Appendix P: Additional Miscellaneous Policies

Inclement Weather Policy

As a highly residential campus, the College historically has not closed during inclement weather. Centre's goal is to maintain normal operations and educational processes, while remaining sensitive to safety concerns.

Because of the residential nature of the College, Centre does not cancel classes campus-wide.  In the event of severe weather where faculty members feel that it is unsafe for them to make it to campus and convene class, those faculty will notify students by email at least one hour prior to class time with assignments and arrangements for making up the missed class.  

There may be occasions when it may be necessary to delay the opening of offices due to the inclement weather. This would not impact faculty members making their decisions as outlined in the above paragraph. The Department of Public Safety and the Dean’s Office will communicate with personnel throughout the immediate surrounding area to determine if road conditions warrant special action from the College. Should it be determined to delay opening the offices until such a time it is reasonable to expect employees to safely report to work, the College will notify individuals via our mass communications system, social media channels, and our website. Any delay will be referred to as “Plan B” and indicate the time offices should be open. Those staff members who feel that they would not be able to safely report by the designated time may elect to utilize a PTO day. Hourly employees reporting to work at the designated time will be paid the full shift. They would record normal day work hours on their timecard.

For the purposes of this policy, regardless of the weather situation, employees who perform critical services for the support of students and the College during inclement weather will be expected to come to work at their normal time.  For the purpose of this policy, those who fall under critical services are:  Senior Staff personnel, public safety officers, facilities management staff, the switchboard operator, and members of the College’s Crisis Management Team.  Supervisors of employees who perform these or other critical services during inclement weather are responsible for communicating attendance expectations in advance and discussing anticipated transportation difficulties.

Email Termination Policy

This policy governs the disposition of Centre College constituent email accounts precipitated by a change in status.

Employees

Staff members who leave College employment for any reason other than termination: email account will be closed 30 days following the last date of employment (per HR records).

Faculty members who leave the College at the conclusion of Spring Term: email account will be terminated on September 1 of the same calendar year, allowing the individual time to establish an account at the new institution or place of employment. Faculty members who leave the College, for any reason, during the academic year other than at the conclusion of Spring Term: email account will be terminated 30 days following the last date of employment/termination date (per HR records). Faculty and staff members who retire from the College and who are designated with Emeriti status or who retire with a minimum of 15 years of continuous active service (as defined for Years of Service awards): email account remains active and is not terminated.

Note: individuals whose email accounts remain active will continue to have membership on the appropriate distribution list unless the individual specifically requests to be removed from said list. Only Centre College email addresses are included in distribution lists. Any exception to this policy must be approved by the appropriate Senior Staff official.

Students

Students who complete graduation requirements from the College: email accounts remain active until June 1 one year following the completion of their course of study at which time they are offered an email account through Alumni Affairs. Students who voluntarily withdraw from the College prior to graduation: email account will be terminated 30 days following the last date of enrollment (per Registrar’s Office records). Students who are suspended, either for academic or disciplinary reasons, and are eligible to apply for readmission: email account will be terminated 270 days following the effective date of the suspension (per Registrar’s Office records) if the student has not been readmitted to the College. Students with an approved Leave of Absence: email account remains active pending individual’s return to regular enrollment.

Centre College Contracting Policy

PURPOSE: This policy is intended to help the College’s contract managers identify potentially problematic issues raised by the contracts entered into to further the College’s business. While the decentralized negotiating and signing of contracts offer a high level of efficiency in College business affairs, all contract managers should adhere to certain College standards of practice and should be alert to provisions in contracts that pose an unreasonably high level of risk to the College and its employees or students. This policy also helps contract managers identify situations where they need to consult the College’s legal counsel prior to entering into a contract.

CONTRACTING AUTHORITY: The Board of Trustees of the College has assigned to the President all the authority, with a few exceptions, to enter into contracts on behalf of the College. The President, in turn, has delegated to various officers and administrators around campus the authority to contract on behalf of the College within their spheres of business. Some delegations are in writing, while others are by nature of the job function performed. Anyone considering a contract on behalf of Centre must determine, prior to entering into the contract, whether he or she has the proper authority.

REVIEW OF THE CONTRACT: The contract manager should read through the entire contract and all attachments very carefully to understand exactly what is being offered as an agreement. The manager should be sure that:

• the contract fully and accurately describes the relationship, product, or service desired by the College;
• the employee most knowledgeable about the subject matter of the contract has, at a minimum, reviewed the contract;
• all attachments, appendices, charts, and schedules that are incorporated into the contract or that should be attached are indeed attached and satisfactory;
• he or she understands all the terminology used and how it applies to the contract;
• he or she understands how the contract can be terminated, by whom, under what circumstances, and with what result;
• he or she understands how any disputes arising under the contract will be resolved; and
• all deadlines and schedules for payments, renewals, etc., will be tracked and observed by the appropriate College person.

CONTRACTS THAT REQUIRE REVIEW BY THE COLLEGE COUNSEL: While legal review might be advisable for many reasons, any contract where any of the following terms or provisions are present must be reviewed by the College Counsel prior to signature:

• a dollar value of over $25,000;
• a term of performance for longer than one year;
• anything involving real estate (sale, purchase, or encumbrance);
• requirement for the College to indemnify/hold harmless anyone else;
• requirement for the College to purchase insurance or post a bond for anyone else;
• exclusive rights for someone else or non-compete provisions;
• provisions giving rights to any labor or trade unions;
• permission for the other party to assign its rights and obligations to another party without the College’s prior approval;
• anything imposing HIPAA obligations upon the College;

or where the contract DOES NOT contain

• a clear and fixed price term;
• a provision requiring all amendments to be in writing; or
• key terms that were presented orally or in other materials outside the contract.

TIMETABLE FOR REVIEW: No contract should be signed and returned to the other party before all its terms are fully reviewed and understood. College contract managers should inform outside contractors that all contracts must be carefully reviewed prior to signature and that all pertinent attachments, appendices, charts, and schedules must accompany the review draft.

Approved by Senior Staff, August 25, 2004.

Smoking Policy

For reasons of public health, the College became smoke free, effective August 1, 2005. This policy extends to all Centre buildings including but not limited to indoor/outdoor classrooms, studios, offices, residential facilities, break rooms, restrooms, administrative buildings, and dining facilities and athletic venues. Smoking is also prohibited within college owned or leased vehicles. All smoking is limited to the outside away from exits and entranceways. Smoking includes, but is not limited, to the use of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, water pipes (hookahs), and electronic cigarettes. This policy applies to all individuals including faculty, staff, students, and visitors to the College.

Beginning in Fall 2016 smoking will be further restricted, and will no longer be allowed inside the academic quadrangle.  The academic quadrangle is a horseshoe formed by sidewalks beginning at the Northern corner of the Campus Center at Main Street, extending South to include sidewalks in front of Old Carnegie, Sutcliffe, Crounse, Young, Olin, then North to end at Old Centre near Main Street

Pet Policy

To ensure the safety and cleanliness of all campus buildings and to minimize the health risk to any individual, pets are not allowed in any of our college buildings at any time, except for a brief visit into a building (e.g. to pick something up) and then be leashed and under the owner’s control. This policy does not apply to service animals. Animals on the campus grounds should be under the owner’s control at all times.

Breast Feeding and Lactation Support Guidelines

Recognizing the importance of breastfeeding for both mothers and their infants, and of promoting a family-friendly workplace, Centre provides breastfeeding and lactation guidelines. The College strives to create an environment conducive to working and learning and one that is attuned to both professional and personal needs of its women faculty, staff, and students.

The College recognizes the importance and benefits of breastfeeding and is committed to promoting this effort. Therefore, in a manner consistent with Kentucky Revised Statute, the College acknowledges that a woman may breastfeed her child in any place open to the public on campus. Additionally, the College shall provide sanitary and private space for expressing milk wherever possible, and lactation breaks.

Upon returning to work after the birth of a child, nursing mothers may request an area to pump breast milk in the workplace during normal business hours. Supervisors and Department Chairs will work with employees who are nursing to schedule reasonable and flexible break times each day for this activity.

1. Lactation Breaks
   1. Whenever possible, the College shall provide flexibility for staff and faculty members who give their Department Chair or Supervisor adequate notice identifying a need for lactation facilities.
   2. Mothers are responsible for requesting lactation support prior to or during maternity leave, preferably no later than two weeks before returning to work.
   3. Supervisors and employees shall work together to establish mutually convenient times.
   4. Employees who need assistance are encouraged to make appropriate arrangements with their supervisors to ensure that normal work related activities are not severely disrupted and their assigned tasks are completed as expected.
2. Lactation Facilities
   1. The College, at a minimum, should provide private rooms with locked doors that are clean and comfortable. Each room should have an electrical outlet and one table and one chair.
   2. The location may be the place an employee normally works if there is adequate privacy, cleanliness, and is comfortable for the employee. If not, the College will provide a place in close proximity to the employee’s work area.
   3. Supervisors who receive a lactation accommodation request should review available space in their department/unit and be prepared to provide appropriate nearby space and break time.

KRS 211.755 specifically provides that a mother may breast-feed her baby or express breast milk in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be.