PRP 8605 - Vacation Policy For Sensitive Positions

Issued by: Robert J. Parrish, V.P. for Administration
Effective Date: 1/28/91

Procedures

University personnel who are responsible for the disbursement, collection or safekeeping of funds, for awarding or directing financial aid, for controlling central payroll processes, or for the central function of student grades and credit hour awards are required to schedule an annual vacation of at least one week in duration. Offices affected are Central Accounting, Personnel, Computer Center, Financial Aid and Registrar; respective directors are responsible for identifying sensitive positions to which this policy should apply.

An alternative will be that the employee will be assigned to a different job assignment for one week, during which his/her duties will be performed by another employee.

During that period, other institutional personnel within the operational unit shall assume the duties of the individual who is on leave or on an alternative assignment.

Clarification

Personnel assigned to substitute in a sensitive position will report to both their regular supervisor and to the sensitive-position person's supervisor. The ordinary expectation is that person will try to maintain the operation of the office as smoothly as is possible, without snooping or suspicion. Improprieties would be reported if and when it became obvious that serious irregularities were occurring in the operation of that office.

The individuals affected in the targeted departments will be determined by the managers of the targeted departments. As an example, it may be determined that the Registrar, Assistant Registrar and Records Coordinator may be the only three designated in the Registrar's Office under this policy. The reasoning would be that these three individuals have special privileged access to the changing of student grades that other employees do not have, even other employees within that office. In a similar fashion, other unit supervisors would determine which individuals would be affected and provide the rationale as to why their positions were earmarked as especially sensitive.

At the inception of this policy, departments and managers not specifically mentioned will be exempted from the provisions of this policy. Though individuals in other departments may also handle money and be in positions of trust, their duties are not considered to be as sensitive as those earmarked in this policy. If, however, the responsibilities of the department manager changes to include sensitive functions, as determined by the Vice President for Administration, these departments would also be included in the offices affected by this policy.