D1 By tradition, the faculties of colleges and universities have authority to grant degrees and control all matters dealing with courses and curricula offered by the institution. At Kansas State University, the exercise of these powers is subject to final approval by the Kansas Board of Regents. The faculty of K-State also has authority to participate in the establishment of policies relating to many other all-university problems. To carry out these duties and responsibilities, the general faculty in 1951 created the Faculty Senate as its representative body.
D2 Individually, faculty members are in the unclassified service of the state of Kansas. Assigned duties vary but traditionally a portion of most faculty appointments entails self-generated creative activity. Faculty members are expected to establish an appropriate work schedule which will allow them to accomplish all of these assigned duties, including classes, meetings, and posted office hours. When absences can be anticipated, arrangements for another faculty member to assume scheduled duties should be made by the faculty member concerned.
D3 A fundamental premise of academic life is the inviolable dignity of the individual. Respect for others is essential to the pursuit of the common missions of higher education. Discrimination, harassment, or other conduct that diminishes the worth of any individual person is incompatible with the fundamental values of the university. Every person, regardless of race, color, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, ancestry, disability, military status, or veteran status, shall be treated with respect and dignity (see Appendix J). No person shall be subject to sexual, racial, or similar harassment or abuse, either of physical, verbal, or psychological nature. No one shall be denied equitable consideration for access to employment, to professional advancement, or to the programs, services, activities, and privileges of the university.
D4 The university is committed to upholding the intellectual freedoms of teaching, expression, research, and debate. All members of the university community have a responsibility to exemplify and support these freedoms in the interest of reasoned inquiry, both on and off campus. At K-State, the atmosphere of academic freedom, commitment to academic inquiry, and respect for the academic rights of others shall not be abridged.
D5 All members of the university community have the right and responsibility to participate in university governance at all levels and in diverse forms. This requires an honest and robust exchange of ideas and opinion. Interfering in any fashion with the right of others to properly voice their opinions during the formulation of new policies, or to express their views regarding established policies or their application, is a violation of the principles of academic freedom as described in Appendix C. Such principles should be extended to all members of the university community as appropriate.
D6 Faculty and unclassified professionals can expect to participate in the activities of their respective units and to receive an equitable distribution of the unit's resources, administrative support, and assigned responsibilities. The allowed exception to this policy include the following: dismissal for cause under the provisions of Appendix M; probationary faculty or unclassified professionals whose contracts have not been renewed; and retired employees.
D7 Except in extraordinary circumstances, faculty may not be administratively or physically removed from their respective units, with the exception of these circumstances: unit reorganization under the principles outlined in Appendix N; financial exigency under the conditions delineated in Appendix B; resolution of harassment concerns addressed in Appendix J: and agreement by all parties involved, including the faculty to be reassigned and the faculty and administration of both units.
Tenure is granted within the university, but is made operational at the unit level. In cases involving the voluntary reassignment of tenured faculty, the agreement must also include a written determination as to whether or not the operational aspects of tenure are also reassigned.
D10 Academic freedom. The university upholds and supports the principles of academic freedom adopted and promulgated by the American Association of University Professors. An active chapter of the AAUP at the university seeks to promote and safeguard the professional interests and well-being of the faculty. (See Appendix C.)
D11 Faculty and unclassified professional conduct. Faculty and unclassified professional conduct is expected to be in accord with resolutions adopted by the Kansas Board of Regents in 1970. (See Appendix D.)
D12 The General Grievance Board. This board hears appeals outside the departmental and college structure from faculty and unclassified professionals who believe they have been unfairly treated in matters pertaining to salary, promotions, and other job-related activities. The GGB also hears claims of discrimination based on race, color, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, ancestry, disability, military status, or veteran status. Hearing procedures and further information are available through the Office of the Provost. (See Appendix G.)
D20 Generally speaking, the courts will hold a faculty member or unclassified professional liable only if he/she personally, or someone acting under his/her control, intentionally or negligently causes the injury; otherwise he/she will not be liable to either students or non-students. Faculty and unclassified professional members sued for acts within the scope of their employment, such as recommendations on tenure or supervision of field trips, will ordinarily be defended at state expense, usually by the university attorney; and if the faculty or unclassified professional member has to pay a judgment, he/she will be reimbursed by the state. The state may refuse to provide defense if the act was malicious or fraudulent; and the state will not reimburse for punitive damages. The university itself can be sued and held liable for damages which are the fault of its employees acting within the scope of their employment, subject to certain exceptions and limitations. (See Kansas Tort Claims Act, KSA 75-6101 to 75-6116.) Further information is available from the university attorney.
D30 Study by university members. Full-time faculty members and regular unclassified professionals, with approval of their department heads or deans, may enroll in graduate or undergraduate work not to exceed six credit hours in a regular semester or three credit hours during the summer session. Full-time faculty members and regular unclassified professionals of the university, with permission of their dean and the dean of the college in which the work is offered, may audit classes without cost. The general catalog provides fee schedules.
D31 Political activities. Faculty, administrators, and unclassified professionals are eligible to accept any public or political party position that does not involve any conflict of interest and does not require substantial time away from assigned duties or other respects infringe upon them. Such eligibility covers membership on city commissions', school boards', or planning groups', or on county, state, or national party committees and like organizations.
D32 Leave without pay or other benefits will be granted to those elected or appointed to public office requiring full time or lengthy sustained periods away from assigned duties, such as Congress, the State Legislature, and state and county offices or appointments to office falling within that category effective, for a person elected or appointed to Congress or the State Legislature, from the date such person takes the oath of office and continuing until the adjournment of Congress or the adjournment sine die of each session of the State Legislature; or, for other state and county offices, during the entire time a person serves as such officer. Faculty and unclassified professionals elected to the State Legislature are not required to take leave without pay when serving on interim committees while the legislature is not in session.
D33 All university personnel are free to express opinions, speak or write as individuals, in signed advertisements, pamphlets, and related material in support of or in opposition to parties or causes. They must make clear that they are acting for themselves and not for the university.
D34 Speaking engagements. Faculty members are encouraged to accept invitations to address groups, clubs, and organizations and to participate on radio and television programs. In these activities, their right to the free expression of thought and opinion is recognized along with a professional obligation for the responsible use of communications.
D35 The following policy regarding radio and television appearances of university personnel was adopted in 1962:
D36 K-State personnel, including the off-campus workers, will be permitted to appear on commercially sponsored radio and television programs, providing: (1) that the sponsor has the approval of K-State, (2) that the commercial announcements shall in no way imply endorsement of the product or service either by K-State or by the individual involved, and (3) that there is no implication, on the air or by any other manner, that K-State personnel are employed by the station(s) involved.
D37 K-State will permit sponsorship of some radio and television programs produced by K-State, with the same provisions applying.
D38 Sponsorship of university-produced programs by the following products or services is prohibited: wine, liquors, cigarettes, medical or surgical supplies, patent medicines, partisan politics, and organizations promoting one viewpoint of a public controversial issue.
D40 Faculty members and unclassified professionals may accept outside consulting assignments that support professional growth, as long as the assignments do not interfere with the effective discharge of university responsibilities. Faculty members and unclassified professionals who perform consulting services outside the university must obtain prior approval from their department/unit head, the dean or appropriate vice president, and the provost. Such outside activities are to be reported in writing on the consulting request form for inclusion in personnel files. For faculty members only, personal, professional activities that occur within a single 24-hour period need not have prior approval but must be reported annually in writing on the Annual Declaration and Disclosure form. Normally, faculty members and unclassified professionals are allowed four working days per month on the average to participate in consulting activities. Regular instructional service to other educational institutions while fulfilling contractual responsibilities to K-State normally is not considered an appropriate consulting activity (See K-State Policy on Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Time Commitment, Appendix S). (FS 1/15/08)
Consulting by faculty and unclassified professional members of institutions under jurisdiction of the Kansas Board of Regents for another institution under the jurisdiction of the Regents, as well as consultation for other state agencies, shall be approved in advance by routine minute. Such action shall be initiated by the institution or agency seeking these services and approved by the Chief Academic Officer (Provost) of the faculty and/or unclassified professional member's home institution. (BOR 11-19-82; 5-17-85)
D44 Jury duty. Faculty and unclassified professional members are not exempt from jury duty. The university encourages faculty and unclassified professional members to serve on juries. A faculty or unclassified professional member may be excused by the court. While a faculty or unclassified professional member is absent because of jury duty, leave with pay will be provided. It is the responsibility of the department/unit head and faculty or unclassified professional member to see that his/her regular duties are assumed by others during the absence.
D50 Contact with the Kansas Board of Regents. All communications to the Regents from each campus are to be directed through the chancellor or president, except that any group is free to petition the Regents in writing through the Regents's Executive Office. (BOR 9-18-70)
D55 Employee Assistance Program. K-State is genuinely interested in the health and well-being of its people. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is an education, intervention, and referral service designed to help faculty, unclassified professionals, classified staff, and student employees with personal problems and concerns affecting their job performance. Whether the problems are short-term or long-term, the EAP is available to help clarify issues and identify campus and community resources that can help. All K-State faculty, unclassified professionals, classified staff, student employees, and their families may use the K-State-EAP service, which is available through Office of Employee Relations and Training.
D60 Each department or corresponding administrative unit of the university is budgeted for a specified amount of university-related professional travel on the part of the faculty and unclassified professionals. The importance of attending meetings of professional associations both in-state and out-of-state and abroad is recognized. Official travel of the support staff must receive prior approval in writing from the chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. In order to receive such approval in advance of travel outside the state, travel requests should be submitted to the Office for the Vice President for Administration and Finance three weeks prior to the beginning date of travel.
Official out-of-state and international travel must be approved by the respective dean or director or their designee(s) prior to the travel. Out-of-state travel by deans and directors is to receive prior approval by the provost or respective vice president or their designee(s).
D61 university funds commonly provide for partial reimbursement for a given trip, thus serving to reduce the personal cost of professional activities involving travel expense. Travel expenses may also be met out of funds specifically allocated for the purpose in connection with grants from outside agencies.
D62 State owned vehicles should be used when available and when they are the most economical mode of travel. State vehicles driven within the scope of the authority granted by the university are covered by liability, property damage, and medical-payment insurance.
D63 Privately owned cars. When the use of a personal car on university business is necessary for in-state travel, or to border cities, the owner of the vehicle is entitled to the current mileage allowance plus road and bridge tolls and parking fees at terminals while continuing the trip. No other expenses are reimbursed. On out-of-state trips, the driver (as single occupant) of a private car is reimbursed for the lesser of the mileage and toll fees or economy air fare to and from the terminal nearest his or her destination with subsistence based on time needed for fastest public transportation available. If there are two or more official travelers, the driver (owner) is entitled to current mileage allowance plus toll fees, with subsistence based on time needed by car via usually traveled route.
D64 Any student, faculty member, or unclassified professional operating a private car or other private vehicle, including boats, airplanes, motorcycles, or other type of motor vehicle, on official business must have in force liability insurance for personal injury with coverage of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident. (BPM Chapter 14-39.)
D65 Airplane. Travel by airplane is limited to economy or tourist classes. Reimbursement for more expensive accommodations requires a statement from the airline or travel agent that less expensive accommodations were requested but were not available. A chartered airplane is approved only when it can be shown that it is more economical than alternative modes of travel.
D66 Train. Travel by train is limited to first-class day coach fare. Reimbursement for more expensive accommodations requires a statement that less expensive ones were not available.
D67 For official travel that requires the traveler to sleep more than 30 miles from home a subsistence allowance is paid on a per diem basis at the current rate for any fraction of a quarter day in which the official travel begins and for each full quarter day thereafter, until the traveler returns to his/her duty station or residence. Receipts are required for overnight accommodations, registration fees, transportation tickets excluding taxis or other local transportation, and telephone expenses.
D68 Arrangements for travel outside the United States for conferences or meetings of limited duration fall under the same general conditions as other out-of-state travel.
D69 The University Policy & Procedures Manual provides a detailed discussion and explanation of travel regulations, mileage, and subsistence rates, and related topics.
D70 Faculty and unclassified professionals who have completed at least ten years of honorable full-time service at K-State shall be designated at the time of their full retirement by an emeritus title equivalent to their highest rank or title. The unit head shall forward the name of each person eligible for such designation along with their appropriate emeritus title to the president of K-State. The president will report to the Kansas Board of Regents the names of faculty and unclassified professionals who are eligible for emeritus status.
D71 Emeritus persons and other retired faculty and unclassified professionals who have completed at least five years of honorable full-time service to K-State are provided with office and/or laboratory space as available, free parking privileges, a mailbox, ID cards, clerical support as available, complimentary facility use cards for K-State Recreational Services, and faculty and unclassified professional faculty and/or professional privileges regarding use of the library and the purchase of tickets for cultural and athletic events. The president may waive the five-year requirement.
An emeritus person or retired faculty or unclassified professional may continue to consult and receive externally funded grants. Assistance in obtaining such grants will be provided through the Vice Provost for Research, Agricultural Experiment Station, or Engineering Experiment Station as appropriate. As with grants received by active faculty or unclassified professional members, local arrangements, including salary and indirect costs, must be negotiated with the university. In agreeing to such arrangements, the university agrees to supply the customary research space and facilities.
D80 The University Policy and Procedures Manual should be consulted for rules and regulations regarding the acceptance of gifts on behalf of the university.