2.0 Recruitment and Employment

Recruitment and Employment

1. Recruitment and Employment

   Missouri State University-West Plains has a deep and abiding commitment to diversity as a core institutional value and responsibility. Diversity is central to providing and retaining a quality educational environment. Missouri State University-West Plains is deeply committed to developing educated persons equipped to contribute to the interdependent world in which we now live. The ability to adapt to rapid economic, social and cultural changes is imperative. Skills and competencies to deal with diverse cultures and societies have not only become necessary to function in today's workplace, but they also enrich one's life and work.

   Missouri State University-West Plains is committed to programs and practices that assure an environment free of the barriers of discrimination in education and employment and that establish a collegial and just community through our shared commitment to the principles of diversity, nondiscrimination and affirmative action. To achieve this end, Missouri State University-West Plains views, evaluates and treats all persons in any University- related activity or circumstance in which they may be involved, solely as individuals on the basis of their own personal abilities, qualifications and relevant characteristics.

2. Faculty Handbook Equal Opportunity Policy

   Missouri State University-West Plains reaffirms its policy as an equal employment opportunity employer. To assure full compliance and implementation of this policy, Missouri State University-West Plains, through its various administrative officers, shall ensure that for all jobs, policies involving for recruitment, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits, layoffs, returns from layoffs, educational programs and all other University-sponsored programs, benefits, services and aids, shall be administered consistent with the University's Non-Discrimination Policy Statement. Specifically, policies shall be administered without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, disability, marital or parental status, national origin, participation in constitutionally protected activities, political affiliations or beliefs, race, religion (belief or non-belief), sex, sexual orientation or disabled and/or veteran status. In addition, the University does not discriminate on any basis not related to the applicable job requirements for employees. Reasonable accommodation on the basis of religion or disability is assured.

   • The University's Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy is available at the Policy Library and the University's Affirmative Action Plan is available at the website for the office for institutional equity and compliance. Overall responsibility for monitoring these policies and reporting on the University's equal employment opportunity and affirmative action program is assigned to the University's equal opportunity officer located in the General Counsel's office on the Springfield campus.

3. Hiring Procedure

   Missouri State University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Academic search guidelines provide open and uniform procedures to be followed by all hiring units and search committees in defining and filling vacant and new positions. Every major administrator, hiring administrator and search committee participant has responsibility to ensure full implementation of the University's non-discrimination policies and affirmative action program. Complete search guidelines are available online at the Human Resources Policies section of the Policy Library.

   1. Nepotism

      The University's policy regarding the employment of relatives is set forth in the nepotism provision of the Conflict of Interest Policy. The policy does not prohibit the appointment of more than one member of a family to the same academic department or to another position within the University.

      No Governor, officer, faculty or employee shall participate, either directly or indirectly, in a decision to appoint or hire an employee of the University, either part-time or full-time, who is related to such person within the fourth degree of consanguinity (blood) or affinity (marriage). It also shall be a violation of this policy for an employee to supervise, either directly or indirectly, the work of another employee who is related within such fourth degree or affinity, unless the supervisory role is specifically approved by the pertinent department head, by the pertinent associate dean, by the academic dean and by the chancellor. Should a head, chair or dean be directly involved, approval of all higher administrative levels will be required. An employee may not be permitted to make judgments on another employee who is related within such fourth degree concerning such matters as appointment, promotion and tenure.

      A relative within the fourth degree includes, but is not limited to, spouse, child, grandchild, great-grandchild, great-great-grandchild, parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent, brother/sister, aunt/uncle, great-aunt/uncle, niece/nephew, grand-niece/nephew and cousin. For university purposes, this also includes sponsored dependents. All relationships are included, whether full-, half-, step-, foster-, adopted or in-law.

   2. Hiring Foreign Nationals

      Foreign nationals employed by the University must be able to produce documentation to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for establishing employment eligibility in the United States and must be eligible to begin work on the first day of their contracts.

      Upon arrival at Missouri State University, all foreign nationals must meet with the office of human resources.

      The hiring and continuous employment of foreign nationals require monitoring by the hiring unit and by the college to insure that annual documentation is submitted by the employee for maintaining his or her employment status. The hiring unit should maintain a tracking system so that verification of visa status can be provided. To remain employed, the faculty member must comply with all legal requirements.

4. Identification Cards

   Every academic employee is issued an identification card. Full-time faculty members may secure a spouse or sponsored dependent identification card by submitting a written request.

5. Personnel Records

   Missouri State University-West Plains maintains copies of official personnel files for each faculty member in the business office. This record includes the vita, recommendations, official transcripts of academic work and correspondence and records dealing with terms and conditions of employment.

   The personnel files are available to the members of the Board of Governors, the administration and its agents and as otherwise required by law where necessary to allow the University to comply with law and standard business practices. Associate Deans may examine the personnel files of the faculty members of their own divisions only.

   Faculty members may review from their own personnel files, on request and in the presence of a designated University official, copies of vitae and official transcripts of academic work, placement papers if not confidential (such as letters of recommendation), correspondence with University officials, salary information and performance evaluations and appraisals that have previously been discussed with the faculty member.

   Not available for review by the individual faculty member are letters of reference or recommendation, evaluations by departmental colleagues, records and documentation regarding civil or criminal matters and records of disciplinary or grievance matters.

   A faculty member may submit and have inserted into the personnel file a statement which clarifies any material in the file which he or she believes is inaccurate. Said clarification shall be maintained so long as the disputed material is maintained.

   It is the responsibility of each faculty member who completes a degree while he or she is employed at Missouri State University to have an official transcript, which includes the date on which the degree was conferred, sent to the director of business services. It is also required that faculty members notify the business office of any address changes or any other changes related to personnel records so that such information may be kept current. Employees may be asked to provide written authorization to release copies of documents from any employee file to a third party

6. Release of Employment Information

   Employees' names, job titles and salaries are provided to the State of Missouri for publication in the Missouri Official Manual. The office of human resources will provide the current or former employee's date of hire, position, department and salary information. Requests for any additional information beyond these items must be made in writing and will require the consent of the employee.