairment. (4) Pursuant to law, and
subject to further provisions set forth below, the university will not
discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of
disability, as defined, in regard to any position for which the employee or
applicant for employment is qualified; and generally will apply the affirmative
action program on behalf of persons with disabilities as well as other groups
affected by the equal opportunity policy. (5) The university will
make reasonable accommodation to the known limitations of a qualified disabled
applicant or employee. In determining of what does or does not constitute
reasonable accommodation, the elements of business necessity, financial cost,
any resulting personnel problems, undue hardship on the program, and the safety
or health of those employees adversely affected, among others, may be
considered. (6) The university may
inquire into an applicant's ability to perform job-related tasks
effectively and safely, and into the extent and status of disability, provided
that information given regarding disability shall be voluntary and shall be
kept confidential except as provided in this rule. (7) The university may
require medical examination of any employee or of any applicant who has been
conditionally offered employment. Such examination shall not result in unlawful
discrimination on the basis of disability and the results shall be held
confidential except as provided in this rule. (8) Information obtained
by a required medical examination, or by inquiries into applicants' or
employees' physical and mental conditions shall be kept confidential
except that supervisors shall be informed regarding restrictions on the work
duties of persons with disabilities and any reasonable accommodations required;
and except as first aid and safety personnel need to be informed; and except as
compliance reporting under law requires inclusion of such
information. (9) For compliance
purposes, all employees and applicants for employment are given opportunity to
self-identify themselves as persons with disabilities. For such purposes, all
applicants for employment will have opportunity to submit a completed form, so
identifying themselves, to the office of equal opportunity and compliance and
the personnel department, on a voluntary basis, in order to avail themselves of
benefits of the office of equal opportunity and compliance
program. (10) Prior to filing a
complaint with an external agency, it is recommended that an individual exhaust
the administrative internal complaint of discrimination procedure in the office
of equal opportunity and compliance. External agencies include but are not
limited to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, Equal Opportunity Commission, the
Department of Education, and the Department of Labor, Office of Federal
Contract Compliance Programs." (L) Special provisions relative to
disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era. The section set forth below,
as well as the other sections contained in this rule, are intended in good
faith to incorporate sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
the American Disabilities Act of 1990, The Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment
Assistance Act of 1974, and other relevant federal, state and local regulations
as required by law. (1) The director of the
office of equal opportunity and compliance is designated as the compliance
coordinator for purposes of compliance with law applicable to disabled veterans
and veterans of the Vietnam era. The director of equal opportunity and
compliance (or designee), will annually review employment matters including but
not limited to: factors used in the hiring and promotion process, work force
goals, and statistics. (2) The office of equal
opportunity and compliance, the division of people, culture and belonging, and
where appropriate, the office of faculty affairs, in consultation, will serve
to establish and coordinate reasonable accommodation to those disabled veterans
requesting such accommodations. (3) For purposes of the
policy the following terms are defined: (a) "Disabled veteran" is defined as a person entitled
to disability compensation under laws administered by the veterans
administration for disability rated at thirty per centum or more, or a person
whose discharge or release from active duty was for a disability incurred or
aggravated in the line of duty. (b) "Qualified disabled veteran" is defined as a
disabled veteran as defined in 41 Code of Federal Regulations, chapter
60-250.2, who is capable of performing a particular job, with reasonable
accommodation to their disability. (c) "Veteran of the Vietnam era" is defined as a person
who: (i) Served active duty
for a period of more than 180 days, any part of which occurred between August
5, 1964, and May 7, 1975, and was discharged or released therefrom with other
than a dishonorable discharge, or (ii) Was discharged or
released from active duty for a service-connected disability if any part of
such active duty was performed between August 5, 1964, and May 7,
1975. (4) Kent state university
will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because
he or she is a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era in regard to any
position for which the employee or applicant for employment is
qualified. (5) The university will
take compliance efforts to offer employment, employ, advance in employment, and
otherwise treat qualified disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era
without discrimination based upon their disability or veterans status in all
employment practices such as the following: employment upgrading, demotion or
transfer, recruitment, advertising, layoff or termination, rates of pay or
other forms of compensation, and selection for training. (6) The university lists
all non-student employment openings with a salary basis of less than
twenty-five thousand dollars per year and which are not restricted to internal
applicants, with the Ohio department of job and family services. Local offices
of the bureau will be on the mailing lists of university publications
announcing vacancies in the university. (7) The
university's employment practices will be conducted in a manner consistent
with all legally binding contractual agreements, collective bargaining
agreements, regulations, and statutes. (8) For compliance and
equal opportunity purposes, all employees and applicants for employment are
given opportunity to voluntary self-identify themselves as disabled veterans
and veterans of the Vietnam era. For such purposes, all applicants for
employment will have opportunity to submit a completed form, so identifying
themselves, to the office of office of equal opportunity and compliance, in
order to avail themselves of benefits of the federal contractor compliance
program. (9) In determining the
qualifications of a covered veteran, the university shall consider that portion
of the military record, including discharge papers, relevant to the specific
job qualifications for which the veteran is being considered. (10) Information obtained
by a required medical examination or inquiries into applicants' or
employees' physical or mental conditions will be kept confidential except
that supervisors shall be informed regarding restrictions on the work duties of
the disabled veterans and regarding accommodations; and except as first aid and
safety personnel need be informed of conditions which might require treatment;
and except as compliance reporting under law requires inclusion of such
information. (11) In determining the
extent of the university's obligation to make reasonable accommodation to
the physical or mental limitations of a disabled veteran, the following factors
among others may be considered: business necessity, financial cost, and safe
performance of the job. (12) In addition to
generally applicable features of the equal opportunity and compliance
recruitment program, the university will undertake appropriate outreach and
positive recruitment activities to recruit qualified disabled veterans and
veterans of the Vietnam era; and will enlist and support appropriate recruiting
sources such as the local veterans' employment representative, the
veterans' administration, veterans' service groups, campus
veterans' counselors and coordinators, and veterans'
organizations. (13) The director of the
office of equal opportunity and compliance and the vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging are available to provide guidance,
information, direction, and counseling to all university employees including
disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era. (14) Prior to filing a
complaint with an external agency, it is recommended that an individual exhaust
the administrative internal complaint of discrimination procedure in the office
of equal opportunity and compliance. External agencies include but are not
limited to the department of labor, office of federal contract compliance
programs, and the veterans' employment service.
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:41 AM
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Rule 3342-6-02.101 | Operational procedures and regulations regarding job communication.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) Purpose. It is the policy of the
university to fill its employment vacancies by selecting from the available
labor market those persons best qualified to perform the job-related
requirements of the employing unit and the university. (B) Definitions. The following
definitions and guidelines will be followed in pursuing these policy
objectives: (1) A
"position" is a job that has been approved by the appropriate
university administrator. (2) An "open
position" is a vacancy. It is created by: (a) The transfer, promotion, advancement or loss of an
employee, or (b) The approval by the appropriate administrator for the
addition of a position. (3) A "job
opportunity" is a vacancy authorized for filling by: (a) Promoting or advancing an employee from a lower job
title, transfer, by reassignment of duties, or (b) By a direct hire. (C) Selection procedure for contract
personnel. (1) Applicants for
employment vacancies shall be considered not in the abstract but according to
their qualifications to perform the work. Criteria for selecting the best
qualified candidate should be related to the expected duties and
responsibilities for the position. (2) All selection
specifics, including criteria used, position description, interview procedure,
methods used for rating candidates, and method used for final selection are
subject to final review by the office of equal opportunity and compliance
(EOC). The following steps will be included in the review: (a) The office of EOC shall be notified of intent to fill a
position opening and furnished with the following information and
documents: (i) Proposed job
announcement for internal publications. (ii) List of additional
publications in which advertisement will appear, including media directed to
potential veterans and candidates with disabilities, and a copy of the proposed
advertisement. (iii) List of other
planned recruitment contacts. (iv) Position description
to be used by the search committee or others involved in the selection and
hiring process. (v) List of any criteria
or qualifications not included in the position description but which will be
used in the judging of individual candidates. (vi) Names of members of
the search committee. (b) Persons involved in the selection process shall be
advised of their responsibility to implement the university's policy of
nondiscrimination by completing the hiring certification training in canvas.
Such advisement should include a meeting of the search committee with the
director of the office of EOC or designee. (c) At the end of the initial recruitment period, the EOC
will be notified as to whether the pool of candidates includes reasonable
representation of qualified available veterans and persons with disabilities,
in accordance with availability data in the field. If not, nominations from
individuals and groups most knowledgeable about the process should be sought,
as well as from the assistance of the office of EOC. (d) To recruit from an intellectually diverse pool,
traditional recruitment and selection methods must be supplemented by the
following actions: (i) Advertising in media
directed to a wide range of potential veterans and persons with
disabilities. (ii) Direct phone or mail
contact with departments or other sources of veterans and disabled persons with
a disability. For example, positions in areas such as STEM and nursing that are
traditionally underrepresented should ensure equal opportunities are offered in
all programs and positions. (iii) Consideration of
all current faculty, staff, or graduate students at the university,
particularly qualified veterans and persons with a disability, to fill
vacancies. (iv) Assurances that all
advertisements announcing employment vacancies carry the statement "Equal
Opportunity Employer," and that no advertisements indicate sex
preference. (v) Assurance that
search/interview committees include diversity among the members. (vi) Distribution to all
candidates of the "Voluntary Demographic Question" requesting
voluntary disclosure of disability and veteran status, which will be maintained
in the office of EOC as part of the applicant flow data. (D) Procedure. In order to appropriately
verify that all federal contractor compliance program guidelines are followed,
the following procedure is to be used for the recommendation of appointment for
all contract personnel: (1) Upon completion of the search
committee/interview procedures, the department head will forward a completed
recommendation form and material related to appointment recommendations to the
appropriate administrative officer. Academic department appointments will be
forwarded to the deans and school directors. Nonacademic departments will
forward the forms to the appropriate unit director. (2) These forms and related materials,
including the completed recruitment profile, should then be forwarded to the
director of the office of EOC (or designee) for approval prior to submission to
the appropriate vice president for referral to the president. (E) Temporary positions. (1) If a temporary
position had been filled after duly required advertising, a reappointment to
that temporary position need not be readvertised. Where the initial appointment
stipulated temporary for the academic year without the further stipulation of
one year only, the person could be reappointed under the same terms and
conditions of employment outlined in the advertisement for x number of years in
the future. A clarifying statement of possibility of reappointment should be
included among the original appointment documents. (2) Where the
advertisement for a temporary position stipulates one year only, that position
necessarily must be readvertised should the department wish to fill the
position again, or should it wish to transfer the person filling the position
from temporary employee status to regular employee status. The sole exception
to readvertisement occurs under the special terms providing for internal
advancement. (See rule 3342-6-02.102 of the Administrative Code and this
register). (F) Pool concept for part-time and
full-time temporary positions. All academic units of the university, Kent
campus and regional campuses that use part-time or full-time temporary
personnel must use the "pool concept" for selecting and hiring such
personnel. (1) Each academic unit
will announce job opportunities for temporary personnel in internal
publications and other appropriate publications prior to the beginning of the
fall semester each year. All equal opportunity procedures must be
followed. (2) Requests for pool
applicants may be advertised at other times during the year if there is a need.
Names may be added at any time to the pool during the year. (3) It must be recognized
that certain courses cannot be filled on the basis of "pool
concept." For example, highly specialized upper division or graduate
courses which are suddenly vacated by the death or sudden illness of a faculty
member cannot ordinarily be filled from a specialized generalized pool which is
intended mainly for the lower division general pool. For this reason, the
academic dean may request a modification in the procedure for such specialized
cases. Approval or disapproval will be given by the office of the vice
president for the division of people, culture and belonging. (4) Applicants who are
selected by the academic unit will become part of the general pool for that
year. Obviously, there will be different pools for different types of
positions. For example, the department of biological sciences might need one
pool of persons to teach overflow sections of general biology, and another pool
of persons qualified to teach overflow sections of local flora. (5) Each academic unit
must clearly define the qualifications and other criteria for admission to the
pool, for continuance in the pool, and for rank ordering within the
pool. (6) Appointees will be
selected from the pool of accepted candidates in a rotation scheme which is
clearly defined prior to an internal announcement. The rotation scheme used may
be either of two types: (a) Semester rotation, with the most qualified applicant
being selected each term. (b) Yearly rotation in which the entire group of pool
members will be eligible for selection in order during the year according to
need. (7) The departmental
chairperson must obtain approval from the dean and the vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging or designee for the rotation scheme
that will be used. (G) Tentative-position
advertising. (1) Vacancies which are
sent to the office of talent management without request for reinstatement of
position forms will be returned to the appropriate unit for proper
authorization. Tentative or possible positions will be presented to the
appropriate office for the vice president's official verification of
authorization prior to their being announced internally. (2) When the tentative or
possible position is deemed an approved position, the appropriate copy should
be sent to the office of EOC for filing with the other material of
record. (H) Deadline. The deadline for submission
of copy-ready material to be included in the latest job opportunity publication
will be three p.m. on the Wednesday preceding the Friday printing date. All
material submitted after three p.m. on the Wednesday preceding the printing
date shall be included in the next following appropriate
publication. (I) Classified civil service job
communication. The deadline for submitting all personnel job listings for
publication is the same as that for contract personnel. In addition,
nonacademic personnel must refrain from posting any position if the posting
date and publication date do not coincide or closely approximate one another.
(J) Summary. It is the policy of the
university that all job opportunities be filled within a reasonable period of
time with the qualified personnel in accordance with the university's
policy on equal employment opportunity. All job vacancies in the
university's applicant tracking system shall be communicated internally
as well as to the widest relevant recruitment area. (K) Job opportunities. Job opportunities
in the classified civil service shall be filled in so far as practicable by
promotions according to civil service laws and applicable employee union
agreements. Therefore, when the university determines a vacancy exists and it
is not filled by transfer or lateral shift, a notice of the vacancy, including
job details, shall be advertised and posted according to the job opportunity
communication policy. (L) Notice. Contract job opportunities
shall be circulated throughout the relevant recruitment area and internally
through the job opportunities communication system. All job opportunities shall
be posted within the organizational unit in which they occur. (M) All job opportunity descriptions not
exempt from this rule will be disseminated in accordance with the following
procedures: (1) Classified
maintenance and service group vacancies covered under university union
agreements will be listed for one printing after the five calendar days posting
required by the agreement when the vacancy is not filled by paragraph
(1)(B)(2)(a) of this rule. Applicants shall have five working days from the
date of publication to apply for the position before the vacancy may be filled
by the department from among all qualified applicants. (2) For all other civil
service positions, job opportunities shall be posted for five working days in
conspicuous places accessible to employees. If it is not determined that the
position will be filled by the transfer, promotion or referral from a bona fide
eligibility list, the job opportunity will be listed for at least one printing
of an internal publication after the five-day posting period. Applicants shall
have ten working days from the date of publication to apply for the job
opportunity before it may be filled by the department from among all qualified
applicants. (3) All contract job
opportunities shall be announced in an internal publication when accompanied by
the required authorization from the major budget officer. If it is not
determined that the position will be filled by paragraph (1)(B)(2)(a) of this
rule, the job opportunity shall be listed for at least one printing. Applicants
shall have a minimum of ten working days from the date of the publication to
apply for the job opportunity before it may be filled by the department from
among all qualified applicants according to interview/search committee
practices. (4) Job opportunity
advertisements shall include the job title, qualifications, responsibilities,
application deadline, and person to contact, unless there are extenuating
circumstances which have been discussed with and received approval from the
office of EOC prior to advertisement. (N) All solicitations or advertisements
for employees by, or on behalf of, the university will state that the
university is "An Equal Opportunity Employer." (O) Employee referral source should
include sources that can be expected to contact applicants from all demographic
groups, including, persons with disabilities, and protected
veterans. (P) Individual short notices and
temporary vacancies not to exceed one hundred twenty calendar days in duration,
shall be exempt from publication requirements. However, departments that
anticipate making such appointments shall follow the "pool concept"
policy for communications of such job opportunities. Deviation from use of the
pool requires approval from the major budget officer and the endorsement of the
office of EOC. (Q) This communication rule applies to
all positions in the university system except those student employment
opportunities coordinated by the student financial billing and enrollment
center. (R) Positions established through grants
shall be exempt from this communication policy if the names of individuals to
fill the proposed positions have been submitted as part of the grant proposal.
All other grant positions which become job opportunities shall be subject to
this communication rule.
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:47 AM
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Rule 3342-6-02.102 | Operational procedures and regulations regarding waivers of posting for job vacancies.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) There are occasions when efficiency,
productivity and fairness can best be served by appointing a uniquely qualified
individual to a vacant position. When a particular candidate has the required
direct experience and familiarity with the university, as well as appropriate
credentials, or because internal management policy and practices provide for
upward staff mobility, it is not necessary or appropriate to apply regular
procedures for job communication as set forth in rule 3342-6-02.101 of the
Administrative Code. (B) The office of equal opportunity and
compliance (EOC) will evaluate waiver requests to ensure consistency and
obligations regarding federal contract compliance the university has under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Vietnam Era Veterans'
Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA). (C) Therefore, any department head who
wishes to fill a position within his/her specific unit and to waive the job
communication policy may file such a request with the designated representative
in the division of people, culture and belonging (DPCB). The DPCB
representative will process and provide the waiver request to the strategic
hiring committee (SHC) for review and approval. The office of equal opportunity
and compliance will apply the following criteria in deciding whether to support
a waiver request: (1) Credentials of the
preferred candidate match the job description and other stated
requirements; (2) Direct experience in
the unit has been established as necessary and relevant; and (3) The
university's current composition is such that the recommended appointment
would not seriously impede federal compliance progress or meeting set goals and
timetables. (D) Once the office of equal opportunity and compliance has
provided a written recommendation, that information is then shared with the SHC
to make an informed decision on whether the position is approved as a waiver of
posting. Departments or units will be notified in writing whether their waiver
request has been approved or denied.
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:41 AM
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Rule 3342-6-02.103 | University policy regarding equal opportunity.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Policy statement. Pursuant to
paragraph (K)(5) of rule 3342-6-02.1 of the Administrative Code, Kent state
university establishes the following interactive procedures to assist employees
and visitors to campus seeking to request an accommodation for a disability as
defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA as amended). The office
of equal opportunity and compliance (EOC) will be responsible for the
administration of this policy. (B) Scope. This policy is limited to university employees,
including staff, faculty members, and student employees seeking a disability
accommodation in order to perform the duties of their job or enjoy the benefits
and privileges of their employment; and to visitors to the extent addressed in
paragraph (D) of this rule. This policy does not address the accommodation
process in place for students as administered through the office of student
accessibility services (SAS). Job applicants for employment may request a
reasonable accommodation from the hiring manager or the contact person listed
on the job posting, who may then confer with EOC in reviewing such requests for
reasonableness and assistance with implementation. (C) Confidentiality. All information related to
accommodation requests will be maintained as confidential to the extent
permitted by law. It may be necessary for EOC to confer with an employee's
supervisor regarding the requested accommodation, the employee's
limitations in performing job duties, and to notify their supervisor of an
approved accommodation. However, medical diagnoses will not be disclosed to
their supervisors without the employee's consent. (D) Visitors to campus. Pursuant to rule 3342-5-12.401 of
the Administrative Code, EOC collaborates with university event coordinators to
provide reasonable accommodations for visitors and guests with a disability or
impairment to participate in a university program or activity. Visitors and
guests seeking an accommodation are encouraged to contact the event coordinator
prior to the event to ensure the requested accommodation is reviewed and
implemented in a timely manner if the accommodation is determined to be
reasonable. Event coordinators are encouraged to keep accessibility at the
forefront when planning events. Visitors to campus not attending a specific
event are encouraged to visit https://www.kent.edu/accessibility, or to contact
EOC for accessibility needs or requests. Visitors who believe this policy has
been violated may file a complaint in accordance with rule 3342-5-16.1 of the
Administrative Code by visiting
https://www.kent.edu/people-and-culture/discrimination-and-harassment. Failure
to provide reasonable notice of an accessibility request may delay the process
or result in denial of accommodation. (E) Definitions (1) Disability. For purposes of providing an accommodation
under this policy, "disability" refers to a physical or mental
condition that substantially limits a major life activity (e.g., caring for
one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking,
breathing, learning, and working); or a record of physical or mental
impairment. (2) Interactive process. An interactive process allows
employees and the university to provide input and feedback in determining a
reasonable accommodation. The goal of the interactive process outlined in this
policy is: (a) Determine if an
employee has a disability (b) Identify the precise
limitations resulting from the disability as related to the employee's job
functions, benefits or privileges; (c) Identify potential
reasonable accommodations that could address those limitations;
and (d) Determine whether a
reasonable accommodation will be granted. The interactive process may involve
consultation with the employee, the employee's supervisors, the
employee's healthcare provider, and other relevant university staff or
departments as necessary to complete the process. (3) Reasonable accommodation. For the purposes of this
policy, "reasonable accommodation" refers to modifications or
adjustments to the work environment, policies, or practices that enable an
employee with a disability to perform the duties of their job or enjoy the
benefits and privileges of their employment. An accommodation is not reasonable
if it would result in an undue burden to the university, such as fundamentally
altering an essential function of an employee's job. There may be several
reasonable accommodations that could address the limitations arising from an
employee's disability; the university may provide, at its discretion, an
alternative to the accommodation requested by the employee or recommended by
the employee's healthcare provider if another reasonable accommodation is
sufficient. (4) Assistive technology. Assistive technology refers to
any technology that provides assistance to individuals with disabilities in
order to maintain or improve their functional capabilities in their
environment, such as Braille displays, modified keyboards, FM assistive hearing
units, or screen readers. (5) Undue hardship. Undue hardship refers to a significant
difficulty or expense and focuses on the resources and circumstances of the
particular employer in relation to the cost or difficulty of providing a
specific accommodation. Undue hardship refers not only to financial difficulty,
but to reasonable accommodations that are unduly extensive, substantial, or
disruptive, or those that would fundamentally alter the nature or operation of
the business. (6) Major life activity. Major life activities include, but
are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing,
hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking,
breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and
working. (7) Substantially limited. Substantially limited include,
but are not limited to, an impairment that may limit someone's ability to
perform some aspect of their job, but otherwise not substantially limit any
other major life activity. (F) Interactive process. (1) To initiate the interactive process and to formally
request an accommodation, the employee should obtain and complete the
electronic accommodation request forms available on the division of people,
culture and belonging website at:
https://www.kent.edu/people-and-culture/employee-accommodation-request
If a disability or impairment prevents the
employee or visitor from completing the online electronic form, please contact
EOC for assistance at compliance_equalopp@kent.edu or by phone at 330.672.2038.
(2) Documentation. (a) After reviewing the
request form, EOC may then require documentation of the employee's
impairment, including information about how that impairment substantially
limits the employee's major life activities, and specifically what
limitations the impairment creates for the employee regarding their employment
and what reasonable accommodations might be appropriate. EOC may provide a form
to be completed by a healthcare provider and returned directly to EOC. The
employee requesting the accommodation should also provide their healthcare
provider with a copy of their current official job description (classified and
unclassified positions: https://apps.kent.edu/JobDescriptions/; faculty
positions: https://www.onetcodeconnector.org. It is the employee's
responsibility to give the documentation of disability or impairment form and
the job description to their healthcare provider for completion. (b) The healthcare
provider form must be completed by a healthcare professional that has treated
or evaluated the employee for the impairment for which the accommodation has
been requested. (c) EOC may request
additional documentation and/or information for further clarification from the
employee and/or the healthcare provider. (d) Incomplete forms may
delay the process and may be returned to the employee for full completion.
Failure to return a properly completed form or provide additional needed
information may delay the interactive process or result in the denial of the
accommodation request for the employee. (e) The EOC office is the
only office authorized to formally approve or deny accommodations for
employees. Supervisors are expected to refer any employee requesting a
disability accommodation to EOC for assistance. Supervisors should not request
medical documentation from employees regarding an accommodation request.
(3) Reasonable accommodation discussion. Once all requested
documentation is received and reviewed and EOC has determined that the employee
has a disability as defined by this policy, the interactive process continues
to determine what, if any, reasonable accommodations would be appropriate. This
process may include discussions with the employee, the employee's
healthcare provider (with employee's consent), the employee's
supervisors, and other relevant university staff as necessary. (4) Determination. (a) An EOC representative
will review the information provided through the interactive process and may
approve or deny the request or propose an alternative accommodation. The EOC
representative will inform the employee and the employee's supervisors of
the determination as soon as reasonably possible. (b) If the employee feels
any approved accommodation is insufficient, the employee may request that EOC
reengage in the interactive process at any time with the goal of determining an
alternative reasonable accommodation. (c) If an approved
accommodation requires the procurement of any auxiliary aide(s), assistive
technology, equipment and/or services that may be necessary to achieve the
reasonable accommodation, the employee and/or the employee's supervisor
will work with their department's appointed designee, typically a
business manager, to purchase the equipment or services specified in the
determination letter issued by EOC. If the approved accommodation requires a
purchase of any equipment, furniture, product, or service, etc., and the
department plans to request reimbursement from EOC, EOC may require that three
quotes be submitted for consideration and approval. EOC may select from the
three quotes, complete an authorization fund expenditure form, and submit the
form to the employee's supervisor for a signature of approval. The
department is required to submit to EOC a paid receipt or documentation showing
proof of purchase for EOC to request reimbursement to the department's
index and account number. (d) EOC will not
reimburse for any equipment, furniture, product, or service purchased prior to
an approved accommodation implemented by this office. All purchases approved
through the EOC accommodation process shall be made by the employee's
department. Individual employees will not be reimbursed for purchases made
using the employee's personal assets. Certain expenses associated with
the shipment/delivery or assembly of new equipment, or the removal or storage
of existing furniture/equipment (e.g., desks, chairs, monitors, etc.) are not
eligible for reimbursement from the office of equal opportunity and compliance.
(e) Any equipment,
furniture, product, or service that is purchased by the university for
accommodation purposes is the property of the university. If the employee
separates from the university for any reason, the item(s) purchased will remain
at the university. If the employee transfers to another department and/or
campus, the equipment, furniture, product or service may go with the employee
to the new location, if the need for the accommodation still exists and the
accommodation is still reasonable. Any fees or delivery charges associated with
the relocation of equipment, furniture, product or services will be the
responsibility of the employee's new department. (5) Supervision or job changes. If an employee is granted a
reasonable accommodation, and is subsequently under new supervision for any
reason, it is the employee's responsibility to inform the new supervisor
of the existing accommodation. If an employee accepts a different position at
the university, or if the employee's current job duties change
significantly, the employee should contact EOC to evaluate the reasonableness
and effectiveness of their accommodation in light of their new position or new
job duties. This may require the employee to reengage in the interactive
process. (6) Changes in accommodations. If an employee is granted a
reasonable accommodation, it is their responsibility to keep EOC informed of
any changes or updates, or when the reasonable accommodation is no longer
needed. Moreover, any implemented accommodation may be reevaluated at the
discretion of EOC to determine if it continues to be feasible and appropriate
for the department or the university. (G) Appeal. (1) If the employee wishes to appeal the final
determination made by EOC, the employee may make such appeal to the vice
president of people, culture and belonging (or designee), within seven business
days of the receipt of the determination letter. (2) The employee may also contact EOC to discuss filing an
internal complaint of discrimination if the employee feels they have been
unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability. University
policies regarding unlawful discrimination can be found in rules 3342-5-16 and
3342-5-16.1 of the Administrative Code. (3) The employee may at any time file a complaint with an
external agency such as the Ohio civil rights commission and/or the U. S. equal
employment opportunity commission.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:51 AM
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Rule 3342-6-04 | University policy regarding appointment authority.
Effective:
August 30, 2025
(A) The president of the university shall
appoint and remove all university personnel and fix compensation for same
within the guidelines set forth by the board and by the laws of the state of
Ohio and subject to subsequent approval by the board except that, as to the
ranks of executive vice president, senior vice president, and vice president,
the board will be informed prior to appointment or removal. Said authority
shall include but not be limited to the authority to award or deny tenure to
probationary faculty and decide upon all promotions of faculty, subject to
subsequent approval by the board. (B) The president may delegate the
authority to make administrative or staff appointments to appropriate vice
presidents. (C) The board has designated the vice
president for the division of people, culture and belonging as appointing
authority for nonacademic classified employees. The vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging may designate that authority to the
associate vice president for the division of people, culture and
belonging.
Last updated September 2, 2025 at 7:33 AM
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Rule 3342-6-04.1 | Administrative policy regarding layoff or position abolishment for classified civil service staff who are not in a recognized bargaining unit.
(A) Policy statement. This policy shall be used by the university to initiate a reduction in the work force through layoffs or position abolishment and, in some cases, the displacement of employees as a result. (B) Because the university compensation plan for classified employees includes university classification titles and classification series, as opposed to the state of Ohio classification titles and classification series, the provisions of this policy are applicable within the university. (C) An employee may be laid off due to a temporary lack of work or lack of funds expected to last less than twelve months. (1) A lack of work, for purposes of layoff, means a department has a current or projected temporary decrease in the workload which requires a reduction of current or projected staffing levels; (2) A lack of funds means a department has a current or projected deficiency of funds to maintain current levels, or to sustain projected levels of staffing or operations. (D) An employee may be laid off as a result of the abolishment of a position. "Abolishment" is defined as the deletion of a position or positions from a department or the university for lack of continued need for the position or positions. An abolishment is expected to last more than twelve months. The director of personnel can abolish a position for one or more of the following reasons. (1) Reorganization for the efficient operation of a department or the university; (2) For reasons of economy; (3) For lack of work. (E) The director of personnel shall comply with applicable civil service regulations and the following provisions when laying off and recalling employees. (F) In instances where displacement could take place, displacement is within a layoff jurisdiction. The Kent campus shall comprise a jurisdiction. Within a jurisdiction, an employee may laid be off as follow: (1) The employee shall be transferred to an available vacancy within the same classification; (2) If the employee has more retention points than another employee serving in the same classification, then the employee with the fewest retention points shall be displaced; (3) If the employee has the fewest retention points in the classification, the employee may, in lieu of being laid off, fill an available vacancy in a lower classification in the same classification series or, displace the employee with the fewest retention points in the next or successively lower classification, provided no employee shall displace an employee with more retention points; (4) The employee may exercise his/her displacement rights within the classification the employee held immediately prior to holding the classification from which the employee is being laid off provided: (a) The employee was certified in the former classification; (b) The employee held the previous classification not more than five years prior to the effective date of layoff; (c) The employee meets the minimum qualifications of the classification; (d) The classification previously held was in a lower or equivalent pay grade as the employee's current classification; (e) The employee has more retention points, and displaces the employee in the former classification who has the fewest retention points; (5) An employee may displace the employee with the fewest retention points in a classification with the same or similar duties, as specified in paragraph (I) of this rule and of the Administrative Code, provided the employee has more retention points than the employee displaced. (6) In the event more than one displacement alternative is available, and all alternatives are at the same pay grade, the director of personnel shall determine which alternative(s) may be offered. (G) Retention points will be calculated for each employee in the classification affected by a layoff or position abolishment as well as for employees in the classification in which displacement may occur. Retention points shall be calculated in conformity with applicable civil service regulations. (H) An employee shall notify the director of personnel, in writing, of his/her intention to exercise his/her displacement rights within five calendar days after receipt of a notice of layoff or displacement. (I) No employee shall displace an employee for whose position or classification there exists minimum qualifications, as established by a position description, classification specification, or bona fide occupation qualification, unless the employee possesses the requisite minimum qualifications for the position or classification. (J) An employee exercising his/her displacement rights shall be paid within the pay grade assigned to his/her new classification. The employee shall be assigned to a rate i the pay range assigned to the new classification which is equivalent to the rate the employee was paid in his/her prior classification. If the rate an employee received in his/her prior classification exceeds the highest rate in the pay grade assigned to the new classification the employee will be assigned the highest rate within the new classification. (K) The following contains the complete listing of classifications with same or similar duties into which an employee may displace, in conformity with applicable civil service regulations. An employee with a classification listed on the right side of the list may, under certain conditions, displace into a classification listed as similar on the left side. (1) Classifications with same or similar duties: (a) EAB2 clerical specialist- EAC3 administrative clerk; (b) EAR1 typist- ETU1 medical typist; (c) EEH3 cashier supervisor- EEI3 cash processing coordinator; (d) EEI3 cash processing coordinator- EEH3 cashier supervisor; (e) EIB1 maintenance repair worker- EID1 building and ground/regional campus only- supervisor/regional campus; (f) EPB2 senior audio visual assistant- EPC 3 audio visual specialist; (g) EPU1 layout design technician or EPW1 photo lab technician- EPY1 pre-print supervisor. (L) Any accumulated unused balance of vacation and compensatory time shall be converted to a cash payment at the time an employee is laid off. (M) An employee may appeal a layoff, or a displacement which is the result of a layoff, to the state personnel board of review. Such appeal must be filed or postmarked no later than ten days after the employee receives notice of the layoff or displacement. An employee shall be considered displaced on the date the employee is notified that another employee has exercised his/her right to displace the employee form his/her position. Andy appeal shall be made in accordance with the rules promulgated by the state personnel board of review.
Last updated August 20, 2025 at 9:51 AM
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Rule 3342-6-04.2 | Administrative policy regarding employment of a near relative.
(A) There is no objection to the appointment of members of families throughout the university, regardless of relationship, so long as one family member is not in a position to influence a decision in favor of or against the other. (B) Therefore, pursuant to the guidelines for enforcement of Executive Order 11246 as promulgated by the United States department of health, education and welfare, university employees shall neither initiate nor participate in institutional decisions involving a direct benefit or detriment to members of their immediate families. (C) Any decisions involving such direct benefit or detriment shall be referred where appropriate to either an immediate supervisor or the proper appointing authority.
Last updated August 20, 2025 at 9:51 AM
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Rule 3342-6-04.3 | Administrative policy regarding independent contractors.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) Purpose and scope. The purpose of
this policy is to define the process for obtaining the professional services of
an independent contractor at Kent state university. It is the intent of the
university to classify individuals as independent contractors only when there
is a reasonable basis for such determination and in circumstances provided for
in this policy. (B) Eligibility. (1) Individuals
classified as independent contractors are not eligible for any employee
benefits, are not covered by worker's compensation, and fees paid for
professional services are not subject to income tax withholding. (2) Individuals who are
currently employed with Kent state university may not be engaged as an
independent contractor. (3) Individuals who have
been employed with Kent state university may not be engaged as an independent
contractor in the same calendar year that they were an employee performing the
same or similar duties. (4) Services performed by
an independent contractor shall not replace the work normally performed by a
university employee. (C) Definition of an independent
contractor. For the purposes of this policy, an independent contractor is an
individual who meets each of the following while performing a professional
service for the university: has a degree of skill or area of expertise not
normally available within the university; uses their own tools and equipment to
deliver the service, performs the service for a limited period of time not to
exceed six months; has complete control over the manner in which the work is
performed; and normally provides such services in the open marketplace.
(D) Procedure. (1) Prior to the
engagement of professional services of an independent contractor, a unit must
initiate the review process administered by the division of people, culture and
belonging and provide any materials as may be requested by the division
representative. At time such review is initiated, the parties (i.e. unit or the
independent contractor) may negotiate the terms of an agreement. However, such
agreement shall not be executed by either party prior to the conclusion of the
review process. (2) The review process by
the division of people, culture and belonging will result in either approval
for the unit to proceed, or denial. In the event of denial, the unit may engage
the division of people, culture and belonging to discuss alternatives as may be
available. (3) Upon approval and
prior to any services performed or delivered by the independent contractor, the
unit is responsible for ensuring that an agreement is executed with the
independent contractor in accordance with the process provided in rule
3342-5-04.1 of the Administrative Code. A copy of the duly executed agreement
shall be retained by the unit in accordance with the university record
retention schedule. (E) Exemptions and modifications. In rare
circumstances, the vice president for the division of people, culture and
belonging may determine that certain engagements are by their very nature
representative of an independent contractor relationship. For purposes of
expedience and efficiency, in their sole discretion, the vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging may determine that such engagements
are exempt from the review procedure provided in paragraphs (D)(1) and (D)(2)
of this rule, or may otherwise engage in a modification to such review as
approved by the vice president for human resources. (1) Exemptions and/or
modifications under this rule shall be submitted to the vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging by the divisional vice president.
Notification of any such exemptions and/or modifications shall be posted on the
division's website and further notification shall be provided to the
divisional vice presidents prior to the effective date of such exemption.
(2) Any exemptions and/or
modifications granted shall be reviewed on or before July first of each
year. (F) Violation. Violations of this policy
by units shall be directed to the vice president for the division of people,
culture and belonging for review and enforcement as may be necessary. Violation
of this policy by a university employee may subject such employee to
disciplinary action including, but not limited to, termination.
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:42 AM
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Rule 3342-6-04.4 | Administrative policy regarding volunteers.
(A) Policy statement. Individuals who
volunteer their time and expertise to the university provide an important
service and help further the mission of teaching, research and public service.
In turn, volunteers gain valuable experiences and a sense of personal
satisfaction. This policy is intended to help promote a productive, safe and
mutually beneficial environment for volunteers and for the university by
setting appropriate expectations and clarifying roles and
responsibilities. (B) Eligibility. This policy shall apply
to all campuses, divisions, colleges, schools, departments, offices, whether
academic or administrative for all volunteer opportunities on university
property or associated with official university functions. (C) Definition. (1) For the purposes of
this policy, a volunteer shall be an individual: (a) That freely offers without pressure or coercion,
direct or implied, to volunteer their services directly to the university,
whether on an ad hoc basis or through a formal volunteer program conducted by a
university department; and (b) That does not receive, nor has an expectation to
receive, monetary or material compensation or any form of remuneration or
benefit in exchange for such services. (2) For the purposes of this policy, a research volunteer
shall be a volunteer who participates in the conduct of
research/scholarship/creative activities (e.g. research assistants) in
accordance with this policy. Research volunteers include both non-KSU students
and KSU student volunteers who are not receiving payment or course credit to
participate in the conduct of research/scholarship/creative
activities. (3) Exclusions. (a) This policy shall not apply to volunteers who are
affiliated with and provide services on behalf of external third-party service
agencies or service organizations, as well as any nonprofit organizations
dedicated to providing fundraising, public outreach and other support services
to the university. (b) This policy shall not apply to student internships or
practicums conducted at the university for credit or through an executed
affiliation agreement between the university and a third party. (D) Implementation. (1) The
"coordinating department" refers to the university department
responsible for monitoring, supervising or otherwise organizing the volunteer
opportunity and is responsible for all activities of the
volunteer. (2) Permitted use. The
use of volunteers in the performance of volunteer services for the university
shall be at the sole discretion of the coordinating department. (3) Prohibited use. The
use of volunteers shall not replace or otherwise supplement work performed by
other university employees or those duties normally associated with paid
positions of the university. (4) Limited duration.
Volunteers shall not be engaged for more than twenty hours per week. Volunteers
shall be engaged for a period of limited duration and shall not be used for
long-term assignments. (5) Not employment.
Services provided by volunteers shall not be considered employment and are
subject to the following limitations: (a) Service under this policy shall not create any
entitlement, right or privilege on the part of any volunteer to continue
providing such services for the university in the future. (b) Volunteers are not eligible for any university benefits
including, but not limited to, sick leave, retirement or insurance
benefits. (c) Current university employees shall not volunteer in the
same capacity as their regular duties or perform the same type of services they
perform as an employee. (d) Volunteers shall not be monetarily or materially
compensated for any services provided and shall not incur any reimbursable
expenses during the course of the volunteer opportunity. (6) The coordinating
department must retain in a central location any records created during the
above procedures, as well as copies of any supporting documentation, for a
period of three years from the date the relationship with the volunteer ends,
or in accordance with the university retention schedules where
applicable. (E) Procedure. (1) Appointment. The
following preliminary actions must be completed prior to performing any
volunteer services for the university: (a) The coordinating department is responsible for ensuring
that volunteers have adequate experience, qualifications and training for the
tasks he/she will perform. (b) Volunteers must complete the "Volunteer
Assignment Form and Release" and return such to the coordinating
department. Research volunteers must complete the "Research Volunteer
Assignment Form and Release" and return such to the coordinating
department. (c) Volunteers who perform sensitive tasks, such as the
care and security of children, shall be required to submit to, and pass, a BCI
criminal background check in accordance with section 121.401 of the Revised
Code prior to performing such duties, and other such requirements as may be in
place by the university (i) The volunteer is
responsible for any costs associated with this test. (ii) The results of such
tests must be returned to and verified by the coordinating
department. (iii) The volunteer
assignment shall not begin until the volunteer has passed all checks required
under this policy. (d) Volunteers who will participate in programs or
opportunities involving minors must adhere to the requirements in the
university's minors on campus policy. (e) Where appropriate, volunteers must sign a
confidentiality agreement with the university. The confidentiality agreement
must be kept on file with the coordinating department in accordance with
university retention schedules. (f) Individuals under the age of eighteen need the
permission of their parents or legal guardians before they may provide services
as a volunteer. Such permission must be kept on file with the coordinating
department in accordance with university retention schedules. (g) Any and all, new or continuing, appointments to a
volunteer opportunity must have the final approval of the vice president, dean,
or designee prior to the commencement of such opportunity. (h) Notwithstanding
paragraph (E)(1)(g) of this rule, research volunteer appointments must have
final approval of a department chair prior to commencement of a research
volunteer opportunity. (2) Termination. (a) Volunteer services are provided at the pleasure of both
parties and may be terminated without prior notice by either
party. (b) If the coordinating department terminates the volunteer
opportunity, such coordinating department is responsible for providing notice
to the volunteer and such notice shall be kept with the original volunteer
assignment form and release. (c) If the volunteer terminates the volunteer opportunity,
such coordinating department must keep a record of such notice along with the
original volunteer assignment form and release. (F) Restrictions. (1) Volunteers shall not
supervise a staff member, including student employees, or other
volunteers. (2) Volunteers shall not
handle cash or other commercial transactions for the university.
Notwithstanding the preceding, research volunteers are permitted to handle
payments to research participants. (3) Individuals
performing service as volunteers may require access to equipment, facilities
and information necessary for that service. This access will be subject to the
following restrictions: (a) Volunteers shall neither be granted access to
university email, university financial accounts or funds, or university systems
such as the university payroll, purchasing, or student systems, nor shall they
be given the authority to commit university funds and/or enter into a contract
on behalf of the university. (b) Volunteers shall not be granted access to confidential
university information, including but not limited to, student or employee
medical records. Notwithstanding the preceding, research volunteers may receive
confidential and/or protected data in accordance with applicable law and an
IRB-approved research study. (c) Volunteers shall not be issued keys, swipe card, fobs
or other means used to gain access to buildings or offices. Notwithstanding the
preceding, research volunteers may be provided access to buildings and
laboratories/studios as necessary for conduct of the
research/scholarship/creative activity. (d) Volunteers shall not be issued access codes to
buildings or offices. (e) Volunteers shall not operate university
vehicles. (f) Volunteers shall not operate heavy
equipment. (g) Volunteers shall not have access to, use, otherwise
have contact with or voluntarily become exposed to hazardous substances,
dangerous equipment or material (including but not limited to contact with
blood products or serums) without prior approval by the appropriate vice
president of the division under which the volunteer opportunity resides.
Research volunteers may contact such substances in the normal conduct of a
research project.
Last updated August 20, 2025 at 9:51 AM
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Rule 3342-6-05 | University policy regarding employment of unclassified staff employees.
Effective:
August 30, 2025
(A) Appointment of the president. The
president of the university is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the
board without notice other than that noted in the minutes of the board. The
university constitution, paragraph (G)(2) of rule 3342-2-01 of the
Administrative Code, requires that "the board shall annually elect a
president of the university to hold office at the discretion of the
board." Compensation of the president is established by the board and
continues unless or until it is changed by the board. (B) Appointment of unclassified
employees. (1) All full-time
unclassified staff employees shall be employed by the university upon the
recommendation of the president and the approval of the board of trustees,
serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority, and are subject to the
policies, rules, and regulations of the university and to the laws and
regulations of the state of Ohio. (a) During the period of the appointment, unclassified staff
employees shall render fully the service to the university required by the
terms of the appointment and other appropriate policies, rules, and
regulations, as published in the Administrative Code and this
register. (b) The university shall make deductions from salary payments to
any unclassified staff employee as required by law, regulations, or policy and
may make other deductions as requested by the appointee and authorized by the
university. (c) A full-time unclassified staff appointment is ordinarily made
on a continuing basis; that is, an appointment is made with the expectation
that it will continue until notice is given by either the employee or the
university that it will terminate. (2) Appointments for
part-time unclassified staff positions or for specific periods may be issued
with the approval of the appointing authority. As applicable, an employment
agreement covering an unclassified staff position shall be executed by the
president and appointing authority (with regard to unclassified staff) and the
provost (with regard to faculty) on behalf of the university, and be offered to
the prospective employee ("appointee"). Each agreement shall
contain the following: (a) Term of appointment that is, continuing, full or part-time,
temporary, or for a specific period; (b) Title of position; (c) Annual salary and/or salary for the period to be covered;
and (d) Any special conditions relating to the
appointment. (3) Upon receiving the
employment agreement, the appointee shall have ten working days after the date
of issuance to sign and return the employment agreement to the division of
people, culture and belonging, unless this period is extended by mutual
agreement. All prospective appointees shall be informed that all offers of
employment under this rule are subject to and contingent upon the final
confirmation by the Kent state university board of trustees at the next
scheduled meeting. If the signed employment agreement is not returned within
the time allowed, the university shall consider the appointment refused and the
tender of appointment shall be voided. (C) Termination of appointment of
unclassified staff. With regard to an appointment under this policy,
termination of the current appointment may be initiated through resignation or
retirement; it may be initiated by mutual agreement of the employee and the
university for reasons of promotion or transfer; it may be initiated by the
university for demotion or may be initiated for reasons of disability leave
pursuant to rule 3342-6-11.3 of the Administrative Code and this register, by
authority of paragraphs (C), (D), (E)(1), and (E)(2) of this rule or by
expiration of the term of an appointment issued for a specific period. An
employee under this rule does not acquire tenure rights in his/her appointment
or position. (D) Non-continuation of unclassified
staff appointees. Employees appointed under this policy not to be continued in
their positions shall be so informed at least ninety days prior to the date
established in the notice as the terminal date of the appointment. The
appointing authority of the employee shall be the informing agent. In an
instance where the appointment was issued for a specified term, no notice is
required and the last day to that term shall be the terminal date of the
employee's appointment. University policy regarding nonacademic grievance,
rule 3342-6-01.1 of the Administrative Code is not applicable in cases of
administrative termination. (E) Suspension and termination of an
unclassified staff appointment for cause. (1) The university may
terminate the appointment of an unclassified staff employee under this policy
for these reasons: insufficiency of funds; modification of the
university's mission or elimination of programs; or significant changes in
the organizational structure of the university. At least thirty days'
notice will be given, in writing, to the unclassified staff employee for a
termination under the provisions of this paragraph. (2) An employee holding a
position under this policy may be reduced in pay or position, suspended, or
terminated for cause for violation of law, regulation, directive, or university
policy and for, including but not limited to, incompetency, inefficiency,
dishonesty, drunkenness, possession or use of illegal drugs, immoral conduct,
insubordination, discourteous treatment of the public, neglect of duty, or any
acts of misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office. In the event of suspension leading to possible
termination for the reasons stated herein, the administrative or staff
appointee shall receive written notice of his/her proposed termination and be
provided an opportunity to respond in writing within fifteen days of the date
upon which the suspension commences. (F) Continuation of faculty appointment.
In the case of the termination of an appointment under this policy of an
employee also holding rank and tenure in an academic department, the
employee's faculty rights and privileges are preserved, but may be
subject to a separate disciplinary or employment process pursuant to the
collective bargaining agreement between the university and faculty collective
bargaining agreement.
Last updated September 2, 2025 at 7:33 AM
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Rule 3342-6-05.1 | Administrative policy regarding positions at the college of podiatric medicine.
(A) Policy statement. Pursuant to the statutory authority provided to the university by the Ohio General Assembly, all new positions existing or created as of July 1, 2012 and thereafter in the Kent state university college of podiatric medicine shall be unclassified positions. Unless otherwise provided for in this Administrative Code, such positions and the employees holding such positions will not be subject to Chapters 124. and 125. of the Revised Code, agencies 124 and 125 of the Administrative Code, nor will relief under such chapters be available to such employees. (B) Eligibility. This policy applies to all positions at the Independence, Ohio location of the Kent state university college of podiatric medicine.
Last updated August 20, 2025 at 4:52 PM
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Rule 3342-6-05.2 | Administrative policy regarding unclassified hourly employees.
(A) Policy statement. From time to time, it is necessary for Kent state university to hire unclassified hourly employees to provide services essential to the proper maintenance and successful and continuous operation of the university. These position serve at the pleasure of the appointment authority as designated by the president of the university. (B) Definitions. (1) Unclassified hourly employee. For the purposes of this chapter, an unclassified hourly employee is an employee appointed to an unclassified position and paid on an hourly basis and subject to the non-exempt provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act where applicable. (2) Intermittent appointment. For the purposes of this chapter, an intermittent appointment is made where an unclassified hourly employee will work on an irregular schedule that is determined by the fluctuating demands of the work and is not predictable and is generally characterized as requiring less than one thousand hours per fiscal year. (3) Temporary appointment. For the purposes of this chapter, a temporary appointment is made where either a classified or unclassified position will work for a limited period of time that is fixed by the appointing authority upon consultation with the division of human resources for a period not to exceed one hundred twenty days. (C) Implementation. (1) Part-time and full-time term or continuing appointments. Unclassified hourly employees are eligible for university paid medical benefits as determined and made available by the division of human resources. Such employees under this paragraph will be eligible to accrue sick leave at a rate of .058 hours for each hour worked. Such employees under this paragraph will be eligible to accrue vacation leave at a rate consistent with rule 3342-6-11.7 of the Administrative Code. (2) Intermittent and temporary appointments. Unclassified hourly employees on intermittent or temporary appointments will not be eligible for university paid medical benefits. Such employees will be eligible to accrue .058 hours of sick time for every hour worked. Such employees are not eligible for vacation accrual or any tuition waiver benefits. (a) Unclassified hourly employees on an intermittent appointment are considered part-time term unclassified personnel. Such employees will have appointments valid only through June thirtieth of the calendar year in which the appointment began. (b) Unclassified hourly employees on a temporary appointment as provided for in this rule are considered unclassified for the duration of the temporary appointment. Temporary appointments may not exceed one hundred twenty days. Successive temporary appointments for the same person to the same position will not be approved unless in extraordinary circumstances as approved by the vice president for human resources and such successive appointment may not exceed one hundred twenty days. (3) Unrepresented hourly employees engaged in externally grant funded educational or research duties connected with the university shall be designated "unclassified" and assigned by the director of personnel to the title and pay grade which best represents the expectations of the position from the list following: (a) Title: program assistant I, pay grade 31. (b) Title: program assistant II, pay grade 32. (c) Title: program assistant III, pay grade 33. (d) Title: program assistant IV, pay grade 34. (e) Title: program assistant V, pay grade 35. (f) Title: program assistant VI, pay grade 36. (g) Title: program assistant VII, pay grade 37. (h) Title: program assistant VIII, pay grade 38. (i) Title: program assistant IX, pay grade 39. (j) Title: program assistant X, pay grade 40.
Last updated August 20, 2025 at 4:52 PM
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Rule 3342-6-05.3 | Administrative policy regarding academic administrative officers.
(A) General goals of an administrative review. (1) Gauge accomplishment. A proper review requires the officer to make a thorough self-evaluation, as well as a program assessment, highlighting accomplishments, problems, solutions, and prognoses for future operations. (2) Display success. The review affords an opportunity for focusing the university's attention on the real successes of the administrator's tenure. If properly handled, the response and report portion of the review can contribute to increased awareness of accomplishments. (3) Expose hidden problems. In any administrator's daily exercise of authority, misunderstandings as well as problems of real substance can occur but never be brought to the administrator's attention. A review should create an environment in which reviewers can reveal hidden problems and potentially disruptive ones. The ultimate goal is the resolution of those problems in a way that best serves the interests of the university community. (B) Specific objectives of the review. Principal efforts should be directed toward ascertaining the officer's administrative performance in terms of management effectiveness and leadership capacity: for example, quality and competence of work, use of resources and ability to give direction to the unit while encouraging the scholarly interests of the unit. In both management and leadership, the officer's concrete accomplishments should be elicited from the individual being reviewed, as well as from those surveyed. (C) Persons to be reviewed and evaluated. (1) The academic administrative officers to be reviewed are the provost, the the dean of the regional college, the deans of the colleges and independent schools, the dean for undergraduate studies, the dean of graduate studies, the dean of the honors college, dean of the university libraries, and the deans of the regional campuses. (2) Evaluation of the performance of the president is the responsibility of the Kent state university board of trustees. (3) The reviews of the academic administrative officers listed in paragraph (C)(1) of this rule shall be conducted according to the following procedures: (D) Procedures. (1) Frequency. (a) Regular reviews. The periodic review process shall normally occur in the fourth year but no later than the fifth year unless it is initiated earlier by special request. The office of the provost shall maintain a review calendar for deans and associate provosts and shall notify the faculty senate committee on administrative officers at the start of the academic year of the reviews scheduled within the next twelve months. When a review is scheduled, the administrator scheduling the review shall also notify the faculty members of the unit involved. (b) Early reviews. The administrator to be reviewed, a member of the administration to whom the administrator reports, or one or more members of the faculty of the administrator's unit may request an early review when circumstances warrant it. Any circumstances that lead to a request for an early review are expected to be unusual and of a serious nature. The decision to proceed with an early review and the scheduling of either an early or regular review are the sole responsibility of the president, or the provost, or the dean of the regional college after consultation with the provost as appropriate. When a review is scheduled, the administrator scheduling the review shall notify the faculty of the unit involved. (2) Documentary requirements. At the onset of the review, the committee shall be provided with the following documentary information: (a) The administration's published job description for the position. (b) A self-study by the administrator being reviewed, detailing accomplishments of management and leadership, problems encountered and solutions provided thereto, and other matters that the administrator perceives as important for the understanding of the administrator's function since the last review. (3) Committee operations. (a) It shall be the responsibility of the review committee to ensure as wide as possible a base of input to the review. In particular, it shall provide ample opportunity for the faculty and staff of the unit to express their views. To this end, the review committee may: (i) Invite signed written statements from faculty, staff, students, and alumni concerning the performance of the administrator under review. (ii) Interview individuals and/or groups whose input appears specially relevant; e.g., staff members, alumni groups, advisory committees, curricular bodies, past members of such bodies, others with whom the administrator works on a peer level and administrators who report directly to the administrator being reviewed. (iii) Interview student committees that work with the administrator and students who may serve on faculty/student committees under his/her purview. (b) Nothing in the above language is meant to limit the range of input that the committee may seek nor shall it be used to limit input that members, be they faculty, staff, students, or alumni, wish to make to the review committee. (c) It shall be the responsibility of the review committee to ensure that all communications to the committee are treated in a confidential manner. The committee shall further allow the administrator being reviewed the opportunity to discuss issues and concerns that are identified during the review process and to review and respond to all documentary evidence, including any formal minutes of interviews. This opportunity should come reasonably late in the process. The committee members shall take care not to reveal the names of the authors of statements or of individuals involved in particular interviews. (4) Report. Following the completion of the committee's review, a written report shall be submitted to the administrator who scheduled the review. The report shall contain a description of the process, data collected, and specific recommendations. Following receipt of this report, the administrator who scheduled the review shall evaluate it and forward a copy of the report along with his/her own written comments to the reviewed officer. His/her comments shall also be made available to the members of the review committee. The transmission of the report to the administrator being reviewed should be accompanied by an in-depth oral explanation of the findings. The faculty in the unit of the administrator being reviewed shall receive a timely written report from the administrator who scheduled the review. (5) Follow up. The administrator who has been reviewed will comment specifically on the progress being made toward fulfilling the plan of action in his or her subsequent annual reports, which will be made available to the faculty of the specific unit. (6) Legal restrictions. All aspects of the review process must be consistent with the requirements of state and federal law and with university policy. (7) Review of the procedures. Each review committee is charged with recommending any desirable change in the procedures to the committee on administrative officers. (E) Composition of review committees. (1) Provost. (a) One member of the executive committee of the faculty senate. (b) Four senior faculty members (including one regional campus faculty member) nominated by the committee on administrative officers. (c) Two associate provosts or deans chosen from any of the colleges or independent schools. (d) One department chair/school director. (2) Dean of the regional college. (a) One associate provost or dean, chosen from any of the colleges or independent schools. (b) Three senior faculty members, each faculty member from a different campus under the auspices of the regional college. (c) One senior faculty member from the Kent campus. (d) One regional campus dean. (3) Deans of colleges, independent schools, and regional campuses. (a) One dean for colleges and independent schools, representative must be a dean of a college or independent school: for regional campuses, representative must be a dean of a regional campus. (b) Three senior faculty members: representatives must be from the unit; for regional campuses representatives, two are to be from the same campus as the dean and one from another regional campus. (c) For colleges and independent schools in which there are a significant number of faculty members whose appointment is at the regional campus, as determined by the provost, one representative shall be from the regional campuses. (d) One senior faculty member: representative must be from outside the unit. In the case of regional campus deans, this representative must be from the Kent campus. (e) One department chairperson or school director from the unit (if appropriate). (4) Dean of undergraduate studies. (a) One associate provost or dean, chosen from any of the colleges and independent schools. (b) Three senior faculty members, each faculty member from a different college or independent school. (c) One department chair/school director. (d) One undergraduate studies professional staff member. (5) Dean of graduate studies. (a) One associate provost or dean, chosen from any of the colleges and independent schools. (b) Three senior faculty members, nominated by the members of the research council, each faculty member from a different college or independent school. (c) One department chair/school director. (d) One member of the staff of the office of research and graduate studies. (6) Dean of the university libraries. (a) One dean. (b) Three senior faculty members: representatives must be from library administration. (c) One senior faculty member: representative must be from outside the unit. (d) One department chairperson or school director. (7) Dean of the honors college. (a) One dean. (b) Three senior faculty members, who have taught at least two honors courses during the term of the dean under review, nominated by the honors college policy council. (c) One senior faculty member: representative must be from outside the unit. (d) One department chairperson or school director. (F) Selection process guidelines. (1) The person to be reviewed shall not participate in the selection process. To the extent possible, members of the review committee should have been members of the university for the five years preceding the review of the person to be reviewed. (2) Faculty from the unit include regional campus faculty so that regional campus faculty belong to two units, one academic and one geographic. (3) Senior faculty are defined as those with associate or full professorial rank (this requirement may be waived by the provost for review of regional campus deans). (G) Selection process. Review committee members will be nominated by the following groups and the final selection of the committee will be made from the list of nominees by the administrator conducting the review except that additional members, possibly from outside the university, may be added if, in his/her opinion, they are needed. The number of these additional appointments shall be limited to a maximum of fifty per cent of the committee membership. Should the administrator conducting the review find one or more of the lists of nominees to be unacceptable, that person may return the list(s) in question to the nominating group(s) together with a written explanation of this action and request that a new list(s) be established. The administrator conducting the review shall appoint the chairperson of the review committee. (1) Faculty members from the unit. (a) Deans of college, independent school, or library administration. College advisory committee nominates six. (b) Deans of regional campuses. (i) Faculty council on the campus nominates four. (ii) Regional campus faculty advisory council nominates two from other campuses. (c) Other administrative officers. The regional campus faculty advisory committee will nominate six for the dean of the regional college. In the case of all others, unless specified above, the faculty senate committee on administrative officers will nominate faculty who have involvement with the unit's programming. (2) Faculty from outside the unit. In each case where the faculty outside the unit are designated, the committee on administrative officers will nominate three senior faculty from outside the unit. These faculty must come from at least two different units. (3) Department chairpersons or school directors. The chairs and directors council will nominate three chairs and/or directors. (4) Deans. The academic affairs administrative council will nominate two Kent campus deans or regional campuses, as appropriate.
Last updated August 20, 2025 at 4:52 PM
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Rule 3342-6-05.4 | Administrative policy regarding performance management for unclassified employees.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Policy. It is the policy of the
university to provide unclassified employees with a performance management
system, which includes: (1) Job descriptions
reflecting a full range of responsibilities as well as knowledge, skills and
abilities; (2) Communicated
performance standards and goals for the unit; (3) A performance
appraisal process as referenced in paragraph (B) of this rule for assessing an
individual's ability to meet the unit's performance standards,
perform the job, as well as maintain and acquire knowledge, skills and
abilities; and (4) Recognition
opportunities. (B) Eligibility. This policy applies to
all unclassified full-time or part-time employees with an appointment of six
months or more. (1) Align employee
performance with unit's and university's mission and
goals; (2) Enable two-way
communication regarding job performance and to periodically re-assess goals and
opportunities for the unit and the individual; (3) Establish a
mutually-understood set of performance expectations; (4) Recognize
contributions of employees; (5) Discuss opportunities
for growth and development; and (6) Provide necessary
feedback when performance does not meet expectations. (C) Performance appraisal. The
performance appraisal process achieves the university's goals
to: (1) Align employee
performance with unit's and university's mission and
goals; (2) Enable two-way
communication regarding job performance and to periodically assess goals and
opportunities for the unit and the individual; (3) Establish a
mutually-understood set of performance expectations; (4) Recognize
contributions of employees; (5) Discuss opportunities
for growth and development; and (6) Provide necessary
feedback when performance does not meet expectations. (D) Performance appraisal standards.
Performance appraisal standards acknowledge and reaffirm the university's
commitment to essential behaviors and values expected throughout the
organization. For purposes of maintaining consistency and flexibility, the
following standards will apply: (1) Every unclassified
employee will receive a performance appraisal at least once
annually. (2) The appraisal will be
in person and summarized in writing, a copy of which is provided to the
division of people, culture and belonging for the employee's
file. (3) The appraisal will
include a discussion of all of the following, but is not limited to these
topics. (a) Performance over the past year. (b) Progress on specific goals assigned in the past
year. (c) Identification of competencies (knowledge, skills and
abilities) that are particularly noteworthy and those that may be
developed. (d) One to three specific examples of successful outcomes
in performance. (e) Recognition of service to the university that is not
normally a function of the job. (f) Discussion of future goals and
expectations. (g) Discussion of training needs (to perform current job)
or developmental needs (to prepare for future assignments or future
appointments). (4) If the unclassified
employee has supervisory responsibilities, two additional factors will be added
to the review: (a) The ability to attract, retain, and develop a diverse
pool of talent. (b) The ability to set and meet goals for the
unit. (E) Performance appraisal methodology.
Supervisors and employees are encouraged to discuss performance regularly
throughout the year, and a written assessment will be completed once per year.
Supervisors may use an open interview format, documented in narrative format
per the outline as set forth in paragraph (D)(3) of this rule, or select from
one of the university's approved formats from the forms library. Any new
formats must be reviewed with the division of people, culture and belonging
prior to implementation. In addition to the requirements above, the following
options are available: (1) Employees may
prepare a self-assessment on their own or at the request of the
supervisor. (2) Employees may submit
work product to go with their review. (3) Employees and
supervisors may add criteria to the review process that relate to essential
parts of the job such as financial performance, process improvement and project
management. (4) Supervisors may
request support from the division of people, culture and belonging to receive a
more complete three hundred sixty degree evaluation on their own
performance. (5) Deans may solicit
faculty feedback in order to prepare other evaluations using an appropriate
format. (F) Responsibilities. The following
shared responsibilities apply to the on-going administration of this
policy. (1) The division of
people, culture and belonging: responsible for announcing the review cycle,
providing a set of forms, offering training, and monitoring compliance with the
review. The division of people, culture and belonging is also available for
consultation on performance issues during the review period and during the
year. (2) Managers and
supervisors: responsible for maintaining accurate records on performance
throughout the year, scheduling in advance the review interview, meeting with
the employee and documenting the evaluation interview. (3) Unclassified
employees: responsible for managing their performance throughout the year,
monitoring their progress on goals, and identifying areas of improvement in the
unit or in their own performance. (G) Alignment with other university
policies and practices. The implementation of the evaluation process is linked
with other division of people, culture and belonging processes to integrate the
overall strategy for positive employee relations. Timely and appropriate
completion of evaluations will assist in future decisions regarding:
compensation, employee re-assignments, interim appointments, federal contractor
compliance plans, succession planning, and waivers of posting. (1) The policy of the
university to conduct annual performance updates does not constitute a
commitment to future employment. (2) Rule 3342-6-05 of the
Administrative Code prevails with regard to the university's right to
continue or terminate an appointment.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:52 AM
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Rule 3342-6-06 | University policy and procedures regarding search procedures for major academic administrative officers.
(A) Purpose. The committee on administrative officers is responsible to the faculty senate and other university bodies and offices for ensuring that the search procedures for major academic administrative officers described herein are followed so that each and every vacancy is appropriately filled to ensure proper university operation. (B) Participation of the committee on administrative officers. (1) Each search committee is responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of its proceedings. The chairperson of a search committee shall consult with the committee on administrative officers as is consistent with necessary confidentiality. (2) The committee on administrative officers will have an opportunity to interview all candidates on the final slate of candidates, and all materials on the candidates qualifications will be made available. (C) Procedures common to all search processes. (1) The membership of each search committee will be established according to the procedures detailed below for each identified administrative officer. When a vacancy occurs below the level of the president, the appropriate academic administrative officer will consult in a timely manner with the appropriate faculty advisory body or the committee on administrative officers about the search process to be followed, the type of search (e.g. internal or external) and the selection of an acting or interim appointee, if necessary. (2) Official notification of a vacancy will be sent to the faculty and other appropriate members of the university community by each search committee. (3) If a designated member of a particular constituency is unable to serve, the committee on administrative officers and the appropriate administrative officer shall arrange for the constituency involved to select a replacement. (4) The job description shall be prepared for each position. For the position of the president, this will be prepared by the board. For each of the other academic officers, it will be prepared by the academic officer and the next higher academic officer. Any job description must be approved by the president. (5) Early in the search proceedings, the committee on administrative officers shall invite suggestions for criteria for the candidates for the position as well as nominations from the full faculty and shall in other ways be responsive to faculty opinion in formulating recommendations to be communicated by representatives. (6) The chairperson of the search committee or his/her designee will be responsible for advertising the position in appropriate publications, for circulating announcements of the opening to whatever other groups may produce interested candidates, in particular groups concerned with fair employment practices, and in general for inviting submissions of candidacy. (7) The appropriate administrative office shall be responsible for supplying the secretarial assistance and the office space and equipment needed by the search committee. (8) The search committee, at the end of its deliberations and through a method worked out by itself, shall produce a slate of no fewer than three and no more than five acceptable candidates for the position, arranged necessarily but possibly in order of preference. The committee shall maintain in reserve a second slate of up to five acceptable candidates that may be drawn upon to fill out the complement of the first slate in the event that at any time there remain fewer than three candidates actively interested in the post. In the event that none of the candidates forwarded by the search committee is ultimately appointed to fill a vacancy below the level of president, the appropriate academic officer will communicate to the search committee the reasons for the decision and the proposed next steps in filling the vacant position. (9) From this final slate of three to five active candidates the president shall make the selection and present it for confirmation to the board. In the case of a search for the president, the search committee shall submit its final slate directly to the board. (D) Search committee procedures. (1) Search committee for president. (a) Composition of the search committee. Since the president of the university as the chief administrative officer must work must work with all constituencies of the institution, it is desirable for the search procedure leading to the appointment to have very wide representation. Nevertheless, all members of a search committee represent the interests of the university as a whole, not merely those of a constituency. A search committee for president should include members from: (i) The board of trustees; (ii) The faculty, including chairpersons; (iii) Administration; (iv) Students, both undergraduate and graduate; (v) Alumni: (vi) And such others as the board may deem necessary at the time. (b) Proportion. The committee membership should be as nearly as possible as follows: (i) Two board members; (ii) Four faculty, including one regional campus faculty member; (iii) Two members of the administration, including one academic dean; (iv) One undergraduate and one graduate student; and (v) One alumnus/alumna. (c) The board will select its members by whatever means it thinks appropriate. It will also select the chairperson of the committee and appoint a staff person to handle collection of material and correspondence. (d) Student members shall be the authorized person to represent the undergraduate student senate and the chairperson of the graduate student senate or designee. (e) The alumni member shall be the president of the alumni association or designee. (f) Faculty members on the search committee shall include the chairperson of the faculty senate, two other faculty members selected by the committee on administrative officers, and a regional campus faculty person selected by the regional campuses faculty advisory council. (g) The members from the administration will be selected by the president s cabinet. (2) Search committee for provost. (a) Composition of the committee. The membership of the search committee should consist of at least fifty per cent faculty. Faculty members should be selected to reflect a balance among the units within the academic community and coordinated with the selections of the vice presidents and deans. (b) Proportion. The committee membership should be as nearly as possible as follows: (i) Six faculty members, including one regional campus faculty member and one departmental chairperson; (ii) One vice president; (iii) One academic dean; (iv) One undergraduate and one graduate student. (v) And such others as the president may deem necessary at the time. (c) Selection. (i) Faculty members on the search committee shall be selected by the committee on administrative officers. (ii) The vice president shall be selected by the president s cabinet. (iii) The academic dean shall be selected by the academic administrative council (AAC). (iv) The regional campus faculty representative shall be selected by the regional campuses faculty advisory council. (v) Student representatives shall be selected by the undergraduate student senate and the graduate student senate respectively. (d) Chairperson of the search committee. The chairperson of the search committee shall be selected by the president after the total membership of the search committee has been identified. (3) Search committee for Kent campus deans. (a) The faculty senate committee on administrative officers and the provost's office will share the responsibility for creating a decanal search committee that is committed to the purposes of the search, to the values of the university and to effective productivity in terms of its charge. (b) Composition of the search committee. The membership of the search committee shall consist of at least fifty per cent faculty. Faculty members should be selected to reflect a balance among the departments or schools represented in the academic unit. (c) Proportion. The committee membership should be as nearly as possible as follows: (i) Five faculty members from the academic unit, including one regional campus faculty member affiliated with the academic unit; (ii) One departmental chairperson or school director, if appropriate. (iii) One faculty member from outside the academic unit; (iv) One academic dean, vice provost, or associate/assistant provost; (v) One undergraduate and one graduate student, if appropriate; (vi) And such others as may be deemed necessary at the time by the collaborating parties. (d) Selection. (i) The provost and other appropriate administrators will communicate with the appropriate faculty bodies to identify and describe the particular needs for representation on the decanal search committee. The committee on administrative officers will communicate with the appropriate faculty bodies in order to determine and represent the interests of the faculty with respect to search committee membership. (ii) Search committee members will be nominated by the following groups. The committee on administrative officers and the provost will collaborate on the final selection. The provost may propose additional members for selection in consultation with the committee on administrative officers if, in his/her opinion, they are needed, and the committee on administrative officers may propose additional members for selection in consultation with the provost if, in its opinion, they are needed. (iii) The relevant faculty bodies and administrative bodies will nominate the following stipulated number of potential search committee members. (a) Six faculty members from the academic unit will be nominated by the appropriate faculty advisory committee. If the academic unit does not have an established faculty advisory committee (e.g., continuing studies, undergraduate studies, etc.) the committee on administrative officers will communicate with appropriate faculty members in order to represent the interest of the faculty with respect to search committee membership. The committee on administrative officers will then nominate six faculty. Four will be selected per paragraph (D)(3)(b) of this rule when applicable. (b) The chairs/directors of the unit will nominate three chairs/directors in the unit. In the case where the unit has no chairs or directors, then the chairs and directors council will be asked for three nominations. [one selected]; (c) The committee on administrative officers will nominate three faculty from outside the academic unit. These faculty must come from two different units. [one selected]. (d) The academic administrative council will nominate three members (an academic dean or assistant/associate/vice provost). [one selected]. (e) The regional campuses faculty advisory council will nominate three regional campus faculty affirmed with the academic unit. [one selected]. (f) The appropriate student advisory bodies will nominate three student representatives each. [one selected from each advisory body; two students]. (g) Chairperson of the search committee. The provost shall consult with the committee on administrative officers in the selection of a chairperson after the total membership of the search committee has been identified. (4) Search committees for vice provosts and for vice presidents reporting to the provost. (a) The faculty senate committee on administrative officers and the provost's office will share the responsibility for creating a search committee and that is committed to the purpose of the search, to the values of the university and to effective productivity in terms of its charge. (b) Proportion. The committee membership should be as nearly as possible as follows: (i) Five faculty members, including one regional campus member; (ii) One departmental chairperson or school director; (iii) One academic dean, vice provost, or associate/assistant provost; (iv) One administrative staff member from a department reporting to the academic officer; (v) One undergraduate and one graduate student, if appropriate; (vi) And such others as may be deemed necessary at the time by the collaborating parties. (c) Selection. The provost and other appropriate administrators will communicate with the appropriate faculty bodies to identify and describe the particular needs for representation on the decanal search committee. The committee on administrative officers will communicate with the appropriate faculty bodies in order to determine and represent the interests of the faculty with respect to search committee membership. (i) Search committee members will be nominated by the following groups. The committee on administrative officers and the provost will collaborate on the final selection. The provost may propose additional members for selection in consultation with the committee on administrative officers if, in his/her opinion, they are needed, and the committee on administrative officers may propose additional members for selection in consultation with the provost if, in its opinion, they are needed. (ii) The relevant faculty bodies and administrative bodies will nominate the following stipulated number of potential search committee members: (a) The committee on administrative officers will nominate six faculty. [Four will be selected per paragraph (D)(4)(b) of this rule]. (b) The chairs and directors council will be asked for three nominations. [one selected]. (c) The academic administrative council will nominate three members (an academic dean or assistant/associate/vice provost). [one selected]. (d) The regional campuses faculty advisory council will nominate three regional campus faculty. [one selected]. (e) Three administrative staff members will be nominated by the provost. [one selected]. (f) The appropriate student advisory bodies will nominate three student representatives each. [one selected from each advisory body; two students]. (g) Chairperson of the search committee. The provost shall consult with the committee on administrative officers in the selection of a chairperson after the total membership of the search committee has been identified.
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Rule 3342-6-07.2 | Administrative policy regarding the compensation plan for classified civil service staff who are not in a recognized bargaining unit.
(A) In accordance with section 3345.31 of the Revised Code, the board of trustees of the university established a new compensation plan for classified civil service staff who are not in a recognized bargaining unit. Effective June 30, 1991, the classification and pay of all covered employees is determined in accordance with the policies and procedures described herein and in the relevant rules of Chapter 3342-6 of the Administrative Code. These policies and procedures define the operation of the compensation plan for covered employees at the university and supersede any and all other classification and pay provisions and understandings, implied or otherwise. (B) Compensation objectives. It is the intent of the university to maintain a compensation plan which: (1) Identifies the essential job duties and responsibilities of positions through written classification specifications. (2) Determines the relative value of classification and positions based on standardized compensable factors. (3) Assigns classifications relative to internal equity based upon the demands and requirements of positions. (4) Establishes pay levels which are competitive in the university's defined labor market and recruiting area. (5) Administers pay in accordance with applicable governmental statutes, rules, and regulations. (6) Recognizes the need to maintain personnel costs within limits necessary to ensure continued financial stability of the university. (C) Administrative responsibility. The administration of the compensation plan is the responsibility of the personnel department; however, ultimate authority and responsibility for the university's compensation objectives, pay structures, and policies rests with the university board of trustees. Major revision in the compensation plan must be approved by this group.
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Rule 3342-6-07.3 | Administrative policy and procedures regarding the classification plan for classified civil service staff who are not in a recognized bargaining unit.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) The associate vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging shall assign all classified civil
service employees who are not in a recognized bargaining unit to a
classification in the university classification plan for classified civil
service staff. (B) A list of classification titles and
a classification specification for each classification included in the
university classification plan are maintained by the compensation department.
The classification specifications document the basic function and
responsibility, characteristics job duties, reporting relationships, working
conditions, and qualifications for each classification. (C) Each classification is assigned a
four digit code. Related classifications, which may form a career progression,
are grouped into a classification series. The first three digits of the
classification code denote the classification series to which a classification
is assigned. (D) The associate vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging establishes and maintains a
comprehensive job evaluation plan. A single point-factor evaluation assessment
is used to determine the overall value of each classification and position in
relation to other classifications and positions. The evaluation plan includes
eleven significant factors used to determine the value of jobs. The eleven
factors are: (1) Knowledge
required; (2) Experience
required; (3) Freedom of
action; (4) Mental
complexity; (5) Impact of
actions; (6) Internal
contacts; (7) External
contacts; (8) Supervision
exercised; (9) Physical
effort; (10) Physical work
environment; (11) Interpersonal work
environment. (E) The associate vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging determines, or his/her designee, may
initiate and make continuing audits, inspections, and investigations of
classified positions. When the associate vice president for the division of
people, culture and belonging determines that a position is improperly
classified, the position will be reallocated to the proper classification
within the compensation plan. (F) Following implementation of the
classification plan contained herein, no classified employee shall be reduced
by reassignment to a classification with a lower pay grade or to a lower
compensation rate. However, voluntary written agreement by an employee to a
demotion or reduction shall be considered a satisfactory basis for such action,
subject to approval by the associate vice president for the division of people,
culture and belonging. (G) Newly created positions may be
assigned to a classification and pay grade by the associate vice president for
the division of people, culture and belonging before the position can be
filled. To initiate the classification of a new position, a position
description questionnaire (PDQ) must be completed and submitted, with all the
required signatures, to the personnel department, in accordance with the
procedures described in paragraph (I) of this rule and the Administrative
Code. (H) Once a position has been classified,
it will remain in that classification unless there are substantial changes in
the requirements and responsibilities imposed on the position. It is the
responsibility of each department head to ensure employees function within the
expectations of their assigned duties and responsibilities of a classified
position, to the extent that it would impact upon the classification assignment
of a position, is delegated to each respective vice president/provost. No dean,
director, department head or supervisor shall assign duties and
responsibilities justifying a pay grade higher than the current pay grade
without prior written approval from the appropriate vice
president/provost. (I) If substantial changes do occur, the
incumbent or department head may initiate a request for a classification review
in accordance with the procedures described below. Such a request for a
classification review in accordance with the procedures described below. Such
request may not be submitted more than once every twelve months for the same
position. Classification reviews will not be performed on positions of
probationary incumbents or incumbents for which layoff or displacement is under
consideration. (J) Procedures for requesting a
classification review: (1) A request for a
classification review must be submitted to the compensation unit with a
completed position description questionnaire (PDQ). The content of the position
description questionnaire (PDQ) must be certified by the incumbent and the
supervisor, and routed for a review and signature by other administrative
supervisors in the reporting channel up to and (including the vice
president/provost) before it is submitted to the compensation unit. If the
position is vacant, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to complete,
certify the content, and route the position description questionnaire
(PDQ). (2) Upon receipt of the
completed position description questionnaire (PDQ), including all appropriate
signatures, a notice will be sent to the department head/college dean and
executive officer to whom the position is charged. The compensation unit then
will conduct an audit and evaluation of the position. After gathering any
supplementary data necessary to achieve a detailed understanding of the
position, which may include telephone or on-site interviews with the incumbent
and supervisor(s), the position will be evaluated in conformity with the job
evaluation plan. The position will be assigned to the most appropriate
classification as indicated by the information and statements submitted
regarding duties currently performed. (3) The audit and
evaluation process shall be completed when the associate vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging approves the classifications
assignment and written notification of the result is sent to the department
head and the incumbent (if applicable). If the audit indicates a need to
reclassify the position, a summary will be delivered to the executive officer
to whom the position is charged. (4) Upon receipt of the
audit summary, the executive officer to whom the position is charged will
either approve the position reclassification or not approve the position
reclassification. If the executive officer approves the position
reclassification, the effective date will be the first day of the pay period
immediately following written notification of the classification change. In
such case that the position reclassification is not approved, the employee will
be paid for work conducted and returned to the established position for which
they are currently classified. A written outline will be issued by the
compensation unit detailing those duties currently being undertaken by the
employee that must be eliminated so as to conform with the current
classification. (K) Appeals process: (1) Should the incumbent
disagree with the classification decision by the compensation unit, a written
appeal may be submitted to the classification appeals committee. The appeal
must be signed by the incumbent, and received by the associate vice president
for the division of people, culture and belonging within ten working days of
the issuance of the written notification. However, the incumbent cannot appeal
the their executive officer's decision to not approve the position
reclassification, as set forth in paragraph (J)(2) of this rule. (2) The classification
appeals committee will meet as necessary to consider appeals. The committee
will consist of five to seven members selected and appointed by the vice
president for the division of people, culture and belonging from the
university's classified civil service and unclassified administrative
staff. The committee will be chaired by the manager of compensation or his/her
designee. (3) An employee with a
pending appeal will be notified when the classification appeals committee will
meet, and will have opportunity to submit factual job information for the
committee's consideration. (4) The classification
appeals committee will either reaffirm the classification assigned or forward
to the associate vice president for the division of people, culture and
belonging a recommendation specifying the basis of fact and judgment upon which
the committee considers the results of the classification review to be
erroneous. (5) The associate vice
president for the division of people, culture and belonging will consider the
action of the committee and notify the affected parties of his/her decision.
The effective date of an appeal determination will remain the first day of the
pay period immediately following the date of the original letter of
notification. (6) An incumbent whose
appeal has been denied through the university appeal process may submit an
appeal to the state personnel board of review within thirty calendar days after
receiving notice of the results of the university appeal process.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:52 AM
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Rule 3342-6-07.4 | Administrative policy and procedures regarding the hourly pay schedule for classified civil service staff who are not in a recognized bargaining unit.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) Kent state university uses a pay
grade structure to establish appropriate compensation parameters for
classifications. Each classification is assigned to a pay grade in the hourly
pay schedule for classified civil service staff. The hourly pay schedule
consists of pay grades, each with a minimum and maximum rate. The minimum is
the established rate for an employee starting in a new job. The maximum is the
highest rate the university currently allocates for each
classification. (B) The pay structure is designed to
recognize appropriate competitive practices and internal equity considerations
for the university. The effectiveness of the pay schedule will be reviewed at
regular intervals by the compensation department. Necessary adjustments will be
made, subject to subsequent approval, in order to ensure the pay schedule
remains sufficiently competitive within the appropriate labor markets to
facilitate effective recruitment, retention, and motivation of classified
staff. (C) The payroll schedule for all
employees paid according to this policy is biweekly, with amounts computed on
an hourly basis. (D) Hiring pay rates. (1) A new employee will
be hired at the minimum rate established for the pay grade of his/her
classification unless otherwise provided in this policy. (2) If the university is
unable to recruit sufficient qualified employees at the minimum rate for a
particular classification, the compensation department may advertise an
increased starting rate of pay for a particular classification. The increased
starting rate cannot exceed the established minimum rate by more than fifteen
per cent. (a) Any increase in the starting rate above the minimum rate must
be approved by the compensation department prior to posting the
position. (b) An increase in the starting rate of classification may be
limited to the university Kent campus or to one or more regional campuses.
Decisions may be made on a geographical basis and will affect only those
campuses designated in the posting. (c) If a starting rate is increased for a classification, all
incumbents in that classification employed at the affected campus, who are paid
at a lesser hourly rate of pay, shall be advanced in pay to a rate equal to the
new starting rate. (E) Pay maximums. The maximum rate of pay
is the upper limit for the classification(s) assigned to a pay grade. An
employee's hourly rate of pay normally shall not exceed the maximum of the
pay grade assigned to his/her classification except as provided herein. If,
upon implementation of a new compensation plan, an employee's existing
rate of pay exceeds the maximum rate for his/her classification, the
employee's rate is "red circled." (F) Pay adjustments. The need for and
amount of a general pay adjustment for employees covered by this policy or for
adjustment in the pay schedule, will be assessed by the university on an annual
basis. Pay adjustments will be determined by the board of trustees. When
approved, all employees covered by this policy will receive general pay
adjustments normally applied to the employees' base pay. (G) Impact on pay as a result of changes
in compensation plan or classification. (1) When an employee is
reassigned to a different classification title and/or pay grade as the result
of the implementation of a new compensation plan, or a revision in the
compensation plan, the following will apply: (a) No employee will receive a reduction in hourly rate as a
result of implementation or revision of the university compensation
plan. (b) When an employee's hourly rate of pay is below the
minimum rate for the newly assigned pay grade, the employee's hourly rate
will be adjusted to the minimum of the new pay grade. (c) When an employee's hourly rate is above the established
maximum rate for the newly assigned pay grade, the employee's rate will be
"red-circled" in accordance with paragraph (E) of this rule and of
the Administrative Code. (2) When an employee is
promoted or reassigned, as a result of a reclassification review, to a
classification in a higher pay grade, the employee's hourly rate of pay
will be increased to the minimum hourly rate of pay for the new pay grade or to
a rate five per cent above the employee's current hourly fate, whichever
is greater, but not exceeding the maximum rate of the new pay
grade. (3) When an employee is
demoted, reassigned, or assigned to a classification in a lower pay grade, the
employee's hourly rate of pay shall be adjusted to a wage rate within the
pay range of the lower pay grade deemed appropriate by the compensation
department. (4) When an employee is
transferred, assigned, or reassigned to a position or classification i the same
pay grade, the employee's hourly rate of pay will not be
affected. (5) When an hourly
employee in the unclassified service is appointed to a position in the
classified service, the employee's hourly rate of pay in the new position
shall be determined in the same manner as if he/she had been is the classified
service. (6) The effective date of
pay changes, as a result of classification changes, shall be determined by the
compensation department, unless provided otherwise in this policy. (H) Exempt/non-exempt status. All
employees paid according to this policy shall be considered non-exempt form
wage and hour overtime requirements described in rule 3342-6-07.9 of the
Administrative Code unless specifically exempted from coverage by the
compensation department. The compensation department may designate as exempt
from these overtime provisions, specific positions that meet the exemption
requirements defined in the Fair Labor Standard Act. (I) This policy is effective for all
determinations made on or after September 1, 2009.
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:42 AM
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Rule 3342-6-07.6 | Administrative policy regarding supplemental pay for classified and unclassified hourly civil service staff.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Purpose. The university authorizes
the compensation office to oversee a supplemental pay program in order for the
university to be responsive to organizational needs and changing circumstances.
While it is not the practice of the university to assign employees work that is
outside of their classification, this policy enables the university to pay
classified employees for the purposes listed in the this policy, while
maintaining the integrity of the classification and salary administration
plans. (B) Eligibility. All nonrepresented
classified and unclassified hourly civil service staff are
eligible. (C) Procedure. (1) Basis for
supplemental pay. Following consultation with the compensation office, managers
may recommend supplemental pay for the purposes listed in this
rule. (a) Temporary working level pay adjustment. Whenever an
employee is required to perform duties not indicated in the classification
specification for the employee's position, but representative of a
classification with a higher pay grade assignment, normally because of a
temporary absence or vacancy, and such assignment is for a continuous period of
more than two weeks, but less than six months in any twelve month period, the
employee shall be eligible for a temporary working level pay adjustment. The
employee's current classification title will not be affected by this
supplemental. The temporary working level pay adjustment may result in a rate
of pay exceeding the maximum for the pay grade of the employee's current
classification. This supplement shall increase the employee's hourly rate
of pay to the greater of: (i) The minimum hourly
rate of pay for the higher level position; (ii) A percentage
increase above the employee's current hourly rate (not to exceed the
maximum of the pay grade of the higher classification) as recommended by the
department head in consultation with the compensation office. (b) Skill/knowledge-based adjustment. When a particular
position requires a proficiency such as a foreign language, Braille, or sign
language, or requires a specific, measurable or certifiable knowledge or skill,
it may be appropriate to recognize employees who satisfy the particular
requirement with a continuing pay supplement. (i) This supplemental
pay may increase the employee's hourly rate of pay as recommended by the
department in consultation with the compensation office and appropriate
executive officer. (ii) Earning will be
determined through consultation with the compensation office and based on the
complexity of the skill/knowledge, market information, and budgetary issues.
The employee will be eligible for this ongoing adjustment to his/her base rate
of pay for as long as those circumstances remain. (c) Adjustment for additional complexity of assignment.
There may be times when an employee is required to perform duties within the
employee's classification but work in circumstances that place additional
complexity in the employee's work making the employee eligible for
supplemental pay. The amount of the pay adjustment will be determined by
recommendation of the department head in consultation with the compensation
office and the approval of the appropriate executive officer. (i) The employee will be
eligible for this ongoing adjustment to his/her base rate of pay for as long as
those circumstances remain. These circumstances are expected to be ongoing
rather than temporary in nature (e.g. to cover a co-worker's scheduled
vacation.). Examples of such circumstances are: (a) An assignment that
requires the employees to perform the same job or type of work for two or more
units. While the essential position responsibilities remain the same, the
increase is for coordination of activities and additional breadth and scope of
responsibilities. (b) An assignment that
requires the employee to perform the core duties of his/her current
classification plus varied duties of other classifications at the same or
higher pay grade, but not substantial enough to warrant
reclassification. (d) Recognition of achievement. A one-time lump-sum payment
may be made to an employee to recognize the successful accomplishment of a
significant, but temporary project. The amount will not be included in the
employee's base rate of pay, nor be considered when applying any type of
increase percentage to the base rate of pay. Overall performance will be
considered before this type of payment is made. This process must involve a written
recommendation and consultation with the compensation officer. The vice
president for the division of people, culture and belonging and the appropriate
executive officer must approve any payment of this type in advance before the
payment is processed and the amount communicated to the employee. (2) Supplemental pay
will be determined and awarded according to the following
guidelines: (a) The requesting unit will submit a "Supplemental
Pay for Classified Employee Request Form" to the vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging. (b) Requests must be submitted in a timely manner and in
cases of paragraphs (C)(1)(a), (C)(1)(b), and (C)(1)(d) of this rule, be
reviewed with the compensation office prior to assigning a classified employee
any work that is not consistent with the employee's
classification. (c) Normally, the amount of supplemental pay will be
calculated as a percent of the regular hourly rate, rounded to the nearest
whole cent except where a one-time lump-sum payment may be
appropriate. (d) The supplemental pay amount will not become part of the
employee's base pay rate. (e) All payments are subject to the appropriate taxes and
other payroll deductions.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:53 AM
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Rule 3342-6-07.7 | Administrative policy regarding employees paid on a salary basis.
(A) Purpose. It is the university's intent to comply with all requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). All supervisors and managers, therefore, are only authorized to make proper deductions from the salaries of exempt employees. Furthermore, it is also the university's intent to inform employees of this policy and ensure them that the university does not allow deductions that violate the FLSA. (B) Eligibility. The policy applies to all unclassified full-time salaried employees who are paid on a salary basis. Being paid on a "salary basis" means an employee regularly receives a predetermined amount of compensation each pay period. (C) Implementation. (1) The predetermined amount cannot be reduced because of variations in the quality or quantity of the employee's work. Subject to exceptions listed below, an exempt employee must receive the full salary for any workweek in which the employee performs any work, regardless of the number of days or hours worked. (2) Exempt employees do not need to be paid for any workweek in which they perform no work. (3) If the employee is ready, willing and able to work, deductions may not be made for time when work is not available. (4) Deductions from pay. Examples of circumstances in which the university may properly make deductions from pay include the following: (a) For absences from work for one or more full days for personal reasons other than sickness or disability. (b) For absences for one or more full days due to sickness or disability if the deduction is made in accordance with rule 3342-6-11.3 or 3342-6-11.1 of the Administrative Code. (c) To offset amounts employees receive as jury or witness fees in accordance with rule 3342-6-11.5 of the Administrative Code. (d) For military pay in accordance with rule 3342-6-11.6 of the Administrative Code. (e) For unpaid disciplinary suspensions imposed in good faith for workplace conduct rule infractions. (f) In the initial or terminal week of employment, if the employee does not work the full week. (g) For penalties imposed in good faith for infractions of safety rules of major significance. (h) For weeks in which an exempt employee takes unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. In these circumstances, either partial day or full day deductions may be made. (5) Improper deductions. If an employee believes that an improper deduction has been made from his/her salary, the employee should immediately report this information to his/her direct supervisor, or contact the records office to initiate a review. Reports of improper deductions will be promptly investigated. If it is determined that an improper deduction has occurred, the employee will be promptly reimbursed for any improper deductions made.
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Rule 3342-6-07.8 | Administrative policy regarding additional compensation for university employees.
(A) Individuals may receive compensation over and above the usual contractual payment up to a maximum of twenty per cent of the academic year salary or summer session salary, whichever is appropriate, when the monies come from: extramural sources, regional campuses for Kent campus faculty, the Kent campus for regional campuses faculty and continuing education activities; and when the activity is one which clearly is not normally expected under the terms of principal employment and does not interfere with the typical teaching, research and service functions of the faculty member. (B) Related to but somewhat separate form the above is the question of abnormally severe teaching assignments during the summer terms. If such an assignment occurs in which the faculty member is expected to serve well beyond that usually expected in a full on-campus load of eight to ten hours, the faculty member may be compensated on his or her normal summer session contract at a rate in excess of the one-sixth of the nine-month salary for one five-week term. An example of such activity would be responsibility for the supervision of field trip activity. Any rate in excess of the usual rate must be approved by the collegial dean and vice president for academic and student affairs or designee. (C) In addition to teaching and research the university is deeply committed to the public which it serves. Continuing education workshops and seminars play a prominent role in its service function. Such workshops are usually funded by fees charged to the participants, or by governmental or private grants or payments to the university agency supervising the activity. Faculty participation in such activity is not normally covered by the standard nine-month academic year contract nor by the usual summer teaching appointment, and thus participating faculty may be compensated for participation over and above the usual contractual payments. (D) For those Kent campus faculty members teaching in the regional campuses, compensation will count toward the twenty per cent limitation. (E) Individuals may not be compensated out of usual university funds for an occasional lecture given in a colleagues's class. Such activity will be viewed as part of the regular academic year or summer session assignment. (F) Regional campus part-time teaching by Kent campus twelve-month contract personnel. (1) Individuals holding twelve-month contracts on the Kent campus are permitted to teach occasionally at regional campuses. (2) Under no circumstances may such teaching interfere with the individual's regularly assigned duties. (G) Summer employment of faculty. (1) Faculty members who are employed and are to be paid for regular summer classes or form workshops, research projects or institute accounts, are to be regularly appointed through proper channels. This requires the processing of the usual recommendations by the department chairperson to the dean of the college. Such monies may not be paid under a single requisitioning process unless the appointments have been made. (2) To insure coordination, future applications for research, institutes and similar grants will require an accompanying certification from the department chairperson and dean that space, equipment and personnel needs have been arranged for adequately. (H) Intra-university consulting. Sharing one's expertise with the university community in an on-campus setting is normally considered part on one's usual workload and no compensation beyond regular contractual salary is expected or permitted. Intra-university consulting for a fee is an unusual situation and is expected seldom to occur. But in situations where demonstrable effort over and above normal workload occurs, additional compensation can be earned when the consulting or presentation is across departmental lines or involves a separate or remote operation, and has prior written approval of the office of the appropriate dean or vice president. Prior approval of the funding agency and the research office is required when grant funds are the source of compensation.
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Rule 3342-6-07.9 | Administrative policy regarding overtime, overtime pay, compensatory time off and call-back pay for classified and unclassified hourly civil service staff members.
(A) Purpose. The university will pay eligible employees who work outside their regular work schedule fairly and equitably and in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. (B) Eligibility. This policy applies to university employees not covered by existing collective bargaining agreements and codifies the pay practices associated with working overtime. Those employees who are members of recognized units for collective bargaining purposes will be governed by the provisions of formal agreements between the recognized bargaining agent and the university. This policy does not apply to unclassified exempt employees, including full- and part-time faculty and exempt hourly staff. (C) Procedures. (1) Overtime. The standard work week for full-time non-exempt university employees shall be forty hours. When a non-exempt employee is required by his/her supervisor to be in active pay status for more than forty hours in any calendar week, the employee shall be compensated for such time over forty hours at one and one-half times the employee's rate of pay. (a) All overtime must be authorized by the properly designated administrative authority. Unless an employee has specific approval to work outside their normal work schedule, the employee is requested to work overtime by the supervisor, that time must be recorded through the normal timekeeping process. Overtime registered on a timecard must be approved by the supervisor in order to be considered for payment. By approving the entry, the supervisor acknowledges that the time was worked by the employee in carrying out the operation of the department. (b) The overtime rate will be one and one-half times the employee's established hourly rate, including applicable pay supplements. (c) Non-exempt employees who work overtime will receive overtime pay at the conclusion of the next succeeding pay period unless the employee has submitted a request to take compensatory time off. (2) Compensatory time off. An employee who is entitled to overtime pay may choose to take compensatory time off in lieu of cash payment, providing the employee makes such a request through the normal timekeeping process during the week in which the overtime is worked. An employee who does not promptly indicate a desire to take compensatory time off will automatically receive overtime pay. (a) Compensatory time will be granted at the rate of one and one-half hours of time off for each hour of overtime worked. Compensatory time may be accrued up to a maximum of one hundred twenty hours (eighty hours of overtime actually worked). When an employee exceeds this maximum accrual rate, any additional overtime hours will be automatically paid at the conclusion of the next succeeding pay period at the rate of one and one-half time the employee's rate of pay. (b) An employee may request payment for compensatory time even if the maximum accrual rate has not been reached. The accrued compensatory time will be paid at the employee's regular hourly rate of pay at the time of the payout. (c) Compensatory time off must be taken at a time mutually convenient to both the employee and the supervisor. A non-exempt employee must request compensatory time off using the university leave request form. Such request is subject to the approval of the department supervisor and will normally be granted unless the absence disrupts or places undue hardship on departmental operations. All accrued compensatory time must be used before an unpaid personal leave of absence is granted. (d) All accrued compensatory time will be paid to an eligible employee upon termination of employment at the employee's regular rate of pay at termination. (e) Compensatory time may not be used during any scheduled work period in order to earn overtime, holiday pay or additional compensatory time or in any other way that has the effect of compounding pay. (3) Overtime for hours worked on a holiday. When an employee is required by his/her supervisor to work on a day observed as a holiday, the employee shall be entitled to pay for such time worked at one and one-half times his/her total hourly rate of pay, in addition to any eligible holiday pay. (4) Call-back pay. An employee is eligible for call-back pay when directed by his/her supervisor to report for work and all the following conditions apply: (a) There is not a prearranged schedule. (b) The time is not immediately preceding or following the regular work schedule. (c) Extenuating or emergency circumstance requires the immediate services of an employee. (d) The employee shall receive a minimum of four hours of pay at his/her regular hourly rate. Total hours over forty shall be compensated in accordance with the overtime provisions. (5) The university may designate as exempt from these overtime provisions specific positions, the duties of which are executive, administrative or professional in nature. The standards that are established for exemption must be fully satisfied and verified by the compensation office in order for an employee to qualify for exempt status.
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Rule 3342-6-07.10 | Administrative policy regarding salary adjustments for administrators assuming regular faculty positions.
(A) When an administrator with a faculty appointment assumes a full-time position as a member of the regular teaching faculty, the salary for this appointment should reflect appropriate compensation for the individual's rank, academic credentials, experience, and potential contribution to the university; the salary previously earned is not to be a factor in determining the new salary. (B) Consonant with established consultative procedures, the department or school to which the former administrator is assigned shall, through its chairperson, director, or dean, recommend a salary commensurate with the individual's rank and credentials. This figure should include increments which would normally have accrued had the individuals' service been exclusively as a member of the teaching faculty. The figure may also include recognition of meritorious university achievement, or academic achievement or both. The salary assigned for the new position must be approved by the provost or the president, as appropriate.
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Rule 3342-6-07.11 | Administrative policy regarding service achievement award for classified civil service staff.
(A) To recognize employee commitment to the university, a service achievement award is established. Full-time and part-time permanent employees, including recognized bargaining unit employees and those employees having seasonal appointments, will receive this award in the form of a cash payment once every five years, according to the following schedule: (1) University service category, five years; service achievement award, $250. (2) University service category, ten years; service achievement award, $500. (3) University service category, fifteen years; service achievement award, $750. (4) University service category, twenty years; service achievement award, $1,000. (5) University service category, twenty-five years; service achievement award, $1,250. (6) University service category, thirty years; service achievement award, $1,500. (7) University service category, thirty-five years; service achievement award, $1,750. (8) University service category, forty years; service achievement award, $2,000. (9) University service category, forty-five years; service achievement award, $2,250. (B) For the purpose of this policy, a part-time permanent employee is defined as an employee whose regular hours of work are less than forty hours a week. Employees serving in temporary or intermittent positions are not eligible for the award, and do not accrue service time toward this award. Kent state university employees separating from the university due to retirement, and later returning as new hired into an eligible continuous, part-time or full-time, classified assignment, are not eligible for this award. (C) Effective the thirtieth of June 1991, employees are eligible to receive this award following the anniversary date the employee celebrates each fifth year anniversary. Anniversary dates are based on continuous classified service with the university. Approved leaves-of-absence of less than a year are not considered a break in service for award purposes. The university retains the right to modify or terminate this award program at any time without prior notice.
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Rule 3342-6-08 | University policy regarding the compensation of adminstrative and professional salaried employees.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) Purpose. Kent state university seeks
to attract, retain, motivate, and reward its employees commensurate with its
mission, strategic goals and financial resources. The university's
compensation practices must be responsive to the availability of resources,
internal job relationships, and external market considerations. In order to
provide an efficient and effective system for achieving these objectives, the
university, through the division of people, culture and belonging, shall
maintain a compensation plan for administrative and professional salaried
positions in all division of the university. This plan will incorporate a pay
grade structure and administrative policies and procedures governing
compensation practices. (B) Eligibility. The compensation plan
shall provide parameters for determining base pay for all administrative and
professional salaried positions of the university. Excluded from the plan are
positions with the following types of appointments. (1) Hourly classified
appointments. (2) Faculty
appointments. (3) Appointments covered
by a collective bargaining unit. (4) Student
appointments. (5) Graduate
assistantships and teaching fellowships. (C) Implementation. To incorporate the
principles of internal equity and external competitiveness, the plan is
intended to meet the following minimum standards: (1) Provide for external
competitiveness by offering salaries that are reflective of base pay for
comparable positions in the appropriate external labor market. The competitive
strategy is to offer salaries at one hundred percent of the relevant market,
both in terms of structure (pay ranges) composition and base pay
administration, recognizing that resources may not always be sufficient to
accommodate that position. (2) Provide for internal
equity by utilizing a quantitative assessment tool that considers relevant job
factors to evaluate the relative value of a job. (3) Assign all positions
to pay grades that reflect their relative values to the university based on a
combination of relevant market data and internal job evaluation. (4) Provide flexible but
consistent administration, allowing for reasonable and justifiable pay and
assignment exceptions. (5) Communicate base pay
practices to affected employees, in a manner that will facilitate their
understanding of pay grade level, salary, and movement within the
structure. (6) Develop and maintain
a systematic performance evaluation program. (7) Operate according to
all legal and contractual requirements.
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:43 AM
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Rule 3342-6-08.1 | Administrative policy and procedures regarding the compensation of administrative and professional salaried employees.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Policy statement. The board of
trustees delegates the authority for the administration of the administrative
and professional base pay program .to the vice president for the division of
people, culture and belonging. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the board of
trustees reserves its rights under section 3341.04 of the Revised Code and
other rules in agency 3342 of the Administrative Codes as may be
applicable. (B) Responsibility and
authority. (1) Job descriptions for
administrative and professional salaried positions shall be maintained by the
compensation department. Appointing authorities shall report any changes in job
descriptions to include job duties, functions, and/or minimum requirements to
the compensation department before such functions or duties begin, or before
such minimum requirements are imposed. (2) Final base pay
determinations shall not be communicated to the current or prospective employee
without the approval of the division of people, culture and
belonging. (C) Implementation. (1) Salary structure. The
salary structure provides a framework for determining and administering base
pay for administrative and professional salaried positions. The key parameters
of this structure are the pay grade, the pay grade midpoint and the salary
range. (a) Pay grades and the assignment of jobs to those grades reflect
significant, relative differences in positions across and within the divisions
of the university. (b) The salary range midpoint represents the university's
desired competitive position relative to the external market and the
differences between pay grade midpoints are sufficient to provide continuing
incentive for promotion to higher positions. (c) The salary range spread, which covers the distance from the
pay grade minimum to the pay grade maximum, is sufficient to allow recognition
of individual development and performance improvement. The progression of an
employee's pay within a pay range is normally dependent upon job
performance. The minimum and maximum of each pay range represent the minimum
and maximum values, respectively, to the university of all jobs assigned to
that particular salary range. (d) Employees shall be paid at least the minimum salary for their
position, provided that the minimum requirements of that position are
met. (e) Normally, employees will not be paid more than the maximum of
the range established for their position. The president of the university must
approve any salary above the salary range maximum. (f) Salary structures shall be reviewed periodically to maintain
internal equity and external competitiveness. Recommended revisions will be
presented to the board of trustees for approval. When adjustments are needed to
maintain competitive levels, a revised salary structure will be established.
Adjustments to the salary structure as a whole will not change the pay grade
assignments of individual positions. Revisions in the salary structure will not
result in automatic across-the-board increases in individual compensation for
employees. (2) Assigning a position
to pay grade. Each position will be assigned to a pay grade based upon a
combination of an internal job evaluation and external market reference, where
available and appropriate. (a) Job evaluation. The job evaluation process determines the
relative positioning of jobs. This process is a quantitative method of
evaluating and grouping jobs based on similarities of specific factors and the
extent to which each factor is present in the job. (b) Job evaluation factors. The factors that are typically
considered in evaluating administrative/professional jobs are: (i) Knowledge and
experience; (ii) Complexity and
creativity; (iii) Institutional
impact; (iv) Communication and
collaboration; and (v) Leadership and
supervision. (c) Job titles and descriptions. Positions that involve
substantially the same kind of work, equivalent levels of complexity and
responsibility, and require comparable qualifications and experience will be
grouped into the same job title. A job title assigned to each job will be used
for official university purposes. Departments may use a different, functional
title for internal purposes, provided it is not an official university job
title for another position and does not indicate an inaccurate hierarchical
position. The job description that includes the official job title, the purpose
of the job, examples of job duties and the qualifications of the job. Job
descriptions are written in a generic manner using an established format for
consistency and applicability throughout the university, and are not meant to
be inclusive of every task that might be assigned to a job. (d) New job descriptions. With approval from the appointing
authority to whom the position is charged, a department head or designee may
request the creation of a new job title and description by submitting a draft
job description to the compensation department. A job evaluation of the
position in accordance with paragraph (C)(2) of this rule, a comparison to
similar positions already in the pay plan, and relevant market data will be
considered in determining the title and pay grade for a new description.
(e) Changes in job descriptions. Whenever the content of an
existing description is changed significantly, the department head or designee,
with approval from the appointing authority to whom the position is charged,
may submit job description revisions to the compensation department.
Ordinarily, when changes in duties and responsibilities having a substantive
impact on the nature and scope of the position have changed, a reevaluation of
the pay grade is appropriate. (3) Base pay
determination. An equitable and effective compensation plan requires that base
pay decisions be rationally based on performance, relevant market
considerations, internal equity and funding availability. The provisions in
this section concern positioning an employee's pay rate within the pay
range, adjusting salaries and approving salary actions. All actions described
in this section must be reviewed and approved through the applicable approval
process before they are communicated to the affected or prospective employee.
Any salary increases shall be effective the first day of the pay period once
the transaction has been reviewed and approved through the applicable approval
process. Retroactive increases will be rare and will require approval by the
appointing authority. (a) New-hire pay rate. New employees must meet at least the
minimum qualifications for a position and should be hired at a salary no less
than the minimum and no greater than the midpoint. When a candidate possesses
outstanding related qualifications or experience, or unusual conditions that
have put a premium on particular skills, a salary above the midpoint, but below
the maximum may be offered upon the approval of the compensation department as
supported by the vice president for the division of people, culture and
belonging. Any disagreement will be resolved through the vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging and the appointing authority. When
salaries above the maximum of the applicable pay range are requested, approval
must be obtained from the president. All new hire pay rates must be approved by
the compensation department. Salary amounts shall be determined by:
(i) The experience and
education of the applicant in relation to the advertised job
qualifications; (ii) Salaries being paid
to current employees in that job or similar jobs; (iii) Salaries being paid
to current employees in that pay range; (iv) Salaries paid in the
appropriate external market; (v) Salaries of employees
to be supervised; and (vi) Funds
available. (b) Changes in pay grade. (i) Promotion. A
promotion is the movement of an employee to a job of greater responsibility and
scope and in a higher pay grade than the one to which the employee is presently
assigned. When a promotion is made, a promotional increase within the pay range
of the new job will normally be granted. The new salary should be at least the
minimum of the new pay range and normally may not exceed the new range maximum.
The compensation department will recommend the proposed salary increase before
a final base pay determination is communicated to an employee. In determining
these increases, the following factors may be given consideration:
(a) The extent of the
change in duties and responsibilities; (b) The qualifications
and experience of the employee relative to the position
requirements; (c) Position of the
promoted employee's current salary in the new pay range; (d) The relationship of
the promoted employee's new salary to the salaries of other employees in
the same position and in the same and surrounding pay grades; (e) The relationship of
the promoted employee's rate to the supervisor's rate and the rates
of the employees they will supervise; (f) Salary history of the
employee; (g) The number of pay
grades the employee is moving; and (h) External market
data. (ii) Movement to a lower
pay range. Movement to a position in a lower pay grade will typically result in
a reduction of salary to an appropriate position within the new salary range.
This process must involve consultation with the division of people, culture and
belonging, general counsel and the appointing authority. All such moves must be
approved in advance by the vice president for the division of people, culture
and belonging and the appointing authority, to include discussions about the
salary decrease effective date. In all cases, an employee's salary must be
reviewed in consultation with the compensation department before a final base
pay determination is made. An attempt will be made to maintain peer salary
equity. In determining the extent of a salary reduction, the following factors
may be considered: (a) The qualifications
and experience of the employee relative to the job requirements; (b) Position of the
employee's salary in the new salary range; (c) The relative position
of the employee's salary to the salaries of the other employees in the
same and surrounding pay grades; (d) The number of pay
grades the employee is moving; (e) The employee's
performance and qualifications in relation to the performance and
qualifications of others in the same job; (f) The reason and
origination of the movement; or (g) Performance history.
(iii) Lateral movement. A
lateral movement is defined as the movement of an employee from one job to
another job in the same pay grade as the one to which the employee's
current job is assigned. Normally, the salary of an employee who moves
laterally will not change. (iv) Status changes. If a
position changes from part-time to full-time status or vice-versa, a change in
the full-time equivalent pay rate will normally not occur. Consult with the
compensation department on pay rates associated with status
changes. (c) Annual salary increases. Although, it typically occurs
annually, the board of trustees has final authority over the timing and
aggregate amount of the annual salary increase pool. The vice president for the
division of people, culture and belonging will provide specific guidelines
regarding the timetable and distribution of individual salary increases.
(i) When determining the
aggregate amount of the salary increase pool, the following factors shall be
given consideration: (a) Market data;
(b) Economic indicators;
(c) Salary planning
projections; and (d) Availability of
funds. (ii) This type of salary
increase will be awarded on the basis of the employee's job performance.
The performance of each employee will be evaluated at least annually and more
frequently, if appropriate. (iii) The amount of any
proposed and approved meritorious performance increase is normally applied to
the employee's base pay. (d) In-range adjustments. (i) A modest increase may
be recommended by the compensation department if an employee has demonstrated
the acquisition of new competencies or if the position's responsibilities
have increased in complexity and these changes are not enough to warrant
reassignment to a higher pay grade. The amount of the increase will generally
be in the range of four to six percent of the employee's base salary.
Job-related advanced degrees earned while employed at the university will not
be considered as the sole basis for a request for an in-range
adjustment. (ii) Other circumstances
that might warrant an in-range adjustment may be related to one or more of the
following: (a) An employee's
salary is substantially low compared to that of employees in equivalent
positions with comparable duties, performance history, qualifications,
experience and length of service. (b) To recognize the
long-term merit of an individual where two or more individuals may have similar
years of service, but whose performance records have been distinctly
different. (c) To address equal
opportunity. (d) To recognize
service/experience prior to arriving at Kent state. (e) To acknowledge the
strategic value of a position. (f) To maintain external
competitiveness, particularly in high demand, low availability
jobs. (iii) All in-range
adjustments must be reviewed and recommended in consultation with the
compensation department and approved by the appointing authority to whom the
position is charged before it is communicated to any affected
employee(s). (e) Incentive pay. A documented, defined incentive pay plan
designed to award achievement to specific, measurable results can be developed
in consultation with the compensation department and approved by the vice
president for the division of people, culture and belonging and the divisional
appointing authority. (i) Incentive pay is
administered through a formal, approved plan document with specific, predefined
performance goals and quantifiable measurements during a predefined period of
time. The payment amount is also specified in the plan document and payable
upon achieving the predefined goals. (ii) The plan document
shall include the following: (a) Plan objectives;
(b) Eligibility
requirements; (c) Measurable
goals; (d) Period of time the
incentive is effective; (e) Employee performance
standards; (f) When the incentive
payment will be made; and (g) Approval signatures
from: eligible employee, department head, department fiscal or budget officer,
vice president for the division of people, culture and belonging and divisional
appointing authority (iii) Incentive pay
payments must be approved before communicating to an employee. Incentive pay
payments are not considered part of an employee's base salary.
(f) Lump sum payments. A one-time payment may be made to an
employee to recognize the successful accomplishment of a significant, but
temporary project that is deemed strategic in nature by the university. The
amount will not be included in the employee's annual base salary, nor be
considered when applying any type of increase percentage to the base salary.
Overall performance will be considered before this type of payment is made.
This process must involve consultation with the compensation department and the
appointing authority. Any payment of this type must be approved in advance by
the vice president for the division of people, culture and belonging and the
appointing authority before the amount is communicated to the employee. The
"supplemental pay request form" should be submitted to the
compensation department to request this type of payment. (g) Temporary and interim assignments. Each position consists of
core duties and responsibilities that the incumbent regularly performs.
However, a job description and those core duties and responsibilities do not
define the limits of what is to be performed in any position. The volume, flow
and nature of an employee's work could change periodically and for a
limited period of time. The university expects that employees will adapt to the
changes and accept the responsibility for new and different functions even if
they are part of a job in a higher pay grade. Normally, there will be no
adjustments to an employee's base pay under those limited circumstances.
Permanent changes to the composition of a job are addressed in paragraph
(C)(2)(e) of this rule. The "Supplemental Pay Request Form" should
be submitted to the compensation department to request additional payment for
temporary and interim assignments. (i) Temporary or interim
assignment. Nevertheless, the university recognizes the need to compensate an
employee who is performing duties of a higher pay grade beyond a normal period
of time. The requesting unit must consult with the compensation department if
additional compensation is being considered for an employee. In determining
whether an assignment is a temporary or interim assignment, consideration shall
be given to following factors: (a) Duration of the
assignment; (b) Scope of the
responsibilities; (c) Continuation of
current duties and responsibilities; and (d) Additional
compensation in comparison to the salaries of others in similar
positions. (ii) Temporary
assignment. This is defined as employees who are temporarily assigned duties
and responsibilities of greater complexity in addition to those outlined in the
current job description. An employee who is assigned duties and
responsibilities of more complexity in addition to those outlined in the
current job description should receive an increase based on an evaluation of
the additional assigned duties by the compensation department. Normally, the
employee's base pay plus the temporary salary adjustment should not exceed
the minimum of the pay grade to which the higher position is assigned.
Typically, the temporary increase should be no less than five percent and
should not exceed ten percent of current salary. The duration of the temporary
assignment should be at least three months. The amount of the increase may be
related to base salary but not added to base salary. The requesting unit must
consult with the compensation department to determine the appropriate amount of
additional compensation. (iii) Interim assignment.
Employees who are temporarily transferred to a vacant position in an acting
capacity should receive additional compensation from the date of assignment if
such assignment is in excess of three months. An employee who assumes a vacant
position with a higher pay grade in an acting capacity should receive a
temporary increase in salary to the minimum of the range for the higher
position or an increase typically not to exceed ten per cent of current salary,
whichever is greater. The increase should be no less than five per cent of
current salary. The requesting unit must consult with the compensation
department to determine the appropriate amount of compensation. Expectations
should be clearly identified at the beginning of the assignment regarding the
duration and the candidacy of the interim position incumbent. The amount of the
increase should be related to base salary but not added to base
salary. (D) Appeals of salary, pay grade or
title. The appointing authority may request an independent review by the vice
president for the division of people, culture and belonging for appeals to
salary, pay grade or title recommendations made by the compensation department.
Last updated September 5, 2025 at 2:12 PM
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Rule 3342-6-09.1 | Administrative policy and procedures regarding tuition benefits.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Policy Statement: It is the policy of
the university to support the education of employees and their dependents and
to include the costs associated with that education as part of the total
compensation package of the employee. Therefore reasonable access shall be
given to Kent state university coursework as approved by the supervisor and the
administrator for this program. Education access is a valuable benefit but
cannot be transferable, exchanged, or paid for through other funds of a unit.
Access shall be approved, monitored, and audited in accordance with standard
procedure for all other benefits according to paragraphs (A)(1) and (A)(2) of
this rule. (1) Tuition benefits in
the form of fee waivers are granted to full-time university employees, as
defined in paragraph (B)(1) of this rule, and their spouses, domestic partner
and/or dependent children and selected part-time employees, as defined in
paragraph (B)(2) of this rule. (2) The executive
director of university benefits shall be the reviewing authority concerning
eligibility requirements. (B) Definition of employee. (1) A "full-time
employee" for purposes of eligibility regarding this benefit is defined
as one who normally works a minimum of forty hours per week on a regularly
scheduled basis. This includes permanent seasonal employees and regular,
full-time, annual contracted faculty and administrative staff. Military
personnel and their spouses and dependents who are assigned for regular duty as
members of the ROTC staff are eligible, during the duration of their Kent state
university assignment. (2) A "part-time
employee" for purposes of eligibility regarding this benefit is defined
as follows: (a) An eligible part-time faculty member is one who is
appointed to a teaching position with faculty rank in a department for at least
one semester or summer session. (b) An eligible part-time classified or unclassified
administrative employee is one who has worked a minimum of one thousand two
hundred fifty hours within the previous twelve months. (3) Former employees as a
result of a separation for any reason other than recognized retirement must
have active service of not less than thirty days within the semester their
termination of employment or reduction of hours become effective to be eligible
for tuition waiver for the complete semester. Any period less than thirty days
will either constitute removal from classes through university exit or the full
semester tuition payment must be made to the bursar's office in order to
continue classes. Persons in temporary layoff or furlough status from a
seasonal position shall continue to be eligible through their layoff or
furlough periods. (C) Benefits for individual
employees. (1) Eligibility. (a) Tuition benefits are available to eligible employees of
the university who have been employed on a full-time status for one semester or
its equivalency of one hundred twenty days. (b) Military personnel who are assigned for regular duty as
members of the ROTC staff are eligible for tuition benefits during the duration
of their Kent state university assignment. (c) Tuition benefits are available to eligible part-time
faculty, classified, or unclassified administrative employees for a maximum of
four credit hours per semester. (d) Retired full-time employees who had at least ten years
of continuous full-time service with the university and would satisfy the
eligibility requirements for retirement benefits under the OPERS traditional
plan or the STRS defined benefit plan are eligible for complete tuition
benefits, including employees who retired under an alternative retirement
plan. (e) Disabled inactive employees must have completed a total
of five years of full-time employment with the university and be qualified for
disability payments from the long term disability plan, OPERS or STRS to be
eligible for tuition benefits to continue. Any full-time employee who is on an
authorized leave of absence for temporary disability shall be eligible for
tuition benefits for the duration of the leave. (f) Full-time employees as well as spouses, domestic
partners, and dependent children of full-time employees on authorized leaves of
absence are eligible for tuition benefits if the employee otherwise meets the
eligibility requirements in paragraph (C)(1)(a) of this rule. (2) Utilization. (a) Each full-time employee may take coursework for which
he or she is academically eligible, provided it does not conflict or interfere
with normal hours of employment or other university policies or
regulations. (b) Tuition benefits are not available for any coursework
in the college of podiatric medicine or podiatric program. (c) Under special circumstances, such as the unavailability
of a required course after normal working hours, an employee may be permitted
to take one course per semester or summer session during working hours.
However, satisfactory arrangements must be made both to make up the time missed
and to adequately cover the employee's responsibilities. Written approval
must be obtained from the employee's appropriate supervisor. (d) Tuition benefits for individual employees are in the
form only of a waiver of all instructional and general fees at the university
for any credit course or program for which the employee is academically
qualified. (e) These benefits can be used for enrollment in an
off-campus or international program for which university academic credit is
received and for which tuition and fees are collected and retained by the
bursar of Kent state university. (f) Tuition benefits cannot be transferred or received in
any form other than a waiver of fees; for example, a student receiving a
tuition benefit from another source may not exchange the benefit provided by
this policy for cash or any other consideration. (g) Part-time faculty members are eligible to use the
four-hour waiver during the semester the part-time faculty member teaches or
the following semester, with summer terms taken at the option of the part-time
faculty member. There will be no carryover of partially used tuition waivers or
accumulation of credit hours from one period to another. (h) Graduate students who have been assigned to a part-time
faculty appointment may substitute their four-hour fee waiver for up to fifteen
hours of dissertation credit, not to exceed the original cost of the four
credit hours, when authorized by the appropriate graduate dean. (3) Amount of
benefit. (a) The tuition benefit is limited to the waiver of the
full amount of instructional and general fees normally charged for any program
of studies up to and including eighteen credit hours of study per semester or
its equivalent for summer or special sessions. Overload, admission,
matriculation, parking, bus, special course fees, and all other fees are
excluded from this benefit. (b) The out-of-state surcharge, if applicable, will be
waived. (D) Benefits for employee's spouse,
domestic partner, and dependent children. (1) Eligibility of
dependent children. Dependent eligibility is based on date of hire of the
eligible employee. (a) For full-time faculty hired prior to August 16, 2005,
dependent children eligibility is defined in paragraph (D)(1)(h) of this
rule. (b) For full-time faculty hired on or after August 16,
2005, dependent children eligibility is defined in paragraph (D)(1)(i) of this
rule. (c) For full-time represented members of the AFSCME
bargaining unit hired prior to May 1, 2007, dependent children eligibility is
defined in paragraph (D)(1)(h) of this rule. (d) For full-time represented members of the AFSCME
bargaining unit hired on or after May 1, 2007, dependent children eligibility
is defined in paragraph (D)(1)(i) of this rule. (e) For all other full-time staff employees hired prior to
May 1, 2007, dependent children eligibility is defined in paragraph (D)(1)(h)
of this rule. (f) For all full-time staff hired on or after May 1, 2007,
dependent children eligibility is defined in paragraph (D)(1)(i) of this
rule. (g) The tuition benefit is only available to spouses,
domestic partners, and dependent children, including stepchildren and legally
adopted children, of full-time employees upon completion of the
employee's eligibility period. This benefit is also applicable to
dependent children under the legal guardianship of the employee. Tuition waiver
benefits are available to spouses and dependent children of deceased, disabled
or retired employees when the employees meet the eligibility requirements
defined in this policy. Other relatives, such as father, mother, niece, nephew,
sister, brother, and so forth, are not eligible to participate in this
program. (h) Children under twenty-eight years of age who are
dependent for more than fifty per cent of their financial support from parents
are eligible for tuition waiver. Children who reach their twenty-eighth
birthday during the academic semester in which they are currently enrolled will
be allowed to complete that semester. (i) Children under twenty-five years of age who are
dependent for more than fifty per cent of their financial support from parents
are eligible for tuition waiver. Children who reach their twenty-fifth birthday
during the academic semester in which they are currently enrolled will be
allowed to complete that semester. (j) Spouses and dependent children of military personnel
who are assigned for regular duty as members of the ROTC staff are eligible for
tuition benefits during the duration of the staff member's Kent state
university assignment. Dependent children are subject to the limitations of
either in paragraph (D)(1)(h) or (D)(1)(i) of this rule based upon the date the
staff member's assignment at Kent state university begins. (k) Tuition benefits will be continued for spouses or
dependent children of employees who die while actively employed full-time at
the university and have served at least eighteen months of continuous
university service and are either eligible for a survivor benefit, or who
retired on disability from OPERS or STRS. This applies to the spouse or
dependent children who are receiving tuition benefits at the time of the
employee's death. (2) Utilization. (a) Tuition benefits for spouses, domestic partners, and/or
for dependent children of full-time employees are in the form only of a waiver
of all instructional and general fees at the university for any credit course
or program for which the beneficiary is academically qualified. (b) Tuition benefits are not available for any coursework
in the college of podiatric medicine or podiatric program. (c) These benefits can be used for enrollment in an
off-campus or international program for which university academic credit is
received and for which tuition and fees are collected and retained by the
bursar of Kent state university. (d) Tuition benefits cannot be transferred or received in
any form other than a waiver of fees; for example, a beneficiary receiving a
tuition benefit from another source may not exchange the benefit provided in
this policy for cash or any other consideration. (e) Tuition benefits can be used in conjunction with other
forms of financial aid, providing the beneficiary is eligible under federal,
state and university laws and regulations for that aid as determined by the
director of financial aid. (3) Amount of
benefit. (a) The tuition benefit is limited to the waiver of the
full amount of instructional and general fees normally charged for any program
of studies up to and including eighteen credit hours of study per term or its
equivalent for summer or special sessions. An employee must initiate an
application for tuition waiver on behalf of their spouse, domestic partner, or
dependent no later than thirty days after the first day of classes. Refunds of
fees which were paid prior to submission of the fee waiver application will be
processed only if the fee waiver form was received within the time frame
previously stated. Overload, admission, matriculation, parking, bus, special
course fees, and all other fees are excluded from this benefit. (b) The out-of-state surcharge, if applicable, will be
waived. (E) Exclusions. (1) Tuition benefits
cannot be used for the spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children of
those who have graduate and research assistantships or fellowships. In
addition, an employee's dependent fee waiver cannot be substituted for a
tuition scholarship offered by a university department in conjunction with a
graduate and research assistantship or fellowship. (2) Tuition benefits
cannot be used for enrollment in non-credit courses or credit courses which are
audited. (3) Any employee who
fails to initiate an application for tuition waiver within thirty days after
the first day of classes and makes any tuition payments will not receive a
refund for that semester or any previous semester. (F) Application procedures. (1) Official application
forms for these benefits are available from the benefits office of the division
of people, culture and belonging. Applications should normally be completed
three weeks prior to the registration date for the semester in which the
benefit is to be used and returned to the benefits office for verification of
employment and dependent eligibility approval. (2) For full-time
faculty and staff, applications are submitted only once for the entire tenure
of employment as long as the employee, spouse, domestic partner, or dependent
continues to enroll in active classroom study. (3) Part-time faculty and
staff must apply for tuition benefits prior to each semester or summer session
for which tuition benefits are requested. (4) For full-time faculty
and staff, tuition waiver benefits will be automatically canceled following a
three-year period where the student does not exercise his or her privilege to
attend classes. A renewal of the fee waiver must be reestablished by formally
submitting a new application. A verification of eligibility will be made by the
benefits office, which will also cancel waivers upon an
employee/dependent's ineligibility. (5) Employees who have
completed the one hundred twenty-day equivalent period after date of hire may
apply for the waiver even after a semester has started. The application process
must be completed prior to the end of late registration. (G) Exceptions. (1) Exceptions to any
provision of this rule will be determined by the president of the university or
the president's designee upon submission of appropriate written
documentation, establishing the reasons for the request. (2) Any exception or
waiver granted by the president is based on a case-by-case analysis. All
decisions will be final and not considered a precedent for future
requests.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:53 AM
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Rule 3342-6-09.2 | Administrative policy regarding to employee assistance program.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Purpose/mission. The effectiveness of
the university depends on the effectiveness of its faculty and staff. The Kent
state university employee assistance program (EAP) is a free and confidential
service designed to help retain and restore employees who have job performance
problems or are likely to as a result of personal difficulties. (B) Scope. Areas of personal difficulty
include, but are not limited, substance abuse, financial, legal, emotional,
psychological, family, marital, stress, bereavement and other types of personal
problems. (C) Eligibility. The program is available
to faculty, staff and immediate family members wishing to discuss concerns
about themselves, family members, or other aspects of their life. (D) General guidelines. (1) Participation in the
program is voluntary and a request for help with personal problems will not
jeopardize employments and/or promotional opportunities. (2) Administrators/supervisors are encouraged to make a
referral to the EAP when they have reason to believe personal difficulties may
be influencing the productivity of their department or interfering with the
well-being of an individual. (3) Utilizing the
employee assistance program is not meant to replace existing administrative or
disciplinary procedures. (4) Faculty and staff are
expected to correct any substandard performance whether or not they use the
program. (E) Methods. A professional third-party
provider is contracted to: (1) Offer confidential
assessment interviews that clarify the nature of the personal problem(s) and
referring to prescreened public and private community resources for further
evaluation or on-going assistance; (2) Provide training
programs for supervisors and administrators on the functions and services
provided by the employee assistance program including how and when to
refer; (3) Offering individual
consultations with supervisors and administrators regarding concerns about an
individual's well-being and/or performance; and (4) Provide on-going
educational programming through the distribution of pertinent literature and/or
the scheduling of speakers. (F) Confidentiality. EAP records and
discussions are confidential. Information held by the contractor may only be
released under the following circumstances: (1) An individual signs
a consent form requesting the employee assistance program staff release certain
information to certain individuals; (2) A medical emergency
arises requiring information necessary to assist with an individual's
care; (3) Where child
abuse/neglect is suspected by or reported to the employee assistance program
staff; or (4) Where release is
required by law, e.g., an individual is perceived by the EAP staff as being of
danger to themselves or others. (G) Access. Faculty, staff and family
members have direct access to the program or, in the case of faculty and/or
staff, a supervisor/administrator may assist with the scheduling of an
appointment. (1) It is not the
responsibility of the administrator/supervisor to know how to assess or solve
employee personal problems. A referral to the EAP should be made rather than an
attempt to diagnose or treat any personal problems that are brought to their
attention. Recognizing that there is a performance deficiency, that it may be
related to outside influences and that there is free, confidential and
professional help available is how the administrator/supervisor can best serve
the interest of the employee and those of the university. Hesitating to
recognize and discuss declining performance may only prolong the substandard
performance and personal difficulties. (2) The contractor will
make services available to employees on a twenty-four-hour, seven-day
basis. (3) It is the right of
every employee to use the employee assistance program without fear of reprisal
or retaliatory action. (H) Organization. The executive director
of university benefits or designee will be the university's liaison to
the contractor. The program may receive guidance from an advisory
committee.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:53 AM
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Rule 3342-6-09.3 | Administrative policy and procedures regarding holidays for administrative contract and unrepresented hourly classified employees.
(A) Holiday observance. (1) The following holidays will be observed annually by administrative, professional, and nonacademic employees: (a) First of January; (New Year's day). (b) Third Monday in January; (Martin Luther King Jr. day). (c) Third Monday in February; (presidents' day). (d) Last Monday in May; (memorial day). (e) Fourth of July; (independence day). (f) First Monday in September; (labor day). (g) Second Monday in October; (Columbus Day). (h) Eleventh of November; (Veterans Day). (i) Fourth Thursday in November; (Thanksgiving Day). (j) Twenty-fifth of December; (Christmas Day). (k) And any other days so designated by an act of the president of the United States and/or the governor of the state of Ohio. (2) University offices and departments will normally be closed and classes will not be scheduled on each of the indicated holidays. (3) Specific observance dates are announced in the university calendar. Holidays indicated on the third Monday in January, the third Monday in February, and the second Monday in October may be rescheduled by the university for observance on other days. (4) If a holiday falls on a Sunday, it will be observed on the following Monday. If a holiday falls on Saturday, it will be observed on the preceding Friday. (B) Necessary services. When the university is closed in observance of a holiday, it is essential that certain necessary or essential services be maintained. When an unrepresented employee required by his/her responsible administrative authority to work on a holiday the following provisions will apply: (1) Administrative contract employees. When an unclassified contract employee is required to be present for duty on a day otherwise recognized as a legal holiday, that employee may take a compensatory day off at a time mutually agreed upon by the employee and his/her supervisor. Under no circumstances will an administrative contract or professional appointee receive additional pay for a holiday upon which he/she is required to perform services. (2) Classified employees. A full-time employee, regardless of his/her work shift or schedule, is automatically entitled to holiday pay for the number of hours he/she is normally scheduled to work at his/her regular rate of pay. A part-time employee is entitled to holiday pay for that number of hours for which he/she would normally have been scheduled to work. (C) Holidays during leave. (1) If a holiday occurs during a period of paid sick or vacation leave, the employee will draw normal holiday pay and will not be charged for sick leave or vacation. (2) An employee must be in active pay status for the entire scheduled work day immediately preceding the holiday to receive holiday compensation. (3) A full-time employee with a work schedule other than Monday through Friday is entitled to eight hours of pay for any holiday observed on his/her day off.
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Rule 3342-6-10 | University policy regarding retirement.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Salary deduction. (1) It is mandatory that
tenured, tenure track, and non-tenure track faculty holding membership within a
bargaining unit participate in either the state teachers retirement system of
Ohio (STRS) or a qualified alternative retirement plan (ARP). (2) It is mandatory that
full-time classified staff and unclassified administrative staff participate in
either Ohio public employees retirement system (OPERS) or a qualified ARP.
(3) Faculty, classified
staff, and unclassified staff retirement contributions (the deferred salary)
are calculated on with each payroll. The deferred salary is forwarded by the
university to the appropriate retirement system to be applied on behalf of the
employee. The university makes an additional contribution. Current contribution
percentage amounts are available from the university benefits office.
(4) Pamphlets containing
information on the STRS, OPERS, and ARP retirement plans are available in the
benefits office or on the university's division of people, culture and
belonging website. (B) Defined contribution
plans. (1) The senior vice
president for finance and administration shall establish a committee,
consisting of no more than five individuals, that shall be responsible for the
oversight of administrative activities and investment matters concerning
university-sponsored defined contribution retirement plans, including the ARP,
403(b), and 457(b) plans. (2) A written charter
shall be developed concerning the operation of the committee. (3) The committee may, as
appropriate, utilize an investment advisor. (4) The committee shall,
among other things, develop an investment policy statement. (5) The committee shall,
based on the plan documents and investment policy statement: (a) Select and monitor plan recordkeepers and investment
advisors. (b) Determine that the plans are operated in a manner consistent
with the applicable plan documents. (c) Identify the investment goals and objectives of the
plans. (d) Establish the process for selection of investment
offerings. (e) Specify the procedure for measuring investment performance,
including a review of fees and other features of offerings. (f) Outline the procedure for terminating and replacing funds
determined to be underperforming. (g) Address other matters as appropriate.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:54 AM
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Rule 3342-6-10.1 | Administrative procedure regarding early retirement of regular full-time members of the faculty.
(A) The decision to retire is an individual matter. Faculty members should first determine their retirement status and options with the state teachers retirement system. The university's staff benefits office will provide, upon request, information and advice regarding the state teachers retirement system's rules and regulations. (B) The university, through the offices of the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel, the director of personnel, and the associate vice president for the extended university, will provide informal advice and council to any regular full-time faculty member who wishes to examine the possibilities of early retirement. (C) After determining their retirement status with the state teachers retirement system, Kent campus faculty members interested in early retirement may initiate the process by writing to the chairperson, with copies sent to the dean and vice president. Regional campus faculty members may initiate the process by writing to the campus dean with copies to the associate vice president and the vice president, and the courtesy copies to the chair and college dean. (D) The conditions of an early retirement agreement are subject to mutual assent by the faculty member and the university. For Kent campus faculty, the office of the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel will receive recommendations from the chairperson and dean before determining whether or not the university wishers to authorize the agreement. For regional campus faculty, the office of the associate vice president for the extended university will receive recommendations from the campus dean and make an independent recommendation to the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel. (E) The following guidelines have been established for the development of early retirement agreements with members of the faculty. (1) An early retiree may be offered a part-time appointment up to a half-time load for a designated number of years. Normally, such agreements are for a period of one to five year. (2) An early retiree's part-time appointment may be for any part of an academic year or semester or summer term. (3) Depending on the load factor of the part-time appointment, an early retiree is eligible to receive up to forty-seven per cent of his or her base salary at the time of retirement. (4) In agreements of longer that one year's duration, the base salary of the early retiree will be adjusted proportionately according to the same percentage amount of any across-the-board salary increase given to regular full-time members of the faculty. (5) An early retiree who is on the graduate faculty, may continue as a graduate faculty member if offered a part-time appointment. The status of the retiree's graduate faculty appointment is subject to review at the time of the retiree's departmental graduate faculty review. (6) Upon the recommendation of the chairperson and the dean (for Kent campus faculty) or of the associate vice president for the extended university (for regional campus faculty), the early retirement agreement will be prepared by the office of the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel and submitted to the prospective retiree for the review and acceptance.
Last updated August 19, 2025 at 9:16 AM
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Rule 3342-6-11.1 | Administrative policy and procedures regarding sick leave for salaried unclassified employees including faculty.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) Policy. It shall be the policy of
the university to provide paid sick leave for its employees in accordance with
the provisions of sections 124.38 and 124.39 of the Revised Code. (B) Crediting and charging of sick
leave. (1) Salaried full-time
employees earn sick leave at a rate of one and one-quarter day (ten hours) for
each completed month of eligible service, which shall accrue on a bimonthly
basis. Part-time employees earn sick leave at a rate proportionate to the
percentage of full-time eligible service. (2) Hourly full-time
employees earn sick leave at a rate of 4.64 hours per completed pay period.
Part-time hourly employees earn sick leave at a comparable rate proportionate
to the percentage of full-time eligible service. (3) Sick leave credit is
also earned any time an employees is in active pay status on sick leave or
vacation. This means that employees who are on sick leave, vacation, or any
other type of paid leave, excluding paid parental leave and donated leave, will
continue to accrue sick leave. (4) Full-time salaried employees cannot accrue more than
ten hours of sick leave in a given month, even if they work more than regular
full-time hours or accept more than a full-time workload in that month.
Likewise, part-time salaried employees and all hourly employees (whether
full-time or part-time) cannot earn additional sick leave beyond their normally
prescribed amounts, even when they work beyond their regularly prescribed
hours. (C) Utilization. (1) Sick leave is charged
in minimum units of fifteen minutes and should be recorded in the appropriate
timekeeping system. Employees are only charged for sick leave days in which
they are otherwise scheduled to work. (2) A continuous period of sick leave
commences with the first day of absence and includes all subsequent work days
(excluding legal holidays) until the employee returns to work. No more than
five days of sick leave or forty hours shall charged against any employee
during any seven-day period. (3) Sick leave will be granted to
employees, upon approval of the appointing authority, for the following
reasons: (a) Illness or injury to
the employee; (b) Illness or injury to a member of the employee's
immediate family for whom the employee will provide care; (c) Death of a member of the employee's immediate
family; (d) Medical, dental or optical examination or treatment of
the employee or a member of the immediate family; (e) When, through exposure to a contagious disease, the
employee's presence on the job would jeopardize the health of the employee
and/or others; and (f) Disability due to pregnancy and/or childbirth and
related conditions. (4) Definition of "immediate
family": parent, step-parent, foster parent, sibling, step-sibling,
foster-sibling,, child, step-child, foster child, spouse, domestic partner,
grandparent, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law,
son-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law. (5) Sick leave granted by reason of death
in the immediate family will not exceed five working days. (6) Where conditions warrant, a limit of
five days may be allowed for the care of the employee's spouse or child
during the post-natal period. (7) An employee who becomes eligible for
workers' compensation payment for their absence may choose to use sick
leave before such payments are made. (D) Reporting and recording. (1) For all foreseeable
sick leave absences, a request must be submitted to the employee's
supervisor as far as possible in advance of the date the leave is to begin. If
the need for leave is not foreseeable, the employee must provide notice as soon
as possible. (2) If an employee takes sick leave, their supervisor or
unit leader may work with the benefits department to obtain documentation that
verifies the need for the leave. This documentation may include, but is not
limited to, a physician's certificate. The specific reason for the sick
leave will remain confidential and will not be shared with the employee's
department. (3) Sick leave records will be retained
by human resources records, and academic personnel as applicable, and will be
available for review by the employee during normal working hours. (4) Employees who fail to comply with the
university's rules and regulations regarding sick leave may be subjected
to disciplinary action and may not be paid for sick leave days requested.
Employees who apply for sick leave with intent to defraud or who provide
fraudulent documentation to support their use of sick leave shall be dismissed
from employment, and shall refund the university any salary or wage paid during
such sick leave. (E) Transfer of sick leave credits. An
employee who transfers from one public agency to another, is reappointed or
reinstated, or transfers from one state department to another shall, upon
reentering and submitting certified evidence of accumulated sick leave, be
credited with the unused balance of accumulated sick leave, provided the time
between separation and reappointment does not exceed ten years. The words
"public agency" as used above include the state, counties,
municipalities and all board of education within the state of Ohio. The amount
of sick leave transferred to state service shall not be greater than the
maximum accumulation that would have been allowed if all public employment had
been in the state service. (F) Conversion of sick leave upon
retirement or death. . (1) Upon retirement from university employment, or death
(but not upon any other separation from employment), eligible employees (or, in
the case of death, the employee's beneficiaries) may elect to receive
payment for one-fourth of the employees accrued but unused sick leave with a
maximum of two hundred forty hours. (2) To be eligible, employees must be in active service for
the university at the time of their retirement/death and must have ten or more
years of service with the university, state of Ohio, and/or any of Ohio's
political subdivisions. (3) Upon accepting such payment, all of the
employees' sick leave credit accrued up to that date will be eliminated
and will not be returned if the employee is subsequently reemployed by the
university or in other state service. (4) Such payment will be made only once
to any employee. That is, an employee who returns to university or other state
service after retiring may accrue and use sick leave as before, but may not
convert the unused sick leave at the time of a second separation from the
university. (G) The cash conversion of unused sick leave credit upon
the death of an employee who meets the criteria, shall be paid in accordance
with section 2113.04 of the Revised Code (release of decedents' wages
without administration), or to the estate of the decedent.
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:43 AM
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Rule 3342-6-11.2 | Administrative policy regarding conversion of sick leave.
(A) Policy statement. The university recognizes that employees may need to be absent from their regularly scheduled work hours for a variety of circumstances not covered under the policy governing paid sick leave. Eligible employees may convert accrued sick leave to other types of paid leave subject to the terms set forth below. A maximum of forty hours (five days) (twenty-four hours/three days for part-time employees) may be converted each fiscal year. (B) Conversion to personal leave. (1) Definition. Personal leave is converted from sick leave at the time it is used. It is intended to cover absences due to mandatory court appearances, legal or business matters, family emergencies, unusual family obligations, weddings, religious holidays, community service leave or any other personal matter. (2) Eligibility. All classified and unclassified administrative and professional employees with continuing appointment not represented by a collective bargaining unit are eligible to convert accrued sick leave to paid personal leave, so long as they retain a balance of at least one hundred twenty hours (sixty hours for part-time employees) of accrued sick leave. (3) Utilization. Personal leave may be requested in minimum units of one-half day. Employees are expected to request personal leave in advance. The employee should submit a leave form to the immediate supervisor indicating the date, time and purpose of the leave. If the employee is unable to submit a request with reasonable notice in advance, the employee should follow standard procedures for reporting time off due to illness. Personal leave will not be granted without the approval of the supervisor. (a) Leave balance. The requesting employee must maintain a minimum balance of one hundred twenty (sixty hours for part-time employees)hours of accrued unused sick leave in order to convert sick leave to personal leave. (b) Calculation of overtime. Paid personal leave does not count toward forty hours of regular paid time in determining when an hourly classified employee is eligible for overtime. (c) Maximum. An employee may convert a maximum of forty hours (five days) (twenty-four hours/three days for part-time employees) of sick leave to personal leave in any fiscal year. (C) Conversion to vacation. (1) Eligibility. All classified and unclassified administrative and professional employees with continuing appointment not represented by a collective bargaining unit are eligible to convert accrued sick leave to vacation during the month of September each year so long as they have a balance of at least five hundred hours (two hundred fifty hours for part-time employees) of earned unused sick leave and they do not have a current accrued balance of vacation more than the maximum allowed in paragraph (D)(1) of rule 3342-6-11.7 of the Administrative Code.
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Rule 3342-6-11.4 | Administrative policy regarding paid leave donation.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) Policy statement. The university
recognizes that employees may have a family medical emergency for which they
may need to take time away from work once they have exhausted all of their paid
time. To help alleviate the stress caused by such medical emergencies, the
university will allow eligible employees to receive donated sick leave or
vacation directly from coworkers under this policy. (B) Definitions. (1) A "medical emergency" under this policy is
a serious medical hardship or catastrophic illnesses or injury that severely
impacts the health of the employee that is expected to cause a prolonged
absence from work for which the employee has insufficient paid
leave. (2) A "prolonged absence" under this policy is
a continued absence that totals at least more than one pay period or an
equivalent number of working hours (e.g., eight ten-hour days). (C) Eligibility to receive donated leave.
All full- and part-time classified and unclassified employees are eligible to
or receive donated leave or donated vacation when they experience a medical
emergency, as long as they: (1) Have exhausted all accrued sick leave, vacation, and
compensatory time available at the time of donation; (2) Are ineligible to use any paid leave the university
provides (e.g., paid parental paid, etc.) to cover the medical
emergency; (3) Are on an approved leave; (4) Have completed at least one year of service; and
(5) Have no record of disciplinary action related to the
abuse of leave time or absenteeism on record prior to the need for donated
leave. (D) Requesting donations. Eligible employees may apply to
receive donated sick leave or vacation using the following
procedure: (1) Eligible employees may only receive and use up to a
combined maximum of sixty days of donated sick leave or vacation per calendar
year. (2) To request leave under this policy, the employee must
submit a paid leave donation request form to the benefits department to show
their willingness to accept paid leave donations. All such requests will be
kept confidential. (3) By completing their paid leave donation request form,
the employee is giving the university permission to disclose the
employee's name on its list of employees who are eligible to receive paid
leave donations. (4) At the time of their request, the employee must
reasonably expect that they will eventually be fit to return to work based on
their health care provider's assessment of their serious health
condition. (E) Review process. (1) The reason for the request to receive donated leave
will be kept confidential. (2) At any point during the approval process or throughout
the course of the leave, the university may require an employee to provide
medical documentation of the serious health condition. The university may also
require employees at any point to undergo a medical evaluation, at the
university's expense, conducted by a licensed medical provider of the
university's choosing. (3) Should the employee's request for donated leave
be denied, the employee may appeal in writing such decision within ten business
days to the vice president of the division of people, culture, and belonging,
whose determination upon review shall be final. (F) Donating paid leave to another employee. (1) Donating employees must be currently active on Kent
state university's payroll at the time the employee submits the request
to donate leave. (2) Employees may voluntarily donate a portion of their
accrued hours of sick leave or vacation directly to another employee whose name
appears on the university's list of employees who are eligible to receive
donated leave. (3) Donating employees must have an accrued balance of
greater than thirty days (two hundred forty hours) employees may donate no more
than eighty of their accrued sick leave above two hundred forty hours in any
twelve-month period. (4) An employee may contribute a maximum of eighty hours of
earned vacation leave in any twelve-month period. (5) Use of donated leave. . (a) If an employee is
unable to return to work by the originally approved date, they may request
additional paid leave via the same approval process as their initial
application. Any additional leave the employe receives cannot exceed the
sixty-day maximum. (b) Donated paid leave
may only be used for the specific medical emergency that was approved by the
university. If an employee still has donated sick leave or vacation time
leftover upon their return to work or upon their separation from employment,
such leftover leave will be returned to the donor employee. (c) Nothing in this
policy will be construed to limit or extend the maximum allowable absence under
any approved leave (e.g., Family and Medical Leave Act, etc.).
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:43 AM
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Rule 3342-6-11.5 | Administrative policy and procedure regarding court leave.
(A) The university shall grant leave with full pay to an employee who: (1) Is summoned for jury duty by a court of competent jurisdiction, or (2) Is subpoenaed to appear before any court, commission, board or other legally constituted body authorized by law to compel the attendance of witnesses, where the employee is not a party to the action. (B) Any compensation or reimbursement for jury duty or for court attendance compelled by subpoena, when such duty is performed during and employee's normal working hours, shall be remitted by the employee to the treasurer of the university. (C) Approval for court leave shall be requested in writing by the employee, supported by a copy of the appropriate court document. (D) Any employee who is appearing before a court or other legally constituted body in a matter in which he is a party may be granted vacation time or leave of absence without pay. Such instances would include, but are not limited to, criminal or civil case, traffic court, divorce proceedings, custody hearings, or appearances as directed as a parent or guardian of a juvenile. (E) An employee who is the appellant in any action before the state personnel board of review and is in active pay status at the time of a scheduled hearing before the board shall be granted court leave with full pay for purposes of attending the hearing.
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Rule 3342-6-11.6 | Administrative policy regarding military leave of absence.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Purpose. It is a university priority
that reasonable effort will be made to ensure that faculty and staff members
called to serve in military duty will be treated fairly regarding arrangements
for leaves of absence. It will be the policy of the university to ensure smooth
transitions for faculty and staff called to assume active military
responsibilities. Units on all campuses should work diligently to respond with
concern and care for the individual situation in accordance with federal and
state statute, university policies, and collective bargaining agreements
regarding leaves and employment. (B) Criteria/scope. (1) Each member of the
university who is a member of the Ohio national guard, the Ohio defense corps,
the Ohio naval militia, or a member of any other reserve component of the armed
forces of the United States, shall be granted leave of absence from his or her
respective duties without loss of pay for such time as he or she is in the
military service on field training or active duty for periods not to exceed
thirty-one days in any one calendar year. Per Ohio statute the following
applies: (a) The maximum number of hours for which payment can be
made in any one calendar year is twenty-two days or one hundred seventy-six
hours. (b) The service does not have to be for one continuous
period of time. (C) Military leave due to regular call-up. (1) Regular call-up for one month or less. (a) For military call-ups
of one month or less, individuals are entitled to receive leave with pay for up
to twenty-two days or one hundred seventy-six hours for each calendar year.
(b) Medical,
prescription, dental, vision and retirement benefits are continued for the
individual and covered dependents as if the individual was not on leave.
(2) Regular call-up exceeding one month. (a) For military call-ups
that exceed one month, individuals are entitled to receive leave without pay
for up to a maximum of five years. (b) Employes on active
duty may elect to use the military health care system or may continue existing
university medical, dental and vision coverage for the duration of the call-up
period. The cost of coverage will remain the same as if the individual were not
on leave. Upon return from military leave, employees are entitled to reenroll
in university health benefits without any waiting period. (c) Retirement
contributions to state systems are not required during the period of military
leave. Individuals may purchase military service time in accordance with the
rules of their respective public retirement systems (OPERS, STRS). Purchasing
military service time is not available for Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP)
participants. (D) Military leave due to presidential or congressional
order. (1) For call-ups of one month or less, pay and benefits
entitlements are the same as for a regular call up. (2) For call-ups that exceed one month: (a) The university will
provide the employee with a monthly pay differential equal to the difference
between the current gross monthly wage or salary and the sum of the gross
military pay and allowances. (b) Employees on active
duty may elect to use the military health care system or may continue existing
university medical, dental and vision coverage for the duration of the call-up
period. The cost of coverage will remain the same as if the employee were not
on leave. Upon return from military leave, employees are entitled to reenroll
in university health benefits without any waiting period. (c) Retirement
contributions are the same as stated in this policy. (E) Implementation. (1) Military leave, as
described, must be requested in writing prior to the absence. The faculty or
staff member is required to submit to their director or manager and the
appointing authority the written request for leave, along with an order or
statement from the appropriate military commander as evidence of such duty.
Requests for military leave and supporting documentation must be submitted to
human resources records for staff and to academic personnel for
faculty. (2) If members in the
Ohio national guard to assist civil authorities in such duties as flood and
riot control or civil defense, and such duty exceeds military leave authorized
for the year, they shall be granted emergency leave without pay. Members of any
other reserve component of the armed forces of the U.S. shall also be granted
emergency leave without pay if called to active duty and that term exceeds the
annual authorized amount. (3) Faculty or staff
members who have worked for the university at least ninety calendar days will
be granted a leave of absence without pay to be inducted or otherwise enter
military service. They will not be paid for such leave unless they are members
of reserve components as specified above. (4) A faculty or staff
member who reenlists while on active duty, or a commissioned officer who
voluntarily enters on extended active duty beyond that required upon accepting
a commission, is not eligible for immediate reinstatement. (F)
Reemployment rights. (1) Faculty or staff members will be
reinstated into university employment in accordance with the Uniformed Services
Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), as amended upon
application for reemployment according to the requirements of
USERRA. (a) Reinstatement must be accomplished promptly within
thirty days after application is received. (b) A copy of the discharge or certificate of service must
be submitted with all requests for reinstatement of reappointment. (2) Return from duty. (a) For service of less
than one month, the employee must apply to HR records for staff and academic
personnel for faculty for reinstatement no later than the beginning of the
first full regularly scheduled work period that starts at least eight hours
after return from military service, after allowance for safe travel home from
the military duty location and an eight-hours rest period. If, due to no fault
of the employee, timely reporting back to work would be impossible or
unreasonable, the employee must report back to work as soon as possible after
the expiration of the eight hours. (b) For service more than
one month but fewer than six months, the employee must apply for reinstatement
no later than fourteen days after release from active service. If submission of
a timely application is impossible or unreasonable through no fault of the
employee, the application must be submitted as soon as possible on the next day
when submitting the application becomes possible. (c) For service of more
than six months, the employee must apply for reinstatement no later than ninety
days after release from active service. The reporting or application deadline
may be extended for employees who are hospitalized or convalescing because of
an injury or illness incurred or aggravated during the performance of military
service. (3) The following three-part reemployment
process required under USERRA will apply for people with a disability incurred
during service: (a) The employer must make a reasonable effort to
accommodate the person's disability so that the person can perform the
position that the person would have held if the person had remained
continuously employed. (b) If, despite reasonable accommodation efforts, the
person is not qualified for the position in paragraph (F)(3)(a) of this rule
due to his or her disability, the person must be reemployed in a position of
equivalent seniority, status, and pay, so long as the employee is qualified to
perform the duties of the position, or could become qualified to perform them
with reasonable efforts by the employer. (c) If the person does not become qualified for the
position in either paragraph (F)(3)(a) or (F)(3)(b) of this rule the person
must be employed in a position that, consistent with the circumstances of that
person's case, most nearly approximates the position in paragraph
(F)(3)(b) of this rule in terms of seniority, status and pay. (4) Faculty and staff members are
entitled to all salary benefits or other advancement accruing to their position
during their absence.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 8:05 AM
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Rule 3342-6-11.7 | Administrative policy regarding annual vacation leave for nonteaching unclassified and non-bargaining classified staff.
Effective:
December 3, 2018
(A) Policy statement. The university
recognizes the importance of providing staff an opportunity for recreation or
other personal matters without loss of compensation. Paid vacation leave is
granted according to the terms and conditions set forth below. (B) Eligibility. (1) All full-time and
part-time classified staff not in a collective bargaining unit that hold a
twelve-month continuous appointment are eligible to accrue and use vacation
under this policy. (2) All full-time and
part-time unclassified staff that hold a twelve-month continuous appointment
are eligible to accrue and use vacation leave. (3) Postdoctoral research
associates or research scholars not in a bargaining unit are eligible to accrue
and use vacation leave as provided for in rule 3342-6-20 of the Administrative
Code. However, postdoctoral research associates or research scholars shall not
be eligible to receive payment for unused vacation upon their separation of
employment. (4) All full-time and
part-time grant-funded staff not in a collective bargaining unit that hold a
twelve-month continuous appointment are eligible to accrue and use vacation
under this policy. However, grant-funded staff shall not be eligible to receive
payment for unused vacation upon their separation of employment. Grant-funded staff is defined as employees engaged in externally
grant funded educational or research duties connected with the
university. (5) All full-time and
part-time, intermittent, and temporary classified employees not in a bargaining
unit do not earn vacation. (6) All full-time and
part-time nine-month, ten-month, and thirty-nine-week appointed unclassified
employees do not earn vacation. (C) Implementation. (1) Accrual rates.
Vacation accrual rates are based upon length of Ohio public service. Employment
with any state of Ohio agency or any political subdivision of the state is
counted to determine years of service. Time spent in military service is
counted, provided that the employee in question was an employee of the
university for at least ninety days prior to entering military service. Time
spent on authorized leave of absence is also counted. (a) Classified staff accrue vacation on the basis of a forty-hour
workweek (prorated for part-time employees) according to the following
guidelines: (i) Less than five years
of service, eighty hours (ten days) per year. (ii) Five or more but
less than ten years of service, one hundred twenty hours (fifteen days) per
year. (iii) Ten or more years
but less than twenty-one years of service, one hundred sixty hours (twenty
days) per year. (iv) An additional eight
hours (one day) per year for each year of service over twenty years to a
maximum addition of forty hours (five days) for a total annual accrual of two
hundred hours (twenty-five days) for twenty-five or more years of
service. (b) Unclassified full-time staff accrue vacation according to the
following guidelines: (i) Less than twenty-one
years of service, one hundred sixty hours (twenty days) per year. (ii) An additional eight
hours (one day) per year for each year of service over twenty years to a
maximum addition of forty hours (five days) for a total annual accrual of two
hundred hours (twenty-five days) for twenty-five or more years of
service. (c) Unclassified hourly part-time staff on a continuing
appointment eligible under paragraph (C)(1) of rule 3342-6-05.2 of the
Administrative Code accrue vacation at the rate established in paragraph
(C)(1)(b) of that rule at a prorated basis relative to the hours worked in each
pay period. (d) Postdoctoral research associates or research scholars will
accrue eighty hours per year as provided for in rule 3342-6-20 of the
Administrative Code. (2) Utilization. (a) Classified employees are not eligible to use accrued
vacation leave or receive payment for accrued vacation leave upon separation
from the univeristy until they have completed the probationary
period. (b) Eligible staff members are expected to request vacation leave
in advance. The employee should submit a leave form to their immediate
supervisor indicating the dates for which leave is requested. Supervisors are
expected to accommodate reasonable requests for vacation leave, in keeping with
the effective operation of their department or unit and with a view toward
fairness for all employees in that unit. (c) Eligible staff members are normally expected to take vacation
time off for purposes of rest and relaxation and for other personal reasons
during the year in which the vacation is earned. (3) Accumulation of
earned and unused vacation. It is understood that there are times when a staff
member cannot schedule all vacation during the year in which it is earned.
Classified and unclassified staff as defined in paragraph (B) of this rule,
with the exception of postdoctoral research associates or research scholars are
eligible to accumulate vacation leave. (a) Accrued vacation, up to a maximum of that amount of vacation
which may be earned in a three-year period, may be carried over. Any vacation
credit beyond the maximum allowed will be subtracted from the accrued balance
at the end of September, effective the first October payroll each
year. (b) Payment for unused vacation. Upon termination of employment,
eligible classified and unclassified staff will be paid for any earned but
unused vacation leave to his or her credit at the time of separation, up to a
maximum of that amount of vacation which may be earned in a three-year period.
Such payment for unused vacation leave will be made in a lump sum. These
employees will not be carried on the payroll for the purpose of liquidating his
or her vacation balance. (c) In the case of death of an eligible classified or
unclassified staff member, unused earned vacation leave up to a maximum of that
amount of vacation which may be earned in a three-year period shall be paid in
accordance with the provisions of section 2113.04 of the Revised
Code. (d) An employee who is hired after retiring from Kent state
university employment. .shall accrue vacation leave at the rate provided for in
paragraph (C)(1)(b) of this rule, according to the service accrued up to the
date of retirement. An employee accruing vacation leave under this paragraph
shall not be eligible for payout of any unused accrued vacation leave upon
separation of employment.
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Rule 3342-6-11.8 | Administrative policy regarding research leaves.
Policy statement. The special research leave will be granted to faculty members without pay who are authorized to take a leave of absence with approval of the department chairperson, collegial dean and vice president for academic and student affairs or designee. The special research leave will be granted when the faculty member has been approved for leave based on an offer of a research fellowship or other research appointment, for which no university financial support is requested, at another university, research center, institute, or recognized research or scholarly organization. The notation "special research leave" will be entered on the faculty member's record in place of "leave of absence" for the period of the leave in the same manner as the leave of absence is now entered.
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Rule 3342-6-11.9 | Administrative policy regarding faculty leaves of absence without pay.
(A) The university does not provide leaves of absence with pay for faculty. Leaves of absence on a one-year (or less) basis without pay may be arranged through the department chairperson or school director and, with his/her approval, the approval of the dean of the college or school, and the approval of the vice president for academic and student affairs. The department chairperson/school director must give in writing reasons for recommending and individual' request for leave without pay; the dean will forward such recommendation with his or her own comments to the office of academic personnel. (B) Research or other advanced study, travel, medical reasons, and rest may justify the granting of a leave of absence without pay. Leave may also be granted for teaching or research in another institution, provided the faculty member accepts such appointment as visitor, and not as a regular appointment, and provided further that the faculty recognizes an obligation to return to the university for the next year of service. Leave for the purpose of eventually accepting regular appointment at another institution is not permitted, nor may a faculty member hold tenure concurrently at the university and another institution. (C) A copy of the terms, conditions, and purpose of the leave appointment shall accompany the request for leave of absence when another institution is involved. (D) Requests for leaves of absence for the next academic year shall be filed not later than the first of March. Requests for leaves which are proposed to begin during the second semester should be filed at the beginning of the fall semester. (E) If a faculty member wishes an extension of leave, the same procedures as described above shall be followed, with the request for extension filed with the department chairperson or school director no later than the first of February. The request is then forwarded, as in paragraph (A) of this rule. If the university does not wish to grant the extension, and the person does not return, then the position will be considered vacated. The on-leave faculty member shall notify the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel, no later than three months prior to the expiration of the leave, of his/her intent to return. Absent such notice of intent, the position may be declared vacant.
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Rule 3342-6-11.10 | Administrative policy regarding leaves of absence without payfor nonteaching unclassified and classified staff.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) Policy statement. A leave of absence
without pay may be granted upon written request for a period not to exceed six
months when an eligible classified or unclassified staff member requests leave
due to one of the types of leave detailed in this paragraph. The staff member
shall furnish satisfactory medical proof of a need for leave, if applicable.
(1) A leave of absence is granted for a
specific purpose. The university benefits office may review the reason for the
leave as stated by the employee. If it is found that the leave is not actually
being used for such purpose, the leave, if started, may be canceled and the
employee directed to report to work by a written notice. (2) An employee requesting a leave of absence may be
required to utilize accrued vacation and/or compensatory time before beginning
leave without pay status. Each leave request will be individually evaluated,
but final determination is at the discretion of the appointing
authority. (3) A leave of absence shall not be
granted to permit an employee to accept other employment. (4) Leaves of absence under this policy must be continuous.
Requests for intermittent or reduced schedule leaves are not within the purview
of this policy. (B) Eligibility (1) An employee must have completed a minimum of four
months of continuous active service at the university in order for their leave
request to be considered under this policy. (2) The employee must submit a completed written request
for a leave of absence without pay using the procedures described in this
policy. Any required supplemental material must be provided in order for the
request to be considered. (C) Types of leaves. Subject to the written approval by the
appointing authority, the university benefits office and the vice president for
people, culture and belonging (or their designee), leave granted under this
policy shall be limited to the following circumstances: (1) Temporary disability: This leave may be used for an
extended absence due to the employee's own serious health condition.
Leaves of absence shall be limited to the period of time that the employee is
unable to safely and substantially perform the essential functions of their
position, which shall not in any event exceed six months, unless otherwise
required by law or collective bargaining agreement. (2) Care for a member of the immediate family with a
serious health condition: A leave of absence under this policy may be granted
to care for an employee's family member who has a serious health
condition that necessitates care from the employee. For the purposes of this
policy, a qualifying family member is defined as a parent, spouse, registered
domestic partner, step-child, biological, adopted, foster or legal ward where
the family member is incapable of self-care because of a serious health
condition. (3) Childcare: A leave of absence may be granted for the
purpose of child care. Childcare leave cannot exceed a total of six months,
must be taken consecutively and will be granted to a parent during the first
twelve months following childbirth or, in the case of adoptive or foster
parents, within the first twelve months of placement. (4) Educational leave: A leave of absence
may be granted when such education would result in professional growth and
development that would be of benefit to the university. (D) Application procedure. (1) All leaves of absence requests for the care of the
employee or the employee's family member due to a medical condition must
be submitted to the leave administration office within the benefits department
thirty days in advance of the date the leave is to begin, when the necessity
for leave is foreseeable. If the need for a leave is not foreseeable thirty
days prior to the effective date of such leave, the employee must submit notice
as soon as possible. (2) If the employee requests a leave of absence for their
own medical condition or to care for a member of the immediate family, the
leave administration office will require a certification from the health care
provider identifying the health condition of the employee or the family member
and the need for the employee's leave of absence. In addition, the health
care provider must indicate the estimated duration of the absence.
Recertification by the health care provider may be required periodically.
(a) The leave
administration office may request the employee, or the member of the
employee's family, be examined by a licensed physician to be designated by
the university. The cost of such an examination shall be paid by the
university. (b) In the event the
medical documentation submitted by the employee's or family member's
health care provider conflicts with the documentation submitted by the
physician designated by the university, the leave administration office may
request a third opinion be obtained from a physician mutually selected by the
employee and the university. The cost of such an examination shall be paid by
the university and the recommendation of the physician shall be binding on both
parties. (3) All leaves of absence requests for childcare must be
submitted in writing to the leave administration office within the benefits
department thirty days in advance of the date the leave is to begin, when the
necessity for leave is foreseeable. If the need for a leave is not foreseeable
thirty days prior to the effective date of such leave, the employee must submit
notice as soon as possible. (4) All leaves of absence requests for educational leave
must be submitted to the leave administration office within the benefits
department thirty days in advance of the date the leave is to begin, when the
necessity for leave is foreseeable. If the need for a leave is not foreseeable
thirty days prior to the effective date of such leave, the employee must submit
notice as soon as possible. The request for educational leave must include all
of the following: (a) The begin and end
date of the leave; (b) The timeframe of the
course; (c) Purpose of the
course, (i.e. specialty skill); and (d) The educational
benefit to the university. (E) Implementation. (1) Upon receipt of all necessary documentation, the leave
administration office will communicate with the employee's unit,
appointing authority and the vice president of the division of people, culture
and belonging or their designee to determine approval. (2) Requests for leave may be denied for any of the
following: (a) Documentation not
returned by the indicated deadlines; (b) Insufficient documentation; or (c) Operational needs
of the unit. (3) The leave administration office will notify employees,
supervisors and relevant departments of the status of the employee's
request for leave of absence. (4) Details of an employee's or an employee's
family member's medical condition will be kept confidential within the
benefits office and will not be shared with the employee's supervisor(s).
(F) Status of employment during leave of
absence. (1) The employee's employment status will remain
unchanged while navigating the leave of absence process within the specified
timeframes. (2) The university will maintain healthcare and related
coverage until either the approved unpaid leave ends or for a maximum of six
months, whichever comes first. It is the employee's responsibility to
contact the benefits department to make arrangements for the payment of their
monthly healthcare contributions throughout the duration of the unpaid
leave. (3) The university will continue the tuition fee waiver
benefit as long as the employee has active service of not less than thirty days
within the semester their unpaid leave is terminated (4) An employee on an unpaid leave of absence does not
normally receive pay for holidays falling within the dates of the unpaid leave
of absence. (5) An employee on leave of absence without pay does not
earn sick leave or vacation credit. However, the time spent on authorized leave
of absence is evaluated in determining length of service. (6) During an unpaid leave of absence without pay, both the
employer and the employee contributions to OPERS or STRS are
discontinued. (G) Upon completion of a leave of absence, the employee is
to be returned to the position formerly occupied, or to a similar position if
the employee's former position no longer exists. Any replacement in the
position while an employee is on leave is to be on a temporary
basis. (H) An employee who does not return from a leave of absence
and who does not formally terminate their service with the university will be
subject to the appropriate disciplinary process at the end of the leave. The
university may charge the employee for the cost of healthcare coverage paid by
the university during the leave. An exception may be made in the case where the
employee was unable to return to work because of health conditions or other
reason beyond the employee's control. (I) No more than six months of leave of absence as
described in this policy may be taken in a two-year period except where
provided by law or regulations. (J) Leaves described in this policy will run concurrently
with other applicable leaves, if appropriate, including FMLA. An
employee's total approved leave of absence will not exceed six
months.
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:43 AM
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Rule 3342-6-11.11 | Administrative policy regarding leave under the FMLA.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Policy statement. Employees may be
entitled to a leave of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
This policy provides employees with information regarding their FMLA rights and
obligations. (B) Eligible employees. To be eligible
for FMLA leave, an employee must: (1) Be employed by the
university for at least twelve months (which need not be consecutive);
and (2) Have actively worked
for at least one thousand two hundred fifty hours during the past twelve-month
period immediately preceding commencement of the leave. (C) Entitlement. (1) Basic FMLA leave
entitlement: FMLA provides eligible employees with up to twelve workweeks of
unpaid, job-protected leave from work in a twelve-month period, in the
following circumstances: (a) The birth of the employee's child or placement of
a child for adoption or foster care; (b) To bond with a child within one year of the
child's birth or placement; (c) To care for the employee's child, spouse or
parent (but not in-law) who has a qualifying health condition; (d) For the employee's own qualifying serious health
condition that renders the employee unable to perform the functions of the
employee's position; or (e) For a qualifying exigency related to the foreign
deployment of a military member who is the employee's child, spouse or
parent (but not in-law). (2) Additional military
family leave entitlement. (a) In addition to the circumstances related to basic FMLA
leave entitlement, an eligible employee who is the spouse, child, parent, or
next of kin of a covered servicemember is entitled to take up to twenty-six
work weeks of unpaid leave in a single twelve-month period to care for a
covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness. (b) For leave to care for a covered servicemember, a
"qualifying serious injury or illness" includes a pre-existing
injury or illness that was aggravated by service in the line of duty on active
duty in the armed forces. A veteran's definition of a qualifying injury
or illness will be defined by the secretary of labor. The injury or illness may
manifest before or after the member becomes a veteran. (D) Definitions (1) Serious health
condition. For the purposes of this policy, a "serious health
condition" is an injury, impairment or physical or mental condition that
involves: (a) Any period of incapacity or treatment connected with
inpatient care (i.e., an overnight stay) in a hospital, hospice, or residential
mental care facility; (b) Continuing treatment by a health care provider (at
least two visits to a health care provider or one visit and a regimen of
continuing treatment) for a condition that causes a period of incapacity of
more than three calendar days from work, school, or other regular daily
activities; (c) Any period of incapacity due to pregnancy, or for
prenatal care; (d) Any period of incapacity (or treatment therefore) due
to a serious chronic health condition (e.g. asthma, diabetes, epilepsy,
etc.); (e) A period of incapacity that is permanent or long-term
due to a condition for which treatment may not be effective (e.g.
Alzheimer's, stroke, terminal diseases, etc.); or (f) Any absences to receive multiple treatments (including
any period of recovery therefrom) by, or on referral by, a health care provider
for a condition that likely would result in incapacity of more than three
consecutive days if left untreated (e.g., chemotherapy, physical therapy,
dialysis, etc.). (g) Ordinarily, unless complications arise, the common
cold, the flu, earaches, upset stomach, etc. are examples of conditions that do
not meet the definition of a serious health condition. (2) Child. Except for
qualifying exigency leave or covered servicemember leave, a "child"
is a biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a
child of a person standing in loco parentis, who is either under age eighteen,
or age eighteen or older and "incapable of self-care because of a mental
or physical disability" at the time that FMLA leave is to
commence. (3) Spouse. For the
purposes of this policy, "spouse" is the employee's husband
or wife, including through same-sex marriage or common law marriage if the
marriage is recognized under state law in the state in which the marriage is
entered into, but not including an unmarried domestic partner; (4) Parent. For the
purposes of this policy, "parent" means a biological, adoptive, step
or foster father or mother, or any other individual who stood in loco parentis
to the employee when the employee was a child, but does not include
inlaws. (E) Procedure. (1) Employee notice of
need for FMLA leave. Employees who take FMLA must timely notify the university of
their need for FMLA leave. To trigger FMLA leave protection, employees must
notify the university benefits department of their need for FMLA leave, either
by submitting a formal request for FMLA leave or by explaining their need for
leave in a way that allows the university to determine that the leave is
FMLA-qualifying. If the employee is away from the workplace for more than three
consecutive calendar days and has not notified the supervisor of the need for
FMLA, and the employee's supervisor has sufficient knowledge to determine
that leave is being taken for a qualifying FMLA reason the supervisor should
notify the university benefits department. Calling in "sick"
without providing the reasons for the needed leave will not be considered
sufficient notice for FMLA leave under this policy. Employees do not have to
share a medical diagnosis but must provide enough information to the university
so it can determine if the leave qualifies for FMLA protection. Sufficient
information could include informing the university that the employee will be
unable to perform his or her job functions, that a family member cannot perform
daily activities, or that hospitalization or continuing medical treatment is
necessary. Employees must respond to the University's questions
concerning whether the absences are FMLA-qualifying and the timing and duration
of the requested leave. Employees will be required to complete an FMLA leave
request form. Employees must inform the university if leave is requested for a
reason for which FMLA leave was previously taken or certified. (2) Timing of employee notice. Employees must provide
thirty days' advance notice of the need to take FMLA leave when the need
is foreseeable. When thirty days' notice is not possible, or when the
need for leave is not foreseeable, employees must provide notice as soon as
possible under the facts and circumstances of the particular case. Employees
who fail to give thirty days' notice for foreseeable leave without a
reasonable excuse for the delay, or who otherwise fail to satisfy FMLA notice
obligations, may have their FMLA leave delayed or denied. (3) Approval. (a) All family and
medical leave requests will be reviewed by the university benefits office. Once
the university becomes aware that an employee's need for leave is for a
reason that may qualify under the FMLA, the university will notify the employee
of their eligibility and their rights and responsibilities under the FMLA. If
the employee is not eligible, the university will provide the employee with a
reason for the ineligibility. (b) The university may
require an employee seeking FMLA protections due to a serious health condition
to submit a medical certification issued by the employee's or the
employee's covered family member's health care provider. If the
university determines that the certification is insufficient or incomplete, it
will provide a written notice indicating what additional information is
required. (c) Additionally, the
university will inform the employee whether their absence will be designated as
FMLA-protected leave and the amount of leave that will be counted against the
employee's FMLA leave entitlement. Under certain circumstances, the
university may retroactively designate leave as FMLA leave with appropriate
written notice to the employee. (4) Benefit continuation (a) Health benefits.
Group health insurance benefits will continue while an employee is on FMLA
leave under the same terms as if the employee continued to work. Any premium
contribution for which the employee is responsible must continue to be paid by
the employee while on leave. If the employee fails to return to work at the
expiration of their leave period, the employee may be required to reimburse the
university for any and all premium payments made on the employee's behalf
during the period of leave. Such reimbursement will not be required if the
employee fails to return due to their own continuing serious health condition
or circumstances beyond the employee's control. (b) Non-health-related
benefits. (i) While employees are on FMLA leave in an unpaid status,
the university will not continue non-health benefits or benefit accruals (e.g.,
vacation and sick leave accruals) and employees will accrue seniority or
service time unless required by an applicable collective bargaining agreement.
(ii) During any period in which the employee is on unpaid
status, the university will discontinue making employer and employee
contributions to OPERS, STRS, or the alternative retirement program (ARP). Such
retirement benefits cannot be withdrawn during the employee's
absence. (iii) Employees will not lose any benefits, seniority, or
service time that they accrued prior to their FMLA leave. (5) Leave duration. (a) Except for leave to
care for a covered servicemember, FMLA leave may be taken for up to twelve work
weeks during any twelve-month period. This twelve-month period will be
calculated as a rolling twelve-month period measured forward from the date the
employee first begins FMLA leave. (b) Leave to care for a
covered service member may be taken for up to twenty-six work weeks during any
twelve-month period. This twelve-month period will be calculated as a rolling
twelve-month period measured forward from the date the employee first begins
FMLA leave. (6) Leave conditions: (a) Leave to care for a
child following the child's birth, adoption, or foster placement.
(i) Such leave must generally be taken in consecutive work
weeks. Such leave must be completed within the twelve-month period following
the birth, adoption, or foster placement of the child. (ii) Employees requesting leave for one of these purposes
must provide the university with thirty days' advance notice of the
leave, except if the birth, adoption, or foster placement requires leave to
begin in less than thirty days, employees should provide as much advance notice
as practical. (b) Leave to care for a
child following the child's birth, adoption, or foster placement.
(i) Leave due to serious health conditions will generally
be taken continuously. However, when medically necessary, leave may be taken
intermittently or on a reduced work week or reduced workdays. (ii) If an employee requests an intermittent or a
reduced-leave schedule that is foreseeable based on planned medical treatment,
the university may require the employee to transfer temporarily to an available
alternative position for which the employee is qualified to better accommodate
the recurring periods of leave. Employees transferred in such circumstances
will receive equivalent pay and benefits. (iii) Employees requesting leave for these purposes must make
a reasonable effort to schedule the treatment, either for themselves or for
their child, spouse, or parent, so as not to unduly disrupt university
operations. In this regard, the employee should endeavor to secure the
cooperation of their own or their covered family member's health care
provider to schedule the treatment in a way that minimizes such
disruption. (iv) Employees requesting leave for these purposes must
provide thirty days' advance notice of leave, or if treatment is required
in less than thirty days, as much advance notice as practicable and generally
must comply with the university's usual call-off procedures. (v) Certification. Employees requesting leave for their own
or a covered family member's serious health condition will be required to
provide medical certification to substantiate the leave request. Such
certification should be provided within fifteen business days of the leave
request, if practical, or otherwise within a reasonable period of time. Failure
to provide certification will result in denial of FMLA leave until such time as
the certification is received. Employees should contact the university benefits
office for copies of the certification of health care provider forms to be
completed by the employee's or the employee's family member's
health care provider, as applicable. (vi) Employees must provide recertification prior to
completion of a period of disability originally certified by a health care
provider. (vii) The university reserves the right to have an employee
or covered family member examined, at the university's expense, by a
health care provider of its choice for a second opinion at its discretion. In
the event of a conflict between the medical opinion of the employee's or
covered family member's health care provider and that of the university in
the second opinion examination, a third examination may be required by a health
care provider mutually agreed upon by the university and the employee and paid
for by the university. The opinion of the third health care provider shall be
final and binding on the university and the employee. (viii) Return-to-work certification. Before being permitted to
return to work from a medical leave due to the employee's own serious
health condition, the employee will be required to provide certification from
their health care provider that the employee is able to return to work and
perform the essential functions of their job. The university may provide the
employee with a list of the employee's essential job functions, which the
employee must then provide to the health care provider so that they can render
an opinion on the employee's ability to perform those essential job
functions. The university may delay and/or deny job restoration until an
employee provides a return-to-work certification. (c) Appropriate
certification also will be required when employee requests leave for a
qualifying exigency or to care for a qualifying serviceman (d) Employees are not
permitted and cannot be required to perform any work for the university while
on FMLA leave. (7) Interaction with other types of leave. (a) Any absence that
meets the standards for FMLA leave shall count towards employees'
twelve-week allotment of FMLA leave or the twenty-six-week allotment for
military FMLA leave. FMLA leave shall run concurrently with all other types of
paid or unpaid leave. (b) Before going on
unpaid status, employees will be required to exhaust any and all paid leave
that they are eligible to use, including paid parental leave as well as any
accrued but unused sick leave, vacation, and comp time. (c) For leave for the
employee's own serious health condition, employees may also be eligible
to receive other benefits, such as worker's compensation, in accordance
with state law. (8) Reinstatement. Eligible employees taking leave under
this policy will be reinstated to their former position, or to an equivalent
position with equivalent benefits and other terms and conditions of employment.
However, no employee is entitled under this policy to any right, benefit or
position other than that to which the employee would have been entitled had
they not taken leave. Thus, for example, if a reduction in force or some other
business condition arises which affects the employee's position,
reinstatement may not be possible. (9) Periodic notification during leave. While on FMLA
leave, employees will be required to contact the university benefits department
periodically regarding their leave status and intentions to return to work at
the end of the FMLA leave period. If an employee's anticipated return to
work date changes and it becomes necessary for the employee to take more or
less leave than originally anticipated, the employee must provide the
university benefits department with reasonable notice (i.e., within two
business days) of the employees changed circumstances and new return to work
date. (10) Protection for employees. (a) An employer may not
interfere with the exercise of any right protected under the FMLA, nor
retaliate against any person for using or trying to use FMLA leave, opposing
any practice made unlawful by the FMLA, or for involvement in any proceedings
under or relating to the FMLA. (b) If an employee
believes their rights under the FMLA have been violated, the employee should
report this violation to the division of people, culture and belonging so that
the situation may be investigated and corrected, if necessary. In addition, the
employee has the right to file a complaint with the U.S. department of labor,
wage and hour division or may bring a private lawsuit against the university.
The FMLA does not affect any federal or state law prohibiting discrimination or
supersede any state or local law or collective bargaining agreement that
provides greater family or medical leave rights.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:54 AM
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Rule 3342-6-11.12 | Administrative policy regarding paid parental leave for staff who are not in a recognized bargaining unit.
Effective:
September 15, 2025
(A) Purpose. To provide maximum of six
weeks paid parental leave to eligible employees to recover from childbirth
and/or to care for or bond with a child. (B) Eligibility. This policy applies to
all eligible employees who are not in a recognized bargaining
unit. (1) In order to be
eligible for paid parental leave, an employee must have become a new parent as
a birth mother, birth father, domestic partner, an adoptive parent, or foster
care parent with legal custody or guardianship. (2) Normally, an employee
must have completed at least one full year of full-time service prior to the
date paid parental leave is to commence. However, an employee who becomes
eligible for paid leave within the first six weeks of taking unpaid leave can
switch over to paid leave for the remainder of that initial six week period
(meaning, for example, an employee who takes FMLA leave following the birth of
their child and then becomes eligible for paid leave two weeks into their FMLA
leave, would then be entitled to four weeks of paid leave). (3) One paid parental leave benefit is available per
employee, per birth, adoption, or foster care placement event, no matter the
number of children involved. (4) Eligible parents who are both
employed with the university are individually entitled to use paid parental
leave. (5) There shall be no limit placed on the
age of a newly adopted or foster care child for purposes of eligibility to
utilize paid parental leave. (C) Procedures. (1) Paid parental leave
is paid at one hundred per cent of the employee's regular base rate of
compensation at the time leave is taken. (2) An employee must provide the
university with at least thirty days advance written notice of intent to use
paid parental leave unless such notice is not practicable, in which case the
employee must give notice as soon as practicable. (3) An employee must exhaust paid parental leave and
accrued sick and vacation leave prior to using any unpaid leave to which they
may be entitled. (4) Paid parental leave shall run concurrently with all
types of unpaid leave, including FMLA leave and shall be calculated using the
same twelve month rolling period as provided in rule 3342-6-11.11 of the
Administrative Code. (5) Paid parental leave must be used on a continuous leave
basis, but breaks in the continuous leave may be used as long as the parental
leave occurs within the first twelve weeks of the event. (6) Unless otherwise permitted as an accommodation, paid
parental leave under this policy should begin immediately upon the birth,
adoption, or foster placement of the child. (7) An additional six weeks of leave
either from the employee's own accumulated total sick leave and/or
vacation or time transferred to the employee from donated leave that is in
accordance with rule 3342-6-11.4 of the Administrative Code, may be used to
supplement the paid parental leave benefit so that the parent is able to
maintain income the entire twelve weeks of FMLA eligibility following
childbirth, adoption, or foster care placement, for the purpose of recovery
from childbirth, and bonding. (8) Paid parental leave
shall be used during the twelve weeks immediately following the birth, adoption
or foster care placement. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis
and the employee's request is subject to approval by the vice president
of for the division of people, culture and belonging or their
designee. (9) An employee who uses
paid parental leave is required to return to full-time work for at least one
full year following the conclusion of the paid parental leave. If the employee
does not fulfill this obligation, he/she must reimburse the University for the
compensation that he/she received during the leave. This requirement may be
waived if the employee is unable to return to work due to a disabling medical
condition, to care for a newborn with a serious medical condition(s), or other
circumstances beyond the employee's control. (10) Employees will
continue to be on active pay status during their six weeks of paid parental
leave. During the period the employee is using paid parental leave, there shall
be no accrual of sick leave and/or vacation. (11) Paid parental leave
is a benefit of employment and its use shall not have a negative impact on the
employee's evaluation, promotion or employment status.
Last updated September 15, 2025 at 7:43 AM
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Rule 3342-6-12 | University policy regarding faculty professional improvement leave.
(A) The university permits a tenured
faculty member who has completed at least seven years of full-time service to
the university and has the rank of assistant professor or higher to be freed of
instructional or official responsibilities and granted a faculty professional
improvement leave for purposes of: (1) Upgrading
professional skills; (2) Acquiring new skills;
or (3) Intellectual and
professional development that will be of benefit to the individual and to the
university. (B) Every possible effort will be made to
distribute fairly such leave to all units: departments, schools, independent
schools, and library administration. As general rule, the department will
absorb the load of the faculty member on faculty professional improvement leave
without replacement. However, in extraordinary instances, which will require
presidential approval, a temporary replacement may be secured for some portion
of the faculty member's load. (C) Sabbatical leave shall be governed by
the following: (1) One semester at full
benefits and a uniform rate of not less than one hundred per cent of the
faculty member's contractual salary for the semester; or (2) Two semesters at full
benefits and uniform rate of not less than fifty per cent of the faculty
member's contractual salary. (3) For faculty on a twelve-month contract, the period
between the end of the spring semester and the start of the following fall
semester may also be taken as leave under this policy at full benefits and a
uniform rate of not less than one hundred per cent of the faculty member's
contractual salary for that period. (D) It should be clearly understood that
the faculty member has an obligation to continue in active service with the
university for a period of at least one academic year following the completion
of the leave. If the faculty member does not return to the university, then the
faculty member may be required to refund any salary received from the
university during the period of the leave. (E) Any faculty member granted faculty
professional improvement leave is not eligible for another faculty professional
improvement leave for a period of seven years after the faculty professional
improvement leave has been completed.
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Rule 3342-6-12.101 | Operational procedures regarding faculty professional improvement leaves (sabbatical leaves).
(A) Eligibility. (1) All regular, full-time tenured members of the faculty at the rank of assistant professor or higher who are in their seventh year of regular tenure-tract appointment by the university are eligible to apply for a faculty professional improvement leave. A faculty member granted a professional improvement leave must wait until the seventh year of regular faculty appointment after returning from that leave in order to be eligible to apply for another faculty improvement leave. (2) A faculty member cannot simultaneously have both a faculty professional improvement leave and a university research leave. (3) Members of a review committee at any level are eligible for a faculty professional improvement leave, although they cannot participate in any decision affecting themselves, a spouse or a relative. (B) Initiation. (1) A faculty member initiates a request for a faculty professional improvement leave by submitting a concise proposal of no more than three hundred words. The proposal must clearly indicate the purpose of the leave, how it is related to the faculty member's professional growth and development, and how it is of benefit both to the individual and the university. The proposal must also note any appointment the faculty member expects to accept during the term of the faculty professional improvement leave. (2) The faculty member may withdraw his/her proposal from further consideration at any time. (C) Submission. (1) The university permits a tenured faculty member who has completed at least seven years of full-time service to the university and has the rank of assistant professor or higher to be freed of instructional or official responsibilities and granted a faculty professional improvement leave for purposes of: (a) Upgrading professional skills; (b) Acquiring new skills; or (c) Intellectual and professional development that will be of benefit to the individual and the university. (2) In order to grant a faculty professional improvement leave, the following conditions must be met: (a) The purpose of the leave must be judged acceptable, and (b) The department or other budgetary unit must be able to support the programmatic and staffing needs of the unity in the absence of the participant. (3) For the purpose of submission and determination of seniority the lowest budgetary level to which a faculty member belongs will be considered the department. In the case of regional campus faculty, the lowest budgetary level is the regional campus in which a faculty member holds the primary appointment. (4) For Kent campus faculty, the proposal must be submitted to the faculty member's department chairperson/school director or independent school dean. The final date for submission to the chairperson/school director of the proposal is the fifteenth of October of the prior academic year. (5) For regional campus faculty members, the proposal is submitted to the dean of the regional campus and to the faculty member's department chairperson/school director. A copy of this plan must also be sent by the faculty member to the associate vice president for the extended university. The final date for submission to the chairperson/school director of the proposal is the fifteenth of October of the prior academic year. (D) Review process at department/school level. (1) The proposal shall be reviewed by the department/school advisory committee to determine whether eligibility requirements have been met and consider the appropriateness of the proposed plan to the interest of the university and the applicant's professional development. Upon completion of its review, the advisory committee shall advise the chairperson as to whether the purpose and plan for the faculty professional improvement leave is acceptable. (2) The chairperson/school director, after consulting with the advisory committee, shall determine for each proposal form a Kent campus faculty member the budget and staffing capability of the department to replace the faculty member requesting the leave. (3) The chairperson/school director shall make a decision on both the merits of the proposal(s) and the capacity of the department to provide the staffing support required by the proposal(s). For regional campus faculty, the chairperson's recommendation shall be concerned solely with the merits of the proposal. (4) For Kent campus faculty, the chairperson/school director shall recommend staffing support, where possible, first to those applicants in the department or school whose proposals were judged acceptable: (a) Who have the greatest years of service to the university at the date of submission, and (b) For whom the interval since the last award of faculty professional improvement leave has been greatest. (5) The chairperson/school director shall then forward the proposal(s) and all recommendations to the college dean. (6) After forwarding the recommendation(s) and proposal(s) to the dean, the department chairperson/school director shall inform the faculty member of the status of the proposal, including chairperson/school director recommendation(s). In the case of regional campus faculty, the chairperson/school director shall also send a copy to the regional campus dean and the associate vice president for the extended university. (E) Review process at the regional campus level. (1) The proposal shall be reviewed by the regional campus advisory committee to determine whether eligibility requirements have been met and consider the appropriateness of the proposed plans to the interests of the university and the individual's professional development. Upon completion of its review, the advisory committee shall advise the campus dean as to whether the purpose and plan for the faculty professional improvement is acceptable. (2) The campus dean, after consulting with the advisory committee, shall determine for each proposal the budget and staffing capability of the campus to replace the faculty member requesting the leave. (3) The campus dean shall make a decision on both the merits of the proposal and the capacity of the campus to provide the staffing support required. (4) The campus dean shall recommend staffing support, where possible, first to those applicants from the campus whose proposals were judged acceptable: (a) Who have the greatest years of service to the university, and; (b) For whom the interval since the last award of a faculty professional improvement leave has been the greatest. (5) The campus dean shall then forward the proposal(s) and all recommendations to the associate vice president for the extended university. (6) After forwarding the recommendations and proposal(s) to the associate vice president, the campus dean shall inform the faculty member of the status of the proposal, wit copies to the chairperson and college dean. (F) Review process at the independent school level. (1) The proposal shall be reviewed by the school advisory committee as to its merits and determine whether eligibility requirements have been met and consider the appropriateness of the proposed plan to the interests of the university and the applicant's professional development. Upon the completion of its review, the advisory committee shall advise the dean as to whether the purpose and plan for the faculty professional improvement leave is acceptable. (2) The dean, after consulting with the advisory committee, shall determine for each proposal from a Kent campus faculty member the budget and staffing capability of the school to replace the faculty member requesting the leave. (3) The dean shall make a decision on both the merits of the proposal(s) and the capacity of the department to provide the staffing report required by the proposal(s). For regional campus faculty, the dean's recommendation shall be concerned solely with the merits of the proposal. (4) For Kent campus faculty, the dean shall recommend staffing support, where possible, first to those applicants in the school whose proposals were judged acceptable: (a) Who have the greatest years of service to the university at the date of submission, and (b) For whom the interval since the last award of a faculty professional improvement leave has been greatest. (5) The dean shall then forward the proposal(s) and all recommendations to the office of the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel for review by the vice president for academic and student affairs. (6) After forwarding the recommendation(s) and proposal(s) to the vice president, the dean shall inform the faculty member of the status of the proposal, including the dean's recommendation(s). In the case of regional campus faculty, the dean shall also send a copy to the regional campus dean and the associate vice president for the extended university. (G) Review process at the collegial level. (1) The college dean shall review the recommendation(s) concerning each proposal and, after consultation with the college advisory committee, shall make a recommendation concerning the proposal. The dean shall then forward the proposal, together with all previous recommendations, to the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel for review by the vice president for academic and student affairs (for Kent campus faculty members), and to the associate vice president for the extended university (for regional campus faculty members). (2) The college dean shall inform the faculty member of the status of the proposal, including his/her recommended decision to the vice president, with a copy going to the chairperson/school director. In the case of a regional campus faculty member, a copy of the recommended decision shall also be sent to the regional campus dean. (H) Review process at the associate vice presidential level. (1) The associate vice president for the extended university will review the recommendations from the college deans and campus deans for all proposals submitted by regional campus faculty members, and make a recommendation concerning the proposal. The associate vice president shall then forward the proposal, together with all previous recommendations, to the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel for review by the vice president for academic and student affairs. (2) The associate vice president shall inform the faculty member of the status of the proposal, including his/her recommended decision to the vice president, with copies to the chairperson, the campus dean, and the college dean. (I) Review at university level. (1) The vice president for academic and student affairs may consult, where appropriate, with the dean of the graduate college. After review by and consultation with the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel, the vice president shall then make a final recommendation to be forwarded to the president. (2) The vice president for academic and student affairs shall inform the faculty member of the decision and, in the case of a negative decision, shall include the reasons therefore. In all cases a copy of the decision shall be sent to the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel, the dean and the department chairperson/school director. In the case of a regional campus faculty member, a copy shall also be sent to the regional campus dean and the associate vice president for the extended university. (J) Appeal. (1) If the decision of the vice president is negative, the faculty member may appeal to the president. (2) The appeal must be sent to the office of the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel, in writing, within ten working days after receiving notification of the vice president's decision. (3) In the appeal letter to the president, the faculty member should state completely and concisely why the appeal should be upheld. (K) Resignation. In the event a faculty member has to resign a faculty professional improvement leave, notification shall be sent to the vice president for academic and student affairs as soon as possible, with copies sent to the appropriate dean and the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel. (L) Summary report. No later than two months after the beginning of the semester following completion of a faculty professional improvement leave, the faculty member shall submit a summary report of the leave activities to the vice president for academic and student affairs, with copies going to the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel, the appropriate dean, and the department chairperson/school director. In the case of regional campus faculty, copies must also be sent to the associate vice president and the campus dean.
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Rule 3342-6-13 | University policy and procedure governing modification of the faculty probationary period.
(A) Policy statement. The probationary period for faculty
members who hold a full-time tenure-track appointment at Kent state university
is governed by policies on reappointment and tenure developed by the faculty
senate professional standards committee and approved by the faculty senate and
board of trustees. From time to time, personal and/or family circumstances
arise such that a probationary faculty member may need to request that their
probationary period be extended. Granting such an extension of the probationary
period has traditionally been called "tolling" or "stopping the
tenure clock." (B) Eligibility (i.e., When tolling is
permitted). (1) Faculty members shall be eligible to extend the
probationary period leading to a mandatory tenure review, upon request, if:
(a) The faculty (whether
male or female) is a caregiver of a newborn, newly adopted or foster child,
including a newborn, newly adopted or foster child of a domestic
partner. (b) The faculty member
develops a serious illness or disability or a member of his or her immediate
family (as defined in the university's sick leave policy) becomes
seriously ill or disabled. (2) Faculty members may be eligible to extend the
probationary period leading to a mandatory tenure review, upon request, if the
faculty member has other personal and/or family circumstances of a compelling
nature that arise of or that occupy a substantial period of time during the
pre-tenure years. (C) Implementation: The same professional standards and
expectations shall apply to tenure candidates who have had an extension of
their probationary period, as would apply to candidates who have not.
Professional accomplishments realized during the extended probationary period
shall be considered part of a candidate's record when he or she stands
for tenure and/or promotion. However, a candidate who has had his or her
probationary period extended by one or two years under this policy shall not be
expected to meet higher or more rigorous standards than the standards applied
to individuals who have followed the normal probationary period. (1) Faculty leave. Decisions about the extension of the
probationary period shall occur independent of a faculty member's leave
status. Faculty members may or may not have a full or partial leave during this
period. Separate university policies and procedures exist for securing a leave
(e.g. sick leave, leave of absence without pay, etc.) if one is
appropriate. (2) Length of tolling: An extension of the probationary
period shall be limited for one year for each qualifying event (or child), up
to a total of two years. An extension, if approved, shall be only for
increments of one year. The maximum extension of the probationary period will
be no more than two full years. (3) Requesting tolling. Any request to extend the mandatory
probationary period must be reviewed and approved on or before March first of
the spring semester prior to the time that the candidate for tenure submits his
or her tenure review file. (4) Dissemination of the policy. A copy of this policy
shall be provided to all those standing for reappointment and all new faculty
by the unit administrator during the first week of the academic
year. (5) Reappointment: A faculty member who has taken a tolling
year shall not submit a reappointment file during the tolling year. The
following year, the candidate will submit a reappointment letter detailing
their accomplishments during the prior two years. Reviewers are reminded that
irrespective of the two-year time-frame (or in the case of two years of
tolling, the three-year time frame), the productivity of a faculty member who
has tolled is not expected to exceed what is expected of a probationary faculty
member in a single year. (D) Procedures. A probationary faculty member may initiate
a request for an extension of his/her probationary period by the following
procedures: (1) On the Kent campus, the faculty member shall write a
letter to the department chair or school director requesting permission to
extend the probationary period and citing the reasons consistent with paragraph
(B) of this policy why such action is warranted. On the regional campuses, the
faculty member shall write a letter to the regional campus dean requesting
permission to extend the probationary period and citing the reasons consistent
with paragraph (B) of this policy why such action is warranted. (2) On the Kent campus, the department chair or school
director shall consult with the faculty advisory committee (FAC) or school
advisory committee (SAC). The FAC or SAC will make an advisory recommendation
to the unit administrator. The unit administrator will then make a
recommendation to the college dean. If the request is approved, he or she will
forward it to the dean's office for further review. On the regional
campuses, the campus dean shall consult with the faculty council. The faculty
council shall make an advisory recommendation to the campus dean. The campus
dean will then make a recommendation to the chief academic officer of the
regional campuses. If the request is approved, he or she will forward it to the
chief academic officer of the regional campus campuses for further
review. (3) The college dean shall consult with the college
advisory committee (CAC). The chief academic officer of the regional campuses
shall consult with the regional campus faculty advisory committee (RCFAC). The
CAC or RCFAC will make an advisory recommendation to the appropriate
administrator. The administrator shall then make a recommendation to the
provost. (4) If the request is approved by the provost, the office
of faculty affairs shall notify the faculty member in writing of the new date
for the mandatory tenure review and that existing professional standards, as
required by paragraph (C) of this policy, will govern the future tenure
decision. A copy of this letter shall be included in the candidate's
tenure file. During any year which is tolled, the faculty member does not
submit a reappointment file. When the faculty member is next reviewed for
reappointment, all of the faculty member's achievements, including those
completed during the period subject to tolling, shall be included in the
faculty member's file. (5) External reviewers for tenure and promotion evaluation.
In the letter to the candidate's external reviewers, the unit
administrator shall explain that the candidate was granted an additional year
or two years under the university tolling policy. The letter shall include the
following statement: "The tolling policy provides for additional years
toward tenure for a variety of circumstances, but the policy stipulates that
the presence of an extended probationary period shall not be interpreted to
increase the expectations for productivity normally placed upon a probationary
faculty member." (E) Appeals. (1) If the request is not approved by the unit
administrator or regional campus dean, the reasons for rejection will be set
forth in writing and provided to the faculty member in question. If a Kent
campus faculty member's request is not approved, he or she will have the
right to appeal to the college dean in colleges with departments or schools, or
to the provost in colleges without departments and schools and university
libraries, as applicable. If a regional campus faculty member's request
is not approved, he or she will have the right to appeal to the chief academic
officer of the regional campuses. Such an appeal must be initiated in writing
within two weeks of the receipt of the negative decision by the unit
administrator or campus dean. The appeal should state clearly why the faculty
member disagrees with the decision. Appeals should be heard in a timely
manner. (2) If the faculty member's request is not approved
by either the college dean or the chief academic officer of the regional
campuses, the reasons for the rejection will be set forth in writing and
provided to the faculty member. The faculty member will have the right to
appeal to the provost. Such an appeal must be initiated in writing within two
weeks of the receipt of the negative decision by the college dean or chief
academic officer of the regional campuses, whichever is appropriate. The appeal
should state clearly why the faculty member disagrees with the decision.
Appeals should be heard in a timely manner.
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Rule 3342-6-14 | University policy regarding faculty tenure.
Effective:
October 1, 2021
(A) Purpose. Within the limitations of
Ohio laws and after the successful completion of the specified probationary
period and the evaluative process called for in this policy, Kent state
university shall grant faculty members indefinite tenure as one means of
ensuring academic freedom. (1) The only faculty
members covered by this policy are those who hold full-time appointments to the
regular ranks of the assistant professor, associate professor, or full
professor. Such appointments as term, full-time non-tenure track, casual or
continuing, part-time, lecturer, visiting, or adjunct and others are not
included in these understandings. (2) Kent state university
recognizes a limited appointment, that is, one automatically expiring after a
specified time, when the appointment recommendation particularly notes such an
automatic time limit and is accepted by the appointee. Such appointments are
not included in these understandings. (3) This policy applies
to administrative personnel who hold academic rank, but only in their capacity
as faculty members. (B) Initial procedure. "Indefinite
tenure" is a right of a faculty member to continuous appointment to a
professional position of specified locus in the university. The services of a
faculty member with tenure may be terminated by the university only under
policies stated in the sanctions for cause and retrenchment articles of the
applicable collective bargaining agreement. (1) For the purposes of
tenure, the term "unit" shall be defined as a department, school, or
college without subordinate academic departments or schools (hereafter,
"independent college"). The term "faculty" shall be
understood to mean those who hold regular full-time tenured or tenure-track
appointments. Given some variance in procedures followed for faculty from
independent colleges and/or regional campuses, sections of this policy have
been included to delineate these specific procedural differences. (2) Criteria appropriate
to a particular unit shall be formulated by that unit in light of college (if
applicable) and university standards and guidelines, the mission of the unit,
and the demands and academic standards of the discipline. (3) Tenure is granted in
the unit of instruction, department, school, or independent college specified
in the appointment. (4) Tenure is granted
either at the Kent campus or in the regional campuses system, but not both, and
is specified at the time of the appointment. (5) The unit handbook may
recommend that candidates for tenure should be expected to meet the minimum
criteria for promotion to associate professor and, in such cases, the higher
standards that a candidate for early promotion is expected to meet may be
applied to the candidate's application for early tenure as well. These
criteria only apply to regional campus faculty if a similar standard has been
set in the regional campus handbooks. (C) Probationary periods and notice: In
considering an individual for tenure, the length of time in the probationary
rank and the dates of notice are related to the initial appointment
rank. (1) Probationary periods
and notices dates. (a) An initial appointment at the rank of assistant professor
shall be subject to the following probationary periods. (i) If the appointment
carries no years of credit toward tenure the appointee shall receive written
notification by the fifteenth of March of the sixth year of service that:
(a) Tenure will be
granted. In this case the tenure shall be effective at the start of the next
contract year; or (b) Tenure is not to be
granted. In this case, the appointee shall receive a one-year terminal
appointment for the following academic year. (ii) If the appointment
as assistant professor carries some years of credit toward tenure, the number
of years shall be deducted from six and the provisions of paragraph (C)(1)(a)
of this rule shall be used with the new number replacing the six-year
provision; thus if an assistant professor is hired with two years credit
towards tenure, then the notification shall occur by the fifteenth of March of
the fourth year of service Typically, the maximum years of credit
toward tenure for an assistant professor hire is two years. However, in
extraordinary circumstances, additional credit may be granted after
consultation with the faculty advisory committee (FAC) at the time of
appointment. (iii) The terms and
conditions of every appointment, including credit for the previous academic
appointment and specification of the year in which tenure procedures will take
place, shall be stated in writing, which shall be in the possession of both
Kent state university and the faculty member before the appointment is
finalized. The tenure decision should be based upon these initial terms and
conditions. (iv) Faculty members may
apply for early tenure consideration. Except as specified in paragraph (B)(5)
of this rule, the criteria for evaluating an application for early tenure will
be the same as the criteria for an on-time application for tenure. A positive
vote on early tenure shall automatically constitute a positive vote for
reappointment. A negative decision on early tenure shall not prejudice the
decision on re-appointment or a later application for tenure. (b) Typically, an initial appointment at the rank of associate
professor, or an initial appointment at the rank of professor carries a
probationary period of three years. In extraordinary cases, a shorter
probationary period may be considered after consultation with the FAC at the
time of appointment. (i) If tenure is awarded
in consequence of the tenure review during the third full year of service, it
shall become effective with the contract for the fourth year of
service. (ii) If tenure is
denied, the candidate shall receive written notification by the fifteenth of
March of the third full year of service and shall receive a terminal
appointment for the fourth year. (c) Tenure with appointment: An initial appointment at the rank
of associate professor or at the rank of professor may carry tenure if, after
consultation with the unit's tenure committee at the time of the
appointment, the dean determines that a candidate's qualifications and
credentials meet Kent state university standards and the standards appropriate
to the candidate's discipline for the rank of associate professor, or
professor, as applicable. Approval of at least three-fourths of the members of
the unit's tenure committee eligible to vote, excluding those who abstain,
is required for tenure with appointment. (2) Because the purpose
of the probationary period is to provide an opportunity for observation, time
spent on leave other than a scholarly leave of absence (e.g., university policy
and procedures governing modification of the faculty probationary period) is
not considered as part of the probationary period. Summer appointments are not
counted within yearly appointments. (3) The conferring of
tenure is a positive act by the university and as such a faculty member cannot
receive tenure by default. (a) If an untenured faculty member does not receive notification
by the appropriate date, the fifteenth of March of the year in which the tenure
review is scheduled to be conducted in accord with paragraph (C)(1) of this
policy, the faculty member as part of the faculty member's professional
responsibility, shall have twenty working days to inquire of the unit
administrator, dean, or provost as to the status of the faculty member's
tenure decision. The university will have ten working days in which to
respond. (i) In the event that
the evaluative process has been conducted, the university will notify the
individual and the decision will go forward as if the appropriate notification
dates had been met. (ii) In the extreme case
that a candidate has not been evaluated for tenure at the proper time, the
candidate will be evaluated at the next regular evaluation period after the
error has been detected with all relevant notification dates delayed
accordingly. (b) Any failure in procedural matters by the university or the
faculty member shall not be sufficient cause for the conferring of tenure, the
denial of tenure, or the termination of employment. (D) Tenure criteria. For the purposes of
this policy "scholarship" is broadly defined to include research,
scholarly and creative work. Scholarship may include commercialization
activities relevant and appropriate to the academic discipline. For the
purposes of this policy "service" is broadly defined to include
administrative service to the university, professional service to the faculty
member's discipline, and the provision of professional expertise to public
and private entities beyond the university. (1) The granting of
tenure is a decision that plays a crucial role in determining the quality of
university faculty and the national and international status of the university.
Essentially, those faculty members involved in making a tenure decision are
asking the question; "Is this candidate likely to continue and sustain, in
the long term, a program of high quality scholarship, teaching, and service
relevant to the mission of the academic unit and the mission of the
university?" The awarding of tenure must be based on convincing documented
evidence that the faculty member has achieved a significant body of
scholarship, excellence as a teacher, and has provided effective service. The
candidate must also be expected to continue and sustain, over the long term, a
program of high quality scholarship, teaching, and service relevant to the
mission of the candidate's academic unit(s) and to the mission of the
university. (2) A minimum requirement
for tenure is the terminal degree in the candidate's discipline as noted
in the handbook of the candidate's academic unit. In exceptional cases,
this rule may be modified with the approval of the unit's tenure committee
and the provost. (3) The criteria for
assessing the quality of scholarship, teaching and service shall be clearly
specified and included in the handbook of each unit and campus. Guidelines for
weighing the categories of scholarship, teaching and service shall be
established by each unit for Kent campus faculty. For regional campus faculty,
guidelines for weighting the categories of scholarship, teaching and service
shall be established by each campus faculty council and this weighting shall be
used at all levels of review. The handbook should indicate with some
specificity how the quality and significance of scholarship, and the quality
and effectiveness of teaching, and service are to be documented and assessed.
Only documented evidence of scholarship, teaching, and service will be used in
assessing a faculty member's eligibility for tenure. In the evaluation of
scholarship, emphasis should be placed on external measurements of
quality. (4) All tenured and
tenure-track faculty members must have the opportunity to participate in the
establishment, development, and revision of the unit's criteria. These
processes should be democratic and public. (5) As the university
enters new fields of endeavor, including interdisciplinary initiatives,
instances may arise in which the scholarship of faculty members may extend
beyond established disciplinary boundaries. In such cases, care must be taken
to apply the criteria with sufficient flexibility. In all instances, superior
scholarly attainment, in accordance with the criteria set forth in the unit
handbooks, is an essential qualification for tenure. (6) A non-tenured faculty
member applying for promotion to the rank of associate professor or full
professor must also undergo a successful tenure review. (7) Criteria based upon
sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual
orientation, political activity or other legally protected categories are
expressly forbidden. (E) Procedure for making decisions
regarding tenure. (1) Due process is
integral to an effective tenure policy. The guiding premise in the following
procedure is that the essential phases in the tenure consideration occur at the
unit level and at the regional campus (if applicable). Assessments and the
recommendations beyond these levels should reflect due regard for the
professional judgment and recommendations made at the unit and regional campus
levels. Review and assessment by extra-unit and extra-regional campus faculty
and the academic administration are necessary to insure the integrity of the
system. (2) External reviewers:
All candidates for tenure must submit the names of at least five persons
outside the university who are qualified to evaluate their achievements
objectively. The unit administrator shall solicit evaluations from at least
three of the qualified individuals whose names have been submitted by the
candidate. The unit administrator may also solicit evaluations from external
reviewers other than those named by the candidate but must inform the candidate
of the persons contacted. In addition, the college dean (where appropriate) may
consult with the unit administrator regarding any letters the dean may wish to
solicit for consideration at the unit level and inform the candidate of such
letters received. The candidate shall be given a copy of the letter to be sent
to outside evaluators and have the opportunity to comment before the letter is
mailed. (F) Procedures for making decisions
regarding tenure: the unit level. All actions involving tenure shall be
initiated at the academic unit level. (See paragraph (B)(1) of this rule for
definition of "unit.") Consideration of those standing for tenure
shall be undertaken by the unit tenure committee, chaired by the unit
administrator as a non-voting member and composed of all tenured members of the
unit's advisory committee and any full-time faculty who are tenured full
professors of the unit who may not be members of the faculty advisory
committee. No member of the committee shall be present when the committee
deliberates or votes on the tenure of an individual in a rank higher than that
of the individual member of the tenure committee, or on the tenure of a spouse,
domestic partner, or relative. A member of the committee who intends to vote on
a regional campus candidate at the regional campus level of review may be
present, but shall not vote on that candidate at the unit level. The unit
administrator serves as the non-voting chairperson of the tenure
committee. (1) Each spring semester
the unit administrator shall notify those faculty members who are eligible for
tenure consideration during the next academic year. (2) The unit
administrator shall make available copies of the guidelines, timetables, and
other information concerning the tenure review to all candidates in the unit,
Kent campus and regional campuses faculty members alike, no later than three
weeks before the deadline for submission of materials, which is at the end of
the first week of the fall semester. (3) All tenure reviews
will be carried out on a paperless, electronic system provided by the
university for this purpose. Candidates for tenure, reviewers and
administrators must submit and review tenure file documents on this system and
any official notification required under this policy will appear in this
system. Faculty members being considered for tenure are responsible for
developing, organizing, and including the evidence supporting their candidacy
for tenure in the electronic file. The unit administrator will meet with the
candidate to review the file in order to insure that the file is complete and
the candidate and the unit administrator will certify that the file is
complete. Thereafter, the candidate must be informed of anything that is added
to or removed from the file and provided the opportunity to insert written
comments concerning that new or removed material. At each level of review,
advisory bodies and administrators will have access to the complete file before
they consider the case. (4) Before convening the
tenure committee, the unit administrator shall formally invite signed written
comments from all tenured faculty members who are not members of the tenure
committee. The unit administrator shall provide these comments to the tenure
committee, shall provide a copy to the candidate, and shall place the comments
in the file. (5) Members of the tenure
committee on leave of absence or absent for justifiable reasons shall be
notified of the nominations and shall vote by absentee ballot, or they may
request from the committee the right to abstain from voting. Except where a
member of the tenure committee is ineligible to vote in accordance with
paragraph (F) of this rule or has been granted the right to abstain from
voting, all committee members shall submit a vote on each candidate. If the
tenure committee will consist of fewer than four voting members, then a special
procedure for enlarging it shall be developed by the unit administrator with
the advice of the faculty advisory committee and the assistance of the college
dean, if applicable, and the approval of the provost. (6) The unit
administrator shall discuss the unit administrator's estimate of the
strengths and weaknesses of each candidate with the unit tenure
committee. (7) The case of each
candidate shall be subject to candid discussion by the committee. During the
committee meeting, each voting member shall indicate the member's
nonbinding "yea" or "nay." After the meeting, each voting
member shall record the member's final vote by completing a signed
evaluation form with comments. (8) Approval of at least
three-fourths of the members of the tenure committee who vote, excluding those
who abstain under paragraph (F)(5) of this rule, shall constitute formal
endorsement to the unit administrator for tenure. (9) The unit
administrator shall assemble the recorded votes, and signed evaluation forms,
along with supporting statements, as well as other relevant documents regarding
the faculty member's application for tenure. The unit administrator shall
weigh and assess all relevant information and decide whether to recommend the
granting of tenure to the candidate. The unit administrator shall record the
unit administrator's decision, along with a signed statement supporting
it. (10) In the case of
regional campus and Kent campus faculty alike, the unit administrator shall
extend an invitation to the candidate to meet in order to discuss the
assessment and recommendation. This meeting should take place as soon as
possible. In all cases that are not unanimously positive, the unit
administrator must meet with the candidate within five working days from the
date of the submission of the unit administrator's letter to the
administrator at the next higher level. (11) The unit
administrator shall inform the offices of the appropriate college dean and/or
regional campus dean, where appropriate, and the provost of the results of the
unit's deliberations. The file must be completed and closed at the unit
level and no material shall be added or removed except as provided for in this
policy. (12) No later than the
date when the unit administrator transmits the unit administrator's
recommendation to the next higher administrative officer, the unit
administrator shall notify the candidate of this recommendation by
letter. (a) The unit administrator shall include with this letter a copy
of the unit administrator's letter of recommendation to the next higher
administrative office, a summary of the advisory recommendations of the tenure
committee, and copies of the committee's signed evaluation
forms. (b) In the unit administrator's letter to the candidate, the
unit administrator shall inform the candidate that the candidate has the right,
within ten working days, to add a letter to the candidate's file
responding to any procedural errors or errors of fact that the candidate
believes have been included in either the unit administrative officer's
letter, or the committee members' statements. (c) The unit administrator's letter shall also indicate
that, if the candidate wishes to appeal a negative recommendation, such intent
shall be expressed to the next higher academic officer in writing within ten
working days of receipt of the unit administrator's letter. (G) Procedures for making decisions
regarding tenure: the regional campus level: Regional campus candidates for
tenure will be reviewed both at the unit level, as described in paragraph (F)
of this rule, and at the regional campus level. The tenure committee of the
regional campus shall be composed of tenured members of the faculty council and
full-time faculty of the campus who are tenured full professors. No member of
the committee shall be present when the committee deliberates or votes on the
tenure of an individual in a rank higher than that of the individual member of
the tenure committee, or on the tenure of a spouse, domestic partner, or
relative. A member of the committee who intends to vote at the unit level of
review may be present, but shall not vote on that candidate at the regional
campus level. The faculty chair is a voting member of the campus tenure
committee, except in cases in which the faculty chair is untenured or has
otherwise not achieved the rank held by the candidate for tenure. In such
cases, the faculty chair will recuse himself or herself and a tenured
individual with the appropriate rank will be elected from and by the campus
tenure committee to fill the role of the faculty chair provided for in the
policy. (1) The regional campus
dean will make available to the candidate and the unit copies of those sections
of the campus handbook concerning the campus' method of weighting unit
criteria. (2) Regional campus
faculty members being considered for tenure are responsible for developing,
organizing, and submitting to the unit administrator the evidence supporting
their candidacy for tenure. The unit administrator will review the files with
the candidate for tenure in order to insure that the files are complete. The
unit administrator will prepare a statement for inclusion in each file
indicating that the file is complete as indicated in paragraph (F)(3) of this
rule. The unit administrator must notify the regional campus dean in a timely
fashion that the file is available for review by the campus tenure committee.
Thereafter, the candidate must be informed of anything that is added to or
removed from the file and provided the opportunity to insert written comments
concerning the added or removed material. (3) Before convening the
campus tenure committee, the faculty chair shall formally invite signed written
comments from all campus tenured faculty members who are not members of the
tenure committee. The faculty chair shall provide the comments to the campus
tenure committee, shall provide a copy to the candidate, and shall place the
comments in the file. (4) Members of the campus
tenure committee on leave of absence or absent for justifiable reasons shall be
notified of the candidacies and shall vote by absentee ballot, or they may
request from the committee the right to abstain from voting. Except where a
member of the tenure committee is ineligible to vote in accordance with
paragraph (G) of this rule or has been granted the right to abstain from
voting, all committee members shall submit a vote on each candidate. If the
campus tenure committee consists of fewer than four voting members, including
the voting chairperson, then a special procedure for enlarging it shall be
developed by the regional campus dean, with the advice of the faculty council
and the approval of the provost. (5) The case of each
candidate shall be subject to candid discussion by the committee. During the
committee meeting, each voting member shall indicate the member's
nonbinding "yea" or "nay." After the meeting, each voting
member shall record the member's final vote by completing a signed
evaluation form with comments. (6) Approval of at least
three-fourths of the members of the tenure committee who vote excluding those
abstaining under paragraph (G)(4) of this rule shall constitute a formal
endorsement to the regional campus dean for tenure. (7) The faculty chair
shall then summarize the committee's vote, signed evaluation forms, and
recommendation for support or non-support of granting tenure to the candidate
in a signed letter to the candidate and the regional campus dean. The letter
shall indicate that, if the candidate wishes to respond to a recommendation for
non-support, such a response must be made to the campus dean and copied to the
unit administrator within ten working days of receipt of the letter. Copies of
the faculty chair's letter shall be provided to the college dean, and to
the unit administrator of the candidate's unit. (8) The regional campus
dean shall assemble the records, along with supporting statements, ballots, and
other relevant documents. The regional campus dean will then review the file
and the advisory recommendations of the campus tenure committee and unit
administrator, weigh and assess all relevant information, and decide whether to
recommend the granting of tenure to the candidate. The regional campus dean
shall record the regional campus dean's decision along with a signed
statement supporting the decision. (9) The regional campus
dean should extend an invitation to the candidate to meet in order to discuss
the assessment and recommendation. This meeting should take place as soon as
possible. In all cases that are not unanimously positive, the regional campus
dean must meet with the candidate within five working days from the date of the
submission of the regional campus dean's letter to the appropriate
administrator. (10) The regional campus
dean's recommendations to grant or deny tenure to the candidate shall be
submitted to either the college dean (in the case of a candidate from a
dependent department or school) or to the provost (in the case of a candidate
from an independent college), with copies to the unit administrator and (where
the recommendation is to a college dean) to the provost. The file must be
completed and closed at the regional campus level and no material added or
removed except as provided for in this policy. (11) No later than the
date when the regional campus dean transmits the regional campus dean's
recommendations to the college dean or provost the regional campus dean shall
notify the candidate of the regional campus dean's recommendation by
letter. (a) The regional campus dean shall include within this letter a
copy of the regional campus dean's letter of recommendation to the college
dean or provost, a summary of the advisory recommendations of the tenure
committee, and copies of the committee's signed evaluation
forms. (b) In the regional campus dean's letter to the candidate,
the regional campus dean shall inform the candidate that the candidate has the
right, within ten working days, to add a letter to the candidate's file
responding to any procedural errors or errors of fact that the candidate
believes have been included in either the regional campus dean's letter,
the faculty chair's letter, or the committee members'
statements. (c) The letter shall also indicate that if the candidate wishes
to appeal a negative decision, such intent shall be expressed to the next
higher academic officer in writing within ten working days of receipt of the
regional campus dean's letter. (H) Procedures for making decisions
regarding tenure: colleges with dependent units. The college dean shall conduct
a review of the unit's decision, and where applicable, the regional
campus' actions and shall convene the college advisory committee, which
shall function as the college tenure committee. On the basis of the
qualifications of the candidate, this committee shall evaluate all assessments
deriving from the unit and, where applicable, regional campus levels, recommend
to the dean whether tenure should be granted or denied. (1) The college dean
shall be the chairperson and a nonvoting member of the college tenure
committee. Tenured members of the elected college advisory committee shall
serve as the college tenure committee to review recommendations and evaluations
from the departments and schools and recommend to the dean in each case whether
tenure should be granted or denied. This committee shall have made available to
it all data developed by the unit and where applicable, the regional campus. No
members of the college tenure committee may vote on candidates from their own
unit or own regional campus and no member of the committee shall be present
when the committee deliberates or votes on the tenure of a spouse, domestic
partner, or relative. (2) Members of the
college tenure committee on leave of absence shall be notified of the
candidates and shall vote by absentee ballots or they may request from the
committee the right to abstain from voting. Except where a member of the tenure
committee is ineligible to vote in accordance with paragraph (H)(1) of this
rule or has been granted the right to abstain from voting, all committee
members shall submit a vote on each candidate. If the college tenure committee
will consiste of fewer than four voting members, then a special procedure for
enlarging it shall be developed by the college dean, with the advice of the
college advisory committee and the approval of the provost. (3) The case of each candidate shall be
subject to candid discussion of the committee. During the committee meeting,
each voting member shall indicate the member's nonbinding "yea"
or "nay." After the meeting, each voting member shall record the
member's final vote by completing a signed evaluation form with
comments. (4) Approval of at least three-fourths of
the tenure committee who (excluding those who abstain for reasons under
paragraph (H)(1) of this rule) shall constitute a recommendation for tenure by
the college tenure committee to the college dean. (5) The college dean shall prepare a
written statement in which is recorded the recommendation of the college tenure
committee, along with the numerical vote. In addition, the college dean shall
submit a recommendation for approval or disapproval of tenure. (a) For Kent campus and regional campus candidates alike, the
college dean's statement and candidate's file are submitted to the
provost. (b) The file must be completed and closed at the college level
and no material shall be added or removed except as provided for in this
policy. (6) No later than the college
recommendation is submitted to the provost, the college dean shall notify the
candidate of the college dean's recommendation by letter. (a) The college dean shall include with this letter a copy of the
college dean's letter of recommendation to the provost, a summary of the
advisory recommendations of the tenure committee, and copies of the
committee's signed evaluation forms. (b) In the college dean's letter to the candidate, the
college dean shall inform the candidate that the candidate has the right,
within ten working days, to add a letter to the candidate's file
responding to any procedural errors or errors of fact that the candidate
believes have been included in either the college dean's letter or the
committee member's statements. (c) The letter shall also indicate that, if the candidate wishes
to appeal a negative recommendation, such intent shall be expressed to the next
higher academic officer in writing within ten working days of receipt of the
college dean's letter. (I) Procedures for making decisions
regarding tenure: the provost level. The provost shall conduct a review of the
previous actions and shall make an academic administrative recommendation on
tenure to the president. (1) To assist in this
process with respect to Kent campus faculty, the provost shall convene the Kent
campus tenure advisory board. The members of this board shall be appointed by
the provost in consultation with the provost's advisory council from a
list of tenured associate and full professors nominated by the faculty senate
executive committee, the college advisory committees, and the college deans. It
is ordinarily expected that, through such discussion, consensus on the Kent
campus tenure advisory board members will be reached. In the unusual
circumstance that the provost's advisory council and the provost are
unable to reach consensus in regard to the members of the board by the
specified date for the beginning of board's activity, the provost shall
convene a Kent campus tenure advisory board that includes those for whom
consensus has been reached and others that the provost appoints. This board
shall evaluate from a Kent campus-wide perspective the recommendations made
thus far and shall formally advise the provost as to whether, in its view,
these recommendations should be accepted. (2) To aid in making a
recommendation with respect to regional campus faculty, the provost shall
convene a regional-campus-wide tenure advisory board. The members of this board
shall be appointed by the Provost in consultation with the regional campuses
faculty advisory council and regional campus deans from a list of tenured
associate and full professors nominated by each regional campus faculty council
and the regional campus deans. It is ordinarily expected that, through such
discussion, consensus on the regional campuses-wide tenure advisory board
members will be reached. In the unusual circumstance that the regional campuses
faculty advisory council and the provost are unable to reach consensus in
regard to the members of the board by the specified date for the beginning of
the board's activity, the provost shall convene a regional campuses-wide
tenure advisory board that includes those members for whom consensus has been
reached and others that the provost appoints. This board shall evaluate from a
regional campus-wide perspective the recommendations made thus far and shall
formally advise the provost as to whether, in its view, these recommendations
should be accepted. (3) No member of the Kent
campus or regional-campus-wide tenure advisory board will vote on a candidate
for whom the member cast a ballot at a lower level of review and no member may
be present while the board deliberates or votes on the tenure of a spouse,
domestic partner, or relative. (4) The provost shall provide written
notification to all candidates for tenure of the action taken. Such
notification shall be made at least one week prior to the date designated as
the submission date for recommendations for tenure by the president to the
board of trustees. The communication to candidates whose tenure is not approved
shall include reasons why approval was withheld. A negative recommendation
shall include a statement of the relevant unit handbook criteria or criteria as
established in this policy that the candidate has failed to meet. Copies of
each communication shall be sent to the college dean, regional campus dean (if
applicable) and the unit administrator. (J) New material may be added as
requested by a review committee or the responsible academic administrator at
any level in order to correct or more fully document information contained in
the tenure file. In such instances, the candidate shall be notified of, and
given the opportunity to review, such new material as is added to the file and
also be provided with the opportunity to include written comments relevant to
this material and/or the appropriateness of its inclusion in the file. In no
case will a candidate for tenure be required to create new material or required
to procure material not currently in possession of the candidate. (K) Any faculty member whose tenure has
been disapproved at any level shall have the right to appeal to the next higher
academic administrative officer. In the case of denial by the provost, the
appeal shall be to the president, or when appropriate, to the joint appeals
board (see collective bargaining agreement, Article VII, Section 2). All
appeals must be initiated by the candidate in writing within ten working days
of the candidate's receipt of the disapproval notification or as otherwise
specified by the collective bargaining agreement. At each level of appeal, the
appellant shall be offered an opportunity to appear in person to present the
appellant's case orally before the appropriate tenure advisory committee
or board. The appellant may be accompanied by a colleague who may assist in
presenting the appellant's case. Furthermore, if an individual other than
the appellant is invited to address the committee or board, the appellant shall
have an opportunity to respond to any new information. The committee or board
shall determine whether the information is new and whether to invite an oral or
written response. The academic administrator in question shall consider the
vote of this body seriously before making the recommendation and shall inform
both the appellant and the academic administrator at the next higher level of
the results of this vote. (L) Academic administrators and members
of tenure committees are expected to act in accordance with the principles of
due process and abide by the "Professional Code of Ethics" (rule
3342-6-17 of the Administrative Code). All documents in the tenure process are
subject to the Ohio Open Records Law (section 149.43 of the Revised
Code). (M) Normally, decisions regarding tenure
for all faculty members who are appointed to a tenure-track position will be
governed by the university policies and procedures regarding faculty
reappointment, tenure, and promotion and the unit handbook in place at the time
of the initial appointment. In the event that university policies and
procedures regarding faculty reappointmetn, tenure, and promotion and/or the
unit handbook are revised during the faculty member's probationary period,
the faculty member will have the option of being governed by the current
policies and the current unit handbook or by the policies and the unit handbook
in place at the time of the faculty member's initial appointment. The
faculty member will include a written election of this option in the faculty
member's file. (N) Transfer of tenure. Tenured faculty
members may transfer from one academic unit to another; from the regional
campus system to an academic unit at the Kent campus, or from an academic unit
at the Kent campus to the regional campus system in accordance with the
following procedure (1) The tenured faculty
member who is seeking a transfer shall initiate a written request to both the
faculty member's current academic administrator (i.e., department chair,
school director, independent college dean or regional campus dean) and to the
academic administrator of the academic unit or regional campus to which the
faculty member seeks a transfer. (2) The appropriate
faculty advisory body of the academic unit or regional campus from which the
incoming faculty member seeks a transfer should provide a written
recommendation on the acceptability of the transfer to the academic
administrator. Upon receipt of this recommendation, the academic administrator
will forward the academic administrator's written recommendation together
with that of the faculty advisory committee, to the dean of the college, who in
turn makes a recommendation to the provost. In the case of faculty in
independent colleges, the unit administrator's recommendation is forwarded
directly to the provost. (3) The appropriate
faculty advisory body of the academic unit or regional campus to which the
incoming faculty member seeks a transfer should provide a written
recommendation on the acceptability of the transfer to the academic
administrator. In addition, the ad hoc tenure committee of the academic unit or
regional campus to which the incoming faculty member seeks a transfer should
evaluate the professional credentials of the incoming faculty member and
provide a recommendation to the academic administrator. In order to undertake
this evaluation, the committee may request evidence of excellence in
scholarship, teaching, and service in a form to be decided by the committee
(i.e., curriculum vita, teaching dossier, a written statement from the faculty
member seeking the transfer). Approval of at least three-fourths of the members
of the unit's or campus' tenure committee who vote, excluding those
who abstain, is required for transfer of tenure. If the ad hoc tenure committee
approves the transfer of tenure, the academic administrator will forward the
academic administrator's recommendation together with that of the faculty
advisory committee and the ad hoc tenure committee to the dean of the college
who in turn makes a recommendation to the provost. In the case of faculty in
independent colleges, the unit administrator's recommendation is forwarded
directly to the provost. (4) The provost shall
consult with the provost's advisory council. The final decision on the
transfer of a tenured faculty member between academic units and/or campuses
rests with the provost. In the event that the provost's decision conflicts
with the unit tenure committees vote, the provost shall provide a statement in
writing to the unit administrator explaining the decision. (5) A faculty member
whose tenure transfers under this section will retain the faculty member's
rank.
Last updated October 1, 2021 at 9:02 AM
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Rule 3342-6-15 | University policy regarding faculty promotion.
Effective:
October 1, 2021
(A) Purpose. Promotion shall be viewed as
recognition of a faculty member's scholarship, teaching, and service. For
the purposes of this policy, "scholarship" is broadly defined to
include research, scholarly and creative work. For the purposes of this policy
"service" is broadly defined to include administrative service to the
university, professional service to the faculty member's discipline, and
the provision of professional expertise to public and private entities beyond
the university. (1) For promotion
purposes, the term "unit" shall be defined as a department, school,
or college without subordinate academic departments or schools (hereafter,
'independent college'). The term "faculty" shall be defined
as those who hold regular full-time tenured or tenure-track appointments. Given
some variance in procedures followed for faculty from independent colleges
and/or regional campuses, sections of this policy have been included to
delineate these specific procedural differences. (2) Criteria appropriate
to a particular unit shall be formulated by that unit in light of college (if
applicable) and university standards and guidelines, the mission of the unit,
and the demands and academic standards of the discipline. (B) Promotion criteria. Recommendations
for promotion shall be based upon two major classes of criteria. The first,
"academic credentials and university experience," describes the
normal minimums of credentials and time-in-rank necessary for promotion
consideration. The second, "academic performance and service," refers
to the record of actual performance and the accomplishments by the faculty
member in academic and service areas, as defined by the unit handbook. Unless
otherwise specified in the unit handbook, documented in-press and forthcoming
scholarly or creative works will be considered as part of the record of
accomplishments. (1) Academic credentials
and university experience. (a) Assistant professor. A faculty member will not be considered
for advancement to this rank until either completion of three years as an
instructor and possession of at least the master's degree, or until the
academic credentials minimally required for initial appointment at the
assistant professor's level are achieved. (b) Associate professor. This is one of the two senior ranks in
academia; accordingly a faculty member must possess the terminal degree in the
faculty member's discipline before promotion consideration. In exceptional
cases, this rule may be modified with the approval of the unit's promotion
committee and the provost. A faculty member will not usually be considered for
advancement to this rank until completion of five years as an assistant
professor, but in cases where the candidate has met the expectations for
promotion, they may be considered after completion of fewer years as an
assistant professor. Unless otherwise specified in the unit handbook, the
criteria for evaluating an application for early promotion will be the same as
the criteria for an on-time application for promotion. If the initial
appointment as assistant professor carries some years of credit toward tenure,
the number of years shall be deducted from the normal expectation that the
candidate has completed five years as an assistant professor; thus if an
assistant professor is hired with two years credit towards tenure and applies
for promotion to associate professor after completion of three years as an
assistant professor, the application would not be considered an application for
early promotion. A non-tenured faculty member applying for promotion to the
rank of associate professor must also undergo a successful tenure
review. (c) Full professor. As with associate professor, a faculty member
must possess the terminal degree in the faculty member's discipline before
promotion consideration. In exceptional cases, this rule may be modified with
the approval of the unit's promotion committee and the provost. A faculty
member will not usually be considered for advancement to this rank until
completion of five years as an associate professor, but in cases where the
candidate has met the expectations for promition, they may be considered after
completion of fewer years as an associate professor. Unless otherwise specified
in the unit handbook, the criteria for evaluating an application for early
promotion will be the same as the criteria for on-time application for
promotion. A non-tenured faculty member applying for promotion to the rank of
full professor must also undergo a successful tenure review. Unlike tenure and
promotion to associate professor, promotion to professor does not involve an
assessment of productivity within a set number of years. Rather, it recognizes
success in meeting the academic unit's requirements for scholarship,
teaching, and service commensurate with the rank of full professor,
irrespective of the number of years in the rank of associate
professor. (2) The criteria for
assessing the quality of scholarship, teaching and service shall be clearly
specified and included in the handbook of each unit and campus. Guidelines for
weighting the categories of scholarship, teaching and service shall be
established by each unit for Kent campus faculty. For regional campus faculty,
guidelines for weighting the categories of scholarship, teaching and service
shall be established by each campus faculty council and this weighting shall be
used at all levels of review. The handbook should indicate with some
specificity, how the quality and significance of scholarship and the quality
and effectiveness of teaching and service are to be documented and assessed.
Only documented evidence of scholarship, teaching, and service will be used in
assessing a faculty member's eligibility for promotion. In the evaluation
of scholarship, emphasis should be placed on external measures of
quality. (3) All tenured and
tenure-track faculty members of the unit must have the opportunity to
participate in the establishment, development and revision of the unit's
criteria. These processes should be democratic and public. (4) As the university
enters new fields of endeavor, including interdisciplinary initiatives,
instances may arise in which the scholarship of faculty members may extend
beyond established disciplinary boundaries. In such cases, care must be taken
to apply the criteria with sufficient flexibility. In all instances, superior
scholarly attainment, in accordance with the criteria set forth in the unit
handbooks, is an essential qualification for promotion. (5) Criteria based on
sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual
orientation, or political activity or other legally protected categories are
expressly forbidden. (C) Procedures for making decisions
regarding promotion. (1) Due process is
integral to an effective promotion policy. The guiding premise in the following
procedure is that the essential phases in promotion consideration occur at the
unit level and at the regional campus (if applicable). Assessments and the
recommendations beyond these levels should reflect due regard for the
professional judgments and recommendations made at the unit and regional campus
levels. Review and assessment by extra-unit and extra-regional campus faculty
and the academic administration are necessary to insure the integrity of the
system. (2) External reviewers.
All candidates for promotion must submit the names of at least five persons
outside the university who are qualified to evaluate their achievements
objectively. The unit administrator shall solicit evaluations from at least
three of the qualified individuals whose names have been submitted by the
candidate. The unit administrator may also solicit evaluations from external
reviewers other than those named by the candidate but must inform the candidate
of the persons contacted. In addition, the college dean, where appropriate) may
consult with the unit administrator regarding any letters the dean may wish to
solicit for consideration at the unit level and inform the candidate of such
letters received. The candidate shall be given a copy of the letter to be sent
to outside evaluators and have the opportunity to comment before the letter is
mailed. (3) Any agreement at the
time of appointment concerning a candidate's future promotion must be
approved in writing by the unit administrator with the advice of the
unit's faculty advisory committee. Such agreement also must be approved by
the college dean (if applicable) and the provost. If previous experience at
another institution or in a related field is to be counted toward eventual
promotion, that shall be made clear in such an agreement. (D) Procedures for making decisions
regarding promotion: the unit level. Any action for the promotion of a faculty
member shall be initiated at the academic unit level. (See paragraph (A)(1) of
this rule for definition of "unit".) Consideration of those standing
for promotion shall be undertaken by a unit promotion committee chaired by the
unit administrator as a nonvoting member and composed of the tenured members of
the unit's faculty advisory committee and any full-time faculty who are
tenured full professors of the unit who may not be on the faculty advisory
committee. No member of the committee shall be present while the committee
deliberates or votes on the promotion of a spouse, domestic partner, or
relative. No member other than the unit administrator (who shall not be present
when the unit administrator's own promotion is discussed) shall be present
while the committee deliberates or votes on promotions to a rank higher than
that of an individual committee member. A member of the committee who intends
to vote on a regional campus candidate at the regional campus level of review
may be present, but shall not vote on that candidate at the unit
level. (1) Each spring semester,
the unit's faculty advisory committee shall review all faculty members
below the rank of full professor in the unit, including regional campus faculty
members, and from them nominate by simple majority vote a list of nominees for
promotion. To this list must be appended any names submitted by persons in
their own behalf, by the unit administrator and/or by an academic
administrative officer of the university. Those nominated shall be notified by
the unit administrator and permitted to withdraw their names if they wish.
Faculty with dual appointments shall be considered for promotion in their
primary academic unit after consultation with the secondary academic
unit. (2) The unit
administrator shall make available copies of the guidelines, timetables and
other information concerning promotion review to all candidates in the unit,
Kent campus and regional campus faculty members alike, no later than three
weeks before the deadline for submission of materials, which is at the end of
the first week of the fall semester. (3) All promotion reviews
wil be carried out on a paperless, electronic system provided by the university
for this purpose. Candidates for promotion, reviewers and administrators must
submit and review promotion file documents on this system and any official
notification required under this policy will appear in this system. Faculty
members being considered for promotion are responsible for developing,
organizing, and submitting to the unit administrator the evidence supporting
their candidacy for promotion. The unit administrator will meet with the
candidate review the file for promotion in order to ensure that the file is
complete and the candidate and the unit administrator will certify that the
file is complete. Thereafter, the candidate must be informed of anything that
is added to or removed from the file, and provided the opportunity to insert
written comments concerning that new or removed material. At each level of
review, advisory bodies and administrators will have access to the complete
file before they consider the case. (4) Before convening the
promotion committee, the unit administrator shall formally invite written
comments from all tenured faculty members who are not eligible to vote on the
promotion. The unit administrator shall provide those comments to the promotion
committee, shall provide a copy to the candidate, and shall place the comments
in the file. (5) Members of the
promotion committee on leave of absence or absent for justifiable reasons shall
be notified of the nominations and shall vote by absentee ballot, or they may
request from the committee the right to abstain from voting. Except where a
member of the promotion committee is ineligible to vote in accordance with
paragraph (D) of this rule or has been granted the right to abstain from
voting, all committee members shall submit a vote on each candidate. If the
promotion committee will consist of fewer than four voting members, then a
special procedure for enlarging it shall be developed by the unit administrator
with the advice of the faculty advisory committee and the assistance of the
college dean, if applicable, and the approval of the provost. (6) The unit
administrator shall discuss the unit administrator's estimate of the
strengths and weaknesses of each candidate with the unit promotion
committee. (7) The case of each
candidate shall be the subject of candid discussion by the committee. During
the committee meeting, each voting member shall indicate the member's
nonbinding "yea" or "nay." After the meeting, each voting
member shall record the member's final vote by completing a signed
evaluation form with comments. (8) Approval of at least
three-fourths of the members of the unit's promotion committee who vote,
excluding those who abstain under paragraph (D)(5) of this rule, shall
constitute the formal endorsement to the unit administrator for
promotion. (9) The unit
administrator shall assemble the recorded votes, signed evaluation forms, along
with supporting statements, as well as other relevant documents regarding the
faculty member's application for promotion. The unit administrator shall
weigh and assess all relevant information and decide whether to recommend
promotion. The unit administrator shall record the unit administrator's
decision, along with a signed statement supporting it. (10) In the case of
regional campus and Kent campus faculty alike, the unit administrator shall
extend an invitation to the candidate to meet in order to discuss the
assessment and recommendation. This meeting should take place as soon as
possible. In all cases that are not unanimously positive, the unit
administrator must meet with the candidate within five working days from the
date of the submission of the unit administrator's letter to the
administrator at the next higher level. (11) The unit
administrator shall inform the offices of the appropriate college dean,
regional campus dean, where appropriate, and the provost of the results of the
unit's deliberations. The file must be completed and closed at the unit
level and no material shall be added or removed except as provided for in this
policy. (12) No later than the
date when the unit administrator transmits the unit administrator's
recommendation to the next higher administrative officer, the unit
administrator shall notify the candidate of his/her recommendation by
letter. (a) The unit administrator shall include with this letter a copy
of the unit administrator's letter of recommendation to the next higher
administrative officer, a summary of the advisory recommendations of the
promotion committee, and copies of the committee's signed evaluation
forms. (b) In the unit administrator's letter to the candidate, the
unit administrator shall inform the candidate that the candidate has the right,
within ten working days, to add a letter to the candidate's file
responding to any procedural errors or errors of fact that the candidate
believes have been included in either the unit administrator's letter, or
the committee members' statements. (c) The letter shall also indicate that, if the candidate wishes
to appeal a negative recommendation, such intent shall be expressed to the next
higher academic officer in writing within ten working days of receipt of the
unit administrator's letter. (E) Procedures for making decisions
regarding promotion: the regional campus level. Regional campus candidates for
promotion will be reviewed at the unit level (as described in paragraph (D) of
this rule) and at the regional campus level. The promotion committee of a
regional campus shall be composed of the tenured members of the faculty council
and full-time faculty of the campus who are tenured full professors. No member
of the committee shall be present when the committee deliberates or votes on
the promotion of an individual to a rank higher than that of the individual
faculty member of the promotion committee, or on the promotion of a spouse,
domestic partner, or relative. A member of the committee who intends to vote at
the unit level of review may be present, but shall not vote on that candidate
at the regional campus level. The faculty chair is a voting member of the
campus promotion committee, except in cases when the committee deliberates or
votes on the promotion of an individual to a rank higher than the faculty
chair. In such cases, the faculty chair will recuse himself or herself and a
tenured individual with the appropriate rank will be elected from and by the
campus promotion committee to fill the role of the faculty chair provided for
in the policy. (1) The regional campus
dean will make available to the candidate and the unit copies of those sections
of the campus handbook concerning the campus' method of weighing unit
criteria. (2) Regional campus
faculty members being considered for promotion are responsible for developing,
organizing, and submitting to the unit administrator the evidence supporting
their candidacy for promotion. The unit administrator will review the files
with the candidate for promotion in order to ensure that the files are complete
and will prepare a statement for inclusion in each file indicating that the
file is complete as indicated in paragraph (D)(3) of this rule. The unit
administrator must notify the regional campus dean in a timely fashion that the
file is available for review by the campus promotion committee. Thereafter, the
candidate must be informed of anything that is added to or removed from the
file and provided the opportunity to insert written comments concerning the
added or removed material. (3) Before convening the
campus promotion committee, the faculty chair shall formally invite signed
written comments from all campus tenured faculty members who are not eligible
to vote on the promotion. The faculty chair will provide the comments to the
campus promotion committee, copy the candidate, and place the comments in the
file. (4) Members of the campus
promotion committee on leave of absence shall be notified of the candidacies
and shall vote by absentee ballots or they may request from the committee the
right to abstain from voting. Except where a member of the promotion committee
is ineligible to vote in accordance with paragraph (E) of this rule or has been
granted the right to abstain from voting, all committee members shall submit a
vote on each candidate. If the campus promotion committee will consist of fewer
than four voting members, including the voting chair, then a special procedure
for enlarging it shall be developed by the regional campus dean, with the
advice of the faculty council and the approval of the provost. (5) The case of each
candidate shall be subject to candid discussion by the committee. During the
committee meeting, each voting member shall indicate the member's
nonbinding "yea" or "nay." After the meeting, each voting
member shall record the member's final vote by completing a signed
evaluation form with comments. (6) Approval of at least
three-fourths of the members of the campus promotion committee who vote
(excluding those abstaining under paragraph (E)(4) of this rule) shall be
required for a recommendation to the regional campus dean for
promotion. (7) The faculty chair
shall then summarize the committee's vote, signed evaluation forms, and
recommendation for support or non-support of granting promotion to the
candidate in a signed letter to the candidate and the regional campus dean. The
letter shall indicate that, if the candidate wishes to respond to a
recommendation for non-support, such a response must be made to the campus dean
and copied to the unit administrator within ten working days of receipt of the
letter. Copies of the faculty chair's letter shall be provided to the
college dean and to the unit administrator of the candidate's
unit. (8) The regional campus
dean shall assemble the records, along with supporting statements, ballots, and
other relevant documents. The regional campus dean will then review the file
and the advisory recommendations of the campus promotion committee and the unit
administrator, weigh and assess all relevant information, and decide whether to
recommend the granting of promotion to the candidate. The dean shall record the
dean's decision along with a signed statement supporting the
decision. (9) The regional campus
dean should extend an invitation to the candidate to meet in order to discuss
the assessment and recommendation. This meeting should take place as soon as
possible in all cases. In all cases that are not unanimously positive, the
regional campus dean must meet with the candidate within five working days from
the date of the submission of the dean's letter to the appropriate
administrator. (10) The regional campus
dean's recommendation to grant or deny promotion to the candidate shall be
submitted to either the college dean (in the case of a candidate from a
dependent department or school) or to the provost (in the case of a candidate
from an independent college), with copies to the unit administrator and (where
the recommendation is to a college dean) to the provost. The file must be
completed and closed at the regional campus level and no material is to be
added or removed except as provided for in this policy. (11) No later than the
date when the regional campus dean transmits the regional campus dean's
recommendations to the college dean or provost, the regional campus dean shall
notify the candidate of the regional campus dean's recommendation by
letter. (a) The regional campus dean shall include within this letter a
copy of the regional campus dean's letter of recommendation to the college
dean or provost, a summary of the advisory recommendations of the tenure
committee, and copies of the committee's signed evaluation. (b) In the regional campus dean's letter to the candidate,
the regional campus dean shall inform the candidate that the candidate has the
right, within ten working days, to add a letter to the candidate's file
responding to any procedural errors or errors of fact that the candidate
believes have been included in either the regional campus dean's letter,
the faculty chair's letter, or the committee member's
statements. (c) The letter shall also indicate that, if the candidate wishes
to appeal a negative recommendation, such intent shall be expressed to the next
higher academic officer in writing within ten working days of receipt of the
regional campus dean's letter. (F) Procedures for making decisions
regarding promotion: colleges with dependent units. The college dean shall
conduct a review of the unit's decision and, where applicable, the
regional campus' actions and shall convene the college advisory committee,
which shall function as the college promotion committee. On the basis of the
qualifications of the candidate, this committee shall evaluate all assessments
deriving from the unit and, where applicable, the regional campus levels, and
recommend to the college dean either promotion or denial of
promotion. (1) The college dean
shall be the chair and a nonvoting member of the college promotion committee.
Tenured members of the elected college advisory committee shall serve as the
college promotion committee to review recommendations and evaluations from the
departments and schools and recommend to the college dean in each case whether
promotion should be granted. This committee shall have made available to it all
data developed by the unit and, where applicable, the regional campus. These
materials shall be the subject of candid discussion by the committee, except
that no member of the college promotion committee may vote on candidates from
their own unit or own regional campuse and no member of the committee shall be
present when the committee deliberates or votes on the tenure of a spouse,
domestic partner, or relative. (2) Members of the college promotion committee on leave of
absence shall be notified of the candidacies and shall vote by absentee ballots
or they may request from the committee the right to abstain from voting. Except
where a member of the promotion committee is ineligible to vote in accordance
with paragraph (F) of this rule or has been granted the right to abstain from
voting, all committee members shall submit a vote on each candidate. If the
college promotion committee will consist of fewer than four voting members,
then a special procedure for enlarging it shall be developed by teh college
dean, with the advice of the college advisory committee and the approval of the
provost. (3) During the committee meeting each
voting member shall indicate the member's nonbinding "yea" or
"nay." After the meeting, each voting member shall record the
member's final vote by completing a signed evaluation form with
comments. (4) Approval of three-fourths of the
members of the promotion committee who vote (excluding those who abstain for
reasons under paragraph (F)(1) of this rule) shall constitute a recommendation
for promotion by the college promotion committee to the college
dean. (5) The college dean shall prepare a
written statement in which is recorded the recommendation of the college
promotion committee, along with the numerical vote. In addition, the college
dean shall submit a recommendation for approval or disapproval of the
candidate's promotion. (a) For Kent campus and regional campus candidates alike, the
college dean's statement and candidate's file are submitted to the
provost. (b) The file must be completed and closed at the college level
and no material shall be added or removed except as provided for in this
policy. (6) No later than the date the college
recommendation is submitted to the provost, the college dean shall notify the
candidate of the college dean's recommendation by letter. (a) The college dean shall include with this letter a copy of the
college dean's letter of recommendation to the provost, a summary of the
advisory recommendations of the promotion committee, and copies of the
committee's signed evaluation forms. (b) In the college dean's letter to the candidate, the
college dean shall inform the candidate that the candidate has the right,
within ten working days, to add a letter to the candiate's file responding
to any procedural errors or errors of fact that the candidate believes have
been included in either the college dean's letter or the committee
member's statements. (c) The letter shall also indicate that, if the candidate wishes
to appeal a negative decision recommendation, such intent shall be expressed to
the next higher academic officer in writing within ten working days of receipt
of the college dean's letter. (G) Procedures for making decisions
regarding promotion: the provost level. The provost shall conduct a review of
the previous actions and shall make an academic administrative recommendation
on promotion forwarded to the president. (1) To assist in this
process with respect to Kent campus faculty, the provost shall convene the Kent
campus promotion advisory board. The members of this board shall be appointed
by the provost in consultation with the provost's advisory council, from a
list of tenured associate and full professors nominated by the faculty senate
executive committee, the college advisory committees, and the college deans. It
is ordinarily expected that, through such discussion, consensus on the Kent
campus promotion advisory board members will be reached. In the unusual
circumstance that the provost's faculty advisory council and the provost
are unable to reach consensus in regard to the members of the board by the
specified date for the beginning of the board's activity, the provost
shall convene a Kent campus promotion advisory board that includes those for
whom consensus has been reached and others that the provost appoints. This
board shall evaluate from a Kent campus-wide perspective the recommendations
made thus far and shall formally advise the provost as to whether, in its view,
these recommendations should be accepted. (2) To aid in making a
recommendation with respect to regional campus faculty, the provost shall
convene a regional-campus-wide promotion advisory board. The members of this
board shall be appointed by the provost in consultation with the regional
campuses faculty advisory council and regional campus deans from a list of
tenured associate and full professors nominated by each regional campus faculty
council and the regional campus deans. It is ordinarily expected that, through
such discussion, consensus on the regional campuses-wide promotion advisory
board members will be reached. In the unusual circumstance that the regional
campuses faculty advisory council and the provost are unable to reach consensus
in regard to the members of this board by the specified date for the beginning
of the board's activity, the provost shall convene a regional
campuses-wide promotion advisory board that includes those members for whom
consensus has been reached and others that the provost appoints. This board
shall evaluate from a regional campus-wide perspective the recommendations made
thus far and shall formally advise the provost as to whether, in its view,
these recommendations should be accepted. (3) No member of the Kent
campus or regional-campus-wide promotion advisory board will vote on a
candidate for whom the member cast a ballot at a lower level of review and no
member may be present while the board deliberates or votes on the promotion of
a spouse, domestic partner, or relative. (4) The provost shall provide written
notification to the candidates for promotion of the action taken. Such
notification shall be made at least one week prior to the date designated as
the submission date for recommendations for promotion by the president to the
board of trustees. The communication to candidates whose promotions are not
approved shall include reasons why approval was withheld. A negative
recommendation shall include a statement of the relevant handbook criteria or
criteria as established in this policy that the candidate has failed to meet.
Copies of each communication shall be sent to the college dean, regional campus
dean (if applicable) and academic unit administrator. (H) New material may be added as
requested by a review committee or the responsible academic administrator at
any level of review in order to correct or more fully document information
contained in the promotion file. In such instances, the candidate shall be
notified of, and given the opportunity to review, such new material as is added
to the file and shall also be provided with the opportunity to include written
comments relevant to this material and/or the appropriateness of its inclusion
in the file. In no case will a candidate for promotion be required to create
new material or required to procure material not currently in possession of the
candidate. (I) Any faculty member whose promotion
has been disapproved at any level shall have the right to appeal to the next
higher academic administrative officer. In the case of denial by the provost,
the appeal shall be to the president, or when appropriate, to the joint appeals
board (see collective bargaining agreement, Article VII, Section 2). All
appeals must be initiated by the candidate in writing within ten working days
of the candidate's receipt of the disapproval notification or as otherwise
specified by the collective bargaining agreement. At each level of appeal, the
appellant shall be offered an opportunity to appear in person to present the
appellant's case orally before the appropriate promotion advisory
committee or board. The appellant may be accompanied by a colleague who may
assist in presenting the appellant's case. Furthermore, if an individual
other than the appellant is invited to address the committee or board, the
appellant shall have an opportunity to respond to any new information. The
committee or board shall determine whether the information is new and whether
to invite an oral or written response. The academic administrator in question
shall consider the vote of this body seriously before making the recommendation
and shall inform both the appellant and the academic administrator at the next
higher level of the results of this vote. (J) Academic administrators and members
of promotion committees are expected to act in accordance with the principles
of due process and abide by the "Professional Code of Ethics" (rule
3342-6-17 of the Administrative Code). All documents in the promotion process
are subject to the Ohio Open Records Law (section 149.43 of the Revised
Code). (K) Applicable university policies and
academic unit handbooks for faculty members being considered for
promotion. (1) Normally,
probationary faculty members being considered for promotion to assistant or
associate professor will be governed by the university policies and procedures
regarding faculty reappointment, tenure, and promotion and the unit handbook in
place at the time of the initial appointment. In the event that university
policies and procedures regarding faculty reappointment, tenure, and promotion
and/or the unit handbook are revised during the faculty members'
probationary period, the faculty member will have the option of being governed
by the current policies and the current handbook or by the policies and the
unit handbook in place at the time of the faculty member's initial
appointment. The faculty member will include a written election of this option
in the faculty member's file. (2) Normally, tenured
faculty members being considered for promotion to associate professor or full
professor will be governed by the university policies and procedures regarding
faculty promotion and the unit handbook in place at the time they submit their
promotion file. In the event that university policy and procedures regarding
faculty promotion and/or the unit handbook are revised during the five year
period preceding the submission of the promotion file, the faculty member will
have the option of being governed by the current policies and the current unit
handbook or by the policies and the unit handbook in place at any time during
the five year period. The faculty member will include a written election of
this option in the faculty member's file.
Last updated October 1, 2021 at 9:02 AM
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Rule 3342-6-15.1 | Administrative policy regarding graduate faculty.
Effective:
August 27, 2020
(A) Each academic unit shall form a graduate faculty
committee selected from its present full members of the graduate faculty. It
may be desirable for this committee to be the graduate studies committee to the
academic unit. This committee shall evaluate its faculty for graduate faculty
status and forward its recommendations to the academic unit administrator or
designee for approval. Recommendations for graduate faculty status shall be
based on the following minimum criteria. Additional criteria may be specified
in the academic unit handbook. (B) Criteria for full membership on graduate
faculty. (1) Appointment of full-time faculty status at Kent state
university. (2) Possession of the terminal degree that is appropriate
to the discipline. In most academic units, this is the doctorate. In some
instances, such as the case of an outstanding artist, musical performer, or
other specialist, achievement that has received regional, national, or
international recognition in the discipline may take the place of the terminal
degree. (3) Scholarly, creative, or professional activities
resulting in publications or other recognition of distinction during the past
five years as defined in the academic unit handbook. In rare instances and with
great caution, this requirement may be waived for senior faculty members who
have a distinguished record of thesis direction. (4) Good teaching at the graduate level, where appropriate.
It is understood that not all faculty members who participate regularly in the
training of graduate students have the opportunity to teach at the graduate
level. (5) Good advising/mentoring at the graduate level, where
appropriate. It is understood that not all faculty members who participate
regularly in the training of graduate students have the opportunity to
advise/mentor students at the graduate level. (C) Criteria for associate membership on graduate faculty.
(1) Appointment of full-time faculty status at Kent state
university. (2) The possession of the appropriate degree in the
discipline as stated in paragraph (B)(2) of this rule. (3) Strong potential for the training of graduate students
as determined by the graduate faculty of the academic unit. (4) Any additional criteria as specified in the academic
unit handbook. (D) Criteria for temporary membership on graduate faculty.
(1) The possession of the appropriate degree in the
discipline as stated in paragraph (B)(2) of this rule. (2) Scholarly, creative, or professional activities
resulting in publications or other recognition of distinction as defined in the
academic unit handbook. (3) Time-limited appointment and specified responsibilities
as recommended by the graduate faculty of the academic unit. (4) Individuals with temporary graduate faculty membership
need not have appointment as a full-time faculty member at Kent state
university. (E) Duties and privileges of full members of graduate
faculty. (1) Teach graduate courses. (2) Advise graduate students on their program of study.
(3) Serve on master's and doctoral examination
committees. (4) Direct master's theses, projects, or capstones.
(5) When approved by the graduate faculty of the academic
unit, direct doctoral dissertations. Additional criteria for directing doctoral
dissertations will be established in the academic unit handbook. (6) Serve as voting members of the graduate faculty, able
to serve on the graduate council and other graduate faculty committees.
(F) Duties and privileges of associate members of the
graduate faculty. (1) Teach graduate courses. Additional criteria for
teaching specific graduate courses may be specified by the graduate faculty of
the academic unit. (2) Advise graduate students on their program of study.
(3) When appropriate as judged by the graduate faculty of
the academic unit, serve on master's and doctoral examination committees.
(4) When appropriate as judged by the graduate faculty of
the academic unit, direct master's theses, projects, and capstones.
(5) When appropriate as judged by the graduate faculty of
the academic unit, co-direct doctoral dissertations with a full member of the
graduate faculty. (6) When appropriate as judged by the graduate faculty of
the academic unit, serve as voting members of the graduate faculty, able to
serve on the graduate council and other graduate faculty committees.
(G) Duties and privileges of temporary members of the
graduate faculty. (1) Teach specific graduate courses as specified by the
graduate faculty of the academic unit. (2) When appropriate as judged by the graduate faculty of
the academic unit, serve on master's and doctoral examination committees.
(3) When appropriate as judged by the graduate faculty of
the academic unit, co-direct masters' theses, projects, and capstones
with a full member of the graduate faculty. (4) When appropriate as judged by the graduate faculty of
the academic unit, co-direct doctoral dissertations with a full member of the
graduate faculty. (H) All full and associate members of the graduate faculty
shall have their graduate faculty status reviewed according to the foregoing
procedures in the fall semester of every fifth year beginning in the fall of
2024. Academic units may review the graduate faculty status of full and
associate members as necessary given revisions to academic criteria for
graduate faculty status.
Last updated September 15, 2021 at 3:56 PM
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Rule 3342-6-15.2 | Administrative policy and procedures regarding university faculty pursuing a graduate program degree at the university.
(A) Policy statement. Enrollment of
full-time faculty in graduate program degree programs at the university is
governed by the following specified conditions. (1) Full-time faculty
members may enroll in any graduate degree program to which they are formally
admitted, whether offered by their own academic unit or another, provided that
they do not already hold the equivalent of that specific program degree.
(2) A full-time faculty
member who is pursuing a graduate program degree in their own unit and who is a
member of either the unit's graduate faculty committee or the graduate
curriculum committee shall not be present for any discussions pertaining to the
graduate program in which they are enrolled. (3) A full-time faculty
member who is pursuing a graduate program degree in their own unit shall not
serve as program coordinator for the graduate program in which they are
enrolled. (4) A full-time faculty
member pursuing a graduate program degree shall not serve on any thesis,
dissertation, or exam review committee for any student in the same program in
which the faculty member is enrolled. (5) A full-time faculty
member pursuing a graduate program degree shall not vote on any personnel
action affecting their thesis/dissertation advisor, any member of their
thesis/dissertation committee, or any faculty member from whom they are
currently taking a course. (6) In light of the
faculty member's dual status as faculty and graduate student, the
academic unit administrator and/or regional campus dean may determine that
there are potential conflicts of interests concerning other academic unit or
campus committees. In such cases, and after consultation with relevant faculty
advisory bodies, the academic unit administrator and/or regional campus dean
may require that the faculty member recuse themselves from some or all of that
committee's deliberations. Such restrictions will be clearly laid out in
writing. (7) In other respects,
the faculty member pursuing graduate program work in this university retains
all the rights and privileges normally belonging to their academic rank,
including faculty insurance plans and retirement benefits. (8) No faculty member
should take more than six hours of graduate level coursework (including,
independent research, thesis, or dissertation) in any one term. In unusual
cases, exceptions may be made to this rule by the senior administrator for
graduate affairs upon written request from the academic unit administrator or
campus dean. Such written request will provide a clear explanation of what is
unusual about the case such that it warrants an exception to the six credit
hour limitation. (9) If, in the opinion of
the academic unit administrator or regional campus dean, any aspect of the
faculty member's job performance is being unduly affected by their
participation in a graduate program, the faculty member may be required by the
academic unit administrator to reduce the amount of coursework taken. In such
cases, the restriction and the reasons for it will be clearly laid out in
writing. (10) Except where
obtaining a particular graduate program degree has previously been identified
as a requirement for continued employment as a full-time faculty member, a
faculty member's performance in a graduate program degree shall not be
taken into account in personnel matters relating to the faculty member's
status as a full-time faculty member.
Last updated June 1, 2022 at 8:30 AM
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Rule 3342-6-15.3 | Administrative policy regarding research creative activity appointments.
(A) Some special investigations which faculty members wish to pursue require unusual time commitments. The research or creative activity appointments are intended to help in such situations and is awarded either as an academic year or summer grant. An academic-year appointment is an authorization to the collegial dean and the departmental chairperson to make a major and unusual shift in a faculty member's load from teaching to research/creative activity duties. A summer appointment supports research/creative activity during the combined ten-week period coinciding with the two summer terms. It carries a fixed stipend. No other compensation may be earned concurrently with the summer appointment. Summer research appointments are awarded upon the condition that the recipient shall be a faculty member of this university the following year. (B) Further details and application forms are available from the office of research and graduate studies. The annual competition is announced early in the fall semester each year. (C) Research/creative activity appointments are made by the vice president for research and dean of graduate studies upon the recommendation of the university research council.
Last updated September 15, 2021 at 3:56 PM
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Rule 3342-6-16 | University policy and procedures regarding faculty reappointment.
Effective:
October 1, 2021
(A) Purpose. All tenure-track faculty
members hold probationary appointments for one year, subject to annual renewal.
Except where indicated in this paragraph (A), the total period of full-time
tenure-track employment at the university prior to continuous tenure will not
exceed six years. Faculty members with probationary appointments in the tenure
track will be reviewed annually until the academic year in which they are
considered for tenure. Because the purpose of the probationary period is to
provide an opportunity for observation, time spent on leave other than a
scholarly leave of absence or time spent pursuant to the university policy and
procedures governing modification of the faculty probationary period is not
considered part of the probationary period. Summer appointments are not counted
within yearly appointments. Scholarly leaves of absence for one year or less
will count as part of the probationary period. Reappointment reviews have as
their primary purpose the preparation of probationary faculty members for a
successful tenure review, and annual reviews will help to prepare them in the
following ways: (1) Probationary faculty
members will be given Information about university policies and unit and/or
regional campus goals, culture, and professional and collegial standards and
expectations;. For the purposes of reappointment, the term "unit"
shall be defined as a department, school, or college without departments or
schools. The term "faculty" shall be understood to mean those who
hold regular full-time tenured or tenure-track appointments. Given some
variance in procedures followed for faculty from colleges without departments
or schools and/or regional campuses, paragraphs of this rule have been included
to delineate these specific procedural differences. (2) Probationary faculty
members will participate in regular, complete, and specific formative
evaluations during the probationary period to foster their scholarship,
teaching and service. (3) Probationary faculty
members will have an opportunity to discuss their annual reviews; to respond to
suggestions for improvement in scholarship, teaching, and service; and to
receive a timely, fair evaluation of their responses. (4) Probationary faculty
members will have the opportunity to establish a mentoring relationship as an
aid in satisfying unit and if applicable, regional campus requirements and
conditions for tenure;. (5) Finally, probationary
faculty members will have the opportunity to establish a clear and consistent
record from which the university may confidently draw conclusions about their
future performance. (B) Initial procedure. Reappointment
review is a deliberate and important process. During the course of
reappointment reviews, the academic administrators (e.g., department chair,
school director, college dean, regional campus dean) will communicate to both
the probationary faculty member and to the evaluators a clear understanding
about the requirements and conditions of tenure. Eventually, at the time of
tenure review all parties should be sufficiently informed of these requirements
and conditions so that the process occurs in an atmosphere of fairness and is
based on well-documented employment practices. To help make sure this takes
place, the format of the electronic file (or portfolio) to be submitted at the
time of application for tenure and promotion should be shared with the
probationary faculty member early in the probationary period. To prevent annual
reappointment reviews from becoming an undue burden on probationary faculty
members and the colleagues who evaluate their files, units shall develop
reasonable guidelines for the construction of electronic reappointment files
and the presentation of documentation. All reappointment reviews will be carried out on
a paperless, electronic system provided by the university for this purpose.
Probationary faculty members, reviewers and administrators must submit and
review reappointment documents on this system, and any official notification
required under this policy will appear in this system. The probationary faculty
member will be notified by email of anything that is added to or removed from
the file as soon as it is added or removed. At each level of reappointment
review, the probationary faculty member, faculty advisory bodies and
administrators will be able to view the complete file. (C) Criteria. The criteria used in
assessing the quality of scholarship, teaching, and service in the review of
faculty seeking reappointment should conform to the unit's tenure
guidelines in the unit's handbook. Guidelines concerning the weighting of
those criteria will be applied consistently at all levels of review and will
come from the probationary faculty member's unit of appointment or, if
applicable, campus of appointment as follows: all reappointment evaluations of
Kent campus probationary faculty members shall follow the unit's
guidelines concerning the weighting of the unit's tenure criteria, and
all reappointment evaluations of regional campus probationary faculty members
shall follow the campus' guidelines concerning the weighting of the
unit's tenure criteria. (D) Affirmation principle. The principle
to affirm at reappointment review is, "Given the years of service to date
and the number of years until mandatory tenure review, it is reasonable to
expect that the probationary faculty member will eventually undergo a
successful tenure review." To help the probationary faculty member
accomplish this and to aid the reappointment committee in making such an
affirmation, expectations about scholarship, teaching, and service should be
outlined in the letter of appointment. Specific criteria should be detailed in
the unit handbook, and, if applicable, the campus handbook. (E) Due process is integral to an
effective reappointment policy. The guiding premise in the following procedure
is that the essential phases in reappointment considerations occur at the unit
level and, if applicable, at the regional campus. Assessments and
recommendations beyond these levels should reflect due regard for the
professional judgment and recommendations made at the unit and regional campus
levels. Review and assessment by extra-unit and extra-regional campus faculty
and the academic administration are necessary to insure the integrity of the
reappointment process. (F) Procedures for making decision
regarding reappointment: the unit level. All actions involving reappointment
shall be initiated at the academic unit level (department, school, or college
without departments or schools). Consideration of those standing for
reappointment shall be undertaken by the unit reappointment committee chaired
by the unit administrator as a non-voting member and composed of all tenured
members of the unit's faculty advisory committee and any full-time
faculty who are tenured full professors of the unit who may not be members of
the advisory committee. No member of the committee may be present when the
committee deliberates or votes on the reappointment of an individual in a rank
higher than that of the individual member of the reappointment committee, or on
the reappointment of a spouse, domestic partner or relative. A member of the
committee who intends to vote on a regional campus candidate at the regional
campus level of review may be present, but shall not vote on that candidate at
the unit level. (1) In the first year of
the probationary period the unit administrator will notify the probationary
faculty member in the appointment letter that a reappointment review will occur
shortly after the end of the first semester. At that time the probationary
faculty member will submit only a two to three page statement describing the
probationary member's accomplishments and plans for the remainder of the
academic year. All parties participating in the review should be aware that a
full review is not required at this time, but that two things should be
accomplished during this first review. (a) The unit administrator and the unit's reappointment
committee should review the probationary faculty member to make certain that
the terms of the initial appointment have been satisfied. (b) The unit administrator and the unit's reappointment
committee should apply those criteria in paragraph (C) of this rule which are
appropriate or are available (e.g., first semester peer review(s) and student
surveys of instruction) for the reappointment review. Faculty members from departments or schools
in the their first probationary year will not be reviewed by the college
advisory committees, but will be reviewed only at the unit, and where
appropriate, regional campus level, with a recommendation by the unit
administrator and, where appropriate, campus dean to the college dean. (2) For every following
annual review, near the end of the spring semester the unit administrator shall
notify all probationary tenure-track faculty members in the unit, Kent campus
and regional campus faculty members alike, that a reappointment review will
begin early in the fall semester of the next academic year. (3) The unit
administrator shall make available copies of the guidelines, timetables and
other information concerning reappointment review to all probationary faculty
members in the unit no later than three weeks before the deadline for
submission of materials, which is at the end of the first week of the fall
semester. At the same time, for regional campus probationary faculty, the
campus dean will make available to the probationary faculty member and to the
unit copies of those sections of the campus handbook concerning the
campus' method of weighting unit criteria. (4) Probationary faculty
members are responsible for developing, organizing and submitting the
documentation supporting their reappointment. However, the unit administrator,
as well as colleagues, should assist probationary faculty members in the
preparation of their files, especially in their early years of service.
(5) The unit
administrator is responsible for including past reappointment letters and, for
Kent campus probationary faculty, the original letter of appointment in the
file. For regional campus probationary faculty, the campus dean is responsible
for including past reappointment letters and the original letter of appointment
in the file. The unit administrator will meet with the probationary faculty
member to review the file in order to insure that the file is complete, and the
probationary faculty member and the unit administrator will certify that the
file is complete. Thereafter, the probationary faculty member must be informed
of anything added to or removed from the file and provided with the opportunity
to include written comments concerning that new or removed
material. (6) Before convening the
reappointment committee, the unit administrator will inform all tenured faculty
members that the files are available for inspection, and will formally invite
written comments from all tenured faculty members who are not members of the
reappointment committee. The unit administrator will include those comments in
the file. (7) Members of the
reappointment committee on leave of absence may vote or they may request from
the committee the right to abstain from voting. Except where a member of the
reappointment committee is ineligible to vote in accordance with paragraph (F)
of this rule or has been granted the right to abstain from voting, all
committee members shall submit a vote on each candidate. If the reappointment
committee will consist of fewer than four voting members, then a special
procedure for enlarging it shall be developed by the unit administrator, with
the advice of the faculty advisory committee and the assistance of the college
dean, if applicable, and the approval of the provost. (8) The unit
administrator will comment on the strengths and weaknesses of, and the extent
to which the probationary faculty member has responded to issues raised in
previous reappointment reviews, especially suggestions about improvement in
scholarship, teaching, and service. Finally, the unit administrator should
provide his or her judgment of how well the probationary faculty member is
progressing toward a successful tenure review. (9) Each
candidate's file shall be subject to candid discussion by the committee.
During the meeting, each voting member shall indicate the member's
non-binding vote of "yes," "yes with reservations," or
"no" concerning the reappointment of the probationary faculty
member. After the meeting, each voting member shall record his or her final
vote by completing the electronic evaluation form, with comments. The
reappointment committee members should consider their remarks carefully when
they prepare them because such peer evaluations are critical to the
reappointment process. (10) A simple majority of
the reappointment committee members who vote, excluding those who abstain under
paragraph (F)(7) of this rule, will constitute recommendation to the unit
administrator for reappointment. A vote of "yes with reservations"
will count as a positive vote to reappoint the probationary faculty member, but
it shall carry an additional message of concern. (11) The unit
administrator shall review the recorded votes, and evaluation forms, along with
supporting statements, as well as other relevant documentation regarding the
faculty member's application for reappointment. The unit administrator
shall weigh and assess all relevant information and decide whether to recommend
the reappointment of the probationary faculty member. He or she will include in
the file a single, detailed assessment and recommendation, which clearly
conveys the strengths and weaknesses of the probationary faculty member's
performance in scholarship, teaching, and service. The assessment and
recommendation should follow the criteria as specified in paragraph (C) of this
rule and also any individual expectations for a given probationary faculty
member. Specific suggestions concerning performance necessary to achieve a
positive tenure decision should also be included in this assessment and
recommendation. (12) As part of the unit
administrator's assessment and recommendations, the unit administrator
shall inform the candidate that the candidate has the right, within ten working
days, to add a statement to the candidate's file responding to any
procedural errors or errors of fact that the candidate believes have been
included in either the unit administrative officer's assessment and
recommendation or in the committee members' evaluations. The unit
administrator shall also indicate that, if the candidate wishes to appeal a
negative recommendation, such intent shall be expressed to the next higher
education officer in writing within ten working days of the submission of the
unit administrator's assessment and recommendation. (13) In addition, for
regional campus and Kent campus faculty alike, the unit administrator shall
invite the probationary faculty member to meet in order to discuss the
assessment and recommendation. This meeting should take place as soon as
possible. In all cases that are not unanimously positive, the unit
administrator must meet with the probationary faculty member within five
working days from the date of the submission of the unit administrator's
assessment and recommendation. (G) Procedures for making decisions
regarding reappointment: the regional campus level. Faculty members at the
regional campuses will have reappointment reviews occur at both the regional
campus level and unit level (as described in paragraph (F) of this rule). The
reappointment committee of a regional campus will be composed of tenured
members of the campus' faculty council and the full-time faculty of the
campus who are tenured full professors. No member of the committee may be
present when the committee deliberates or votes on the reappointment of an
individual in a rank higher than that of the individual reappointment committee
member, or on the reappointment of a spouse, domestic partner, or relative. A
member of the committee who intends to vote at the unit level may be present,
but shall not vote on that candidate at the regional campus level. The faculty
council chair conducts the deliberations and is a voting member of the campus
reappointment committee. (1) In the first year of
the probationary period the campus dean will notify the probationary faculty
member in the appointment letter that a reappointment review will occur shortly
after the end of the first semester. At that time the probationary faculty
member will submit only a two to three page statement describing his or her
accomplishments and plans for the remainder of the academic year. All parties
participating in the review should be aware that a full review is not required
at this time, but that two things should be accomplished during this first
review at the campus level. (a) The campus dean and the campus reappointment committee should
review the probationary faculty member to make certain that the terms of the
initial appointment have been satisfied. (b) The campus dean and the campus reappointment committee should
apply those criteria and weighting in paragraph (C) of this rule which are
appropriate or are available (e.g., first semester peer review(s) and student
surveys of instruction) for the reappointment review. Regional campus faculty
members from departments or schools in their first probationary year will not
be reviewed by the college advisory committees, but will be reviewed only at
the campus and unit levels with a recommendation by the unit administrator and
the campus dean to the college dean. (2) For every following
annual review, near the end of the spring semester, probationary faculty
members in the first year will not be reviewed by the college advisory
committees, but will be reviewed only at the campus and unit levels with a
recommendation by the campus dean and college/school dean/semester the unit
administrator will notify all probationary tenure-track faculty members in the
unit, Kent campus and regional campus faculty members alike, that a
reappointment review will begin early in the fall semester of the next academic
year. (3) The unit
administrator shall make available copies of the guidelines, timetables and
other information concerning reappointment review to all probationary faculty
members no later than three weeks before the deadline for submission of
materials, which is at the end of the first week of the semester. At the same
time, for regional campus probationary faculty, the campus dean will make
available to the probationary faculty member and the unit copies of those
sections of the campus handbook concerning the campus' method of
weighting unit criteria. (4) Probationary faculty
members at the regional campuses are responsible for developing, organizing and
submitting to the unit administrator the documentation supporting their
reappointment. However, it is expected that the campus dean, unit
administrator, and campus and unit colleagues will assist probationary faculty
members in the preparation of their files, especially in their early years of
service. (5) The unit
administrator is responsible for including past reappointment letters from the
unit administrator, and the campus dean is responsible for including past
reappointment letters from the campus dean and the original letter of
appointment in the files. The unit administrator will review the file with the
probationary faculty member in order to insure that the file is complete, and
the unit administrator will certify that the file is complete. Thereafter, the
probationary faculty member must be informed of anything that is added to or
removed from the file and provided with the opportunity to include written
comments concerning that new or removed material. (6) Before convening the
reappointment committee, the faculty council chair will inform all tenured
faculty members that the files are available for inspection, and will formally
invite written comments from all tenured faculty members who are not members of
the reappointment committee. The faculty council chair will include these
comments in the file. (7) Members of the campus
reappointment committee on leave of absence may vote or they may request from
the committee the right to abstain from voting. Except where a member of the
promotion committee is ineligible to vote in accordance with paragraph (G) of
this rule or has been granted the right to abstain from voting, all committee
members shall submit a vote on each candidate. If the campus reappointment
committee will consist of fewer than four voting members, including the voting
faculty council chair, then a special procedure for enlarging it shall be
developed by the regional campus dean with the advice of the faculty council
and the approval of the provost. (8) The campus
reappointment committee will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each
probationary faculty member. The committee will evaluate the probationary
faculty member's response to previous reappointment letters, especially
to suggestions about improvement in scholarship, teaching and service, and
judge how well the faculty member is progressing toward successful tenure
review. (9) Each
candidate's file shall be subject to candid discussion by the committee.
During the meeting, each voting member shall indicate the member's
non-binding vote of "yes," "yes with reservations," or
"no" concerning the reappointment of the probationary faculty
member. After the meeting, each voting member shall record the member's
final vote by completing the electronic evaluation form, with comments. The
campus reappointment committee members should consider their remarks carefully
when they prepare them because such peer evaluations are crucial to the
reappointment process. (10) A simple majority of
the reappointment committee who vote, excluding those who abstain under
paragraph (G)(7) of this rule, will constitute a recommendation to the campus
dean for reappointment. A vote of "yes with reservations" will
count as a positive vote to reappoint the probationary faculty member, but it
shall carry an additional message of concern (11) The faculty council
will then summarize the committee's vote and evaluation forms in a
single, detailed assessment and recommendation to the regional campus dean
which addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the probationary faculty
member's performance in scholarship, teaching, and service. The
assessment should follow the unit and campus standards as specified in
paragraph (C) of this rule, as well as any individual expectations for a given
probationary faculty member. The assessment and recommendation shall be
included in the file and shall indicate that, if the candidate wishes to
respond to a recommendation of not to reappoint, such a response must be made
to the campus dean and the unit administrator within ten days of the submission
of the faculty council chair's assessment and recommendation to the
campus dean. (12) The regional campus
dean shall review the recorded votes and evaluation forms, along with
supporting statements, as well as other relevant documentation regarding the
faculty member's application for reappointment. The campus dean shall
weigh and assess all relevant information, and decide whether to recommend the
reappointment of the probationary faculty member. He or she will include in
this file a single detailed assessment and recommendation, which clearly
conveys the strengths and weaknesses of the probationary faculty member's
performance in scholarship, teaching, and service. The assessment and
recommendation should follow the unit and campus standards as specified in
paragraph (C) of this rule and also any individual expectations for a given
probationary faculty member. Specific suggestions concerning performance needed
to achieve a positive tenure decision should also be included in this
assessment and recommendation. (13) As part of the
regional campus dean's assessment and recommendation, the regional campus
dean shall inform the candidate that the candidate has the right, within ten
working days, to add a statement to the candidate's file responding to any
procedural errors or errors of fact that the candidate believes have been
included in either the regional campus dean's assessment and
recommendation, the faculty council chair's assessment and
recommendation, or the committee members' evaluations. The regional
campus dean shall also indicate that if the candidate wishes to appeal a
negative decision, such intent shall be expressed to the next higher academic
officer in writing within ten working days of the submission of the regional
campus dean's assessment and recommendation. (14) In addition, the
regional campus dean should invite the probationary faculty member to meet in
order to discuss the assessment and recommendation. This meeting should take
place as soon as possible. In all cases that are not unanimously positive, the
campus dean must meet with the probationary faculty member within five working
days from the date of the submission of the campus dean's assessment and
recommendation to the college/school dean or provost, as
applicable. (H) Procedures for making decisions
regarding reappointment: colleges with departments or schools. The dean shall
conduct a review of the unit's and, if applicable, the regional
campus' assessments and recommendation for reappointment. Probationary
faculty members in the first year will not be reviewed by the college
reappointment committee. For every following annual review, the college dean
shall convene the college advisory committee, which shall function as the
college reappointment committee. Based on the probationary faculty
member's progress toward tenure as presented in the supporting materials
and the unit/regional campus level assessments and recommendations, this
college reappointment committee will recommend to the dean whether to reappoint
or not to reappoint the probationary faculty member. (1) The college dean
shall be the chair and a nonvoting member of the college reappointment
committee. Tenured members of the elected college advisory committee shall
serve as the college reappointment committee to review the assessment and
recommendations from the departments and schools and recommend to the dean in
each case whether to reappoint the probationary faculty member. No member of
the college reappointment committee may vote on candidates from the
member's own unit, and no a member of the committee shall be present, when
the committee deliberates or votes on the reappointment of a spouse, domestic
partner, or relative. (2) Members of the
college reappointment committee on leave of absence shall be notified of the
candidacies and shall vote by absentee ballots or they may request from the
committee the right to abstain from voting. Except where a member of the
reappoinment committee is ineligible to vote in accordance with paragraph
(H)(1) of this rule or has been granted the right to abstain from voting, all
committee members shall submit a vote on each candidate. If the college
reappointment committee will consist of few than four voting members, then a
special procedure for enlarging it shall be developed by the college dean, with
the advice of the college advisory committee and the approval of the
provost. (3) In the cases of positive
recommendation from the unit's reappointment committee and the unit
administrator, and positive recommendations from the regional campus
reappointment committee and the campus dean where applicable, the college
reappointment committee may approve all such recommendations without reviewing
each individually. Each voting member will say either "yes" or
"no" and the dean will record the vote. (4) In the case of (a) A negative reappointment recommendation by the unit's
reappointment committee or the unit administrator, or the campus'
reappointment committee or campus dean where applicable, or (b) Any individual case not acted on pursuant to paragraph (H)(2)
of this rule, the probationary faculty member's file will be the subject
of candid discussion by the committee. During the meeting, each voting member
will indicate the member's non-binding vote of "yes," yes with
reservations," or "no" concerning the reappointment of the
probationary faculty member. After the meeting, each voting member will record
the member's final vote by completing the electronic evaluation form, with
comments. The college reappointment committee members should consider their
remarks carefully when they prepare them because such peer evaluations are
crucial to the reappointment process. Except where a member of the tenure
committee is ineligible to vote in accordance with paragraph (H)(1) of this
rule, all committee members shall submit a vote and comments on each candidate.
(5) Approval by a simple majority of the
members of the college reappointment committee who vote (excluding those who
abstain for reasons under paragraph (H)(1) of this rule) shall constitute a
recommendation for reappointment to the college dean. A vote of "yes with
reservations" will count as a positive vote to reappoint the probationary
faculty member, but it shall carry an additional message of
concern. (6) The dean shall prepare the
recommendation of the college reappointment committee. In the case of a block
vote, the dean will report whether the college reappointment committee supports
the unit or regional campus recommendation. In the case of votes on individual
cases, the dean will submit the actual vote of the college reappointment
committee. The dean will include in the file the actual recommendation from the
college reappointment committee along with the dean's recommendation
whether to reappoint or not to reappoint the probationary faculty
member. (7) As part of the college dean's
recommendation, the dean shall inform the candidate that the candidate has the
right, within ten working days to add a statement to the candidate's file
responding to any procedural errors or errors of fact that the candidate
believes have been included in either the college dean's recommendation
or the committee members' statements. In addition, the college dean shall
also indicate that if the candidate wishes to appeal a negative recommendation,
such intent shall be expressed to the next higher academic officer in writing
within ten working days of receipt of the college dean's
recommendation. (I) Procedures for making decisions
regarding reappointment: The provost level. The provost shall review the
reappointment recommendations at the college/school and unit/regional campus
levels. Unless reversed by the provost, the recommendation of the previous
level academic administrator will stand. The unanimous recommendations of the
college/school dean and the college/school dean's reappointment committee
and the unit administrator and the unit administrator's reappointment
committee, or where applicable the campus dean and his or her reappointment
committee, will stand unless the provost can provide compelling reasons for
reversing them. Probationary faculty members receiving a negative
recommendation at the provost level must be notified in accordance with
guidelines established in the collective bargaining agreement. (J) New material may be added as
requested by a review committee or the responsible academic administrator at
any level of review or appeal in order to correct or more fully document
information contained in the reappointment file. In such instances, the
probationary faculty member will be notified of, and given the opportunity to
review, such new material as is added to the file and also provided the
opportunity to include written comments relevant to this material and/or the
appropriateness of its inclusion in the file. In no case will a probationary
faculty member be required to create new material or required to procure
material not currently in the possession of the candidate. (K) Any faculty member who has not been
recommended for reappointment at any level will have the right to appeal to the
next highest academic administrative officer. In the case of denial by the
provost, the appeal shall be to the president, or when appropriate to the joint
appeals board. All appeals must be initiated by the probationary faculty member
in writing within ten working days after the submission of a negative
recommendation by an administrative officer or as specified otherwise in the
collective bargaining agreement. Appeals should be heard in a timely manner
(e.g., thirty calendar days). At each level of appeal at which a faculty
advisory body is designated to hear an appeal and make a recommendation to the
next highest academic administrative officer, the appellant will be offered the
opportunity to appear in person to present his/her case orally before the
appropriate reappointment committee. At the college level, appeals are heard by
the college advisory committee. The appellant may be accompanied by a colleague
who may assist in presenting the appellant's case. Furthermore, if an
individual other than the appellant (including any academic administrator) is
invited to address the committee, the appellant shall have an opportunity to
respond to any new information. The committee shall determine whether the
information is new and whether to invite an oral or written response. The
academic administrator in question will consider the vote of this body
seriously before making the recommendation and will inform both the appellant
and the academic administrator at the next highest level of the results of this
vote. (L) Academic administrators and members
of reappointment committees are expected to act in accordance with the
principles of due process and abide by the university policy regarding faculty
code of professional ethics. All official documents in the reappointment
process are subject to the Ohio Public Records Act as included in the Ohio
Revised Code. (M) Normally, decisions regarding
reappointment for all faculty members who are appointed to a tenure-track
position will be governed by the university policies and procedures regarding
faculty appointment, tenure, and promotion and the unit handbook in place at
the time of the initial appointment. In the event that university policies and
procedures regarding faculty appointment, tenure, and promotion and/or the unit
handbook are revised during the faculty member's probationary period, the
faculty member will have the option of being governed by the current policies
and the current unit handbook or by the policies and the unit handbook in place
at the time of the faculty member's initial appointment. The faculty
member will include an election of this option in the faculty member's
file.
Last updated October 1, 2021 at 9:02 AM
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Rule 3342-6-17 | University policy regarding faculty code of professional ethics.
(A) The faculty of the university subscribes to the principle of the 1940 "Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure" adopted by the American association of university professors. Within the rationale in the AAUP statement, it is emphasized that academic freedom is necessary to the mission of the faculty of a university, since it is eminently in the interest of society that, without fear of retribution, the professor should be free to conduct research and make public its results and to teach his/her subject in the classroom. Professional responsibility is a logical correlative of this freedom. (B) This code of ethics sets forth those responsibilities which as the correlatives of academic freedom are incumbent every facet of university life, but attempts to treat those that are most important and common, The spirit of this document as a whole should be easily applied to any specific situation not considered. (C) Responsibility to students. (1) The faculty members' central responsibility to their students is to attempt to impart a knowledge and understanding of a field of study to develop in students appropriate and relevant skills, and to do so in accordance with the best standards of scholarship and pedagogy in the discipline. (2) Faculty members have a responsibility to their students to entertain all questions relevant to the subject matter being taught and to discuss such questions, even if controversial, objectively. (3) Faculty members are responsible for providing instruction in the announced subject matter of the course, although they are free to interrelate the subject matter of the course to those contemporary issues that are relevant to the purposes and the subject matter of the course. (4) Faculty members should guard the classroom against external pressures, including the student's fear that what they do or say in the honest pursuit of intellectual inquiries will affect rating within a course, future chances of employment, or later standing in the community (5) Faculty members shall not exploit students for personal purposes either in or out of the classroom. (6) Faculty members should deal with students justly and impartially, regardless of their physical, mental, emotional, political, economic, social, racial, or religious characteristics or participation in extracurricular activities. (7) Faculty members should not do, with or without pay, such academic work as is properly to be done by the student. (8) Faculty members are expected to accept and carry out faithfully those duties central to the instructional commitment they have with their students including prompt and regular meeting of classes and student advising and consultation. (9) Faculty members should strive for a timely, just, and unprejudiced appraisal of all student work. Faculty members owe students the right of review of their work and grades given, and in case of serious grievance or dispute, the right of appeal. (10) Faculty members should secure permission and give credit for the use of original student contributions in their lectures or publications, in the same manner and degree as for materials from other sources. (11) Faculty members should encourage and protect honest performance by the student. They should pursue suspected cases of cheating and plagiarism by students. (12) Faculty members should not disclose confidential information about their students except as required by law or provided for by university regulations and procedures. (D) Responsibility to university. (1) In activities in which faculty members engage outside the university, it is plainly their responsibility to make it clear, when circumstances require, that they are acting as individuals and not as representatives of the university. (2) Faculty members should maintain in strict confidence all departmental or university matters agreed to be confidential. If any issue or matter is of such a nature that a faculty member, as a matter of conscience must speak out, this intention should be stated beforehand to all concerned. (3) Faculty members who seek modification or alteration of policy shall make every reasonable effort to carry their cases through governance channels. (E) Responsibility to profession. (1) Faculty members should seek and state the truth in their discipline as they see it. To this end they shall continue such studies and research as are necessary to remain current in their field. (2) It is the faculty members' responsibility to guard their freedom to inquire and to state the results of inquiry in lectures, publications, or other appropriate modes of expression. (3) Faculty members shall comment in candor and fairness on the work of colleagues when properly requested through duly constituted academic and faculty agencies and when in accordance with established policy. (4) Faculty members shall avoid personal attacks on colleagues and disparagement of other disciplines or programs, although reasoned criticism is recognized as legitimate. (5) Faculty members shall neither practice nor condone plagiarism in lectures, publications, or other public presentations, nor attach their name for credit to a paper or publication toward which they have made no professional contribution.
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Rule 3342-6-18 | University policy regarding faculty teaching load.
Effective:
August 30, 2025
(A) All regular, full-time faculty are
expected to work full-time for the university. This does not mean that each
contributes in the same way. Some professors are employed by mutual agreement
between themselves and their departments solely for undergraduate teaching. For
these persons the teaching load shall be twenty-four credit hours per academic
year. Some professors are employed for a mixture of undergraduate teaching,
graduate teaching, and the public research that is an inherent part of graduate
education. Their teaching load shall be the equivalent of twenty-four credit
hours of teaching and shall include formal class teaching and appropriate
teaching credit for advising of individual investigations, seminars, research,
theses, and dissertations. (B) Some professors may serve the public
professionally and without remuneration in ways that lie outside the classroom,
laboratory, or studio. When this service contributes toward fulfilling the
goals of the university, it may be part of the load of that
professor. (C) University service, such as committee
work, is expected from all regular, full-time faculty as part of their normal
service. In those few cases when such service is very heavy the executive vice
president and provost or the collegial dean may allow this service to be an
appropriate part of the load of the professor. (D) Since the nature of work differs
among departments, load regulations cannot be applied uniformly. Therefore,
each department chairperson, along with the departmental faculty advisory
committee, shall specify which kinds of loads shall be the equivalents of
twenty-four credits of formal course teaching per academic year, with
appropriate adjustments being made for graduate teaching, research involvement,
direction of laboratory and studio sections, and excessive number of
preparations by a new faculty member, and unusually large class sections. Upon
approval by the collegial dean, these specifications shall be filed with the
dean and the division of people, culture and belonging. All regular full-time
faculty in the department shall be informed of these departmental
understandings. (E) Full-time temporary faculty normally
are assigned to teaching responsibilities which will total fifteen credit hours
per semester. (F) Nothing in this policy shall
contravene the terms of any contract which may be in effect between the
university and a recognized agent of the faculty for collective
bargaining.
Last updated September 2, 2025 at 7:34 AM
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Rule 3342-6-18.101 | Operational procedures and regulations regarding faculty office hours.
(A) Policy statement. The purpose of this rule is to provide for minimum requirements regarding office hours required of faculty at Kent state university. The principal goal of office hours is to allow students access to faculty members. However, given the variations in time, location, and modality of courses (traditional, online or blended), it is possible that some flexibility within this rule may best serve student needs for access to faculty. (B) Implementation. The following paragraphs reflect the minimum requirements regarding faculty office hours: (1) During each regular academic year semester, summer session, or intersession in which a faculty member is the instructor of record for one or more courses (other than thesis, dissertation, or individual supervision), the faculty member is required to have office hours posted in the departmental office from the beginning of classes until the completion of the final assessment for the course. The faculty member shall notify each class of the hours during which the faculty member is available for consultation. A faculty member may either have fixed hours each week or offer flexible times for students. (2) During a regular academic year semester, each faculty member who is the instructor of record for one or more courses (other than thesis, dissertation, or individual supervision) shall be available for consultation through office hours either in person or electronically for a minimum of five hours per week. During a summer session or intersession, each faculty member who is the instructor of record for one or more courses (other than thesis, dissertation, or individual supervision) shall be available for consultation through office hours either in person or electronically for a minimum of three hours per week. (3) Each full-time faculty member teaching three credits or fewer in any regular academic year semester or in any summer session or interssion, as well as for each part-time adjunct faculty member, the expectation of availability may be adjusted upon consultation with the appropriate faculty governance body of the unit. (4) Given the variations in time, location, and modality of course offerings (traditional, online or blended), it is recognized that availability may more appropriately be facilitated via synchronous electronic means. Faculty members are expected to offer at least some of their office hours in a way that is consistent with the instructional modality of the course.
Last updated August 20, 2025 at 9:51 AM
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Rule 3342-6-19 | University policy regarding emeritus status.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Emeritus/emerita status may be
conferred, following appropriate review and recommendation, upon faculty
members and staff at the time of their official retirement from full-time
employment. Emeritus status may be conferred by the board of trustees following
appropriate review and recommendation by the appointing authority.
(B) Emeritus/emerita status is granted in
recognition of meritorious service at Kent state university and implies
demonstration of exemplary professional competence and university citizenship,
generally after service of at least ten years. (C) Emeriti shall be regarded as honored
members of the university faculty or the unit from which they retired and shall
be entitled to privileges and benefits as may be established by the
university. (D) The procedures for recommending
emeritus status are as follows: The recommendation of emeritus/emerita status
is normally initiated at the department level upon notification that a faculty
or staff member intends to retire. This recommendation is submitted to the next
highest administrative level in writing, and shall include a summary of reasons
in support of the recommendation. Depending on the status of the individual
under consideration the following procedure will be followed: (1) Faculty and academic
administrators with faculty rank. (a) The dean or division head then submits a recommendation
to the provost. (b) The provost will then make a final recommendation
regarding the granting of emeritus status, subject to approval by the
president, and final confirmation by the board of trustees. (2) Unclassified
(administrative-professional) and classified staff. (a) The appropriate vice president then submits a
recommendation to the vice president for the division of people, culture and
belonging. (b) The vice president for the division of people, culture
and belonging will make a final recommendation regarding the granting of
emeritus status, subject to approval by the president and final confirmation by
the board of trustees.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:55 AM
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Rule 3342-6-20 | University policy for postdoctoral scholars, research associates, and senior research associates.
(A) Purpose. (1) To outline the terms and conditions of postdoctoral
scholars (postdocs), research associates and senior research associates.
(2) The university recognizes the valuable research and
educational contribution that these scholars and associates may make to certain
academic fields through non-faculty positions requiring a Ph.D. or equivalent
terminal (e.g., doctoral) degree. The university authorizes the office of the
chief academic officer to establish such appointments in keeping with national
standards and university policy. (3) Those authorized to select and sponsor these
appointments will make every effort to consider and advance the
university's commitment to diversity and its policy on equal
opportunity. (B) Definitions as used in this policy. (1) Postdoctoral scholar (i.e. "postdoc"). A
postdoc is an early-career individual holding a doctoral degree who is engaged
in a full-time, time-limited period of mentored research and/or scholarly
training for the purpose of acquiring the professional skills needed to pursue
a career path of the individual's choosing. (2) Research associate. An academic, but non-faculty,
position for individuals holding a doctoral degree who have some research or
scholarly experience after the doctoral degree, and who typically participate
in the research efforts of faculty or an academic unit. The primary purpose is
conducting research and/or scholarship for the purpose of supporting the
faculty or academic unit. (3) Senior research associate. An academic, but
non-faculty, position for individuals holding a doctoral degree who have at
least three years of prior experience as a postdoctoral associate and/or
research associate, and who typically participate in the research efforts of
faculty or an academic unit. The primary purpose is conducting research and/or
scholarship for the purpose of supporting the faculty or academic unit.
(C) Appointing and renewal requirements. (1) All postdoc, research associate and senior research
associate appointments and renewals that are one hundred percent grant or
centrally funded shall include consultation with the appropriate faculty
governance body of the academic unit and must be approved by the department
chair, dean of the college, and the vice president for research and sponsored
programs. (2) All postdoc, research associate and senior research
associate appointments and renewals that are at least partially funded with
academic unit funds shall include consultation with the appropriate faculty
governance body of the academic unit and must be approved by the department
chair, dean of the college, and the provost. (3) All postdoc, research associate and senior research
associate appointments and renewals must follow university policy and
processes. (D) Procedure and policy implementation for postdocs.
(1) Postdoc appointments are full-time, but temporary, one-
or two-year appointments. (2) Postdoc appointments may be granted to appointees who
were awarded a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in an appropriate field
typically within the last five years. (3) Postdoc appointments are typically renewable for up to
six years. All renewals are contingent upon available funding, satisfactory
performance on the part of the postdoc, and adherence to all university
policies and professional standards of conduct. (4) If the appointment is not being renewed at the end of
the appointment period for any reason, including lack of adequate funding, or
the postdoc has reached a maximum of six years in the position (including any
prior tenure as a postdoc), the department must provide at least thirty days
notice, in advance of the appointment end date. Postdocs are expected to
continue performing assigned responsibilities during the notice period.
(5) Department units will set the hiring rate for the
scholar in alignment with the funding source and in alignment with the baseline
standard set in each discipline based on market rates for research scholars in
that discipline. However, in the event that a research scholar may be
performing the same or similar work as a staff employee, every effort will be
made to align the compensation with the staff salary structure as well.
(6) Postdocs will be under the mentorship of a primary
faculty member who will seek, nominate, sponsor, and evaluate the fellow's
work. (7) A postdoc position is granted for the purpose of aiding
the postdoc in the pursuit of study or training that will advance his/her/their
education. The primary activity is training through research and scholarship.
(8) The university provides to postdocs all benefits and
provisions generally provided to full time staff, including one hundred sixty
hours of vacation leave per year, participation in the university health,
dental and vision insurance, basic life insurance program, the state or
alternative retirement plan, workers' compensation, etc., and postdoc is
subject to all payroll deductions standard for employment. (9) A postdoc position is not eligible for pay out of
unused vacation upon separation from the university. All vacation earned must
be used prior to the end of the assignment or vacation will be forfeited at the
time of separation. (10) Each postdoc must sign a statement at the commencement
of the appointment (employment agreement) affirming that all rights to
inventions or other intellectual property developed by the postdoc using
university resources, or jointly between the postdoc and other university
personnel, during the term of appointment will belong to the university in
accordance with university policies and state law. During the course of
appointment with the university, the postdoc must also comply with the federal,
state, and local laws, rules and regulations regarding his/her/their
research/assignment, including, but not limited to, intellectual property and
export control. (E) Procedure and policy implementation for research
associates and senior research associates. (1) A research associate or senior research associate is an
employee of Kent state university with a term appointment. The research
associate or senior research associate performs research and/or scholarly
activities under the direct instruction and supervision of a faculty member in
a supporting role. (2) Research associate or senior research associate
positions are term positions with typically a two-year appointment; all
renewals are contingent upon available funding, satisfactory performance on the
part of the research associate or senior research associate, and adherence to
all University policies and professional standards of conduct. (3) If the appointment is not being renewed at the end of
the appointment period for any reason, including lack of adequate funding, the
department must provide at least thirty days notice, in advance of the
appointment end date. Research associates or senior research associates are
expected to continue performing assigned responsibilities during the notice
period. (4) Research associate appointments may be granted to
appointees who were awarded a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal (e.g., doctoral
degree) in an appropriate field and who have additional research or scholarly
experience after obtaining the doctoral degree, at Kent state university or an
equivalent institution. (5) Senior research associate appointments may be granted
to appointees who were awarded a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate in an
appropriate field and who have at least three years of additional research or
scholarly experience after obtaining the doctoral degree, as a postdoctoral
associate and/or research associate, at Kent state university or an equivalent
institution. (6) The university provides to research associates and
senior research associates all benefits and provisions generally provided to
full time staff, including one hundred sixty hours of vacation leave per year,
participation in the university health, dental and vision insurance, basic life
insurance program, the state or alternative retirement plan, workers'
compensation, etc., and postdoc is subject to all payroll deductions standard
for employment. (7) A research associate or senior research associate whose
salary is paid from grant funds is not eligible for pay out of unused vacation
upon separation from the university. All vacation earned while funded on grants
must be used prior to the end of the assignment or vacation will be forfeited
at the time of separation. (8) Each research associate or senior research associate
must sign a statement at the commencement of the appointment (employment
agreement) affirming that all rights to inventions or other intellectual
property developed by the research associate using university resources, or
jointly between the research associate and other university personnel, during
the term of appointment will belong to the university in accordance with
university policies and state law. During the course of appointment with the
university, the research associate must also comply with the federal, state,
and local laws, rules and regulations regarding his/her/their
research/assignment, including, but not limited to, intellectual property and
export control. (F) Implementation. (1) Persons in postdoc, research associate or senior
research associate appointments are expected to support the university
commitment to a positive and ethical community and are expected to comply with
all university policies and procedures. In the unlikely event that a person
needs to report a violation of policy, the person may use the same avenues as
allowed in the policy for employees after first reporting the situation to
their primary contact. (2) Persons in these appointments are not faculty nor are
they subject to the conditions of any collective bargaining agreement.
(3) The provost and the vice president for research and
sponsored programs will share oversight for these appointments and the
administration of this policy. (4) If instruction is allowed as part of the training or
funding, the appointee is required to adhere to the instructor of record policy
as applicable to the teaching appointment. (5) The appointee is responsible for monitoring, reporting,
and complying with all tax requirements related to compensation, whether direct
or indirect income.
Last updated July 27, 2023 at 8:49 AM
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Rule 3342-6-21 | University policy regarding consensual relationships and other relationship-based conflicts of interest.
(A)
Policy statement. This policy concerns consensual relationships between members
of the university community also engaged in a pedagogical or other relationship
where there exists a power differential (i.e. unequal authoritative, societal,
or social power) between the individuals as provided herein. It is the policy
of Kent state university that consensual relationships between faculty and
students in a teaching, evaluation, or advising relationship constitutes a
potential for a conflict of interest. (B) Definitions. For purposes of this policy, the terms
"Kent state university," "student,"
"faculty," and "consensual relationship" are defined as
follows: (1) "Kent state university" means all eight
campuses of Kent state university and related entities operating under the
auspices of Kent state university at any location. (2) "Student" means all who are enrolled or
participating in any offering provided by Kent state university. (3) "Faculty" means all full-time and part-time
employees with appointments for providing academic instruction. (4) "Familial Relationship" includes, but is
not limited to, those between mother, father, brother, sister, child, spouse,
domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law,
daughter-in-law, son-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, legal guardian, or
other person who stands in place of a parent. (5) "Consensual relationship" means dating,
romantic and/or sexual relationships willingly undertaken by all involved
parties, including marital relationships. (C) Policies regarding potential conflicts of interest.
Consensual relationships between individuals in a teaching, evaluation, or
advising relationship constitutes a potential for a conflict of interest and is
subject to the following: (1) Faculty-student consensual relationships. Faculty
members and students shall not enter into consensual relationships with each
other if the faculty member is in the position to directly teach, evaluate,
supervise, or advise the student. However, even when a faculty member is not
directly evaluating, supervising, or advising a student with whom they are in a
consensual relationship, the faculty member must be cognizant of and sensitive
to the potential for the perception of favoritism by others. In all cases, the
faculty member's academic unit or campus administrator shall be informed
by the faculty member in writing of the consensual relationship with a student
so that appropriate measures may be taken to prevent exploitation, favoritism,
or other conflicts of interest, actual or perceived. (2) Faculty-faculty consensual relationships. In all cases
in which the work relationship is such that one or both parties have the
potential to influence material outcomes for the other, the immediate
supervisor/department head(s) of both faculty members shall be informed in
writing of the consensual relationship so that appropriate measures may be
taken to prevent exploitation, favoritism, or other conflicts of interest,
actual or perceived. Under all circumstances, faculty in consensual
relationships with other faculty shall recuse themselves from decisions
regarding the other's job performance, salary adjustments, and/or other
conditions of employment. Faculty members will recuse themselves from renewal,
reappointment, tenure, promotion, and merit deliberations regarding their
relationship partners. (3) Familial relationships. Familial relationships are a
special source of potential favoritism or conflicts of interest. Except in rare
or unavoidable cases, faculty members shall not directly teach, evaluate,
supervise, or advise a relative in the normal course of university study.
Further, except in rare or unavoidable cases, a faculty member shall not hire
or cause to be hired, evaluate, or supervise a relative. In all cases, the
appropriate supervisor shall be informed in writing so that appropriate
measures may be taken to prevent favoritism and other conflicts of interest,
actual or perceived. This policy is not intended to prohibit or in any way
discourage the practice of spousal hiring.
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Rule 3342-6-22 | University policy regarding environmental health and safety management.
(A) Kent state university is committed to achieving
excellence in providing a safe and healthy working environment, and to
supporting environmentally sound practices in the conduct of university
activities. The implementation of this policy will ensure systematic
integration of safety and environmental considerations into all university
activities. This policy on safety management applies to all members of the
university community. This policy also applies to contractors whose work is
directed on a day-to-day basis by university employees. (B) To meet this standard of excellence, the university
will implement management initiatives and best practices to include safety and
environmental considerations in university activities. (1) Kent state will comply with applicable safety and
environmental protection laws, regulations and requirements. University
activities are to be conducted in a manner that ensures the protection of
students, faculty, staff, visitors, the public, property and the
environment. (2) The university will maintain a safety and health
program to prevent injuries and illnesses, environmental incidents, property
losses and damages. The program will incorporate training, hazard assessments,
inspections, corrective actions, record keeping, committee establishment and
communication, and enforcement of work practices and rules. Achieving this goal
is the responsibility of every member of the university community. Supervisors
have particular responsibility for the activities of those employees who report
to them. (C) This policy must be clearly communicated to members of
the university community and university contractors. University expectations
and commitments are expressed through this and other policies, procedures,
guidelines, and notices, and in contract specifications. The format for
communicating specific expectations may vary from activity to activity, based
on the nature and severity of the hazards of the operations being performed.
Safety management relies on establishing objectives and on tracking performance
with respect to achieving and maintaining compliance with health, safety, and
environmental requirements. The following safety principles are intended to
provide directions to ensure safe activities from the inception of planning an
activity through the actual performance. The department of environmental health
and safety will publish and maintain information, guidelines, and implementing
instructions online, linked through
https://www.kent.edu/compliance/environmental-health-and-safety, for each set
of the specific safety principles outlined in this policy. (1) Safety management is based on individual responsibility
for safety and environmental stewardship. Managers at all levels must
demonstrate commitment to the implementation and sustained execution of all
elements of safety. Faculty, staff, students, and visitors support safety by
understanding and using these principles in their activities at the university.
Each individual is directly responsible for ensuring his or her own safety and
for promoting a safe, healthy, and environmentally sound workplace and
community. (2) University employees who direct the activities of other
individuals are responsible for protecting faculty, staff, students, visitors,
the public, and the environment, and for adhering to this policy.
Accountability should be addressed in job descriptions, performance
evaluations, and contracts. (3) The university will establish clear and unambiguous
lines of authority and responsibility for ensuring safety and environmental
protection at all organizational levels within the university, and with
university contractors. (4) Managers will ensure that employees possess the
experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform their safety
and environmental responsibilities. (5) The university will allocate resources to address
safety and environmental protection in all university activities. Protecting
faculty, staff, students, visitors, the public, and the environment is a
priority whenever activities are planned and performed. (6) Before a member of the university community conducts an
activity that has potential adverse implications for safety or the environment,
a responsible party must evaluate the associated hazards and environmental
impacts and identify the appropriate protective safety and environmental
requirements to assure that faculty, staff, students, visitors, the public, and
the environment are protected from adverse effects. The principal
responsibility for such an evaluation resides with employees, supervisors and
managers. The Kent state university environmental health and safety
("EHS") office is available for consultation and will assist with the
identification of appropriate requirements, controls, and standards, and with
their implementation. (7) The university will implement a program of external
communications, public participation, and stakeholder involvement to obtain
safety-related input from interested parties, including regulatory agencies,
funding organizations, local community groups, students, alumni, and emergency
response agencies. The program will institute a safety communications network
to address compliance and emergency situations. (8) The university will adopt engineering and
administrative controls for activities being performed to prevent and mitigate
hazards and environmental impacts. The strategy employed will be to prevent
damage by designing the activities and controls to reduce or eliminate
accidents, injuries, exposure, and unplanned releases of harmful substances to
the environment.
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Rule 3342-6-22.001 | Operational procedures and regulations regarding rest periods for civil service employees.
(A) It is recognized and customary for supervisors to grant rest periods to employees as a brief pause in their work routine to care for whatever personal needs necessary. (B) In an attempt to standardize this privilege throughout the university, the following suggestions are made: (1) Rest periods should not exceed fifteen minutes during the morning and again in the afternoon. (2) Rest periods should be carefully scheduled by the supervisor to insure that business activities are not curtailed.
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Rule 3342-6-22.1 | Administrative policy regarding a drug-free workplace.
(A) Policy statement. The university is committed to maintaining a workplace free of illegal drugs. Recognizing that illegal drug use poses health and safety hazards to employees and to the community at large, the university prohibits the possession or use of illegal drugs on all university property and at other locations where employees are conducting university business. (B) Employees manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, possessing or using illegal drugs on university property and at other locations during the conduct of university business are subject to dismissal. (C) The university will establish and maintain a drug-free awareness program including the following topics of concern: (1) Health and safety concerns from drug abuse. (2) University policy regarding illegal drug use. (3) Availability of approved drug counseling and rehabilitation services. (4) Penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug-free violations. (D) In compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, employees engaged in work under a federal grant or contract may be subject to additional requirements to ensure a drug-free workplace. (E) In accordance with federal regulations, the violation of this policy could result in the suspension, termination or debarment of the individual or the institution from federal grants and/or contracts.
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Rule 3342-6-22.2 | Administrative policy regarding rest periods for university employees.
Effective:
October 15, 2015
(A) It is recognized and customary for supervisors to grant rest periods to employees as a brief pause in their work routine to care for whatever personal needs necessary. (B) In an attempt to standardize this privilege throughout the university, the following suggestions are made: (1) Rest periods should not exceed fifteen minutes during the morning and again in the afternoon. (2) Rest periods should be carefully scheduled by the supervisor to insure that business activities are not curtailed.
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Rule 3342-6-23 | University policy regarding conflict of interest of university employees.
(A) University employment is a trust conferred by public authority for a public purpose. Such status forbids the employee from placing himself or herself in a position in which private interest conflicts with public duty. (B) Such university employment must follow the provisions set forth in statues of the state of Ohio, specifically as found in Chapter 102. of the Revised Code, "Public Officer-Ethics," regarding maintaining the confidentiality of information and the receipt of compensation from other than the university, and Chapter 2921. of the Revised Code, "Offenses against Justice and Public Administration," relating to private interest in a public contract. (C) No university employee, by virtue of employment by the university, should receive special treatment or favors from university employees, nor should any personal advantage, pecuniary or otherwise, be gained from such employment. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to: (1) Receipt of gifts; (2) Payment, pecuniary or otherwise, for service or materials not accounted for through regular university channels; and (3) The use of a student's services or labor on the university employee's private property without remuneration. (D) No university employee, by virtue of his or her employment, should receive special treatments or favors from others who do business with the university, nor should any personal advantage, pecuniary or otherwise, be gained from such employment, without prior approval as outlined below in this rule. See also paragraph (E) of rule 3342-6-24 of the Administrative Code. (E) Unless prior written approval is granted, no university employee may: (1) Use university resources, including, but not limited to, supplies, materials, equipment, secretarial or staff time, for personal business matters; or (2) Use university contacts or positions to further private business or other external activity by soliciting students or fellow employees, to participate in, subscribe to, or purchase the activity or any of its possible products, services, or results.
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Rule 3342-6-23.1 | Administrative policy regarding solicitation of employees.
(A) Purpose. (1) In order to ensure that employees have the opportunity to perform their jobs free from intrusions, it has become necessary to place certain restrictions on solicitation of employees and distribution of literature within all university buildings. (2) This policy shall apply to all solicitations with the exception of university-sponsored solicitation for charitable and other purposes. (3) However, given the nature and purposes of an academic community, it is specifically noted that the provisions of this solicitation of employees policy are not applicable to faculty, students, and other individuals engaged in the pursuit of knowledge as part of any curricular program or academic activity of the university. (B) Definitions. (1) "Distributing literature" means the dissemination or posting of any written or graphic material, including (without limitation) membership, authorization or pledge card, flyers, notices, or any other written information or forms. (2) "Non-employee" means any person not employed by the university or any other person not in an active work status with the university. (3) "Non-working time" means approved leaves, work breaks, lunch periods, and before and after scheduled working hours. (4) "Employee solicitation" means any oral advocacy of an organization or cause, unrelated to the employee's job description or profession, or request for contribution or support thereof of university employees by non-employees by non-employees or other university employees on university property. (5) "Work area" includes offices, shops, laboratories, classrooms, conference rooms, work stations and corridors leading directly thereto which are used for performing work, and any area where the employee performs his/her official duties. In departments where services are being delivered to the public, students, faculty and/or staff, the entire public area is considered a work area. (6) "Working time" means that time when an employee's duties require that he or she be engaged in work tasks, but does not include an employee's own time, such as meal periods, vacations and time before or after shift. (C) Implementation. (1) Solicitation by employees. (a) An employee may solicit other employees in both non-work and work areas only if all employees involved are on non-working time. (b) An employee may distribute literature that advertises or solicits support for organizations or causes unrelated to the employee's job description or profession only in a non-work area on non-working time and only if all employees involved are on non-working time. (c) Use of university facilities or services is prohibited unless authorized by an appropriate university official. (2) Solicitation by non-employees. (a) An organization or non-employee of the university wishing to solicit or distribute literature to employees within any building on any campus of Kent state university must request permission in writing forty-eight hours prior to the proposed visit. Requests relating to the Kent campus must be delivered to the manager of employee relations, university supply center, Kent, Ohio. Requests relating to any of the campuses located outside Portage county must be delivered to the dean of the specific campus. The request must state: (i) The purpose of the proposed visit; and (ii) The name of any person(s) or alternates who desire access to the campus. (b) The person designated above will attempt to locate a specific area for use by the organization or non-employee submitting the request and will then issue a permit designating the room, date and time it may be used. In the event two or more request for access to a designated area for the same or overlapping times have been made, the university will attempt to provide alternate designated areas. If no alternate designated area is available, the university may grant access to the available designated area on a rotating basis with equal time for its use. If the designated areas are unavailable due to a prior reservation, the university will immediately notify the requesting party of such conflict. (c) Solicitation and/or distribution of literature by an organization or non-employee within a building shall be limited to the designated area(s), time(s), and date(s) and, in addition, be consistent with the operational procedures and regulations in rule 3342-4-03.302 of the Administrative Code and the policy register. No employee may visit the designated area during his/her working time. No organization or non-employee may solicit employees or distribute literature elsewhere in the building whether or not the solicited employees are on working time. (d) Employees may be solicited outside of the building if they are on non-working time and as long as pedestrian and vehicular traffic is not impeded. (e) An organization or non-employee may solicit or distribute literature in designated parking lots without providing advance notice. Literature may not be placed on vehicle windshields. (f) Use of university facilities or services for solicitation purposes is prohibited unless authorized by an appropriate university official. (3) Bulletin boards. (a) An employee may post notices or other appropriate information on designated bulletin board as stated in the paragraph (B)(4) of rule 3342-4-03.301 of the Administrative Code, employee bulletin boards, and providing prior written approval has been obtained from the manager of employee relations or the dean of regional campus. (b) No solicitation or notices shall be posted anywhere on the campuses except on designated employee bulletin boards or other spaces as approved. (c) Solicitations or notices shall not be so large as to obstruct other approved postings. (d) Approval for the posting of notices or other appropriate information on designated bulletin boards shall be for a specific period of time. Each approved posting shall bear a date on which the posting must be removed and the initials of the person who approved the posting. (e) Posting materials for designated bulletin boards located within residence hall secured areas must be left at the area desk. (D) Violations. (1) Any employee who (in his/her personal capacity or acting as agent for any organization) violates any rule contained herein shall be subject to discipline. (2) Any organization or non-employee violating any rule contained herein shall be asked to leave university premises. Repeated violation may lead to the organization or non-employee being banned from the campus.
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Rule 3342-6-23.2 | Administrative policy regarding inappropriate service of clerical and secretarial employees.
(A) An employee's responsibilities should relate to the work of the office, the university and/or higher education in general. (B) Secretarial or employees in the classified service should not be asked to perform assignment beyond the scope of their responsibilities. (C) The director of talent management will assist in the resolution of questions regarding the scope of responsibilities, upon request.
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Rule 3342-6-24 | University policy regarding outside enterprises including employment of faculty and academic administrators.
(A) Outside activities of a professional nature are encouraged if the activities are consistent with the individual's responsibilities to the university and in furtherance of the aims of the university. Indeed the university recognizes that one mark of an individual's distinction is the esteem in which he or she is held by those outside the university who may request his or her expertise. (B) No individual, however, shall accept any employment or pursue other activity, whether of a professional or of a nonprofessional nature, which compromises his or her responsibilities to the university. (C) Prior to accepting continuing remunerative employment, each member of the faculty or academic administrative officer shall seek and obtain approval from the chairperson, school director or regional campus dean, the appropriate academic dean, and the vice president for faculty affairs and personnel or designee. For regional campus employees, approval is also required of the associate vice president for the extended university. In the case of requests from a vice president, approval must be secured from the president of the university. The approval process must be repeated at the start of each academic year. (D) Whenever there is a question or reservation about the effect of an outside activity of a faculty member or academic administrative officer upon the contractual responsibility to the prime employer, the university, the employee, and his/her responsible administrator shall inform and consult with each other. In the special case of a second teaching activity, it is inappropriate for a full-time university faculty member or full-time academic administrative officer while under contract to accept employment by neighboring or other external organizations to teach courses or to accept similar forms of employment if it conflicts with his or her primary responsibility to the university. (E) When, after consultation with the individual, the chairperson or academic officer fails to resolve an apparent abuse, then he or she initiate a review by the appropriate advisory committee. If an abuse is found, it may lead to possible disciplinary action, consistent with the established academic policies of the university. (F) An appeal from a denial of permission to engage in external activities, or against the findings of an advisory committee review, may be lodged with the next higher administrative officer.
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Rule 3342-6-25 | University policy regarding the employment of students.
(A) Policy statement. It is the policy of
the university to employ actively enrolled undergraduate and graduate students
in order to further the mission of the university, to provide opportunity for
financial assistance and to provide meaningful work experience. Such employment
will be on a part-time basis and should support a student's academic
progress. Furthermore, such employment is not intended to reduce full-time job
opportunities for classified or unclassified employees. The employment of
students shall be consistent with applicable federal and state laws and
statutes governing employment practices. (B) Eligibility. This policy applies to
employees whose status as a student is a requirement of employment. An
individual who is currently employed as a member of the faculty, a classified
or unclassified staff member or a graduate appointee is typically not eligible
for student employment. (C) Appointing authority. The executive
director of career exploration and development serves as the appointing
authority for all student employees. This position is responsible for
establishing eligibility criteria and procedures for student employment
including offers, modifications, and terminations of appointment for
employees.
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Rule 3342-6-25.1 | Administrative policy regarding the employment of students.
Effective:
August 29, 2025
(A) Policy statement. It is the policy of
the university to employ actively enrolled undergraduate and graduate students
in various campus positions. This policy serves to provide the administrative
structure and procedure for such student appointments, with more specific
operational processes and regulations outlined in the student employment
handbook. (B) Eligibility. This policy applies to
employees whose status as a student is a requirement of
employment. (C) Definitions. (1) Supervisor or
department head. The individual to whom responsibility is delegated to oversee
work on behalf of the university by student employees. This individual is
responsible for selecting, hiring, directly supervising, and providing
guidance, training and instructions relative to the student employee's
assigned responsibilities. This individual is also responsible for being
familiar with all statutes, regulations, and policies governing the appointment
and termination of employees in their department. (2) Hourly student
employee. Student paid on an hourly basis and nonexempt from the overtime
provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. (3) Non-hourly student
employee. Student paid on a salary basis for a specific time period (i.e., one
time service, one month, one semester). (4) High school student
employee. An individual who is an active, full-time high school student. High
school students employed by Kent state university are not required to meet the
enrollment guidelines as contained in paragraph (E)(8) of this rule. Employment
of high school students must comply with all of the requirements of the state
of Ohio's minor labor laws (section 4109.01 of the Revised
Code). (D) Categories of student appointment.
These categories identify the specific nature of the working relationship for
student staff. (1) Funding basis. The
source of funds from which a student employee is paid is a critical factor in
establishing the appointment. (a) University funded student appointment. Students
employed by the university whose wages are paid in full by the employing
university department. (b) Federal work-study program student appointment.
Students employed by the university or by a university approved, off-campus
organization who have applied for financial aid and have been determined to be
eligible for employment under the federal work-study program (FWSP). The
employing department will be charged a percentage of the student's wages,
and the difference will be charged to the student's FWSP allocation as
determined by the student financial aid office and by the U.S. department of
education. Federal work-study wages can only be paid to student employees on an
hourly basis. The FWSP places additional conditions and limitations on the
appointment. (2) Appointment
type. (a) Hourly. Most student employees are appointed on an
hourly basis. Gross pay for a pay period is calculated using the total number
of hours worked during the pay period, multiplied by the designated hourly rate
of the appointment. (b) Non-hourly. Students are compensated on a fixed dollar
amount for a specific time period, (i.e., one time service, one month, one
semester). (E) Implementation. (1) Verification of
student status and eligibility for employment. (a) To be eligible for student employment, an individual
must: (i) Be an enrolled
student as defined in paragraph (E)(8) of this rule, (ii) Complete all state,
federal, and university forms required for employment, and (iii) Agree to comply
with all applicable university and departmental procedures and policies
pertaining to assigned responsibilities, to include the protection of the
privacy of students and the authorized dissemination of any information
according to university policy, as well as local, state, and federal laws. By
accepting employment with the university, the student employee agrees to
further follow all policies and procedures within the student employment
handbook, as amended. (b) The appointing authority or designate must verify
eligibility before an offer of appointment can be made. (2) Offer of appointment.
No student employee should be expected to work without a formal offer of
appointment which specifies basic responsibilities, rate of pay, general
expectations regarding a work schedule, and duration of
appointment. (3) Orientation. The
initial appointment should include an orientation process in order to enable
the employee to become familiar with the workplace and the expectations for
their position. (4) Modification of
appointment. Any substantial modification to the terms identified in paragraph
(E)(2) of this rule should be communicated with reasonable advance notice to
the student employment appointing authority. (5) Benefits. Student
employees do not receive vacation, sick leave, or holiday pay; cannot earn
annual longevity step increases, and are not eligible to apply for a leave of
absence. (6) Termination of
appointment. Student employment will cease under any of the following
circumstances and termination must be communicated to the student employment
appointing authority: (a) End of appointment. Effective with the specified end
date of the academic year, semester or summer term designated as the period of
appointment, a student employee's appointment will automatically
terminate, unless a new appointment is issued. (b) Voluntary. Student employees may resign from their
university appointment at any time, preferably with advance notice, and should
notify their supervisor. (c) Involuntary. At the recommendation of the supervisor,
the appointing authority may terminate the employment of a student employee,
preferably with advance notice. No reason is required to substantiate the
action. (7) Work schedule. A
student employee should be provided a general expectation regarding a work
schedule. A student's employment is temporary in nature and is incidental
to the pursuit of an academic program. Students may not work more than
twenty-eight hours per week. If the student exceeds the maximum hours as
established by this policy, the student will not be eligible for future student
employment. Continued violation of this policy will result in immediate
termination of employment. (8) Minimum credit-hour
enrollment requirement. (a) Academic year employment. (i) Students must be
enrolled at the university for at least half-time (six credit hours for an
undergraduate or four credit hours for a graduate student). Audited classes are
not considered degree granting credits and do not count toward the six or four
credit hour minimum. (ii) If a student drops
below half-time enrollment status, their employment with the university will be
terminated and medicare tax and Ohio public employees retirement system
contributions will be withheld from their wages pursuant to federal and state
laws. (b) Summer and break period employment. (i) Student employment
during the summer is contingent upon enrollment during the following fall
semester; unless the student will be graduating at the end of the
summer. (ii) Admitted incoming
freshmen and transfer students may be employed during the summer or break
period preceding the semester of enrollment. (9) Ohio public employees
retirement system (OPERS). Students are required as employees of a public
university to contribute to OPERS. Students who meet the minimum hour
enrollment requirement established by the university and state of Ohio for
exemption in paragraph (E)(8)(a) of this rule may file a request to waive
contribution with the appointing authority for student employment. Students who
fail or cease to meet the criteria required for exemption at any time will be
required by the university to contribute to OPERS. (F) General procedures. (1) Posting open student
employment positions. All student position vacancies throughout the Kent state
university system must be listed with the appointing authority for student
employment. (2) Employment in more
than one department. (a) Student employees may be employed in more than one
department but the student must limit total hours worked in all departments to
a part-time basis as provided in paragraph (E)(7) of this rule. (b) Students may work in a federal work-study and a
university funded position at the same time. (3) Recording
time. (a) Student employees must record their own time worked.
Recording of another employee's time is a serious violation of university
policy and could lead to disciplinary action. (b) Willful falsification or malicious handling of time
keep records constitutes grounds for immediate dismissal. (4) Student employment
pay plan. All student employees will be paid according to the approved pay
plan. Classification level and hourly rate are based on the nature of the
job. (5) Student employee
grievance procedures. (a) A formal grievance process exists to give students a
venue for resolving workplace issues. It is expected that each employing
department will inform all student employees of the student employee grievance
procedures contained in the student employment handbook. (b) Generally, it is expected that a complaint can be
resolved at the point at which it arises. This means that the student
employee(s) and the immediate supervisor should attempt to resolve the issue
informally, with the right to appeal to a higher level exercised only after it
is determined that mutual satisfaction cannot be reached. Consequently, every
effort should be made to settle the grievance on the spot, on its merits, and
with minimal delay. (c) In initiating a complaint, and throughout the formal
appeals process, students may seek the counsel of the office of the student
ombuds. The student ombuds will provide information, clarify procedures, and
facilitate communication as requested. (d) It is understood that some issues may involve one or
more policies that, because of either the nature of the complaint or the status
of the complaint, may be related to university offices that have separate
responsibilities for such policies. For example, an allegation of
discrimination or sexual harassment could be reviewed separately by the office
of equal opportunity and compliance (EOC). (e) There shall be no retaliation or abridgment of a
student's rights resulting from the use of this policy. (f) As necessary, a student may submit a written request
for a reasonable amount of time off work to attend hearings or meetings
established as part of the grievance process. This request must be approved in
writing by the immediate supervisor to be acted upon. (g) Regional campus student employee complaints filed at a
regional campus are covered by rule 3342-8-01.6 of the Administrative Code and
this policy register.
Last updated August 29, 2025 at 7:55 AM
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Rule 3342-6-26 | University policy and procedures regarding distinguished academic ranks.
(A) The university has established distinguished academic ranks to recognize university faculty members for outstanding achievement and excellence in teaching, scholarly or creative activity and/or service. Distinguished academic ranks are designed to recognize the university's best faculty members and to recruit outstanding faculty members from outside the university. (B) Distinguished academic ranks include, but are not limited to, distinguished professor or university professor and are separate and distinct from the academic ranks awarded pursuant to the university policy regarding faculty promotion. (C) Distinguished academic ranks grant further academic distinction to the holder beyond the rank of professor, may result in additional privileges and benefits, and may include but not be limited to tenure and/or the rank of professor, and may be for a specified term. (D) An individual may be recruited to the faculty by the university offering an appointment with a distinguished academic rank which may include special privileges and benefits, and may include but not be limited to tenure and/or the rank of professor, and may be for a specified term. (E) All terms and conditions of such an appointment will be stated in the letter of appointment. (F) Persons currently holding an administrative position at Kent state university, including unit administrator, may not simultaneously be appointed to a distinguished academic rank. (G) Nomination and selection procedure. When a member of the university community (e.g., individual faculty member, academic administrator, academic unit, campus, college, provost, president, member of the board of trustees) identifies an individual of exceptional qualifications whose achievements in teaching, scholarly or creative activity and/or service is outstanding, the nominating individual will notify the office of the provost. (1) If the provost determines that the individual is a suitable candidate for a distinguished academic rank, the provost shall notify the academic unit and regional campus dean, if applicable, of the specific title of the position under consideration. (2) The nominee shall submit a curriculum vitae and any other supporting documentation that the nominee would like to have considered. (3) The tenure advisory committee of the academic unit and, if applicable, the tenure advisory committee of the regional campus shall serve as the review committee and review the record of the nominee. The review committee shall solicit input from the full faculty of the unit and, if applicable, the full faculty of the regional campus. (4) The review committee shall vote on whether the individual nominated has sufficient qualifications to merit being appointed to a distinguished academic rank. This vote shall serve as a recommendation to the academic unit administrator and, where applicable, the regional campus dean concerning the qualifications of the individual nominated. (a) Where an individual nominated for a distinguished rank from outside the university is being considered for an appointment with tenure, the procedural process described in the university policy regarding faculty tenure that governs appointments with tenure will apply. (b) The academic unit administrator and regional campus dean, if applicable, shall prepare a formal letter of recommendation which describes the recommendation (or the non-recommendation) and the reasons therefore. (c) The letter of recommendation (or non-recommendation) along with the nominee's curriculum vitae and any other supporting materials will be forwarded to the provost. (5) For nominees to an academic unit which is included in a college, the dean and college advisory committee shall review the recommendation from the academic unit and regional campus, if applicable, along with the nominee's curriculum vitae and other supporting materials, if any, and make a recommendation on the appointment to the provost. (6) Upon receipt of the recommendation and, if applicable, the additional recommendation from the college, the provost will convene the provost's advisory council. The provost's advisory council shall consider the material forwarded by the academic unit and regional campus, if applicable, and the recommendation from the college, if any, and make a recommendation on the appointment to the provost. (7) The provost will consider the material submitted by the nominee and all previous recommendations and make a recommendation on the appointment to the president. (8) All such appointments require the approval of the president and the board of trustees. (H) The salary of a faculty member who holds a distinguished academic rank will be set annually by the president of the university. (I) Appointment to a distinguished academic rank should reflect the university's commitment to diversity.
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Rule 3342-6-27 | University policy regarding graduate assistantships.
Effective:
August 19, 2024
(A) The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for
the administration of graduate assistantships at the university. Graduate
assistantships are offered to selected graduate students to meet the teaching,
research, or administrative needs of the appointing unit offering the
assistantship. (B) Definitions. (1) Graduate teaching assistants. For the purposes of this
rule, a graduate teaching assistant performs teaching duties on behalf of the
university. Teaching duties may include being assigned as the instructor of
record for a course or teaching a section or lab of a course in accordance with
paragraphs (B)(1)(b) to (B)(1)(d) of rule 3342-3-02 of the Administrative Code.
(2) Graduate research assistants. For the purposes of this
rule, a graduate research assistant performs research related duties to support
one or more faculty members in their research or other scholarly and creative
activities. (3) Graduate administrative assistants. For the purposes of
this rule, a graduate administrative assistant performs duties assigned by the
appointing unit in support of the mission of the university closely related to
the student's academic field of endeavor. (4) Appointing unit. For the purposes of this chapter, the
appointing unit refers to the university unit that selects, appoints,
evaluates, and assumes financial responsibility for the costs associated with a
graduate assistantship. The appointing unit may be an "instructional
unit" as provided for in paragraph (C) of rule 3342-1-01 of the
Administrative Code or a "non-instructional unit" as defined in
this rule. (5) Non-instructional unit. For the purposes of this rule,
a non-instructional unit refers to an office, auxiliary, or other entity of the
university that is not defined as an "instructional unit" as
provided for in paragraph (C) of rule 3342-1-01 of the Administrative Code.
(6) Full-time assistantship. For the purposes of this rule,
a full-time assistantship refers to a graduate assistantship requiring twenty
hours of service per week as provided for in paragraph (D) of this rule.
(7) Half-time assistantship. For the purposes of this rule,
a half-time assistantship refers to a graduate assistantship requiring ten
hours of service per week as provided for in paragraph (D) of this rule.
(C) Eligibility. To be eligible for a graduate
assistantship, students must meet the following eligibility criteria.
(1) A student must be enrolled in a degree program.
(2) A student cannot be admitted with conditions.
(3) Must be in good academic standing to accept a new
graduate assistantship. (4) Students in combined bachelor's/master's
degree programs are not eligible for a graduate assistantship until they have
completed the bachelor's degree and have been admitted unconditionally
into a master's degree program. (5) During the semester in which a graduate assistant
receives a master's degree, the student must apply and be accepted into a
doctoral or educational specialist program (or other master's program) in
order to be considered for further assistantships under this rule.
(D) Requirements. A graduate assistant who holds a
full-time assistantship is expected to provide service to the appointing unit
for a commitment at, and not to exceed, twenty hours per week for a total of
three hundred hours per semester. This may include assignments during the week
prior to classes and/or during exam week. A half-time assistantship requires
approximately ten hours per week for a total of one-hundred fifty hours per
semester . (1) Class enrollment requirements. Students with full-time
and half-time assistantships during the regular academic year must enroll for a
minimum of eight credit hours per term with the exception of summer term.
(2) Non-instructional unit requirements. The service
commitment of a graduate assistant who has been appointed by a
non-instructional unit will be equivalent to the total time expectations of a
graduate assistant who is appointed through an instructional unit. Due to
specific operational requirements of non-instructional units, some of the total
time expectation may be satisfied during pre-semester, intersession, or
post-semester time periods. If it is necessary to have the graduate assistant
provide service the week before classes start, the week after classes end, or
during breaks, the weekly hours must be adjusted so no weekly total exceeds
twenty-five hours and the total hours of service does not exceed the required
hours of commitment. Such arrangements should be understood by the graduate
assistant and the appointing unit at the outset of the assistantship period.
(3) Summer graduate assistantship requirements. An
appointing unit may offer graduate assistantships over the summer. This may be
done at the discretion of the appointing unit and is dependent upon the
availability of funds. Assistantships may be offered for variable lengths.
Service requirements are prorated for the number of weeks of the appointment,
with twenty hours of service per week. For example, a graduate assistantship
appointed for one five-week summer term would require approximately one hundred
hours of service during the term. Students with full-time or half-time
assistantships during the summer must enroll for a minimum of six credit hours
across the summer term. (4) Concurrent assistantships. Students may hold more than
one concurrent assistantship, however, the total number of hours of service
provided by the student between both assistantships may not exceed twenty hours
per week. (E) Benefits. (1) Stipends. Stipend amounts are determined by the
appointing unit. Graduate assistants are paid semi-monthly on the fifteenth and
last day of the month. Each pay period runs from the first day to the fifteenth
day and from the sixteenth day to the last day of the month. (2) Tuition remission. Graduate assistants must receive a
minimum of eight credit hours of tuition remission to be compliant with minimum
full-time registration requirements. The maximum number of credit hours of
tuition remission is sixteen hours, but individual units may have a lower cap
which must be applied equally across all graduate assistantships sponsored by
that unit. (3) Health insurance. Graduate assistants receive a partial
health insurance credit towards the health insurance plan for graduate students
offered through the university. The amount of the credit is negotiated by
university health services with the insurance company and may change from year
to year. (4) Retirement. Retirement for graduate assistants is
governed by the Ohio public employees retirement system (OPERS), unless the
student is a graduate teaching assistant and has a current membership with the
state teachers retirement system of Ohio (STRS). Graduate students who do not
want to contribute to an Ohio retirement account should complete a request for
exemption at the OPERS website. As students, graduate assistants are exempted
by federal law from medicare taxation. (F) Implementation. Appointing units are responsible for
selecting, appointing, and evaluating students for graduate assistantships.
(1) Selection. Appointing units will establish procedures
for selecting students for graduate assistantships. Acceptance deadline. The university adheres to the following
council of graduate schools' policy on graduate admissions deadlines
available here: (https://cgsnet.org/april-15-resolution) (2) Appointments. Appointing units, working with the office
of academic personnel, are responsible for ensuring that graduate assistants
are hired according to university policy and procedure. (3) Evaluation. Appointing units will establish effective
means of evaluating and documenting the teaching and other duties performed by
each graduate assistant to aid the professional growth of the graduate
assistant. This evaluation and documentation shall be used for the purpose of
counseling the graduate assistant and to assist in making decisions regarding
reappointment. (G) Reappointment. At the time of the initial notification
of appointment, the appointing unit shall clearly communicate its policy on
limits on the number of years of support at the master's and doctoral
levels. Appointments or reappointments are determined by the appointing unit
and are not automatic. Reappointment may be available contingent upon good
progress toward completion of the degree and satisfactory performance of duties
as provided for in paragraph (C)(3) of this rule. If a graduate assistant is
not to be reappointed, they will be given written notice informing the student
of the non-reappointment. Notices of non-reappointment and of reappointment
will be given to students no later than the last day of the term preceding the
reappointment. (H) Resignation. A graduate assistant intending to resign
should give written notice as early as possible to the appointing unit. The
stipend will be paid up to the date of resignation. Tuition remission may be
paid by the appointing unit for the entire term, or may be prorated to the date
of the resignation. (I) Termination. (1) Termination for cause. An assistantship may be
terminated for violation of the terms of the assistantship, university
policies, laws, or regulations. The appointing unit will give written notice of
dismissal to the graduate assistant along with the reason(s) for the dismissal.
(2) Termination for academic reasons. If a student is
dismissed from the university for academic reasons, then the assistantship is
terminated immediately upon the effective date of such dismissal. In the event
the student appeals their academic dismissal and is reinstated in accordance
with university policy or process, the assistantship shall be reinstated by the
unit. (J) Appeal. Graduate students who have had their
assistantship terminated either for cause or for academic reasons shall follow
the appropriate university appeal procedures. For additional resources and
information see also A graduate student's guide to the grievance process.
(1) Appeals of termination for cause shall follow
university appeal procedures consistent with paragraph (F)(5) of rule
3342.6-25.1 of the Administrative Code. (2) Appeals of termination for academic reasons shall
follow appeals procedures consistent with the process contained in the graduate
academic dismissal and appeal policy
(https://catalog.kent.edu/academic-policies/dismissal-appeal-graduate/).
Last updated August 19, 2024 at 8:37 AM
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