This Publication Will Provide Employees with Pertinent Information and Guidance Related
FORWARD
This publication will provide employees with pertinent information and guidance related to the NorthAlabamaCenter for Educational Excellence (NACEE), its mission and goals, organization, policies, and operational procedures. While the handbook cannot be completely comprehensive in scope and detail, it is designed to facilitate harmony and uniformity. It is intended to provide answers to the common or more frequently asked questions, and to give guidelines for the aspects of operation. Staff members should become familiar with the topics covered in this handbook.
This handbook provides policies by the Board of Directors and will be revised periodically, as the need dictates.
The appendices attached hereto are for informational and guidance purposes only. Upon written approval of the Executive Director/President, any document contained in the appendices may be altered or amended in any fashion without the Board’s approval. Any and all such changes will be announced at staff meetings or where deemed appropriate by the Executive Director/President and will be included in subsequent publications of the handbook.
NOTICE
The NorthAlabamaCenter for Educational Excellence expressly reserves the right to change performance standards, requirements and procedures herein set forth, and notice will be given to the staff prior to implementation.
The staff agrees to comply with and be governed by all applicable current and future rules, regulations and policies set forth by the Center’s funding agency- the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE), its Board of Directors, its Executive Director/President, and its fiscal agency which is Alabama A&M University.
This handbook and the policies contained herein do not in any way constitute, and should not be construed as a contract of employment between the employer and the employee, or a promise of employment. Employment by NACEE is at-will, meaning either party may terminate employment without cause. The at-will status of employment by NACEE cannot be changed by oral statement made by anyone on behalf of NACEE.
INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE AND USE OF THIS HANDBOOK
The purpose of this handbook is to provide employees with administrative and organization rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and general information governing personnel matters related to the workforce.
Each employee should become familiar with these policies and procedures. It is requested that each employee will study this handbook and keep it as a legitimate source of reference.
No one handbook can answer all the questions that an employee may have. NACEE encourages employees to contact the Executive Director/President if the employee has additional questions or needs further clarification of these policies and procedures.
SCOPE
This handbook includes those personnel policies and procedures that apply to all NACEE’s staff. However, the Executive Director/President may have more detailed instructions, which relate to a specific project, activity or area which are not included in this handbook.
RIGHTS OF THE CENTER
The Center is interested in the opinions of its employees, expressed individually or collectively, about working conditions and ways and means of getting their jobs done more effectively and proficiently. However, the Center, in recognizing and accepting its responsibility to provide the necessary activities to ensure quality services to its clients, must have the flexibility to make decisions without employee consultation. Therefore, NACEE must maintain exclusive discretion to exercise the customary functions, dismissal, assignment, and discipline of employees, the determination of work schedules, the establishment and abolishment of policies, procedures, rules, and regulations; determination, modification, and description of position classification and specifications, and assignment of duties to employees in accordance with the Center’s needs. Employment by NACEE is at-will, meaning either party may terminate employment without cause.
APPENDICES
The appendices attached hereto are for informational and guidance purposes only. Any document contained in the appendices may be altered or amended in any fashion by the Executive Director/President, as the need dictates. The Executive Director/President has sole responsibility for altering, changing, or amending all Center publications. No publication, including administrative forms, may be changed or altered without the approval of the Executive Director/President.
HISTORY AND ROLE
HISTORIC OVERVIEW
The NorthAlabamaCenter for Educational Excellence is a non-profit agency originally funded in 1974 by the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to establish a pilot EducationalOpportunityCenter project (EOC). The EOC in Huntsville was one of twelve pilot projects funded nationwide.
Following a policy change by the U.S. Department of Education, the consortium was dissolved and the agency incorporated in the spring of 1981, making the consortium a non-profit corporation under the Alabama Non-Profit Corporation Act, Code of Alabama Section10-31 et Seq. Ten years later, after receiving a grant for a second project, the Educational Talent Search (ETS) program, the corporation changed its name to the NorthAlabamaCenter for Educational Excellence.
Following incorporation, the agency retained the management structure established by the original consortium proposal: Board of Directors, Executive Director, and Fiscal Agency. These elements of management offer checks and counter checks on all phases of project operations, thus ensuring that grant requirements are met in accordance with the grantee’s regulations. The Board governs the overall operation of the Center, assesses its progress, evaluates its performance, and ensures compliance with the federal and state regulations and requirements. The Executive Director/President is responsible for the day-to-day operation and administration, staff supervision, and budget management. The Fiscal Agency is responsible for disbursement of funds.
The Center’s federal projects are funded to serve a specific number of clients/participants of who two-thirds must meet the low-income, first-generation requirement. The remaining one-third has no restrictions.
In addition to the federal projects, the Center had administered two training projects funded through the City of Huntsville and a Career Awareness Program for High school students funded through a private grant.
PURPOSE AND MISSION
PURPOSE
The purpose of NACEE is to administer free educational programs that enhance the educational and career opportunities of its clients, and more specifically, low-income persons residing in the North Alabama region. The Center administers programs funded through federal, state, and local governments, and private contributions. All programs operate under the specific regulations that govern their respective grants and through the policies and procedures outlined in this handbook.
Ninety-five percent of the Center’s funds are allocated for the operation of its EducationalOpportunityCenter, Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math & Science, and Veterans Upward Bound projects. Many of the policies in this handbook are specifically aimed at the administration of these four projects with their goals and responsible staffs.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTER, EDUCATIONAL TALENT SEARCH, UPWARD BOUND, UPWARD BOUND MATH & SCIENCE, ANDVETERANS UPWARD BOUND
The EducationalOpportunityCenter, Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math & Science and Veterans Upward Bound projects are intended to serve areas with major concentrations of low-income populations, in coordination with other applicable programs and services:
Information with respect to financial and academic assistance available for persons residing in such areas who desire to pursue a program of postsecondary education;
Assistance to such persons in applying for admissions to institutions at which a program of postsecondary education is offered, including preparing necessary applications for use by admission and financial aid officers;
Counseling services, tutoring, and other necessary assistance to such persons while attending postsecondary institutions.
The projects also serve as recruiting and counseling pools to coordinate resources and staff efforts of institutions of higher education, and other institutions offering programs of postsecondary education with admitting educationally-disadvantaged persons.
The EducationalOpportunityCenter, Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math & Science and Veterans Upward Bound are project grant programs which work through public and private agencies and organizations to provide services to disadvantaged persons residing in their target areas. The programs are managed and funded through the U.S. Department of Education.
The recruiting efforts of the projects identify individuals who need the services of the program and counsel them about opportunities for furthering their education. The projects also provide tutorial services to assist these students with remaining in school.
The following is an overview of the purpose and services of each program:
Educational Opportunity Center
The Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) program provides counseling and information about college admission to qualified adults who want to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. An important objective of the EOC is to counsel participants on financial aid options and to assist in the application process. The goal of the EOC is to increase the number of adult participants who enroll in postsecondary education institutions.
Services provided by the program:
Academic advising
Personal Counseling
Career workshops
Information on postsecondary educational opportunities
Information on student financial assistance
Assistance in completing applications for college admissions, testing and financial aid
Coordination with nearby postsecondary institutions
Media activities designed to involve and acquaint the community with higher education opportunities
Tutoring
Mentoring
Educational Talent Search
The Educational Talent Search (ETS) program identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. The program provides academic, career, and financial counseling to its participants and encourages them to graduate from high school and continue toward the postsecondary school of their choice. ETS also serves high school dropouts by encouraging them to reenter the educational system and complete their education. The goal of ETS is to increase the number of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to complete high school and enroll in the postsecondary educational institution of their choice.
Services provided by the program:
Academic, financial, career, or personal counseling including advice on entry or reentry to secondary or postsecondary programs
Career exploration and aptitude assessment
Tutorial services
Information on postsecondary education
Exposure to college campuses
Information on student financial assistance
Assistance in competing college admissions and financial aid applications
Assistance in preparing for college entrance exams
Mentoring programs
Special activities for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders
Workshops for families of participants
Upward Bound
Upward Bound (UB) provides fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance. The program provides opportunity for participants to succeed in pre-college performance and ultimately in higher educational pursuits. Upward Bound serves high school students from low-income families, high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree, and low-income, first-generation military veterans who are preparing to enter postsecondary education. The goal of UB is to increase the rate at which participants enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.
All Upward Bound projects MUST provide instruction in math, laboratory science, composition, literature, and foreign language.
Services provided by the program:
Instruction in reading, writing, study skills, and other subjects necessary for success in education beyond high school
Academic, financial or personal counseling
Exposure to academic programs and cultural events
Tutorial services
Mentoring programs
Information on postsecondary educational opportunities
Assistance in completing college entrance and financial aid applications
Assistance in preparing for college entrance exams
Work study positions to expose participants to careers requiring a postsecondary degree
Letter on work/study position provided
Upward Bound Math & Science
The Upward Bound Math & Science (UBMS) program allows the Department to fund specialized UBMS centers. The program is designed to strengthen the math and science skills of participating students. The goal of the program is to help students recognize and develop their potential to excel in math and science and encourage them to pursue postsecondary degrees in these fields.
Services provided by the program:
Summer programs of intensive math and science training
Year-round counseling and advisement
Exposure to university faculty who do research in math and science
Computer training
Scientific research under the guidance of a faculty member or graduate assistant serving as the participant’s mentor
Veterans Upward Bound
Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) provides comprehensive support services to eligible veterans interested in pursuing a college degree. Services are designed to help veterans complete preparatory coursework, increase their access to college, develop academic skills, and remain enrolled in and graduate from a program of postsecondary education.
Services provided by the program:
Academic Advising
Personal Counseling
Career Assessment & Counseling
Educational Testing & Assessment
Preparatory College Coursework
Individualized Tutoring
Financial Aid Advising
Peer Mentoring
Workshops & Guest Speakers
Scholarship Opportunities
NACEE Vet Club
OTHER PROJECTS
The Center has operated several other projects designed to improve the educational and career opportunities of diverse populations. One project provided career awareness activities to high school students and two other projects offered on-the-job training for unemployed professionals.
MISSION
The Center’s mission is to alert the general public to the educational opportunities available to them and to inspire individuals to aspire for a postsecondary education.
OVERALL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The EOC, ETS, UB, UBMS and VUB overall goals and objectives are:
To increase the participation of low-income, minority populations in programs of postsecondary studies;
To retain low-income, minority populations in programs of postsecondary studies;
To reduce the dropout rate of middle and high school low-income, minority students;
To coordinate resources and staff efforts of institutions of higher education and of other institutions offering programs of postsecondary education by establishing recruiting and counseling pools for the purpose of admitting educationally-disadvantaged persons into programs of postsecondary education.
SERVICES
The Center completes its mission and meets its approved objectives by providing the following services for clients residing in the target area:
Assistance with college admissions, financial aid and scholarship searches
Academic, career, financial, and personal counseling
Tutoring for ACT, SAT, ASVAB, high school graduation exam, college entrance exams, and GED.
The Center serves as a clearinghouse for information on counseling and tutoring techniques and other supportive services that are effective for students from educationally-deprived backgrounds. This is accomplished through the collection and dissemination of literature and materials addressing the educational concerns of such students, and the utilization of Center personnel in assisting institutions with identifying and resolving problem areas associated with educational policies and programs.
PARTICIPATION ELIGIBLITY
ELIGIBLITY REQUIREMENTS
An individual is eligible to participate in one of the Center’s programs if the individual:
Is a citizen or national of the United States
Is a permanent resident of the United States
Provides evidence from the Immigration and Naturalization Services that he/she is in the U.S. for a temporary purpose with the intention of becoming a citizen or permanent resident
Is a permanent resident of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Is at least 19 years old, except that it there is no Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math & Science or Veterans Upward Bound projects serving the same target areas as the EOC programs, an individual may be younger than19
Needs one or more of the services provided by the Center in order to pursue a program of postsecondary education
Expresses a desire to pursue or is pursuing a program of postsecondary education.
An individual is eligible to participate in the EOC, ETS, UB, UBMS and VUB projects if the individual meets the above requirements. Any ETS participant must be over 11 years of age and at least in the sixth grade and is no older than 27 years of age, unless there is no EOC project in the area. The UB, UBMS and VUB requirements are to serve high school students in grades 9th -12th or veterans who meet the established requirements for participation as outlined by the Department of Education’s TRIO programs.
SELECTION REQUIREMENTS
At least two-thirds of the eligible individuals must be low-income persons who are also first-generation college students or potential first-generation college students.
A “low-income individual” means an individual whose family’s taxable income
does not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level in the calendar year preceding
the year in which the individual participates in the project. Poverty-level income
is determined by using the poverty criteria established by the Bureau of the
Census, U.S. Department of Commerce.
A “first-generation college student” or “potential first-generation college student”
means a person whose parents don't hold a bachelor’s degree.
Eligibility requirements for any project, other than EOC, ETS, UB, UBMS and VUB are set by the respective grants.Eligibility and documentation requirements for all grants are on file at the central office in Huntsville, located at 4900-B Century Street.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The NorthAlabamaCenter for Educational Excellence (NACEE) is governed by a Board of Directors and operates under the direct supervision of an Executive Director/President. The Center’s staff is comprised of a group of service professionals, staff-support personnel, and volunteers.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Center’s governing body is the Board of Directors. The Board appoints and governs through the Executive Director/President. The Board is authorized to recommend programs and services, but leaves the day-to-day administration to the Executive Director/President. The Board’s chief function is to evaluate the Center, the staff, and the Center’s activities in order to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, and with grant requirements. The Board also functions to ensure that services are appropriate, and that the Center’s objectives meet the community’s needs.