Education Initiatives by Employees, Revision 0

Education Initiatives by Employees

School of Public Health and Information Sciences / Policy/Procedure
Subject: Education Initiatives by Employees / No. / Page 1 of 9
Authors:Susi Day Walsh, Director of Administration
Peter L. Walton, M.D., Associate Dean / Effective Date:
05/12/11 / Revision: 0
05/12/11

Purpose

/ Establish policies regarding initiatives by employees in furthering their education, including, but not limited to, pursuing degrees and attending classes.

Policy

/ Each employee is encouraged to further his or her education provided that doing so does not interfere with the employee’s work responsibilities and provided that, if doing so affects the employee’s work hours or availability, arrangements have been made and agreed to by the employee, his or her supervisor, and the Dean or designee.

Coverage

/ All employees.
Contents / Purpose
Policy
Coverage
Terminology
Persons filling roles or positions cited
Procedures
Class attendance
Academic programs offered by the school
Discussion
See also
Supersedes
Revision history

Terminology

/ As used in this document, unless otherwise specified, the following terms have the associated meaning regardless of capitalization:

“Education initiative” refers to a situation that has the potential to undermine the impartiality of a person because of the possibility of a clash between the person's professional and personal interests.
“Employee” refers to a personwho formally employed by the School, regardless of role or position excluding graduate assistants and other paid student positions, consultants, contractors, and guest lecturers, activity participants, and others receiving honoraria or payments for services.
“School”refers to the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.
“University” refers to the University of Louisville.
“Supervisor” refers to the immediate supervisor of an employee.
“Associate dean” refers to the associate dean for student affairs.

Persons filling roles or positions cited

/ The following information may be updated without requiring a separate revision of this document.
Role or Position / Person
Dean / Dr. Richard Clover
Dean’s designee if dean is unavailable / Dr. Peter Walton
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs / Dr. Kathy Baumgartner
Associate Dean for Student Affairs / Dr. Susan Muldoon
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs / Dr. Peter Walton
Director of Finance and Administration / Ms. Susi Walsh
Updated: 04/27/11

Procedures

/ Procedures are presented by area, listed in the left-hand column, and include exceptions and management plans where appropriate. Areas are added as needed and developed.
Except as noted otherwise for a procedure, each procedure is applicable for existing situations covered by the policy.

Class attendance

/ An employee wishing to attend one or more undergraduate, graduate, or continuing education classes offered by any educational institutionadheres to the following:

Ifthe employee intends to utilize his or her tuition remission benefit, he or she notifiesthe supervisor about the employee’s desire to attend classes.
The employee tries to schedule classes before or after his or her regularly scheduled work hours wherever possible.
In the event that a class meets at a time that is during the employee’s regularly scheduled work hours:
The employee and the supervisor work together to develop an agreement for a modified work schedule.In all cases:
The agreement specifies that the employee works his or her regularly scheduled number of hours each week.
The term of the agreement is semester-to-semester.
The agreement specifies the timing and procedures for its review and extension to a subsequent semester, including an acknowledgement that such extension is seen as an exception and not an expectation.
The employee is responsible for initiating the process for review and extension of the agreement to each subsequent semester.
The agreementis presentedin writing to and for approval by the chair of the employee’s department or, if not in a department, the designated head of the employee’s area.
Upon approval by the chair or head, a copy of the agreement is sent to the director of administration.

Academic programs offered by the school

/ For an employee who wishes to enroll in an academic program offered by the school, the following actions are taken prior to matriculation or, if already matriculated prior to this procedure’s initial effective date of 06/23/05, prior to the next semester the employee is enrolled in classes in the academic program:

An initial academic plan (or course of study) is developed by the employee, the director of the academic program, and other faculty, as designated by the director of the academic program.
The academic plan is reviewed and approved by the chair of the employee’s department or, if not in a department, the designated head of the employee’s area.
The academic plan is reviewed and approved by the associate dean for student affairs.
The academic plan, signed by the program director, the employee’s department chair or area head, and the associate dean, is submitted to the director of administration.

Prior to the start of each semester in which the employee intends to be enrolled in one or more classes, the employee does each of the following:

Works with the director of the academic program and other faculty, as designated by the director of the academic program, in reviewing and revising, as necessary, the academic plan. If the employee’s academic plan is revised, the following actions are taken:
The revised academic plan is reviewed and approved by the chair of the employee’s department or, if not in a department, the designated head of the employee’s area.
The revised academic plan is reviewed and approved by the associate dean for student affairs.
The revised academic plan, signed by the program director, the employee’s department chair or area head, and the associate dean, is submitted to the director of administration.
Adheres to the procedures forclass attendance, as stated elsewhere in this policy document.
Notifies the academic program director that the employee and department chair or equivalent have agreed on class attendance schedules.
Develops a list of any courses in the semester for which the employee identifies a person-person conflict of interest as defined in the policy “Person-Person Conflicts of Interest.” If there are any such courses, the employee does the following:
Meets with the associate dean to discuss the list of courses and to determine and implement the specified management plan for each course.
Submits the list and management plans, signed by the associate dean, to the director of administration.
Meets with the associate dean to discuss the upcoming semester.

The associate dean does each of the following:

Meets with the employee at least once during the semester to discuss any issues or situations.
Meets with the employee when so requested by the employee.
Meets with the employee after the end of the semester to discuss any issues or situations.
Meets with each of the employee’s course directors for the semester to review assessment and grading of the employee/student for consistency.

Discussion

/ The school endorses university policy, which states:
“The university strongly encourages all regular employees to continually pursue excellence in their field through participation in both academic and non-academic programs. In support of this goal, the university affords faculty and staff many opportunities to maintain state-of-the-art expertise in their profession by providing academic programs in the latest technology and supporting participation in continuing education programs, symposia, management training, etc.
“Employees are urged to complete academic degrees and pursue graduate studies, not only to better perform their duties and responsibilities, but also to promote their own personal growth. Continuing academic pursuits will heighten their commitment to their job and to the university and will prepare them for positions in which they will be able to make even greater contributions to the achievement of university goals….”