Title: #IV-19. Staff Development

Date: December 10, 2008 (replaces version dated April 19, 2006)

These campus guidelines on staff development are provided in accordance with the provisions of Board of Governors Policy B-26 on Employee Development.

Definitions

The purpose of staff development is to enhance the ability of staff to improve the overall effectiveness of the college in achieving its mission and goals.

Staff development consists of a number of activities. Among such activities are:

A. Workshops, seminars, self-study, or projects designed to improve the communication / learning process.

B. Workshops, in-service meetings, or lectures brought to the campus to serve a wide audience.

C. Off-campus workshops or professional meetings in one's responsibility area.

D. Study or training in primary or auxiliary skills designed to enhance job performance.

E. Graduate or undergraduate classes which aid in the development of the employee. These courses must be at West Virginia public colleges and universities unless an exception is approved by the president.

Administration

Planning and administration of staff development is a responsibility of the Human Resources Director who shall work collaboratively with the Staff Development Coordinating Committee, various executive level administrators and the President to establish an employee training and development program appropriate to the needs and resources of the campus. College-wide involvement is indicated as a means of assuring quality of programs, understanding and appreciation of all activities, and maintenance of equity in the use of resources.

Members

Coordinating Committee Members. A Staff Development Coordinating Committee shall consist of the following members appointed annually by the President:

· Director of Human Resources

· Chair, Classified Staff Council

· Two staff representatives from the Academic Area (one classified, one non-classified) nominated by the Executive Dean

· One staff representative from Student Services nominated by the Dean of Student Services

· One staff representative from Physical Facilities and Grounds nominated by the Director

· Two staff representatives from other administrative areas (one classified, one non-classified) identified by the President

Responsibilities

The Coordinating Committee shall assist the Human Resources Director with the following activities:

1. Develop an annual Staff Development Plan which supports the college mission and goals [to be approved by the President].

2. Develop a budget request for staff development activities [to be approved by the President].

The Coordinating Committee shall be responsible for the following activities:

1. Receive and review all requests for activities except those funded by the tuition waiver program.

2. Recommend use of allocated funds.

3. Maintain equity in recommendations for use of funds.

4. Assure that the recommended activities fulfill the understandings outlined in the statement of Definitions.

5. Determine the priority and activities to be funded.

The Coordinating Committee shall select its own chair and shall meet as needed. The committee will establish deadline dates for receipt of funding requests. It may set budgetary parameters for use of funds; i.e., a percentage of annual budget for broad categories of development activities [e.g., on-campus functions, off-campus workshops].

Executive Administrators/President. If the committee questions the relevancy of a request to the applicant’s job duties or professional development, the request will be forwarded to the applicant’s executive administrator for clarification. If further review is required, the request will be forwarded to the President for final approval or disapproval.

Deadlines

Annual Staff Development Plan. Each year the Human Resources Director, with input from the committee, will submit to the President a general plan of staff development for the following year. This plan will take into consideration college goals and directions established by the Institutional Effectiveness Council in their annual college planning activities. This plan will be submitted before the end of Spring Semester. This plan will establish priorities for staff development for the year.

Undergraduate or Graduate Study. Undergraduate tuition waivers will be processed through the Financial Aid Office per guidelines set forth by the President.

Graduate tuition waivers will be processed through the Human Resources Office per guidelines set forth by WVU.

If class attendance will involve a loss in total working hours per week or an absence from campus during normal working hours, requests for leave, flexible work hours or educational release time must also be approved by the individual’s supervisor.

If the supervisor has recommended specific coursework to be included in the employee’s workload, the employee’s schedule will be adjusted to accommodate the course work as part of worked time (see “Educational Release Time” below).

Educational Release Time

West Virginia University at Parkersburg encourages career development and self-improvement for its employees. Any staff member may be allowed time-off during scheduled work hours to attend a class which will enhance that staff member's ability to perform his/her duties at the college, provided the employee's absence will not interfere with his/her unit's operation and is approved by the employee's supervisor.

Before the semester in which the class is to be taken, each employee is required to provide his/her supervisor a written request for release time. The supervisor shall then approve or disapprove the release and provide for the requesting employee a written statement of the decision.

The following guidelines shall apply to educational release time:

l. Only full-time regular employees are eligible for time-off to attend class. This applies to those pursuing both undergraduate and/or graduate level studies.

2. Under normal circumstances one must have been employed in his/her current position for at least six calendar months prior to the beginning of the semester in which he/she seeks admission in order to be granted educational release time. One may not be in an adjustment period while enrolled.

3. One must present evidence of satisfactory completion of the course work to his/her supervisor at the end of each semester.

Off-Campus Workshops. Requests for funding of off-campus workshops must be submitted and approved in sufficient time that travel arrangements and leave requests may be completed before the registration deadline.

Activities to Occur in Subsequent Year. The Coordinating Committee may recommend approval of activities which will occur in a subsequent year; however, such recommendation shall be governed by the actual availability of funds in the fiscal year that the activity will occur.

Setting of Specific Deadlines. The Coordinating Committee will establish specific deadlines for receipt of applications for any of the activities outlined above. Such deadlines shall be communicated throughout the institution, allowing ample time for prospective applicants to prepare requests for recommendation and approval.