Cornell College Staff Handbook
Table Of Contents
Facts About Cornell College
Mission Statement
General Facts
Commitment to Quality ServiceStaff RecruitmentBackground Check Policy
Promotions
Employment Letter/Salary Notices
Hours of Work
Flexible Work Arrangements
Summer Hours
Inclement Weather
Employment Status
Time Reporting/Pay Procedures
Jury Duty
Military Leave
Performance Evaluation Review Procedures
Wage and Salary Administration
Dispute Resolution
Termination of Employment
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Plan
Flexible Spending
Accounts
Life AD&D Insurance
Long Term Disability
Insurance
Worker's Compensation
Travel Accident Insurance
Retirement
Plan
Holidays
Vacation
Sick Leave
Family
and Medical Leave
Funeral Leave
Employee Assistance Program
(EAP)
Hilltop Fitness Center Club Membership
Dependent Tuition
Remission
Personal Relationships in the Professional Setting
Americans With Disability Statement
College E-mail and Web Policy
Nepotism Policy
Whistleblower Policy
Statement of Ethical Conduct
Conflict of Interest Policy
Work-related Injuries
Campus Safety and Security
College Alcohol and Drug
Policy
Key Issuance
Smoking Policy
Hazard Information
Bloodborne
Pathogens
Infectious Waste
General Services & Other Benefits
Admission to College Events
Automobile Registration and
Parking
Bookstore
Brackett House
Campus Newsletter
Check
Cashing
Faculty/Staff
Identification Cards
Food Services
Library
Mail Service
Master Calendar
Telephone Usage
Travel
& Entertainment Expense Reimbursement
Cell Phones
Purpose of Handbook
The purpose of this Staff Handbook is to provide employees with a working guide to the understanding of the day-to-day administration of personnel policies and practices at Cornell College. It is not intended to cover every possible situation which could be encountered, but rather to provide employees an overview of current College personnel policies, programs, and employee benefits. The College has the right to change, modify, or add policies and procedures. As a general rule, changes will be announced in a timely fashion by memorandum or in the Campus e-Newsletter. Any subsequent revisions or other modifications supersede this Staff Handbook. It is your responsibility as a staff member to read this handbook. If further clarification or interpretation is necessary, please talk with your supervisor and/or the Human Resources Office. These policies and procedures and any subsequent revisions do not constitute an employment contract, and should not be interpreted as creating an employment contract.
Although most policies are the same for all staff employees, some differences do exist based on factors such an employee category and pay status (exempt, non-exempt, hourly support, administrative). Where applicable, these differences are explained.
Employees at Cornell College are employed at will. This means that employees are not required to work for the College for any set period of time and that the College is not required to employ anyone for a set period of time. This handbook does not modify or limit the employment-at-will relationship.
Mission Statement
The following statement regarding the mission of Cornell College was ratified by the Cornell College Faculty on March 6, 1990, and adopted by the Board of Trustees on May 18, 1990:
The Aims of Cornell College
Cornell is an independent, coeducational, residential liberal arts college, established in 1853, nurtured by the United Methodist Church, and dedicated to fostering intellectual, moral, and personal growth.
The College is committed to sustaining a community devoted to liberal learning and democratic values. To this end, it seeks to provide a caring environment for living and learning characterized by close relationships, physical and emotional well-being, appreciation of diversity, affirmation of equal opportunity and academic freedom, and respect for the dignity and worth of each individual.
Cornell College endeavors to provide opportunities for pursuing liberal
education that allow Cornell students to:
· explore widely the range of human
experience and investigate carefully the work of a chosen discipline;
· analyze problems and synthesize solutions;
· integrate theory and practice; and
· read critically, reason effectively, engage creatively, feel deeply, evaluate fairly, respond imaginatively, communicate clearly, and act responsibly.
Cornell College endorses liberal educational as an end in itself and as a means of empowering students for leadership through productive careers and humane service in the global community.
General Facts
Cornell is unique in U.S. higher education in the combination of these five points of distinction:
· Liberal arts in a small-school setting
· An active residential
community
· The One Course At A Time framework
· An emphasis on leadership
and service
· An ideal campus setting
Cornell College is associated with the Methodist Church and dedicated to fostering intellectual, moral, and personal growth. The 129-acre hilltop campus with its mix of 41 historic and contemporary buildings is listed as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, one of two U.S. campuses with this distinction.
Within the framework of the traditional liberal arts, Cornell offers students a distinctive way to learn. With the One Course At A Time (OCAAT) academic calendar, students study only one subject for a three-and-one-half week term devoting all their efforts to that course. Students take eight course terms per year and the ninth term may be used for additional course work, employment, vacation, internships, or special study. Cornell is one of only three colleges in the nation to offer this approach to education, which intensifies the academic experience and opens a rich array of educational opportunities including international and domestic off-campus programs and internships in many fields of study.
Employment
Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy
This policy outlines Cornell College's Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action statement, with guidelines set forth in Iowa Code Section 261.9.
Policy Questions: Questions pertaining to this policy should be directed to your supervisor, division vice-president, or director of human resources (x4243). It is the responsibility of the director of human resources to keep this policy up-to-date in conjunction with any changes in legal requirements.
Scope: This policy applies to faculty and staff.
Statement: Cornell College is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is against Cornell College's policy for any employee to discriminate against an applicant for employment or another employee on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.
Cornell College is an Affirmative Action employer and is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce through specific guidelines regarding employment searches, diversity training, and ongoing assessment of recruitment and retention.
Affirmative Action Coordinator: The Affirmative Action Coordinator shall be appointed by, and shall report to, the President and will coordinate the affirmative action needs. Currently, the Director of Human Resources, Vickie Farmer, has been appointed as affirmative action coordinator. The President, in conjunction with the affirmative action coordinator, will annually appoint an affirmative action committee to oversee affirmative action needs, including recruitment.
Reporting Violations: If anyone believes a violation of this policy has occurred, a written concern should be submitted to the Director of Human Resources. If there is a concern with actions taken by the Director of Human Resources, a written report should be submitted to the Vice President for Business Affairs.
Commitment to Quality Service
A commitment to
provide quality service is a responsibility of all full-time, part-time, and
student employees of Cornell College. As representatives of the College,
courtesy, thoughtfulness, and willingness to be helpful are extremely important
when working with faculty, staff, students, and the public.
Staff Recruitment
Notice of employment
openings will be announced in the Campus e-Newsletter prior to external
advertising. Additional information on employment openings can be found at http://www.cornellcollege.edu/human_resources.
Selection and placement are based on several factors including skills,
educational experience, interview results, and references.
Cornell College conducts background checks for faculty, staff, key students and select volunteers in order to promote a safe learning and working environment and protect the welfare of current and future students, faculty, staff, and visitors to the College. Additionally, the policy provides compliance with guidelines set forth by the College’s risk management insurance company.
Policy Questions
Questions pertaining to this policy should be directed to your supervisor, division vice-president, or director of human resources (x4243). It is the responsibility of the director of human resources to keep this policy up-to-date in conjunction with any changes in legal requirements.
Scope
This policy applies to faculty, staff, key students and select volunteers.
Definitions
- External Employment Candidate:
A person applying for a job with Cornell that does not currently work for Cornell, and is not applying for an adjunct faculty position.
- Internal Employment Candidate:
A person currently working for Cornell and a candidate for a position substantially different from their present position.
- Adjunct faculty:
Faculty hired after July 1, 2010 to teach one or more blocks on a periodic basis and having never before worked for the college.
- Temporary Employees:
A employee hired to only work a set/short period of time.
- Key Students:
Resident assistants, library student workers, peer advocates, camp workers, or other students in a position with access to minors, or developmentally disabled persons or vulnerable adults and hired after July 1, 2010 and having never before worked for the college. Outside vendors, such as Sodexo Food Services, employing Cornell students maintain the responsibility for them and Cornell College will not perform background checks for these student workers.
- Volunteers:
A person who wants to perform services for Cornell free of charge and in their volunteer capacity will have access to minors, or developmentally disabled persons or vulnerable adults, with a volunteer start date after September 1, 2011.
Process
The hiring manager may extend a conditional offer of employment to their finalist. Then background checks are performed before the offer can be finalized.
If a candidate refuses to sign a background check, or signs one and it is determined they have falsified or withheld information during the application process they will be disqualified from employment.
Background Checks
Type of Candidate:
|
|
External |
Internal |
Adjunct/Temporary Employees |
Key Student/Volunteers |
|
Background check link distributed and candidate entered into the background check database by HR: |
When candidate meets with HR for benefits overview |
When a current employee notifies HR of their intent to apply for a position |
When the Dean’s office notifies HR to distribute |
When the hiring supervisor notifies HR to distribute |
|
Who notifies HR to run the check: |
The hiring manager |
The hiring manager |
The Dean’s Office for adjunct, the hiring manager for all others |
The hiring/volunteer supervisor |
|
What checks are requested via HR to an outside reporting agency: Note: The College will ensure, as far as possible, that all checks are conducted in compliance with federal and state statutes. |
Residency History; Social Security Verification; All County Criminal Search (all counties within the past 7 years, includes maiden name search); Nationwide Criminal Database & 50 State Sex Offender Registry; Education Verification and Previous Employment Verification (up to 3 jobs, or a maximum of 10 years). If operating a College-owned vehicle and/or transporting people or material for the College a motor vehicle check will be run.
|
Residency History; Social Security Verification; All County Criminal Search (all counties within the past 7 years, includes maiden name search); Nationwide Criminal Database & 50 State Sex Offender Registry; Education* Verification and Previous Employment Verification (up to 3 jobs, or a maximum of 10 years). *The Dean’s office will verify education for all teaching hires. If operating a College-owned vehicle and/or transporting people or material for the College a motor vehicle check will be run. |
Social Security Verification, Nationwide Criminal Database and 50 State Sex Offender Registry. The Dean’s office will verify education. HR will verify education of temporary employees. If operating a College-owned vehicle and/or transporting people or material for the College a motor vehicle check will be run. |
Social Security Verification, Nationwide Criminal Database and 50 State Sex Offender Registry. If operating a College-owned vehicle and/or transporting people or material for the College a motor vehicle check will be run. |
*No employment verification will be run for candidates whose primary experience is working as a research assistant, etc. in preparation of defending or obtaining their Ph.D.
Results
1. Results from the outside reporting agency will be sent to the Human Resources Director or Coordinator.2. If results show no criminal convictions and no significant motor vehicle violations, the Human Resources Director or Coordinator will notify the hiring manager/search committee chair, or other appropriate person that the candidate is approved to move forward with a final job offer or that a current employee may be transferred to a new or interim position.
4. If results reveal a criminal conviction or significant motor vehicle violation, which might factor in an adverse action, Human Resources will notify the candidate that the conditional offer of employment has been withdrawn and provide to the candidate a Pre-Adverse Action Notice along with a copy of the report, a notice of the individual’s rights under the Federal Fair Credit and Reporting Act (FCRA) to the candidate, and the contact information of the outside reporting agency. If the candidate believes the report provided to the College is inaccurate, the College will give the candidate a reasonable period of time to refute the disputed information with the vendor.
6. A criminal conviction or a motor vehicle violation does not automatically disqualify an individual from employment. In making the determination of the job-relatedness of a criminal conviction or a motor vehicle violation, consideration will be given to the position for which the applicant is being considered; how recently the incident(s) occurred; the frequency and severity of the incident(s); the age of the individual at the time of the incident(s); evidence of rehabilitation; and the safety and security of the campus. When in doubt, the Human Resources Director or Coordinator may elect to consult with legal counsel.
Confidentiality
Only the Human Resources department may initiate criminal or motor vehicles records check and receive results. Results of all such checks will be kept strictly confidential and will not be disclosed to any person except to the extent necessary to administer and enforce this policy, or as required by law or appropriate legal process. Records will be maintained as part of a confidential file in the Human Resources department, separate from employee personnel files. Violation of the confidentiality requirement is grounds for discipline, up to and including termination of employment.
Internal Promotion
Promotion may occur
without external recruiting if it is clear that the promotion 1) is the result
of growth in competence and skills of an individual and a corresponding
expansion of the individual's current job responsibilities or 2) is a position
change involving increased but similar responsibilities. In cases where two or
more persons at the College are potentially eligible for promotion to the same
position, notice of the employment opening shall be circulated to current
employees. Promotion without external recruiting requires the approval of the
Affirmative Action Office, the President, the Salary Review Committee, and the
Director of Human Resources.
Employment Letters/Salary Notices
Staff members
will receive an employment letter at the time of initial hire. Subsequently,
written notifications will be sent to employees regarding any changes in salary,
title, or department. Staff employees normally receive annual salary notices in
October regarding any salary adjustment to be effective October 1.
Hours of Work (updated May 2010)
Normal office hours for the
College are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
All full-time hourly employees work 7.5 hours per day and 37.50 hours per week, unless their supervisor and the Human Resources Office have approved other specific arrangements. Part-time and temporary employees will work their assigned schedules. Work schedules may vary to fit the particular needs of a department.
One-hour lunch breaks are provided. Some offices may stagger the lunch break so that they can remain open over the noon hour to provide necessary services for students, staff, and the public.
Employees are provided a 15-minute paid work break in both the morning and afternoon. Breaks are not guaranteed and depend on workload and time constraints. Unused breaks cannot be "banked" and used to shorten the regular work hours.
Flexible Work Arrangements
The College will
consider flexible work arrangements where appropriate. Flexible work
arrangements refer to reductions in work load with corresponding reductions in
compensation and benefits, as well as flexible work schedules without reduction
in work load, compensation, and benefits. Flexible work arrangements may involve
significant monetary costs to the College and may have an adverse effect on the
efficiency of specific offices. Therefore, before being implemented, these
arrangements must be agreed upon by the employee's supervisor and the
appropriate Vice President or Dean, in consultation with the Director of Human
Resources and the President of the College. The arrangement may be changed or
terminated at the discretion of the College.
Summer Hours Optional (Updated May 2010)
In the summer, hourly employees
have the option of (1) working until 4:30 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break or
(2) working until 4:00 p.m. with a half-hour lunch break. The schedule for
summer hours is announced annually in the Campus e-Newsletter.
Inclement Weather (Revised April 2011)
Cornell is a self-contained
residential institution and its teaching and administrative activities must
generally continue despite the weather. On occasion, weather conditions may be
such as to make travel difficult and slow. Employees will be allowed additional
paid time, if needed, up to sixty (60) minutes for commuting.
The decision to close
all or a portion of the college, or delay the start of the working day is the
responsibility of the Dean of the College, who consults with the Vice President
for Student Affairs, the Dean of Students, the Vice-President for Business
Affairs, the Director of Facility Services, and the Director of Campus Safety.
When appropriate, the Dean will schedule an early morning conference call with
the above-named individuals to determine a closing/delay and will then work
with the Office of College Communications to initiate appropriate notifications
to the campus community. Closings/delays may affect only non-essential
administrative offices, or, the Dean of the College may determine the need to
cancel classes, depending on the nature of the emergency.
Faculty and Staff should be alert to regular communication methods through the
campus home page (updated by 7:00 a.m. with closing/delay information), email,
voice mail and cell phones. Where these methods are not effective, phone trees
or other departmental methods of reaching personnel should be used. In extreme
emergency situations, an announcement will be broadcast through local radio
and/or television stations. When in doubt, employees should seek guidance from
their supervisor.
Faculty:
Unless the Dean of the College delays or cancels classes, individual faculty will determine whether classes meet based on their ability to come to campus safely. Faculty will notify students of class cancellations or alternative arrangements for learning during the inclement weather (Moodle assignments/readings, independent study, group work on campus, etc.) via established procedures.
Essential Staff:Because Cornell is a residential campus, services to students must continue to be provided requiring essential staff to work. Essential services include dining services, facilities management, campus safety, residence life, the information desk, the health center and cleaning services. Staff who work in these areas are considered “essential staff” and are expected to work during times when non-essential offices are closed. Depending on scheduled campus activities, there may be times when other services are also deemed essential. Each division head will inform others when they are deemed essential.
When advance planning is possible, essential staff may contact Human Resources, Student Affairs or Academic Affairs to determine if there is any on-campus housing available for them to take a rest break or when necessary, to spend the night.
Those essential staff paid hourly and required to work during a delay or closing will be paid one and one-half times their standard hourly rate of pay for hours worked during a delay or office closing. Those essential staff classified as exempt will be given one hour of vacation time for each two hours worked during a delay or office closing. In order to qualify for this pay/vacation time, on the next available working day, it is necessary for the division head to send an email to Human Resources listing those essential staff who worked and hours worked.
Non-Essential Staff:
If a decision is announced to close administrative offices or to delay the start of the working day, non-essential staff may elect to stay home and will be paid for those hours at their regular rate. Non-essential staff who voluntarily elect to come to work during a delay or closing, or who elect to work from home, will not be further compensated.
Note: For road condition updates: http://www.iowaroadconditions.com/
In all situations, safety of students, faculty and staff is the number one concern. Please utilize your own discretion and judgment when determining whether or not to travel in inclement weather situations and communicate closely with your supervisor.
Employment
Status
Full-time Regular: Employees who normally work 37.50 hours per
week, 10-months or more per year.
Part-time Regular: Employees who
normally work more than 20 hours but less than 37.50 hours per week, 9-months or
more per year.
Part-time: Employees who normally work less than 20 hours
per week.
Temporary: Individuals hired to work for a specific period of time,
normally not to exceed 6 months.
Non-Exempt Employees
Those employees paid on an hourly basis who are
eligible for overtime earnings.
Exempt Employees
Those employees who meet the definition of salaried
employees (title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 541) are not
eligible for overtime compensation. However, the nature of the position may
require that periodically additional hours be worked.
Time Reporting Procedures (Revised January 2010)
Non-Exempt Hourly Staff
Non-exempt hourly staff are
required by the Fair Labor Standards Act to complete time cards. To comply with
this regulation, employees must record the hours worked each day on a time card.
The time card is signed by the employee, approved by the supervisor, and
submitted to the Human Resources Office.
Full-time
The pay period for full-time hourly employees
is from the first of the month to the end of the month. Full-time employees are paid based on the number of working days (varies per month) for the current month worked, with any adjustments for sick time, vacation and overtime from the prior pay period.
Click here for full-time hourly time card due dates for 2010.
The normal work week is 37.50 hours, paid at straight time. Hours worked beyond 37.50, but less than 40 hours per week, will be compensated at straight time or compensatory time off during the same pay period. Any hours worked in excess of 40 will be compensated, by overtime pay, at time and one-half. Time cards must reflect compensatory time off or overtime worked, both of which must be authorized in advance and approved by the supervisor.
Questions regarding time cards should be directed to the Human Resources Office or payroll coordinator.
Part-time
Click here for the part-time hourly time card due dates for 2010.
Exempt Administrative Staff
The pay period for exempt administrative staff
is from the first of the month to the end of the month. The nature of exempt
positions requires that additional hours may be needed in carrying out the
responsibilities of the job. These additional hours are not compensated. Exempt
administrative staff will complete a monthly report that records vacation and
sick time.
Pay Procedures
Employees are paid on the last
working day of the month. Paystubs will be delivered in campus mail, unless
other arrangements are made with the Human Resources Office. Electronic direct
deposit of payroll checks is required to a financial institution within the United States.
Jury Duty
On occasion, an employee may be required
to serve on jury duty. Cornell encourages its employees to accept and perform
their duties as citizens. All regular part-time and full-time employees will
continue to receive their regular pay while serving on jury duty. The employee
will reimburse the College for any additional monies received as compensation
for jury duty, other than mileage reimbursement. A person serving on a jury is
expected to report to work when the jury is recessed.
Military Leave
Employees are entitled to a
military leave of absence without pay for service in the armed forces of the
United States or in a state National Guard. Short leaves may be with pay if they
are charged to accumulated vacation. When called to duty, contact the Human
Resources Office regarding benefit status during the leave.
Performance Evaluation Review Process
A
good performance appraisal provides a basis for both assessing job performance
and establishing communication between the supervisor and employee. Periodic
discussions in this framework are helpful in the development of mutual
understanding between the employee and supervisor with regard to job duties and
responsibilities. These discussions and the feedback they include provide an
opportunity for an employee to assess how he/she is doing and to set new
objectives for the future.
Staff Wage and Salary Administration
Cornell is
committed to a total compensation program, which includes salaries, wages, and
benefits. The goal of the salary administration process is to provide each
employee with a salary that is internally equitable and externally competitive.
In addition, the compensation program provides a basis for job comparison both
within and outside of the College which will aid in recruiting and provide a
rationale for salary decisions.
The compensation program at Cornell, incorporating the institution's goals,
has the following objectives:
· To provide staff with compensation that is
externally competitive, so as to attract and retain qualified employees;
· To
provide a wage and salary program that is internally equitable for staff;
·
To ensure that the staff compensation program of the College has a high priority
in the planning and building of the College's budget;
· To provide a
compensation program that, as appropriate, assists supervisors and
administrators in encouraging staff members to maximize their job performance;
and
· To ensure that wages and salaries are periodically reviewed and
appropriately revised to reflect changing conditions.
Further information regarding compensation can be obtained from the Human Resources Office.
If a dispute arises between employees or an employee and his or her supervisor, Cornell's policy is to encourage the parties to resolve the dispute through discussion between the parties. If resolution is not obtained at this level, then the parties should contact their immediate supervisor to assist in the resolution of the matter. If the dispute involves allegations of sexual harassment or other discriminatory actions, then the procedures set forth in the Anti-Discrimination Policy, listed on pages 17 and 18 of this handbook, should be followed.
Resignation/Termination of
Employment
Staff employees may leave the employment of the College for a
variety of reasons. Normally, when a staff employee resigns, a written notice
outlining the anticipated last day of employment is given to the immediate
supervisor and a copy sent to the Director of Human Resources. A minimum
two-week notice is expected. If the College terminates a staff member, the same
minimum notification will normally be given. The College may provide no notice
to those employees for whom there are serious performance issues or issues of
misconduct.
Employees terminating for any reason will be paid vacation earned, but not yet taken as of the last day of work. Holidays which follow the last day of work will not be paid. Group health, life, and disability insurance will be continued through the end of the month in which the termination occurs. Specific information on continuation and conversion will be made available to departing employees during the exit interview.
The termination process includes an exit interview with the Director of Human Resources, the return of I.D. card, keys, library books, and any other College property, and consultation with the Office of Human Resources about benefits and paid vacation time.
Benefits
Insurance benefits are governed by the detailed language in the insurance contracts and Summary Plan Descriptions. Cornell reserves the right to add, change, or terminate any provisions addressed in the benefits listed below. All regular employees working half-time or more, at least 1,000 hours per year, are eligible for fringe benefits. Regular employees working full-time 10 months are eligible for full-time benefits. Vacation and sick time benefits are prorated for employees working less than 12 months full-time. Part-time regular employees are eligible for benefits on a prorated basis. Part-time employees working less than 20 hours a week (less than 1,000 hours per year) and temporary employees are eligible for worker compensation and social security benefits. Benefits begin the first of each month, unless noted otherwise.
Health Insurance
An employee is eligible to
participate in the College's group health insurance on the first day of the
month following the employee's date of hire. When the first day of employment
falls on the first day of a month, the employee is eligible to participate in
the plan on that date. The Cornell College Health Care Plan (Jan. 1, 2006) is
administered through First Administrators, Inc. The monthly premium will be
deducted on a pre-tax basis from the employee's regularly scheduled paychecks.
pre-tax deductions are subject to IRS regulations which restrict changes during
the plan year, with exception to those caused by a change in family status; such
as marriage, divorce, or employment change of the insured or their spouse. An
outline of the current health care plan and their cost can be found at: http://www.cornellcollege.edu/human_resources/renewal/health_insurance_R.shtml.
Contact the Human Resources Office for further information and current
costs.
Employees may change their health coverage election on an annual basis through open enrollment that is effective with the plan year beginning January 1. If you waive coverage for yourself and/or your eligible dependent(s) and later wish to apply for coverage at a time other than the annual open enrollment period, you must provide a certificate of continuous health insurance coverage from your current provider, or have experienced a change in family status. (Note: changes made for reasons other than family status must be made in accordance with any applicable IRS restrictions.)
Group health insurance will terminate at the end of the month following the termination date from the College, unless COBRA is elected. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA) ensures continuation of group health insurance coverage up to 18 or 36 months for most employees who are longer eligible for coverage under the group plan. COBRA coverage also applies to employees' spouses/domestic partners, and dependents. Employees are given a copy of their rights under this Act at the time of employment. Information regarding COBRA can be obtained from the Human Resources Office.
The Human Resources Office should be notified within 30 days of any qualifying event such as a divorce, legal separation, or a child losing dependent status that can affect the group health insurance coverage. Employees or family members have 60 days from the date of the event or the date on which coverage would end under the plan because of the event, whichever is later.
Dental Insurance (added to benefit package Jan. 1,
2005)
An employee is eligible to participate in voluntary dental insurance on
the first day of the month following the employee’s date of hire. When the first
day of employment falls on the first day of a month, the employee is eligible to
participate in the plan on that date. Delta Dental insures this plan and 20%
annual participation is required to offer this benefit plan. The monthly premium
will be deducted on a pre-tax basis from the employee’s regularly scheduled
paychecks. Pre-tax deductions are subject to IRS regulations which restrict
changes during the plan year, with exception to those caused by a change in
family status; such as marriage, divorce, or employment change of the insured or
their spouse. Information regarding the dental plan can be found at: http://www.cornellcollege.edu/human_resources/renewal/dental_info.shtml.
Contact the Human Resources Office for further information.
Vision Plan (added to benefits package
Jan. 1, 2007)
An employee is eligible to participate in voluntary vision plan
on the first day of the month following the employee’s date of hire. When the
first day of employment falls on the first day of a month, the employee is
eligible to participate in the plan on that date. Avesis of Iowa administers
this plan and a minimum of 10 employees must participate in order to offer this
benefit. This plans assists with the retail cost incurred when purchasing
glasses or contact lenses. The monthly premium will be deducted on a pre-tax
basis from the employee’s regularly scheduled paychecks. Pre-tax deductions are
subject to IRS regulations which restrict changes during the plan year, with
exception to those caused by a change in family status; such as marriage,
divorce, or employment change of the insured or their spouse. Information
regarding the vision plan can be found at: http://www.cornellcollege.edu/human_resources/renewal/vision_info.shtml.
Contact the Human Resources Office for further information.
Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical and Dependent
Care)
(Revised Jan. 04)
All employees eligible for fringe benefits may
choose to have pre-tax money deducted from their regular paychecks and deposited
into one or both of the reimbursement accounts. Under the current IRS rules, any
money deposited into a reimbursement account for which the employee has not
incurred an eligible expense during the plan year (January 1 - December 31)
cannot be returned and is forfeited. Claims for reimbursement of eligible
expenses may be submitted at any time during the plan year. Employees have 90
days following the end of the plan year to submit eligible expenses incurred
during the plan year.
In order to be reimbursed for eligible expenses, the employee must complete a Flexible Benefits Request for Reimbursement form. Withdrawal Requests will be reimbursed weekly. Further information and the Flexible Benefits Request for Reimbursement form can be found at http://www.cornellcollege.edu/human_resources/renewal/flex_benefits_info.shtml, or contact the Human Resources Office for further information.
Medical Reimbursement Account
Eligible employees may begin participation
in this program on the first day of the month following initial employment.
Employees may deposit up to $5,000 per plan year (January 1 - December 31) and
use the money to pay for medical costs that are not covered by health insurance
for themselves and/or their dependents. The total annual amount deposited by the
employee will be deducted in equal monthly installments from their paychecks.
Examples of eligible expenses are: dental expenses, vision and hearing exams,
prescription drugs, eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, and
deductibles.
Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
Eligible employees may begin
participation in this program on the first day of the month following initial
employment. Employees may deposit up to $5,000 per plan year (up to $2,500 for
married participants filing separately) and use the money to cover work-related
child care expenses for either children under the age of 13 who qualify as
dependents on the employee's federal income tax return, or other dependents who
qualify as federal tax dependents who are physically or mentally incapable of
self-care, regardless of age, such as elderly parents whom the employee
supports.
Note: If the daycare facility's enrollment is more than six, the facility must be licensed in order to qualify for the dependent care reimbursement account.
Life/AD&D Insurance
The College provides group
term life insurance for eligible employees equal to 100% of their annual base
salary. This coverage amount will decrease to 50% of the annual base salary when
the employee reaches age 70. From age 75-79 coverage amount will decrease to 30%
of the annual base salary and at age 80 and over, coverage amount decreases to
20%. This insurance may be converted to an individual policy upon
termination.
Supplemental group life insurance is available to qualified employees. Information regarding this benefit can be obtained from the Human Resources Office.
Long Term Disability Insurance
The College provides
long term disability insurance for all eligible employees. There is a 90- day
waiting period from the date of hire before the coverage becomes effective. This
benefit provides up to 60% of basic monthly earnings not to exceed the maximum
monthly benefit of $7,000, less other sources of income. Other income benefits
include, but are not limited to: Worker's Compensation, other group disability
insurance plan benefits, government benefits act or law, and Social
Security.
While receiving disability benefits, the insurance carrier will continue to make contributions to the employee's retirement plan provided:
a) the contributions are being paid at the time the disability starts;
and
b) the insured does not elect to receive retirement benefits during
disability.
After satisfying the 90-day elimination period, all claims are filed through the Director of Human Resources. This requires completion of forms by the employer, employee, and physician.
Worker's Compensation
All employees of the
College are covered under the Iowa Worker's Compensation Act for accidents and
occupational diseases that are caused by, arise out of, or occur in the course
of employment at Cornell, including medical expenses and compensation as
provided by statute. Cornell employee benefits will continue uninterrupted until
the employee has reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), and an assessment of
ability to return to work has been made.
If you are injured or think you have been injured while working, no matter how slight, you must report the injury immediately to your supervisor and to the Human Resources Office in order to protect your eligibility for compensation. You will also need to fill out a work injury report.
Business Travel Accidental Death Insurance
All
employees are covered by a College-paid Accidental Death and Dismemberment
Insurance policy for any accident that occurs on official college travel outside
Mount Vernon. The coverage is based on two times the annual base salary with a
minimum coverage of $50,000 and maximum of $300,000.
Additional Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance is available to eligible employees. Information regarding this insurance can be obtained from the Human Resources Office.
TIAA-CREF Retirement Program (updated 7/1/2010)
Teacher's Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA) and College Retirement Equity Fund (CREF) is the retirement program administrator for Cornell College. All employees who work 1,000 hours or more on a regular basis in a Plan Year (January 1 - December 31) are eligible to participate in the program after completing one year of service. Uninterrupted years of service with any other educational organization will be counted as satisfying this requirement. Employees are notified when they are eligible to participate and provided more information by the Human Resources Office.Effective July 1, 2010, the College will contribute 4.6% of compensation (less overtime, vacation pay-out and cell phone allowances) earned after July 1, 2010, contingent on the employee contributing 2.5% of compensation. For employees working less than 12 month schedules, but electing to be paid out over 12 months, this increase will occur on September 1, 2010. All contributions are fully and immediately vested.
All employees are also eligible to participate in the supplemental retirement plan (GSRA) through TIAA-CREF. There is no waiting period, and all contributions are made by the participant. Participants may contribute any amount up to his/her individual annual maximum. The Human Resources Office computes the individual maximum. Further information can be obtained from the Human Resources Office.
Additional information on TIAA-CREF can be found at: www.tiaa-cref.org.
Holidays (updated 7/1/09)
Cornell College observes the following holidays each year:
New Year's Day
Half-day on Good Friday (offices close
at noon)
Memorial Day (holiday not observed if classes are in session, and some offices may remain open regardless)
Independence Day
Thanksgiving (1/2 day prior to Thanksgiving Day and full day on Thursday)
Friday after Thanksgiving
Winter Break/Christmas (dates determined annually)
Holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday will be observed on the same day as the state and federal government offices observe the holiday.
In order to best serve students, the college will not observe holidays when classes are in session.
For the 2011-2012 year, the college will observe 13 holidays.
Vacation benefits are available for employees who work 1000 or more hours per year. Vacations are an important respite for all employees, and employees are encouraged to use their accumulated vacation annually.
All vacation time needs to be approved by the supervisor. Whenever possible, the College will grant earned vacation at the convenience of the employee. However, departmental needs must be met, and vacation time should not be scheduled nor taken without prior request and approval.
New employees who begin working on or before the 15th of the month will receive vacation time credit for that month. Employees hired on or after the 16th of the month will not accrue vacation time for that month.
Vacation time is accrued on a monthly basis through payroll. The maximum amount of vacation time will not accrue beyond one and one-half times the employee's applicable yearly accrual amount. When this maximum is reached, no vacation will be accrued until the total amount has been reduced below the maximum.
Employees terminating for any reason will be paid their remaining accrued vacation. Employees who terminate employment from the college will receive full vacation time credit for the month in which they are terminated only if the termination date falls on or after the 15th of the month.
- If you are paid on an hourly basis and work an 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 month schedule your accrual rate schedule is #1
- If you are paid on an exempt basis and work a 9, 10 or 11 month schedule your accrual rate schedule is #2
- If you are paid on an exempt basis and work a 12 month schedule your accrual rate schedule is #2
Accrual Rate Schedule #1
0-2 years 6.88 hours/month
3-4 years 7.50 hours/month
5-9 years 11.25 hours/month
10 years or more 14.38 hours/month
Accrual Rate Schedule #2
0-9 years 13.33 hours/month
10 years or more 15.33 hours/month
Note: If you work full-time, less than 12 months you will accrue vacation only during the months you work.
Part-time employees (those that work less than 40 hours/week for exempt employees and 37.5 hours/week for non-exempt employees), will accrue pro-rated vacation hours during the months in which they work. For example, if working 80%-time, vacation would be pro-rated by 80% per monthly accrual during the months worked.
Sick Leave
The College provides a sick leave benefit to
protect the employee's income during periods of personal illness, injury, or
medical appointment. Non-exempt regular full-time staff earn paid
sick leave at the rate of one day per month up to a maximum accumulation of 90
days. Non-exempt regular part-time staff earn sick leave on a pro-rated rate. Exempt employees are covered for a
period of up to 90 days per calendar year for personal illness. Employees who become sick or
disabled for 90 consecutive days become eligible to apply for long term disability
insurance. Sick leave may be used for illness, injury, or medical appointment of
a family member. (See Family Medical Leave on following page.) Accrued sick
leave is not paid to an employee upon termination.
Family and Medical Leave (Revised October 2008)
Cornell College
understands the importance of family issues to its employees. Because employees
may find it necessary to take leave from their jobs for a temporary period to
address certain family medical responsibilities or their own serious health
condition, and in order to comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
(FMLA), the College has established the following family and medical leave
policy and procedures.
Eligibility
To be eligible, employees must have worked a minimum of 1250
hours during the 12-month period preceding the start of the leave. Leaves of
absence will be granted for the following reasons:
Medical Leave
- Employee's serious health condition that renders him/her unable to perform his/her essential job functions.
Family Leave
- The birth, adoption, foster care placement, or first-year care of a child.
- To care for a spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent of the employee if that individual has a serious health condition.
Service Member Leave
- A qualifying exigency arising out of a covered family member's active duty or call to active duty in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency plan.
- To care for a covered family member who has incurred an injury or illness inthe line of duty while on active duty in the Armed Forces provided that such injury or illness may render the family member medically unfit to perform duties of the member's office, grade, rand or rating.
If the leave is for birth, adoption, or foster care placement, the leave must be completed within 12 months of the date of birth or placement.
*All employees, regardless of hours worked or tenure, are elgible for 8 weeks of unpaid leave for disability due to pregnancy, childbirth, or legal abortion under Iowa Code 216.6.
Procedures for Requesting Leave
Employees must give the College 30 days
advance notice for foreseeable family or medical leaves. If the need for family
or medical leave is not foreseeable, notice must be given by the employee as
soon as possible and practicable. Except in cases of extreme medical
emergencies, the employee is expected to advise his/her supervisor as soon as
he/she knows of the need for and expected duration of the leave.
Employees requesting leave must complete a Family and Medical Leave Request Form from the Human Resources Office. The employee will need to provide his/her supervisor and the Human Resources Office with a copy of the completed Family and Medical Leave Request Form.
Any request for leave based on a serious health condition, whether it involves the employee or a family member, must be supported by the appropriate medical certification. In all cases of leave for a serious health condition, the College reserves the right to request another medical opinion at the College's expense.
For service member leave arising out of exigency, the College reserves the right to request supporting documentation showing that the service member has been called to active duty.
Employees will be notified in writing by the Human Resources Office of the terms and conditions of their leave. This written notice will reflect the decision of the division head and the supervisor in consultation with the Director of Human Resources.
Length of Leave
Employees can take up to twelve weeks of leave under this
policy during any twelve-month period. This leave may be taken intermittently or
applied to a reduced work-week or work-day schedule. The leave will be measured
as a rolling twelve month period measured backwards from the date any leave was
taken under this policy. When both husband and wife work for the College, they
are limited to a combined total of 12 weeks for birth or placement of a child,
the care of a parent with a serious health condition or for exigency leave for a service member.
Substituting Paid Leave
An employee is required to substitute at least 50%
of his/her available accrued vacation for any part of leave granted under this
policy which would otherwise be unpaid. The employee may elect to use 100% of
his/her accrued vacation. The election to use additional vacation beyond the
required 50% substitution as paid leave that is substituted for unpaid leave
must be made before the leave ends.
Where other College policies provide a greater leave benefit than the Family and Medical Leave, the other policy will prevail. However, any leave under the FMLA will run concurrently with such leave until exhausted.
Workers' Compensation Medical Leave
An employee who is injured on the job
will receive workers' compensation following 3 days off from work as provided
under state compensation law. The workers' compensation leave and FMLA will run
concurrently.
Benefits During Leave
Group Health Insurance: During an approved leave the College will maintain the employee's group health insurance. The employee is required to continue to pay his/her contribution for medical insurance cost. The contribution will be deducted from the employee's paycheck during the leave if the employee is being paid. If the employee is on unpaid leave, the contribution will be billed to his/her AR account which is payable upon receipt of the statement.
Other Benefits: Other benefits normally provided to an employee will be provided to the employee only if permitted by the plan document governing the provision of benefits.
Upon return from FMLA, an employee may be returned to the same participant
status in those employee benefit plans in which the employee participated prior
to the FMLA leave.
In the event that an employee fails to return from family
or medical leave, or returns but stays less than 30 days, the employee will owe
the College the cost of any benefits provided during the entire duration of the
leave, including the employer's contribution to the employee's group health
benefits. No such amount will be owed if there is a recurrence or onset of a
serious health condition, or in the opinion of the College, there is a change of
circumstance beyond the employee's control.
Return from Leave
Employees returning from leave will be reinstated to the
same or equivalent position. If the employee was on medical leave, medical
certification may be required verifying ability to return to work.
Failure to return to work after the expiration of the leave will result in termination of employment and benefits, with the exception of COBRA benefits.
Funeral Leave (Revised August 2010)
When death occurs in the immediate family of an employee, such employee shall be entitled up to a maximum of five (5) work days emergency leave with pay in the amount of straight time earnings lost by him/her to make arrangements for and/or attend the funeral. An employee's immediate family shall be considered as husband, wife, domestic partner, child, mother, father or grandchild, and similar in-law family members. An employee shall be entitled up to a maximum of three (3) days for any death of a grandfather, grandmother, sister, brother, one (1) day for the death of an uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or cousin, (3) hours for local funeral of friend. The employee must notify the personnel office of the funeral. The College may request proof of relationship.
Employee Assistant Program (EAP)
Cornell recognizes
that at times employees experience problems that may benefit from professional
consultation. These problems might include financial difficulties, drug or
alcohol abuse, emotional stress, legal concerns, or other family problems.
Resolution of such problems should be beneficial to all involved; improving
family life, work performance, and overall productivity. The Cornell Employee
Assistance Program has been established to insure that employees have an
effective means of resolving problems.
This program is available to all College regular part-time and full-time employees who qualify for benefits and health insurance coverage through Cornell. The EAP coverage is equally available to dependents of employees. The basic policy is to insure employees and dependents receive counseling and guidance for any personal problem that may affect quality of life and/or work performance.
The Human Resources Office is responsible for the administration of the Cornell Employee Assistance Program. Mercy Hospital Employee Assistance Program from Cedar Rapids will provide the counseling and guidance services.
Employees are assured of strict confidentiality. Clients' records are considered to be Mercy EAP property and will not be available to Cornell without a release of information form signed by the client.
At no cost to the employee or dependent, the Mercy Employee Assistance Program counselor will provide any counseling or assistance which is necessary. During these counseling sessions, the counselor will evaluate the situation and may outline alternative solutions and community resources available to help the person with his/her problem. With client consent, the counselor will make the necessary arrangements for alternative resources. Such referrals may incur a cost to the employee which may or may not be covered through medical insurance or the medical reimbursement spending account.
Cornell encourages employees and family members to seek assistance on their own initiative. The first step is to call the EAP at Mercy, 398-6694 or 800-383-6694 and arrange a personal visit to the Mercy Center. All communication between the employee and the counselor will be held in strict confidence unless the employee's request in writing that Cornell be notified.
Time away from work for treatment will be calculated in the same manner as any other absence due to illness, injury, or other personal reasons.
Hilltop Fitness Club Membership
Employees and
their immediate family members are welcome to use the athletic facilities at no
cost. Individual membership cards are available upon request from the Hilltop
Fitness Club. The policies governing use of the facility for Hilltop Fitness
Club members will apply to all staff and their families.
Tuition Remission and Tuition Exchange (updated Oct. 06)
Eligibility: Qualified dependents of full-time employees and retirees (as defined below).
Definitions:
Benefit Waiting Period: Time which must elapse, commencing upon employee’s full-time start date, before employee’s dependent may apply for tuition remission or tuition exchange.
Dependent Children: Natural and adopted children of the employee and
- Claimed as a dependent on either the employee’s or the custodial parent’s income tax return during each year of the employee’s participation in the tuition remission program, or
- Stepchildren, over half of whose support is received from the employee
during each year of the employee’s participation in the program,
and
- Less than twenty-three (23) years of age by December 31 st of each academic
year in which the dependent participates in the program,
and
- Dependent must meet the criteria outlined in the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. All of the following must be answered no in
order for the student to qualify as a dependent:
- As of today, is the student married?
- Does the student have children whom they support at least 50%?
- Does the student have dependents (other than children or a spouse) who live with her/him and for whom she/he provides more than 50% of their support?
- Is the student a veteran?
Disabled: an employee who has applied for long-term disability benefits through the Cornell LTD program and subsequently receives benefits at the end of the ninety (90)-day elimination period, or who is receiving social security disability benefits.
Full-time employee : those working a minimum of thirty seven and one-half (37.5) hours per week, nine (9) months per calendar year.
Qualified dependent : Dependent children less than twenty three (23) years of age, spouse or domestic partner.
Retiree: an employee who has retired from Cornell with a minimum of fifteen (15) years of full-time service, having earned seventy-five (75) points as calculated by years of service + age
Tuition Exchange: Upon meeting the school’s admission requirements, the ability to receive all or partial waiver of tuition at a school participating in either the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) remission exchange program, or the National Tuition Exchange program.
Tuition Remission: The waiver of tuition fees for attendance at Cornell College.
Benefit Waiting Periods for Qualified Dependents of Employees
- Employee hired prior to July 1, 2003: Dependent Children, Spouse or Domestic Partner; two (2) years for Tuition Remission or Tuition Exchange (dependent children only)
- Employee hired on or after July 1, 2003:
- Dependent Children: two (2) years for Tuition Remission; four (4) years for Tuition Exchange
- Spouse or Domestic Partner: one (1) year for Tuition Remission; Tuition Exchange is not available
- New Employees hired on or after July 1, 2003, with at least six (6) years of continuous service at another institution of higher education: immediate eligibility for Dependent Children, Spouse, or Domestic Partner
Death or Disability Dependents (children/spouse/domestic partner) of employees who become disabled, or die while a dependent is actively receiving benefits under the Tuition Remission or Exchange program will continue to receive benefits in accordance with the plan, as though the employee remained actively employed.
Tuition Remission Program (attending college at Cornell) Qualified dependents/spouse/domestic partner may enroll at Cornell College on either a full-time or part-time basis.
Length of time for participation: four (4) years, thirty-two (32) course credits or graduation, whichever comes first.
Application of other sources of aid: any grants received through federal or state sources, as well as any merit scholarship received from the college will be deducted from the tuition remission benefit.
Student Loan Eligibility: may be included in a financial assistance package, but will be applied only towards room, board and fees.
Withdrawals: Students who withdraw from Cornell must reapply for tuition remission if they want to continue in the program. First-year and returning students are given priority consideration.
Termination of Employment: If an employee’s employment terminates while a dependent is on tuition remission, benefits will cease at the end of the semester in which the student was enrolled, following date of termination.
Tuition Exchange programs through ACM or the National
Length of participation: Benefits are available for a cumulative total of eight (8) semesters, or upon graduation, whichever occurs first.
Program Parameters: The ACM schools have committed to a general set of rules detailed below. Schools participating in the National exchange program have a right to set their own policies governing the administration of tuition grants, academic scholarships, and outside grants and scholarships to the tuition remission or exchange award. It is advisable to clarify with each institution whether or not tuition remission applies to study abroad or off-campus programs.
ACM Tuition Remission Exchange Program (TREP)
Qualified, degree-seeking dependents may make application to schools participating in the ACM Tuition Remission program (participating schools detailed at: http://www.cornellcollege.edu/financial_assistance/exchange.shtml), and must meet admission requirements as determined by the school.
Benefits Available :
Beginning Fall 2007 the ACM has revised their tuition remission program, with a three (3) year phase-in plan.
- Current participants: Benefits will continue at the level granted for Fall 2006, throughout the duration of participation in the program.
- New participants beginning Fall 2007: The participating ACM college will grant 75% tuition remission, with Cornell College providing an additional 25%, for a total of 100% tuition remission for the duration of participation in the program.
- New participants beginning Fall 2008: The participating ACM college will grant 60% tuition remission, with Cornell College providing a minimum of an additional 20%, for a total of 80% tuition remission for the duration of participation in the program.
- New participants commencing in the Fall 2009 and future years: The participating ACM college will grant 50% tuition remission, with Cornell College providing a minimum of an additional 30%, for a total of 80% tuition remission for the duration of participation in the program.
Beginning in Fall 2008, Cornell will annually conduct a cost-benefit analysis of its level of participation in the ACM tuition exchange program. The College reserves the right to make adjustments based upon a comparison of tuition dollars received versus tuition dollars expended through the program, with employees receiving a minimum of 80% tuition remission (50% ACM + 30% Cornell). Students will be grandfathered in at the commitment level of their initial year of participation. For the 2011-2012 and 2012-13 academic years, Cornell will pay 50% of the tuition of the ACM school where the student attends, resulting in 100% tuition remission.
Off-Campus Study Colleges will provide the Tuition Remission benefit for students participating in off-campus programs sponsored by the college in which the student is enrolled. “Sponsored by” means the ACM school’s own college professor must be teaching the off-campus program.
Outside Financial Aid Participating students will be required to apply for all aid for which they might qualify. State and Federal aid ordinarily will be credited to the tuition or educational costs paid for by the family.
External aid will be credited in accordance with the following guidelines:
- Students may receive state aid combined with benefits under this program up to the cost of the tuition, as is allowed, even in excess of need in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota.
- Students may receive Federal Pell Grant(s) combined with benefits under this program, up to federal financial need or the cost of tuition, whichever is greater.
- Taking into account numbers one (1) and two (2) above, the participating ACM college will administer private scholarships and other aid according to its usual institutional policies which factor in family contribution, cost of education and other relevant issues. Additionally, institutional merit or need-based aid may be awarded.
Maximum Number of Students Admitted Participating ACM colleges will not place a limit on the number of students to be admitted under this program.
National Tuition Exchange Program
Cornell is one of approximately four hundred (400) institutions of higher education (detailed at http://www.cornellcollege.edu/financial_assistance/exchange.shtml) that participate in this program. Each participating school decides whether or not to grant tuition remission. Participating schools are charged with the responsibility of maintaining an overall balance of “imported students” versus “exported students”, resulting in variance from year-to-year in the number of students who can utilize this program. Since the participating institutions vary so greatly in size and type, tuition exchange policies differ from one school to another. It is necessary to contact each institution directly to determine whether tuition remission is available and, if yes, to what extent. In general, eligible participants should submit a “Tuition Exchange Certification Form” (available in the Financial Assistance Office at Cornell) to the participating school at the same time they make application for admission.
According to its balance of “imports” versus “exports”, Cornell may find it necessary to limit its number of “exports”. Priority for participation in the program may be set by the employee’s number of eligible years of service. If there is a waiting list for participation, an employee will be limited to one (1) participating dependent at a time.
Questions: Questions, requests for information about participating schools, or application forms should be directed to the Director of Financial Assistance x4216.
College Policies
Anti-Discrimination Statement (Updated Feb. 2012)Cornell College affirms the right of its students, faculty, and staff to live, work, and study in an environment free from discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, national origin, or disability. Discriminatory behavior is a serious violation of community standards and may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination or expulsion.
This policy shall not be construed to discourage legitimate intellectual inquiry, debate, discussion or advocacy on the Cornell campus consistent with principles of academic freedom and free speech rights.
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and is prohibited conduct.
Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, nonverbal, physical, or other conduct of a sexual nature when:
a.
submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or
condition of an individual's academic, extracurricular or employment status;
b. submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the
basis for academic,
grades, academic assignments, promotions, tenure, performance evaluations, pay
adjustments, discipline, work assignments, or receipt of education- or
employment-related benefits; or
c. such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an
individual's
academic, extracurricular or work performance, or of creating an intimidating,
hostile, or offensive educational or working environment.
In addition to sexual harassment, other types of harassment and discriminatory conduct are also prohibited. Prohibited conduct includes but is not limited to unwelcome verbal, non-verbal, physical, or other conduct relating to an individual's race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, or disability, which has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance or participation in College-sponsored programs or activities, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working, learning, social or residential environment.
Discriminatory and harassing conduct will not be tolerated and must not be ignored by victims or witnesses. Any such conduct should be reported promptly to the Dean of Students, the Dean of the College, or the Director of Human Resources, or via a phone hotline at 866-943-5787. If using the phone hotline a third party external to Cornell College will answer the call, assign the employee’s concern a case number and report it to the Vice President for Business Affairs and the Director of Human Resources for follow-up. An Appropriate investigation into the complaint will be conducted.
Any retaliation against a person who reports alleged harassment or discrimination, or against a witness or other participant in an investigation, is strictly prohibited and will be considered a violation of this policy.
Personal Relationships in the Professional
Setting
Romantic or sexual relationships in which one person has
professional responsibility for another are inherently problematic and should be
avoided, even when the relationship is a consensual one. In the collegiate
setting such relationships may have the effect of undermining the atmosphere of
trust on which educational or institutional activities depends and may disrupt
the professional environment. It is therefore inappropriate for members of the
College staff to participate in romantic or sexual relationships with students
or others for whom they have direct educational, advisory, or supervisory
responsibility. If a complaint against any member of the College staff related
to such a romantic or sexual involvement is found to be justified, that staff
member will be held responsible and will face appropriate disciplinary
action.
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
The
College is committed to providing for the needs of all staff, faculty, and
students with qualified disabilities under section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Acts of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. Staff requesting
accommodation for disabilities should contact their supervisor and the Director
of Human Resources. Reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with
disabilities will be provided in as timely a fashion as possible. Documentation
of the disability may be requested.
Cornell College E-mail and Web Policy Statement (Revised Feb. 2003)
The following is a summary of
Cornell's Information Technology Policy, available in full on the Web.
Electronic Mail
E-mail is an official form of college
communications. Members of the Cornell community are expected to access e-mail
daily when on campus.
Your Cornell e-mail account is primarily for business use. E-mail should not be assumed private. The law permits the college to intercept and access e-mail communication when necessary to protect its rights or property.
Avoid sending mass e-mail. Community members should use "Today @ Cornell" (sent Monday-Friday) and the Campus e-Newsletter (sent Wednesdays) to disseminate news of general interest. Personal messages, non-college activities, political/social/religious statements, business opportunities, and advertising should not be posted.
Except for legitimate academic uses you may not use any Cornell College
computer property for any of the following:
· In connection with any
infringements of another person's intellectual property rights;
· In
connection with any attempt to penetrate computer or network security of any
system, or to gain unauthorized access or attempted access to any other person's
computer, e-mail, or voicemail accounts or equipment;
· To communicate
sexually explicit messages, images, cartoons, or jokes;
· To repeat
communication of unwelcome sexual propositions, unwelcome requests for dates, or
unwelcome love letters;
· To communicate profanity, obscenities, slander, or
libel;
· To communicate ethnic, religious, or racial slurs; or
· To
communicate any other message of harassment or disparagement of others based
upon sex, race, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, or
religious beliefs.
Web pages
Style and design guidelines and
templates shall be used in preparing college Web pages. Every page shall include
an e-mail address for its Information Provider, who shall be expected to reply
in a timely and responsible fashion to e-mail inquiries generated by the pages
and to Webmaster queries related to the pages. Information Providers are
responsible for keeping information as accurate and up-to-date as possible and
grammatically correct and free of spelling errors.
E-commerce is not permitted except with approval from the Vice President for Business Affairs. Fund-raising is not permitted except with approval from the Director of College Advancement.
Software
Cornell prohibits software piracy and copyright
infringement.
Cornell College Nepotism Policy (Added July 2002)
The College may employ relatives of
employees as long as they work in different offices and departments. Temporary
employment of a relative in the same office may be allowed in unusual
circumstances. . The President, in consultation with the Director of Human
Resources, must approve any exceptions to this policy. The President and Dean of
the College must approve exceptions as they involve faculty members
Whistleblower Policy (Updated Feb. 2012)
Cornell
College affirms its
dedication to the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, and
high quality in our education and administration. The College welcomes and encourages the
reporting of policy and compliance concerns.
Reporting assists us in our obligation to embrace the concepts noted
above as well as to maintain compliance with all governmental laws and
regulations as well as college policies.
This policy applies to all employees (faculty, staff, student employees,
and volunteers).
Fraudulent or
Dishonest Conduct
Fraudulent or Dishonest conduct is a deliberate act or
failure to act with the intention of obtaining a material unauthorized
benefit. Examples of such include, but are not limited to:
- violation of law or government regulation;
- forgery or alteration of documents;
- unauthorized alteration or manipulation of computer files;
- fraudulent financial reporting;
- submitting fraudulent or improper expense account reporting, for example, manipulation of reimbursement expense forms for business transportation, meals and lodging;
- misappropriation or misuse of Cornell’s resources;
- authorizing or receiving compensation for goods not received or services not performed;
- authorizing or receiving compensation not earned.
Whistleblower
A whistleblower is a Cornell employee who reports an activity that he/she considers to be illegal or dishonest to one or more of the parties detailed in this policy. The employee is not responsible for investigating the activity or for determining fault or corrective measures.
Reporting
Written:In order for the college to take necessary internal corrective action, an employee is encouraged to report, in writing, a disclosure of any activity described above as follows:
1) If a student or group of students is accused, the matter should be reported to the Dean of Students.
2) If a faculty member is accused, the Subcommittee on Reappointment, Tenure and Promotion should be notified. They shall hear the case and make appropriate recommendations to the Dean of the College and the President.
3) If a maintenance person is accused, the Vice President for Business Affairs will investigate the matter, with a union steward present during any questioning of the
accused. If any disciplinary measures are taken, the accused may follow the grievance and/or disciplinary procedures in the union contract.
4) If a member of the administrative or hourly staff is accused, the matter should be reported to the Director of Human Resources.
5) If the Director of Human Resources is accused, the matter should be reported to the Vice President for Business Affairs.
6) If a Vice President is accused, the matter should be reported to the President.
7) If the President is accused, the matter will be referred to the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
8) If members of contracted organizations employed by the College, e.g., security services, food services, book store, are accused, contractual procedures will be followed.
The disclosure should be factual and contain as much specific information as possible. If an employee is unwilling or unable to put a disclosure in writing, he/she should report the activity orally to the appropriate college official who will prepare a written summary of the individual’s disclosure, and provide a copy to the individual for accuracy and completeness.
Phone Hotline
Another reporting alternative is use of a phone hotline. Employees may call 866-943-5787 and either use their name, or report anonymously. When an employee calls, a trained specialist will guide them through the details of their concern. They will be given a case number for reference. Using the case number the employee can call the hotline at any time to check on the status of the investigation and learn of any actions taken. This hotline is made available through Educational and Institutional Insurance Administrators, inc. (EIIA).
Reports will be sent to the Vice President of Business Affairs and the Director of Human Resources for follow-up.
All allegations will be investigated by the appropriate college official. All college employees are expected to fully cooperate in the investigation of the allegations. The appropriate corrective action, up to and including termination, will be administered if the investigation finds that an employee engaged in activity as described above.
False Allegations
The employee must exercise sound judgment to avoid making baseless allegations. An employee who intentionally files a false report of wrongdoing may be subject to discipline up to and including termination.
Protections
Whistleblower protections are provided in two important areas – confidentiality and retaliation. Insofar as possible, the confidentiality of the individual providing a written report will be maintained. However, identity may have to be disclosed to conduct a thorough investigation, to comply with the law and to provide accused individuals their legal rights of defense. If identity disclosure becomes necessary, the employee will be notified. Employees who elect to use the phone hotline on an anonymous basis, will stay anonymous unless they elect to reveal their identity. Cornell will not retaliate against a whistleblower. This commitment includes, but is not limited to, protection from retaliation in the form of an adverse employment action such as termination, compensation decreases, or poor work assignments and threats of physical harm. Any reporting individual who believes he/she is experiencing retaliation must contact the Director of Human Resources immediately. All complaints will be investigated promptly and with discretion, and all information obtained will be handled on a “need to know” basis. Any individual found to be retaliating will be disciplined, up to and including termination in accordance with established procedures. The right of a reporting individual for protection against retaliation does not include immunity vis-à-vis any personal wrongdoing that is alleged and investigated.
Questions should be directed to the Director of Human Resources (895-4243).
Statement of Ethical Conduct (Added June 2009)
All employees of Cornell College shall
1. Conduct College business with honesty and integrity, striving for excellence in all aspects of their work
2. Maintain the highest level of personal conduct and ethics, including
a. Respecting the rights and views of students and fellow employees
b. Presenting information honestly and accurately, never plagiarizing or falsely representing personal or professional information
c. Maintaining the confidentiality of information to which they have access and using it only in the discharge of official duties
3. Be familiar with and uphold laws and regulations related to their jobs and the College's activities, and adhere to all College policies and procedures
4. Report unethical, illegal, or fraudulent activities either directly to one's division head or the Director of Human Resources or through the Whistleblower Policy
Conflict of Interest Policy (added May 2009)
Policy
In an effort to preserve institutional integrity, accountability, and fairness, it is appropriate that institutions have conflict of interest policies and procedures. It is the policy of Cornell College that all its employees avoid both conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest whenever possible. This policy establishes a process that assures conflicts of interest are avoided or appropriately disclosed.
A conflict of interest exists when the institution's employees have an outside interest that has the potential of being at variance with the best interests of the institution. This includes, but is not limited to,
- conflicting financial interests
- use of, or unauthorized disclosure of, confidential information for personal gain
- use of institutional time, facilities, or equipment for personal purposes
- supervision of family members or those with whom one has romantic relationships: supervision includes, but is not limited to, the ability to make compensation, hiring, discipline, and termination decisions
Process
If you are unclear about whether any particular behavior would constitute a conflict of interest, consult with
- your direct supervisor or
- your division head or
- the director of human resources
These persons can also offer advice on how to avoid a conflict or, if unavoidable, how to recuse oneself from a conflict of interest situation.
Apparent conflicts should be reported to the director of human resources, who shall confer with the appropriate supervisor or division head or, in the case of the president, with the chair of the board of trustees while preparing to investigate the reported conflict. If conflicts of interest are verified, appropriate actions shall then be taken.
The college will not retaliate against employees for reporting actual or possible violations of the policy and, consistent with the college's Whistleblower Policy, the identity of those providing information about possible violations will be protected within legal limits. Individuals who take retaliatory action may be subject to discipline, consistent with applicable college regulations and processes. The College also may take appropriate disciplinary action if it is found that an employee attempts to discredit another by reporting a conflict of interest that is found to be intentionally fabricated.
Persons found to have violated the Conflict of Interest Policy may appeal the decision following the grievance procedures outlined in the Faculty Handbook or Staff Handbook, as relevant.
Policy Questions
Questions pertaining to this policy should be directed to the director of human resources (x4243), who is also responsible for updating this policy.
The College maintains that the safety and protection of students and employees is one of our greatest concerns. Cornell complies with the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) and all other applicable regulations. Safety is a priority at the College. We make every effort to keep work areas safe and free from hazards. Supervisors are to assist employees with safety and health requirements. Employees are expected to observe all applicable safety requirements, and to immediately report any unsafe or hazardous conditions to their immediate supervisor.
Work Related Injuries
Work related injuries
should be reported immediately to the supervisor and the Human Resources Office.
A work injury report will need to be completed and filed with the insurance
company within twenty-four hours of the injury, whenever possible. The Human
Resources Office should be contacted prior to seeking medical care if it is a
non-emergency situation. For additional information refer to Worker's
Compensation in the Employment section of this Handbook.
Campus Safety/Security
Cornell is concerned
about the safety and well-being of all students, staff, faculty and their
guests. The cooperation and involvement of all community members is essential
for making the campus safe. Students and employees are encouraged to be
responsible for their own security and the security of others, and to take the
responsibility to report any criminal activity occurring on campus to the proper
authorities.
Some of the crime prevention programs and projects employed by Cornell include; emergency telephones, crime prevention presentations, printed crime prevention materials, and sexual violence education and prevention. The Cornell College Campus Safety & Security Report is distributed annually and is available upon request from the Dean of Student's Office.
College Alcohol and Drug Policy
Cornell College
prohibits the unlawful possession, use and distribution of illicit drugs and
alcohol, and expects that students, faculty, and staff members of the College
community will conduct themselves in a responsible manner that shows respect for
others and the community at large. This prohibition applies to all activities
sponsored by the College whether on college owned property or at other
locations. The same behavioral standards apply to all individuals: students,
faculty, staff, and guests of the College community. As part of the larger
community, Cornell is subject to, abides by, and supports Iowa state statutes
and local ordinances.
The College is committed to complying with the requirements of the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act. The requirements for compliance with the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989 are addressed in the alcohol policy which is distributed electronically each year to students, faculty, and staff employees.
Key Issuance
The Dean of Students Office is responsible for
distributing and collecting campus keys. A Key Request Form may be picked up at
the Dean of Students Office. This form requires the supervisor's signature in order to
obtain building and office keys.
The key policy specifies that keys are not to be duplicated, loaned, or used for any purpose other than that approved in advance by the authorizing person. Lost keys are to be reported to the Dean of Students Office at once. If locks need to be rekeyed because of a lost key, a rekeying charge of $50.00 or more per key may be assessed. Failure to return keys when employment ends will result in a $100.00 fine.
Smoking Policy (revised August 2008)
This policy outlines Cornell College's compliance with the Iowa Smokefree Air Act of July 1, 2008.
Policy Questions
Questions pertaining to this policy should be directed to your supervisor, division vice-president, or director of human resources (x4243). It is the responsibility of the director of human resources to keep this policy up-to-date in conjunction with any changes in the legal requirements.
Scope
This policy applies to faculty, staff, students and anyone visiting the Cornell College campus.
Definitions
In accordance with the Smokefree Air Act, smoking is defined as inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, or other tobacco product in any manner or in any form. "Smoking" does not include smoking that is associated with a recognized religious ceremony, ritual, or activity, including but not limited to burning of incense.
Where can smokers go to smoke?
Smoking is allowed on city sidewalks and streets. You can smoke on sidewalks that run parallel with city streets including First Street, Fifth Avenue, and 10th Avenue. You can also smoke on McGregor Lane near Pauley-Rorem. Please ask a campus safety officer if you are unsure if a street or sidewalk is city or college property. We strongly encourage all employees to remember to be good citizens and neighbors. Do not leave cigarette butts lying about, or cause a neighbor distress.
What areas are prohibited to smokers?
Any college owned property or vehicles. This includes inside and outside of buildings, sports venues, rental housing, college owned vehicles, or personal vehicles parked on college owned property and any outdoor space owned by the College.
Procedures and Guidelines
Reporting
We encourage each person to feel comfortable addressing someone who is smoking in an improper place by asking them kindly to stop. If you are not comfortable with this, or the person doesn't respond kindly to you, then feel free to contact Campus Safety at 895-4299.
In order for the college to take necessary internal corrective action, an employee is encouraged to report, preferably in writing, a disclosure of the prohibited smoking as follows:
1) If a student or group of students is accused, the matter should be reported to the Dean of Students.
2) If a faculty member is accused, the matter should be reported to the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College.
3) If a member of the staff or administration is accused, the matter should be reported to the Director of Human Resources.
4) If members of contracted organizations employed by the College, e.g., security services, food services, book store, are accused, the matter should be reported to the Director of Human Resources. Working in conjunction with the divisional vice-president, contractual procedures will be followed.
The disclosure should be factual and contain as much specific information as possible. If an employee is unwilling or unable to put a disclosure in writing, he/she should report the activity orally to the appropriate college official. It is important to note the date, the time and the place that prohibited smoking occurred.
False Allegations
The employee must exercise sound judgment to avoid making baseless allegations. An employee who intentionally files a false report of wrongdoing may be subject to discipline up to and including termination, in accordance with established disciplinary procedures.
Bloodborne Pathogens
Current medical
evidence indicates that the actual safety risks created for the transmission of
the Hepatitis B (HBV) or HIV (AIDS) viruses are low in the College's normal
academic and employment setting. Any employee who may be exposed to body fluids
in the course of employment duties will be given protective wear in order to
minimize the risk of transmission of communicable disease. The College will make
available the Hepatitis B vaccination series to all employees who have the
potential for occupational exposure.
Training is provided annually. For more information, contact the Director of Human Resources.
Infectious Waste
Cornell College has an
infectious waste management plan. The plan is designed to ensure that all
infectious waste is disposed of in a safe manner, avoiding any risk to
employees. For more information, contact the Director of Facilities
Management.
General Services and Other Benefits
Admission to College Events
Members of the
faculty and staff, along with their immediate families are admitted free to all
athletic events, the lecture-artists series, and theatre performances with
Faculty/Staff identification card. Cost of admission to Performing Arts and
Activities Council (PAAC) events varies with each performer or performing group.
Employees and immediate family members will receive the discounted student rate.
Automobile Registration and Parking
All faculty
and staff who operate or park their vehicle on College property must register
their vehicle. Faculty and staff may use the designated parking facilities
available at the following lots: Armstrong, Commons (rear), Sports Center,
Library, Norton-Geology, South Hall, Wade House, and West Science.
Parking permits must be displayed at all times; including evening hours, weekends, breaks and during the summer. (Aug. 05)
The parking permit fee is $35.00. An employee whose annual salary falls below the median salary ($28,500) will pay one-half of the annual fee, $17.50. Staff employees working less than full-time during the academic year will pay a $10.00 fee.
The parking permit hanging tags must be displayed on the rearview mirror of vehicles. Parking permits can be purchased at the Cashier's window in the Business Office. Employees may also request to have the parking permit fee deducted from their payroll check.
A full description of all parking regulations is available on the safety web site, at the Cashier's Window in Old Sem, and the Campus Safety Office in Bowman Carter.
Bookstore
The Cornell College Bookstore is
located on the lower level of The Commons. Office supplies, Cornell memorabilia,
books, candy, and notions are available at the Bookstore. Employees receive a
10% discount on personal purchases.
www.cornellcollege.edu/bookstore
Brackett House
Employees may reserve rooms at
Cornell's Brackett Guest House. The house may also be rented for small
receptions and meetings. Additional information can be found at
http://www.cornellcollege/brackett/. Reservations may be made by calling the
Brackett House hostess.
Campus Newsletter
The Campus e-Newsletter
is distributed by e-mail weekly during the academic year and once a month and/or
on an as-need-basis during the summer months by the Office of College
Communications. This newsletter is the official method used to distribute
important information to employees. All employees are encouraged to read the
Cornell Campus Newsletter on a regular basis. It serves as the official document
of record for Cornell College and contains announcements from academic and
administrative offices, personnel news, information on upcoming events, and a
calendar. Calendar information is taken from the master calendar on the Cornell
Web site.
The Newsletter is sent by e-mail to all faculty, staff, and students on Wednesdays. Items for the Newsletter must be sent in writing or by e-mail to the Office of College Communications no later than 4:00 p.m. Monday the week of publication. Contributions of news items are welcome. All submissions are subject to editing.
Today@Cornell is a weekday supplement of the Campus e-Newsletter and is distributed by e-mail to the entire campus community after 3 p.m. for the next day. It serves as a reminder of the day's events and includes last-minute updates of campus news. Submissions for Today should be sent to lbaltes@cornellcollege.edu by 3:00 p.m. the day prior to publication. Information submitted is subject approval and editing.
Check Cashing (Revised September 2008)
Personal checks up to $100.00 may be
cashed at the Cashier's window in the Business Office. An automatic teller
machine is also available in The Commons for withdrawals, balance inquiries, and
deposits.
Faculty/Staff Identification Cards
All employees
are encouraged to have a photo identification card. Identification cards may be
obtained in the Business Office. In addition to identifying your association
with Cornell, the card is used to gain access to the Hilltop Fitness Center,
admission to athletic and cultural events, and the magnetic bar code is used for
checking out books at the Cole Library and purchasing food service at
Sodexho.
Food Services
Cornell contracts with Sodexho
Dining Services to provide food service on campus. Employees may purchase meals
and snacks at the Rathskeller Snackbar or the student scramble dining area.
Sodexho offers a "munch money" plan which allows employees to purchase snacks or
meals at a discounted rate with their I.D. card.
www.cornellcollege.edu/food_services
Library
All services at the Russell D. College
Library are available to employees. Books may be checked out with an I.D.
card.
www.cornellcollege.edu/library
Mail Service
The Service Center, located in the
lower level of The Commons, offers many postal services including UPS and FedEx.
Services include the delivery of campus mail as well as first class mail and
packages. Employees may purchase stamps, mail packages, print, copy, and FAX
materials at the Service Center. Stamps are also sold at the Cashier's window in
the Business Office.
Master Calendar
A master calendar is
maintained on the Cornell Web site at http://www.cornellcollege.edu/calendar/
. The Office of College Communications is the administrator but the calendar is
maintained by several offices on campus. Every effort is made to keep the
calendar up-to-date and it should be checked when scheduling an event to avoid
conflicts. The calendars for the Newsletter and Today are taken from the master
calendar.
Telephone Usage
Employees are encouraged to
keep personal phone calls to a minimum during College work hours. Each employee
is responsible for auditing his/her itemized monthly telephone account and
reimbursing the College for any personal long distance calls. Payments can be
made at the Cashier's window in the Business Office.
Travel & Entertainment Expense Reimbursement Policy (added June 2009)
Policy
This policy outlines travel and entertainment expense reimbursement guidelines for employees of Cornell College. The policy provides guidelines regarding acceptable levels of travel and entertainment expenses and ensures that Cornell College maintains tax-exempt status through compliance with various Internal Revenue Service (IRS) statutes. In order to maintain IRS compliance, three conditions must be met:
- The purpose for the expense must be related to College business.
- There must be substantiation of the expense - itemized receipts must be submitted showing date, time, place, amount, people involved and purpose for the expense.
- Any advance of funds in excess of the substantiated amount must be returned to the College.
Policy Questions - Questions pertaining to this policy should be directed to your supervisor, division vice-president, controller or director of human resources. It is the responsibility of the director of human resources, in conjunction with the controller and appropriate faculty committee, to update this policy.
Scope - This policy applies to faculty and staff at Cornell College for expenses to be reimbursed by the College. The policy applies to both unrestricted and restricted sources of funds.
Procedures
Travel Guidelines and Reimbursement Procedures
Travel Advances: The immediate supervisor, a vice president, or the President must approve all requests for travel advances. Authorization for travel must consider available budgeted resources. Advances to employees for travel purposes are considered a loan. If the advances are not accounted for as travel expenses, they must be repaid to the College via cash, a personal check, or payroll deduction.
Advances may be obtained by completing Part I on the Travel Loan and Expense Reporting Form (the "Travel Form"). After receiving approval for the advance, forward the Travel Form to the Business Office for funding. The Business Office processes two check runs per week. Submission deadline for approved forms is noon Tuesday and Friday in the Accounts Payable Office, third floor Old Sem. Checks will be ready by 3 p.m. the following Thursday and Tuesday respectively, and taken to the Mail and Service Center for distribution in Friday's and Wednesday's campus mail.
Making Travel Arrangements/Mode of Transportation: Minimizing costs when traveling is extremely important to the mission of the College. When determining the mode of transportation, give consideration to economic as well as practical factors. For example, the College will reimburse reasonable lodging and meal costs for Saturday night stays if to do so results in lower overall costs to the College because of special airfares. Renting a car may cost the College less than driving a personal vehicle depending on the distance and duration of the trip. Please be cost conscious when planning your itinerary by comparing the cost of air vs. ground travel, including parking, and ground travel.
Air Transportation/Rental Vehicles at Destination: Plan early and wisely for air travel; reservations should be made at least 14 - 21 days in advance. Fares can vary greatly depending on timing of reservations, day of departure and layovers. Flexibility on your part can result in cost savings for the College. The college travel agent, Destinations Unlimited (319-393-1539), will bill the College directly for airfare; however less expensive flights can often be found via Internet searches, purchased online using your personal credit card. Please read the fine print carefully when booking an Internet fare as they are sometimes non-refundable and non-transferrable.
If you are traveling by air, the College will reimburse you at the IRS rate per mile for travel to the airport, plus short-term (if someone is dropping you off) or long-term parking fees (if you drive your own car to the airport). Use of the airport shuttle or limo service is discouraged, and should only be used as a last resort or when cheaper than parking. When you arrive at your destination, we encourage you to use public transportation whenever possible. Airports often offer free to low-cost shuttle services to major hotels.
If it is necessary for you to obtain a rental vehicle during your trip, we ask that you select an economy or mid-sized car. Exceptions include requirements for entertainment needs or accommodations for additional people. Pre-arranging car rentals through the Internet before your trip, often results in better pricing. When you return the rental vehicle, ensure the gas tank is full and clean out garbage, etc. Failure to do so results in higher, nonreimburseable costs.
Cornell has a program arrangement through Budget that may offer a better price than standard internet rates. Cornell’s Budget Corporate Discount (BCD) number is Y016500. You need to enter this number at the time of your reservation to get discounted rates. You can make reservations through Budget’s online reservation system. Besides discounted rates, Cornell will receive a $2/per day rebate for certain qualifying rentals. In addition, you can enroll in Budget’s Fastbreak program so you can save time in renting a car. Enrollment is free and you can enroll at https://www.budget.com/budgetweb/profile/fastbreak.ex. Make sure you enter Cornell’s Corporate Discount number when you enroll in Fastbreak.
Personal Auto Transportation: If traveling more than 100 miles/day, it is recommended that a vehicle be rented instead of using a personal vehicle. If a personal vehicle is used when traveling more than 100 miles/day, reimbursement will be made for gas only at a rate of $.12 per mile. If a personal vehicle is used when traveling less than 100 miles/day, reimbursement will be made at the IRS rate per mile (announced each time the IRS rate changes).
Calculate mileage from the College if the travel occurs on a regular business day. If travel occurs on Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday, calculate mileage from your personal residence.
Travelers using their personal vehicles on College business must carry adequate personal liability and property damage coverage. While the College does have liability coverage which protects in the event of an accident for the excess over the traveler's personal coverage, personal insurance coverage is primary.
College-Provided and Rental Vehicles (when leaving from Cornell)
Eligibility: In order to drive a rental vehicle you must be at least 20 years of age and possess a valid driver's license. Before your first rental in each calendar year, a photocopy of your license must be sent to your contact person (see contact persons under request process below).
Request Process: Complete a "Request for Vehicle Rental" form, also available from the Cashier's Desk or your contact person, and send it to the appropriate contact person. Contact persons include:
Athletic staff - Teresa FlockhartFaculty - Jeannie Burns
Advancement - Sheri Hotz
Student Affairs - Carol Stock
All others - RuthAnn Scheer
Your request will be processed by your contact person. Once availability is confirmed, your contact person will send you, as well as the Information Desk, a copy of the confirmation. If a rental vehicle is not available you will need to discuss alternatives with your manager.
The rental vehicle will be delivered per the instructions indicated on the request form (either to the Facilities Management area or Sports Center). The keys will be delivered to the Information Desk and the delivery/return invoice can be found in the vehicle, along with the proof of insurance card found in the glove box.
Use of the Vehicle: Gas credit cards are available from your contact person. Keys and the rental agreement may be picked up from the Information Desk during their normal business hours. (If keys cannot be picked up during these times, call the Information Desk at x4334 and make alternative arrangements).
Prior to leaving, inspect the vehicle and complete the departure information on the delivery/return invoice (trip departure date and time, odometer reading, fuel level, etc.).
When renting a vehicle, you should decline all insurance coverage. The College provides insurance coverage for the vehicle and contents owned by the College. You should obtain a brochure regarding what to do in case of a motor vehicle accident to carry with you when you rent a vehicle. You can obtain a copy of this brochure from the business office or online here. Please note, that the insurance carried by the college does not cover loss of personal items lost or damaged while renting a vehicle.
Return Process: When you return ensure the gas tank is filled and the vehicle is reasonably clean (remove garbage, etc). Complete the return information on the delivery/return invoice (return date and time, odometer reading, fuel level, etc.) and leave it in the vehicle. If any damage was incurred note these under "Problems/Additional Information". Failure to do these things will result in additional charges to the College and will be charged back to you. Lock the vehicle and leave the keys at the Information Desk.
Return gas credit cards and receipts (print your name on each receipt) to your contact person within 24 hours of your return. Failure to do so within thirty days will result in a payroll deduction of the monies advanced to you via the credit cards.
Cancellations: Notify your contact person within 24 hours in advance of your departure time of any need to cancel use of the vehicle. Failure to do so will result in your department being charged for the vehicle.
Lodging: The College will reimburse employees for lodging expenses incurred in connection with authorized travel. When making reservations for overnight accommodations, inform the reservation clerk that you are with a tax-exempt organization. In some cases you will need to show a copy of the tax exemption document (also available in the Business Office). You may also find a better rate through the use of the Internet, charging the room to your personal credit card and then requesting reimbursement. If you utilize the Internet, be cautious about booking a non-refundable rate if it is possible your plans will change. When traveling, lodging and dinner will be reimbursed for an overnight stay for the evening prior to the event/appointment if the event/appointment is held in a city more than 100 miles from Mount Vernon.
Meals: Meals, including gratuities, are reimbursed based on actual submitted expenses with a maximum per diem amount per person of $55 (exceptions made for those cities with higher per diem rates per the IRS schedule. Within this allowance, you may request reimbursement for alcoholic beverages consumed with your meal. The College urges you use prudence in the consumption of alcohol and not to drink and drive.
If you are traveling only a partial day or the event you are attending includes meals, then you will be reimbursed a lesser amount for fewer meals. On the day of departure, the traveler must leave prior to:
- 7:00 a.m. to claim breakfast
- 11:00 a.m. to claim lunch
- 6:00 p.m. to claim dinner
On the date of return, the traveler must return after:
- 8:00 a.m. to claim breakfast
- 1:00 p.m. to claim lunch
- 7:00 p.m. to claim dinner
Partial day meals and gratuities are calculated as follows:
- Breakfast $10
- Lunch $15
- Dinner $30
- Total $55
Parking and Tolls: Actual bridge, tunnel, turnpike and parking expenses may be claimed for reimbursement. The location, date and time of the incurred expense and original receipts (if available) are necessary. Parking or traffic violations received while on College business will not be reimbursed by the College.
Public Transportation: Cabs, hotels/airport shuttle buses, or other forms of public transpiration should be utilized when possible. Original receipts must be turned in for reimbursement.
Telephone and Internet Access: Please use a prepaid long distance phone card or a cell phone to make calls while away from campus. Direct dial calls from hotels can run over $2/minute and are discouraged. Charges for use of wireless internet are reimbursable when used for College business. If your place of lodging charges for Internet usage, keep in mind that there may be a nearby coffee shop, or Internet Café that offers free wireless access.
Supplies/Postages: At times, a traveler may need to purchase supplies or postage for College business while traveling for the College. Check with Accounts Payable x4132 for clarification.
Shared Expenditures: If a traveler shares expenses with another person who is not seeking reimbursement from Cornell College, it is the traveler's responsibility to request and split invoices from the vendors, i.e., hotel bills, car rental invoices, restaurant receipts, cabs, etc.
Expenses not reimbursable: Unless specifically addressed in this policy, no other expenses are reimbursable. This includes, but is not limited to fitness center fees, valet service, medications, dry cleaning/laundry services (unless trip is for more than 7 days), shoe repair, in-room movies and snacks, magazines, newspapers, gratuities paid to hotel personnel or cab drivers, and other items purchased for personal use (clothing, toiletries, entertainment, etc).
Trip Completion and Reimbursement Request: Within thirty (30) days of your trip, your Travel Form must be completed, expenses verified, itemized receipts attached and reimbursement requested, or overpayments of advances refunded back to Cornell. Credit card statements are not acceptable as documentation for expenses. Failure to complete this form within this timeframe will require that the College consider this a personal trip and no reimbursement will be due (unless prior arrangements have been made). Travel advances made and not accounted for will be deducted from the next available paycheck. If you need assistance in completing this form please contact the Business Office or, for faculty, the International and Off-Campus Studies Program assistant.
Entertainment
Entertainment of donors, alumni, and other friends of the College is encouraged within the parameters of budgeted resources and in support of the mission of the College. Entertainment expenses will be reimbursed when accompanied by receipts and documentation including type and purpose of event, names of those being entertained, establishment and location. Alcohol is reimbursable when entertaining. The College urges you use prudence in the purchase and consumption of alcohol and not to drink and drive.
Intra-Department Entertainment
Departments may provide hospitality to department colleagues on special occasions, including but not limited to retreats, celebrations, and team building events. Division heads should exercise good judgment in reviewing proposed expenditures for meals and/or refreshments based on their reasonableness, benefit to the College and available departmental budget. Major division-wide events should be limited to twice a year; occasional special events should be limited to no more than three or four times a year. The Division head must use discretion in the number of events scheduled and the cost per person. The names of people attending, purpose of the event, and location of the event should be included on the expense reimbursement form. Expense reimbursement requests are to be submitted on a "Voucher: Request for Payment Form", or at the Cashier's desk; with the Office Manager of Athletics, or in the Office of Academic Affairs. The immediate supervisor, a vice president, or the President must approve all requests for reimbursement of entertainment expenses. Approved, completed forms are to be forwarded to the Business Office for reimbursement. The Business Office processes two check runs per week. Submission deadline for approved vouchers and invoices is noon Tuesday and Friday in the Accounts Payable Office, third floor Old Sem. Checks will be ready by 3 p.m. the following Thursday and Tuesday respectively, and taken to the Mail and Service Center for distribution in Friday's and Wednesday's campus mail.
Cell Phone Policy (added March 2011)
This policy establishes the extent to which the College may subsidize, through a cell phone allowance, personally owned cell phones used in the conduct of College business and establishes rules for cell phone use.
The College provides access to College-owned communication devices based upon an employee’s job responsibilities. Those communication devices may include computers with e-mail capabilities, and desk phones for transacting College business. Some positions may require that the employee be readily available via cell phone throughout the work period or during non-work hours. College-owned cell phones are provided only by exception as delineated below. If an employee’s position responsibilities fall into any one or more of the following three categories, the College may subsidize the employee’s personal cell phone service with a cell phone allowance.
- Employees with job responsibilities that require them to make or receive calls on a frequent (daily) basis outside of their normal working hours.
- Maintenance and campus safety employees who need to make and receive calls outside of an office setting.
- Employees who have an assigned office but who spend a significant amount of time away from that office and who need to make or receive calls during these periods.
Cell phone allowances will be paid through Payroll, with all applicable taxes being withheld.
Where a justification can be established, exceptions may be granted to the policy allowing for the purchase of College-owned cell phones. Generally, this will occur in the case of a cell phone that passes from person to person at shift change. All exceptions to policy must be approved by the Director of Information Technology.
Employees using a cell phone for College business will not use their phone while driving for texting, reading or sending email. Safety must come before all other concerns. Regardless of the circumstances, including slow or stopped traffic, employees must pull off to the side of the road and safely stop the vehicle before sending/reading a text or email. Employees must use hands-free options for making/receiving calls. Special care should be taken in situations where there is traffic, inclement weather or the employee is driving in an unfamiliar area.
Policy Questions - Questions pertaining to this policy should be directed to your supervisor, division head, or the director of human resources. It is the responsibility of the President’s Council to approve and modify this policy.
Scope - This policy applies to staff and administration at Cornell College. The policy applies to both unrestricted and restricted sources of funds.
PROCEDURES
To obtain a Cell phone allowance, the employee:
- Completes an Allowance Request Form
- Obtains the required Division Head and Information Technology approvals
- Submits the form to Payroll for processing.
Division Heads, in conjunction with the Director of Information Technology will determine the level of the cell phone allowance, based on the amount of time an employee is anticipated to use voice and data service for his/her job requirements.
The monthly cell phone allowances are:
- Voice use only $30.00
- Voice and text $40.00
- Full voice/text/data functionality $50.00
Cell phone allowances are assumed to subsidize the cost of a personal cell phone. The College is not responsible for purchasing or replacing cell phone devices. Any damage or loss of cell phone devices is the responsibility of the employee.
Cell phone allowances and this policy will be reviewed annually.