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Rhodes complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) by granting employees who are qualified individuals with a disability a reasonable accommodation of their disability unless it poses an undue hardship to Rhodes. Employees who believe they are entitled to a reasonable accommodation should contact the Benefits Services Manager in Human Resources at (901) 843-3750 or hr@rhodes.edu.

Rhodes College is committed to providing a working environment that is free from harassment based on race, sex, color, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, military service, or any other protected status, including sexual harassment. Harassment is unacceptable behavior and will not be tolerated. It is a form of misconduct that undermines the institutional mission of the College.

Sexual Harassment

“Sexual harassment” is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment; (2) submission or rejection of the conduct is used as a basis for making employment decisions affecting such individual; or (3) the conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. 

Sexual harassment may include a range of subtle and not-so-subtle behaviors and may involve individuals of the same or different gender. Depending on the circumstances, these behaviors may include, but are not limited to, requests for a sexual relationship or to perform sexual acts; sexual jokes and innuendo; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; commentary about an individual’s body, sexual prowess, or sexual deficiencies; leering, whistling, or touching; obscene comments or gestures; display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects, pictures, emails, text messages, or content on social media; and other physical, verbal, or visual conduct of a sexual nature.

Other Forms of Harassment 

Harassment on the basis of any other protected characteristic is also strictly prohibited. Under this policy, harassment is verbal, written or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of their race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law and that a) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment; b) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance; or c) otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment opportunities.

Harassing conduct includes epithets, slurs, or negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts; denigrating jokes; and written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual in the workplace, including through electronic means such as e-mail, phones, or social media (including voice messages, tweets, blogs, social networking sites, or other means).

Reporting Harassment

Employees who witness, learn about or are subject to harassing behavior should report it to their supervisor, or, if the employee is uncomfortable reporting to the supervisor, to one of the following:  

Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX
TitleIX@rhodes.edu

Leigh Powell
Director of Human Resources
West Campus – HR 128
(901)843-3750
powelll@rhodes.edu
hr@rhodes.edu 

Timothy Huebner
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
300 Halliburton Tower
(901)843-3795
huebner@rhodes.edu

Investigating and Addressing Harassment

The College promptly investigates all reports of harassment and is committed to taking necessary actions to address each instance of harassment (sexual or otherwise). Upon receipt of a report of harassment, Rhodes will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation. Complaints will be kept confidential to the extent practicable, consistent with the need to conduct an investigation and, if warranted, implement corrective action. No one will be penalized or retaliated against for making a harassment complaint in good faith or assisting in an investigation. The College will take appropriate corrective action, when justified, to remedy all violations, including disciplinary action in accordance with the section on Employee Discipline and Termination. 

Harassment under Title IX

Employees who experience sexual harassment may also have rights under Title IX of the Civil Rights Act. For more information, contact the Title IX Coordinator, one of the Deputy Title IX Coordinators, or review the Title IX and Sexual Misconduct policy.

This policy does not apply to faculty. For faculty performance requirements, see the Faculty Handbook.

Punctuality and regular attendance are of vital importance to Rhodes. Each employee should be at the appropriate work location ready to perform assigned tasks at the beginning of each workday. If an employee is unable to report for work because of illness or an emergency, or will be late, the employee must notify the appropriate supervisor no later than the employee’s starting time. Employees must also keep their supervisors advised of any emergency in order that arrangements can be made for the employee’s work to be performed during their absence.

If an employee does not report to work, or departs from campus after reporting for work without informing and receiving approval from their supervisor, the employee will be subject to disciplinary action upon their return. Failure to report to work for three (3) consecutive work days without proper notice may be considered cause for termination with forfeiture of accrued benefits.

Employees with serious attendance or tardiness problems may be subject to disciplinary action, and failure to improve attendance may lead to dismissal. If the employee’s attendance and/or tardiness are the result of approved leaves of absence, including but not limited to FMLA leave, or due to a serious health condition or disability that impacts the employee’s ability to comply with this Policy, the employee must contact Human Resources to discuss a request for a reasonable accommodation.

For additional information, see Remote Work and Sick Leave policy.

In accordance with the College By-Laws, the President has the authority to execute all legal documents such as contracts and may delegate contract signatory authority to others. Thus, no individual has the authority to approve or sign contracts on behalf of the college unless they have a valid delegation of authority from the President. The President has delegated authority to sign contracts to the Provost and the Vice President for Finance & Business Affairs.

Employees may from time to time have a temporary need to be admitted to areas other than their normal place of work. At the same time, the College has the duty and responsibility to ensure that those utilizing its facilities work and study in a safe, secure environment, and that their property and that of the College is safeguarded.

In an effort to both increase security and decrease access time, selected locations have been designated to be equipped with combination type locking devices. This will allow the competent authority of that area to issue access authority independently of Campus Safety by releasing combination code to those authorized to have access. Those locations include:

• Clough Hall rooms 111, 312, 319, and 206;
• Hassell Hall (Music Library);
• King Hall (Phon-A-Thon Room);
• Ohlendorf Hall room 421 (SUN Lab);
• McCoy Theatre (Costume Room); 
• The Payton Nalle Rhodes, Tower, room 326 (Lab); and
• BCLC locker rooms and other locations

All buildings listed above have one or more fob doors for 24-hour access to exterior doors. 

When employees need to enter an academic or administrative area under the conditions described above, they may request authorization from an appropriate departmental representative to be put on an access list for the building. Alternatively, employees may request that they be issued keys, discussed below. Individual employees may not place a student on a building access list without approval of the appropriate departmental representative.

Persons who have been placed on the access list may personally appear at the Campus Safety Office to register and be admitted to the areas for which access is authorized. Alternatively, they may telephone Campus Safety and be met at the area/building by a representative of Campus Safety, if someone is available.

Persons granted access should notify Campus Safety when their business is completed, so that a record of occupancy may be maintained in the event of an emergency, and so that the area may be secured when it has been vacated.

Certain areas such as the Writing Center, the Computer Labs, and the Language Center are restricted and not subject to access authorizations except by certain individuals responsible for their operation.

College policy regarding on-campus solicitation prohibits door-to-door sales, sales meetings with groups, and, with very few exceptions, all of which must be approved by the Dean of Students, “setting up shop” on campus.

Employees do not have authority to give salespeople or any other third party permission to meet with employees or students on campus unless they have prearranged appointments. Because of past unpleasant experiences, members of the College community are advised to be wary of the following situations:

• Anyone who asks for money in exchange for a product or service which they claim is endorsed by or connected with Rhodes. (Excluded are tuition, room, board, books, and fundraising-related services which obviously are College sponsored.)
• Salespeople (particularly the very persistent ones) wanting names of students or permission to see students. 

Keys and Fobs

Employees may be issued keys to the office in which they work and fob access to the exterior door to the building in which the office is located. Employees should not lend or provide an extra copy of such keys to students.

Request for keys must be submitted on a Physical Plant work order, and will be subject to the approval of the Director of Campus Safety or designee. The work order should indicate the specific location of the door and the name of the person who will have custody of the key and specific reasons outlining need for a key. Additional information may be sought by the Director of Campus Safety or designee from the requesting party. If the request is approved, the requesting party will be emailed for pick up at Rhodes Express.

When the key is picked up, the individual to whom it is issued must sign personally a custody receipt for the key. No one may sign the custody receipt for another person.

If the key is a replacement for a previously issued key that is no longer needed due to change of work place, the key that is no longer needed must be turned in before a new key can be issued. Keys may not be "passed on" to other employees except at the direction of the Director of Campus Safety or designee.

If a key request is denied, the person requesting the key may appeal to the Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs.

If access is needed to an area on a temporary basis, the Access List system should be considered as an alternative to the issuance of a key.

Employees whose employment with the College is ending must turn in their fob and all previously issued keys before the final paycheck is released. Keys and fob will be turned in to the Director of Campus Safety or designee, who will verify that the fob and all issued keys have been turned in. 

All persons will maintain personal custody of any keys issued to them. Keys, which are maintained at a department level for check-out as needed, must be carefully controlled and accounted for with a sign-out/sign-in system within the department.

Broken keys will be replaced upon request at no charge if the broken key is turned in. However, the Director of Campus Safety or designee will verify that the original key was properly issued. Lost keys will be replaced at the cost of the new key. However, the Director of Campus Safety or designee will verify that the original key was properly issued.

If, in the judgment of the Director of Campus Safety or designee, the loss of a key represents a potential breach of security or compromise of the safety or security of persons or property, the Director of Campus Safety or designee may direct that the lock be re-keyed and all costs involved be charged to the department responsible for custody of the key.

Business meals are meals that have a bona fide College business purpose with business guests. A reasonable number of College employees are permitted to accompany each business guest to a business meal. Costs must be appropriate, given the College’s nonprofit status, and must also fall within any guidelines issued by the Vice President for Business and Finance. 

When a guest of an employee attends a business meal, it is at the employee’s expense unless business guests are similarly accompanied. Meals and alcohol are not allowable expenses for off-campus meals where College employees are the only attendees. This policy does not apply to professional development activities such as faculty and staff retreats, as those have a bona fide College business purpose. 

Business meeting meals for employees who routinely work together usually do not meet the test of an IRS approved business function. IRS regulations do not allow for the reimbursement of meal charges incurred by employees who are not traveling away from home (i.e. their travel does not include an overnight stay) unless 1) the primary purpose of the meeting is to conduct business, and 2) there is a clear and compelling reason to meet outside the office over a meal. College payment for business meals attended only by Rhodes employees which do not involve travel is only permitted if documentation supporting the meal clearly establishes the business purpose of the meal and that the business could not reasonably take place at any other time or in any other manner.

The College permits departmental units to hold special event meals or entertaining (related to a College program or employee milestone, such as a retirement) and holiday meals or celebration gatherings on a limited basis. Such meals should be both infrequent and non-routine.

Employees of the College may cash personal checks at Rhodes Express in Burrow Hall. For the safety of the Rhodes Express personnel, so that large amounts of cash do not have to be kept on hand, a maximum of $100 per day and $200 per week has been established. Third party checks will not be accepted. A charge of $25 will be assessed for any returned check; any second offense will result in loss of check cashing privileges.

This policy applies to all employees who have been issued a Rhodes College credit card (“College Card”) as part of their job duties or have been given access to a College Card for approved expenditures.

Purpose of College Credit Cards. Rhodes College has established a Corporate Credit Card program with Bank of America. College Cards are authorized for business travel related expenses, College business entertainment, and small dollar purchases of goods and services as required during the normal course of College business. College asset purchases, (i.e. electronics, equipment, computers, furniture), contracted services, and large dollar purchases will require a purchase order (“PO”) through Workday and must not be paid with a College Card. 

Eligibility. College Cards may be issued to full time employees in good standing upon approval by the Finance Office when deemed necessary due to travel and/or purchasing and operational responsibilities. College Card requests should be sent to the Finance Office by the employee’s supervisor with justification for the need. College Card privileges may be rescinded at the discretion of the Finance Office. College Card accounts will be closed upon notice of employee resignation or three weeks prior to the last day of work, whichever is the lesser time period. Holders of College Cards must sign the Cardholder Agreement form acknowledging that they have reviewed and agree to comply with these and any related policies. 

Credit Card Statements. College Cards are issued in the employee’s name and charges are paid by the College to the bank. Individual card statements are made available to the Cardholder every two weeks. Cardholders are responsible for reviewing the statement in a timely manner to ensure that all charges are valid. Any erroneous charges must be addressed and fraudulent charges must be reported to the Bank and the Finance Office immediately. Bank of America requires that any disputed amounts appearing on the statement be reported directly by the named cardholder with 60 days of the charge. Disputes are filed by calling the toll-free number on the back of the card. Failure to file a timely and proper fraud claim may result in personal liability for the charges.

Responsibility of Cardholders. Cardholders are responsible to the College for all charges on their Card and must retain transactional evidence to support all charges. Charges must be reconciled through a Workday expense report within 14 days after the close of the bi-weekly billing period.

Per IRS guidelines, the use of College resources may become taxable to the employee unless the expense is properly substantiated with a qualified business purpose and detailed documentation within a reasonable time frame as defined by the employer’s Accountable Plan. Rhodes has defined a reasonable time period as within sixty days from the date of the transaction.

Not Allowed on College Cards. Use of the College Card is not allowed for cash advances; payments through Pay Pal, VENMO, and other mobile cash payment applications; purchases from campus vendors operating the bookstore, mailroom, and dining hall; Amazon purchases through personal accounts, personal charges, and personal reimbursements made through cash apps. Donations to other non-profit organizations or political organizations are not allowed with College funds. As a non-profit organization, contributions to other non-profits could risk the tax-exempt status of the College per the IRS. 

Expenditure Reporting. College Card charges must be reconciled to the College by submitting an expense report through Workday with a clear business purpose and substantiating documentation. A description of each transaction should be detailed enough for all approvers, including those who are unfamiliar with the nature of the employee's work, to clearly understand the nature and business purpose of the expense. Simple generalizations (i.e., “airline ticket,” “dinner,” “internet purchase”) and acronyms (i.e., “APA conference,” “CAPP fee”) are not sufficient and could result in the report being returned for additional information. All College expenditures will be made available for review by the College’s internal and external auditors or regulatory agencies as needed. Expenditures and expense reports may be subject to review for up to three years or longer as determined by the IRS. Insufficient documentation could result in personal tax consequences to the employee.

Receipts and Substantiating Documents. Receipts for purchases of $50.00 or more must be attached to the Workday expense report. Exceptions: Itemized receipts, regardless of the amount, are required for all the following expenditures: travel and entertainment expenses, including meals, car rentals, fuel, ground transportation, hotel, and airline expenditures; purchases from book and general merchandise sellers such as Amazon, department stores (Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc.) and wholesale warehouses (Sam’s, Costco, etc.)

Receipts must show all details of the transaction and not just confirmation of an amount paid. Required details: vendor name, city/state, amount paid, date and time of transaction, form of payment, and clear details of all items or services purchased. Additional supporting documentation may be required to substantiate purchases, travel and contractual expense if the payment document does not provide all details (ex. detailed conference agenda or registration confirmation). Receipts must be attached to the expense report and must be in a digital format that allows the image to be opened with standards software (i.e., pdf, jpeg, etc.). Embedding electronic links or uploading documents with electronic links to websites or folders is not acceptable. Out-of-pocket expense receipts must be submitted for reimbursement within 60 days of purchase or the beginning of the current fiscal year, whichever date is most recent. 

Resignation. Upon termination from the College or revocation of card privileges, the cardholder must ensure that all charges are properly substantiated and reconciled before issuance of their next payroll. Outstanding or improperly submitted expenses may be deducted from the cardholder's pay.  

Meals. Itemized receipts as well as the signature copy showing tip must be attached to the expense report for these meals. A business purpose must be given for all meals and all attendees must be listed, including their relationship to the event. Failure to report the itemized receipt or attendees for meals could result in personal liability for the expense. 

Personal and Improper Use of College Credit Card is Prohibited. The College Card may not be used for personal purchases. All expenditures must have a verifiable business relationship to the College. Should an inadvertent personal transaction appear on the College Card, notify the Finance Office immediately with information regarding the transaction. Reimbursement to the College must be made immediately. Personal and improper charges may include but are not limited to personal items, services and fees, and non-qualified, unapproved or unreasonable business expenses. Examples include, but are not limited to, traffic fines, clothing/accessories, travel related items such as luggage, cosmetics, toiletries, hygiene products, prescriptions and over the counter medications. Other examples include multiple accessories for college issued electronics, unnecessary sales tax, and extended pre- or post-business travel expenses charged to the College. Violators of College policies through personal use/misuse and misrepresentation will be subject to disciplinary action, including but not limited to loss of Card privileges, required reimbursement to the College, and discipline, up to and including termination. 

Review of Credit Card Expenditures by Supervisor/Budget Manager. Workday expense reports must be reviewed and approved by the Cardholder’s immediate Supervisor or funding Budget Manager. The Supervisor or Budget Manager is responsible to review all charges; ensuring that expenditures are appropriate and reasonable, have a clear business explanation and documentation meets policy requirements. The Supervisor or Budget Manager is also responsible for approvals made on their behalf through their assigned Workday delegates. 

Travel Pre-approval. All business travel must be pre-approved by the traveler’s Chairperson or Supervisor. Funding must be pre-approved by the appropriate Budget Manager for the funding source.

Gift Cards, Prizes, and Awards. Gift cards cannot be purchased without prior approval of the Finance Office and are generally discouraged. All gift cards of any value given as gifts of appreciation, prizes, or awards are taxable to the recipient. Tangible gifts and awards over $35 are also taxable to the recipient. Call the Finance Office for directions on how to handle these situations prior to making any purchases. 

Computers, Peripherals, and other Electronic Devices. (Purchase Orders may be required) No computers or peripheral equipment may be purchased without the pre-approval of the Director of Academic Technologies in Information Technology Services and also the approval of the Provost when applicable. Computing software and hardware must conform to the College’s standards for authorized computers. Educational pricing may be available through ITS sourcing. Please refer to the Information Services section of the College Handbook. Computers and peripheral devices purchased with any source of funding through the College become the property of the College. 

Cell Phones. Cell phone and accessory purchases are prohibited. The College does not cover the cost of cell phone equipment. 

Sales Tax Exemptions. As a tax-exempt organization, no sales tax will be paid by the College on major purchases in applicable states. Rhodes has a sales tax exemption in four states – Tennessee, Texas, New York, and Florida. Sales tax exemption certificates are available through the Finance Office and may be used for business travel, restaurants, and other purchases in these states. 

The College sales tax exemption is only allowed on business transactions. Misuse of the sales tax exemption applied to personal charges, services, and membership accounts could result in the loss of the exemption privilege for the entire College. Personal accounts and memberships, even if used for College business, are not eligible for the College sales tax exemption. Membership and service accounts must be in the name of the College for the sales tax exemption to apply. Call the Finance Office if there are any questions about what qualifies for the benefit. 

Pay Period. All Rhodes employees are paid biweekly. In case a regular pay day falls on a bank holiday, the checks will be released on the last banking day preceding the scheduled pay day.

Overtime. Overtime must be authorized in advance by the employee’s supervisor. Overtime is paid to non-exempt employees at time and a half for all hours worked over 40 hours in the designated work week.

Special Compensation Payments for Staff. Any stipend or compensation in addition to regular salary for staff employees must be submitted in writing and approved in advance by the Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs. The approved written request and justification must be included with the processing of stipend payment(s). For a stipend to be approved, the work performed must be unrelated to the staff member’s regular job duties and must be done outside of the employee’s normal working hours. For special compensation policies for faculty, see the Faculty Handbook.

Staff employees with an exempt job classification ordinarily may not receive additional payments for performing their duties, including time worked outside of the employees’ regularly scheduled work hours. Rarely, and only with prior approval from the Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs, non-exempt staff employees may be compensated at different hourly rates for work outside their normal work week schedule (e.g. nights or weekends), if the duties and responsibilities are materially different than those duties required of their current job. However, hours worked under this exception will not exceed 2½ hours per week in excess of the normal 37.5 hours in the weekly pay cycle and will be paid to the employee, not banked as compensatory time.

Compensatory Time. Full-time non-exempt staff employees will receive compensatory (“comp”) time for any approved hours worked beyond their normal work schedule up to a maximum of 40 hours per week. After 40 hours, such employees will be paid wages at their overtime rate. Comp time must be exhausted before using accrued vacation hours. Accrued, unused comp time will be paid out at termination.

Supplemental Pay. Supplemental Pay is defined as additional pay to staff employees for assuming temporary new duties and responsibilities in addition to those currently required of the job description. Such pay can be provided to an employee who is assigned materially different or significant additional duties and responsibilities on an interim basis for a limited period of time (i.e. temporary supervisory duties due to organizational change, vacancy or leave of absence). Requests by a supervisor for supplementary pay for an employee taking on additional duties may be considered but must be approved in advance by the Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs. Only after supplemental pay has been approved may the matter be discussed with the employee.

Payroll Deduction. Deductions from each employee’s gross pay period earnings are of two types: mandatory and voluntary. Mandatory deductions are those required by law or to maintain compliance with other regulatory agencies. Such deductions may include federal income tax withholding, social security, wage garnishments, personal bankruptcy payments, and child and/or family support. After written authorization, voluntary reductions will be made for elected benefits such as supplemental retirement, flexible spending account, dependent care reimbursement, United Way, Rhodes Annual Fund contributions, or various College-sponsored voluntary benefits. Once an employee’s resignation is received in the Human Resources Office, effective with the next payroll, any outstanding debt owed must be repaid.

Direct Deposit. Employees may have their pay checks automatically deposited in accounts at any financial institution of their choice by maintaining their payment elections in Workday while on the campus network. Changes may not be made remotely. If changes to payment elections are required while an employee is unable to access the campus network, please contact the Finance Office.

Disruptions. If the work of the College is stopped or is disrupted by an act of God (e.g. earthquake, flood) or other reasons, the College is not obligated for salaries or compensation but will make every effort to meet these obligations depending on the financial position of the College.

Deductions from Salary for Exempt Employees. Rhodes pays its employees according to the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), which governs which employees must be paid overtime (non-exempt employees) and which employees are exempt from the payment of overtime (exempt employees). In general, the FLSA requires that exempt employees be paid on a salary basis, and deductions from such salary may be permitted on a very limited basis for such things as:

• For absences of one or more full days for personal reasons
• For absences of one or more full days due to sickness or disability if the deduction is made in accordance with a bona fide sick pay plan
• To offset amounts employees receive as jury or witness fees or for military pay
• For absences due to a work-related illness or injury where the employee is compensated for the loss of salary under the applicable workers’ compensation laws
• For penalties imposed in good faith for infractions of safety rules of major significance
• For unpaid disciplinary suspensions of one or more full days imposed in good faith for workplace conduct rule infractions. 
• For partial day absences pursuant to intermittent family and medical leave

Rhodes is committed to avoiding improper deductions for exempt employees and will act to remedy any situation in which such a deduction may have been made by reimbursing the employee for any such improper deductions on the next payroll following a determination that the deduction was improper.

Any employee who believes that a deduction from salary is improper should discuss the matter with Human Resources. The College will promptly (normally within two business days) make a determination as to whether the deduction is proper. If the College decides the deduction was improper, reimbursement will be made on the next payroll. If the College decides the deduction was proper, the employee will be furnished a written explanation of the decision. The employee should ordinarily initiate this inquiry within two business days after being paid or being notified of the deduction unless special circumstances justify later action.

Employees of the College should avoid a conflict of interest, defined as involvement that limits a person’s ability to support the best interest of the College when performing their job. A conflict of interest may take various forms. It begins when an employee is or may be in a position to influence the College's business, research, or decision-making that could lead to any form of personal gain for the staff member or others closely associated with that College employee. No employee should have any financial or other interest in business transactions or relationships that could reasonably be construed to give rise to a conflict of interest, real or apparent, that would affect independent and unbiased judgment in carrying out an employee's duties to the College.

An employee shall be considered to have a conflict of interest if:

• Such employee has existing or potential financial or other interests which impair or might reasonably appear to impair such employee’s independent, unbiased judgment in the discharge of their responsibilities to the College, or
• Such employee is aware that a family member (which for purposes herein shall be a spouse, parents, siblings, children and any other relative if the latter reside in the same household as the employee), or any organization in which such employee (or family member) is an officer, director, employee, member, partner, trustee, or controlling stockholder, has such existing or potential financial or other interests.

All employees shall disclose to the Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs any possible conflict of interest at the earliest practicable time to allow the College to take appropriate action to address the conflict of interest. Failure to disclose a conflict of interest may result in disciplinary action including, but not limited to, termination of employment.

Staff employees who need time off to attend court, either voluntarily or pursuant to subpoena, for a matter that does not involve Rhodes College must use vacation for such appearances. All employees, including faculty, should provide as much notice as possible to their supervisor if they need time off for a court appearance in a personal matter. 

If an employee must appear in court or for a deposition in a matter related to Rhodes, such time will be considered time worked for the calculation of overtime. 

Rhodes College is committed to protecting the safety of its students, faculty, and staff while maintaining essential operations during emergencies. This policy establishes the College's procedures for responding to inclement weather and other emergency situations that may affect campus operations, including campus closures, remote operations, delayed openings, and early dismissals.

This policy applies to all College employees and covers disruptions resulting from weather-related events and other emergencies, including but not limited to winter storms, flooding, utility failures, public health emergencies, and security incidents.

The College reserves the right to modify campus operations as circumstances warrant and to implement, modify, extend, or terminate any operational status as conditions change. Decisions regarding campus operations will be made by senior leadership based on available information, the College’s ability to maintain safe operations, and the College’s operational responsibilities.  

When the College closes, transitions to remote operations, delays opening, dismisses early, or otherwise modifies operations, employees will be notified through one or more of the following communication channels:

1. College-issued email communications;
2. Text message notifications;
3. The Rhodes College website and other official College communication platforms.

Employees are responsible for maintaining current contact information and monitoring official College communications during emergency events.

Definitions

College Status

• Campus Closure - A Campus Closure occurs when College operations are suspended due to an emergency. Classes, administrative offices, and most College operations will cease for the duration of the closure. Essential operations may continue as determined by the College.
• Remote Operations - A Remote Operations designation occurs when campus access is limited or restricted, but College operations continue remotely. Employees whose duties can be performed remotely are expected to work their regular schedules unless otherwise directed.
• Altered Schedule - An Altered Schedule occurs when the College modifies normal operating hours due to an emergency. Altered schedules may include:
  • Delayed opening;
  • Early dismissal; or
  • Other temporary modifications to operating hours announced by the College.

As a general practice, the College will seek to align academic and administrative operations whenever practical and operationally feasible.  

Essential Employees - Essential Employees are employees designated by the College to perform functions necessary to protect life, safety, property, residential operations, critical infrastructure, or other mission-critical services during an emergency.

Essential designations may vary depending on the nature, timing, and duration of the emergency. Depending on the circumstances, an employee may be considered essential for one type of emergency but not another or may be considered essential for a partial length of time but not the entire duration of the emergency.    

The College will determine and communicate which positions or employees are designated as essential for a particular emergency event.

Essential employees are expected to report to their assigned work location as directed by their supervisor.

Non-Essential Employees - Non-Essential Employees are employees who are not required to report to campus during a closure or whose duties are suspended during the emergency period.

Employee Expectations

Campus Open - In the absence of an official College decision to close, operate remotely, delay opening, or dismiss early, employees are expected to work as scheduled.  

Employees who believe weather or emergency conditions make travel unsafe under their individual circumstances should notify their supervisor as soon as possible.

With supervisory approval, employees may:

• Work remotely if operationally feasible; or
• Use available vacation leave.

Employees who do not report to work when the campus remains open and do not have sufficient available vacation leave will be placed in an unpaid status for the missed time.

Remote Operations - Employees approved or directed to work remotely are expected to perform their normal duties and work their regular schedules unless otherwise instructed.  Non-exempt employees must accurately record all hours worked and may not work overtime without prior supervisory approval.

Essential Employees - Essential employees are expected to report to work or perform assigned duties during emergency operations unless specifically excused.

Essential employees who do not report to work when required must use available vacation leave for missed time or will be placed in an unpaid status if insufficient vacation leave is available.

Compensation During Emergency Operations - Compensation during emergency operations, campus closures, remote operations, and other operational disruptions will be administered in accordance with applicable law and College policies and practices in effect at the time of the emergency.

Nothing in this policy creates a contractual right to any form of compensation, premium pay, incentive payment, or leave benefit during an emergency event.

Policy Administration
The College reserves the right to interpret, modify, suspend, or amend this policy at any time consistent with applicable law and institutional needs.

This policy does not apply to faculty. For information about faculty discipline, see the Faculty Handbook.

The College has a progressive disciplinary system which provides employees with opportunities for correction in a fair and transparent manner. In order to maintain and operate the College in the best interest of both the employee and the College, it is necessary that all employees adhere to certain standards of conduct designed to create a friendly, cooperative, and effective work atmosphere. This requires each employee to respect the rights and feelings of others as well as assure that each employee’s personal conduct is not harmful to others or to the College. Any employee who is found to have violated a rule or regulation of the College or the department, will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including discharge. The following steps are typical of the procedure followed to counsel the employee; however, each situation is unique and the College reserves the right to choose the level of disciplinary action it deems appropriate at any time including, but not limited to, immediate termination.

Verbal Counseling. If an employee’s work performance or conduct is unsatisfactory, the supervisor should communicate this information to the employee through personal counseling. The supervisor should also provide suggestions to the employee for work improvement in the form of reasonable and attainable goals. Verbal counseling will be documented and signed by the supervisor and the employee and maintained by the employee’s supervisor. 

Written Warning. When verbal counseling does not correct the performance or conduct issue, or when a more serious violation is involved, the supervisor should consult with the Director of Human Resources or their designee to obtain approval to issue a written warning. Once the written warning has been approved, the supervisor and the Director of Human Resources should meet with the employee regarding the deficiencies in performance and/or conduct. The written warning is a written summary of the unsatisfactory performance or conduct as well as any violations of College policy. The warning should also contain reasonable and attainable goals for the employee with specific dates for completion. Both the supervisor and the employee should sign the written warning. The employee may attach a written statement to the written warning. The written warning and any attachments should be forwarded to Human Resources for retention in the employee’s personnel file.

Suspension Without Pay. If a written warning does not correct the performance or conduct, or when a very serious violation is involved, the employee may be given a disciplinary suspension without pay for up to 5 working days. Prior to suspending an employee, the supervisor must obtain approval of the Director Human Resources or their designee. Once the suspension has been approved, the supervisor and Director Human Resources should inform the employee of the unsatisfactory performance or conduct resulting in suspension and record the meeting in writing. Both the supervisor and the employee should sign the written record of suspension. The employee may attach a written statement to the written warning. The written record of suspension and any attachments should be sent to Human Resources for retention in the employee’s personnel file.

Termination. If unsatisfactory performance or conduct continues beyond suspension, or in the event of a very serious violation, the employee may be terminated. Each supervisor must gain the written concurrence of the appropriate Vice President after consultation with the Director of Human Resources before initiating a termination action. The supervisor and Director Human Resources should meet with the employee to communicate the termination.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of conduct that may lead to discipline, up to and including termination without prior warnings or suspensions as determined by Rhodes in its sole discretion. Rhodes reserves the right to take disciplinary action against or terminate an employee for other conduct it deems unacceptable that is not specifically listed here.

• Threat of violence or physical harm to any individual;
• Stealing property of the College or of another person;
• Damaging property of the College or of another person;
• Reporting to work while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs in violation of college policy;
• Using alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs while on duty in violation of college policy;
• Falsification of time records or other documents;
• Lying in official matters;
• Refusal to accept instructions of authorized supervisor including but not limited to failure to perform assigned duties, insubordination, or disobedience; 
• Receipt of three (3) written warnings in one twelve (12) month period;
• Failure to report to work for three (3) consecutive scheduled work days without notice in violation of the Attendance policy;
• Engaging in sexual activity with a student; or
• Sexual or other harassment based on race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or other protected characteristic.

For student guests and visitors, please see Student Guests and Visitors in the Student Handbook.

Rhodes College welcomes guests and visitors while maintaining the safety and comfort of our campus community. All guests and visitors must comply with college policies and local, state, and federal laws while on campus.

Definitions

• Guest: A guest is an individual invited to campus by a student or other member of the Rhodes community. Guests are required to remain under the direct supervision of their host for the duration of their visit.
• Visitor: A visitor is an individual who comes to campus for business or personal reasons without a specific host, such as attending events or meetings. Visitors are responsible for their adherence to campus policies.

Visitor/Contractor Check-in Process

1. When visitors arrive at the gate, they must have a valid driver’s license or other approved government ID. The visitor’s ID will be scanned into the Raptor system, and a visitor badge will be printed for them to wear throughout their visit. The badge will include their name, photo, and campus destination. All vehicle passengers will be required to present their identification.
2. Visitors to West Campus should be directed to check in at one of the main campus gates before proceeding to their destination. We value and welcome our community partners to campus, and we realize that many of their meetings with faculty and staff will be held on West Campus. When you invite community partners to Rhodes, especially if you are on West Campus, please inform them of the need to check in at one of the main campus gates. This practice will help ensure their safety while on campus.

Check-In Process for Large Events – The check-in process will be the same unless the visitor has been pre-registered. Registrations for events with large numbers of external guests can be created through Formsite by contacting the College Events Office. 

1. Access will be granted to pre-registered event guest(s) who have received and are displaying their special event parking pass or emailed event pass. Upon displaying the designated parking or event pass, the guest(s) can bypass the Raptor sign-in.
2. At least 48 hours before the event, the event organizer should provide the Campus Safety Office with a copy of the special parking pass or event pass. Providing a copy of the parking pass in advance will allow guest(s) to pass through the gates more swiftly. Unregistered guests will go through the regular visitor check-in process.
3. The parking pass or event pass should include the date(s) of the event.
4. At least 48 hours before the event, the event organizer should provide the Campus Safety Office with a list of registered attendees.
5. A copy of the parking or event pass and the attendee list can be emailed to security@rhodes.edu

Faculty or Staff invited guests. A faculty or staff member who wants to invite someone to campus should send the name of the visitor, their license plate number, and the date of their visit to Campus Safety at security@rhodes.edu at least 48 hours in advance of their visit. Campus Safety will send a pdf of a parking pass to the faculty or staff member who can forward it to the guest to be displayed on the visitor’s dashboard upon entering campus.  

This policy does not apply to faculty. For information related to separation of employment, see the Faculty Handbook.

Procedure. In order to leave in good standing, an employee wishing to terminate their employment with the College must submit a written resignation with their supervisor at least two (2) weeks prior to the effective date stating specific reason(s) for the resignation as well as the effective date. The employee’s resignation must be forwarded promptly to the Director Human Resources. The employee is also responsible for submitting their resignation in Workday. Failure of the employee to give such notice may result in denial of future employment with the College and forfeiture of accumulated vacation payout. (See “Exit Interview” and “Final Paycheck” sections.) Once an employee’s resignation is received in the Human Resources Office, effective with the next payroll, any outstanding debts owed to the College will automatically be deducted from the remaining paychecks to the extent allowed by law. (See Final Paycheck below for terminal benefit pay.)

Exit Interview. Human Resources may conduct an exit interview for employees terminating their employment regardless of reason, and includes discussion of employee benefits that may be continued by the terminating employees at their own cost and other issues as applicable. 

Return of Property and Completion of Outstanding Business Processes. All College property such as fob, keys, parking decal, uniforms, credit cards, laptops, etc. must be returned to the employee’s supervisor or Human Resources by the last day worked. All business processes, such as reconciliation of all credit card charges, should be completed by the last day worked.

Terminal Benefit Pay-Vacation. Time records will serve as documentation of vacation hours due. An employee may not use vacation for the purpose of extending their date of termination. For more information regarding payout of unused vacation time, please refer to the College’s Staff Vacation Policy.

Final Paycheck. The final paycheck for an employee who has resigned will be issued on the next regular payday after the date of termination. Final paychecks may be deposited directly, picked up at Rhodes Express or mailed at the option of the employee. The final paycheck will represent compensation for hours worked and accumulated vacation time up to limits allowed by the Vacation Policy and compensatory time minus outstanding debts to the College (bookstore balance, parking violation fines, etc.) to the extent allowed by law. No payment will be made for unused sick leave. 

As with most post-secondary institutions of higher learning, Rhodes has traditionally referred to “faculty,” “staff,” and, less often, “administrators.” For purposes this handbook, however, faculty, staff and administrators are all employees, and that is how they are referred to for the most part. There are a number of ways that Rhodes differentiates among employees, all of whom fall into various job classifications. This section discusses the different ways that Rhodes classifies its employees and how that affects their status. 

Faculty v. Staff

Faculty employees are those whose terms and conditions of employment are governed by an annual contract, which can be full-time or part-time. For further discussion of those terms and conditions of employment unique to faculty, see the Faculty Handbook.

Staff employees do not have a written contract of employment. The employment relationship between staff and Rhodes is “at-will.” At-will employees may terminate their employment relationship with the College at any time with or without reason, cause, or notice. The College may likewise terminate an at-will employee at any time with or without reason, cause, or notice.

Staff employees are classified based on their hours worked per week and their months worked per year according to the following categories:

• 37.5+ hours/week — 12 months/year (full time).
• 37.5+ hours/week — 10 months/year (full-time).
• Less than 37.5 hours/week — 12 months/year (part-time).
• Less than 37.5 hours/week — 10 months/year (part-time).

Full-time employees are eligible for the benefits described in this handbook. Part-time employees are entitled to benefits only to the extent specified in the handbook. For more information, consult the Benefits section of the handbook. Individuals whose employment is incidental to the educational programs at the College, who are employed by the College primarily as a consultant, or who are employed by or through the College on the basis of grants and/or contracts and/or agency agreements are eligible only for social security, medicare, and worker’s compensation coverage.

Staff employees may also be considered “introductory” or “regular” employees. Introductory employees are those who have not yet successfully completed their introductory period. Regular employees are those who have successfully completed their introductory period. Both introductory and regular employees are at-will employees of Rhodes College. For more information, see the Introductory Period section.

Exempt v. Non-Exempt

Exempt employees are employees who, under the guidelines established by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), are not subject to minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. To qualify for exempt status, employees’ specific job duties and salary must meet all of the requirements of the Department of Labor’s regulations regarding executive, administrative, professional, computer, and outside sales employees. Faculty are considered exempt professionals.

Non-Exempt employees are employees whose job duties and/or wage payments do not meet the definition of exempt under the FLSA. Non-exempt employees are entitled to at least the minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime pay at time and a half their regular hourly rate for all hours worked over 40 in one work week. 

Rhodes College does not discriminate on the grounds of race, sex, color, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, military service, or any other protected status in hiring, termination, advancement, compensation or any other terms and conditions of employment. 

As an educational institution Rhodes College is committed to maintaining an environment, in which its faculty members, students, administrators, and staff members are safe, can be trusted and count on others to be trustworthy, and receive and extend respect to others. Indeed, mutual respect among faculty members, students and administrators is an essential ingredient in the educational process and the greatest care must be taken that it not in any way be eroded.

Because of the commitment to maintaining an environment that supports our educational goals, Rhodes College prohibits romantic, sexual, and exploitative relationships between College employees and students. In the event that any such relationship is reported and confirmed, the employee is subject to employee disciplinary procedures up to and including termination in the case of staff employees, or dismissal for cause in the case of faculty members. Please contact Human Resources with any questions regarding this policy.

Virtually all Rhodes employees are, or can appear to be, in a position to exercise power or authority, directly or indirectly, over students, whether or not an individual student is enrolled in their classes, is subject to their direct supervision, or has some form of business to transact with offices at the College. Many students are at a stage in their development when they may be particularly vulnerable to the influence of employees who are in positions where they can affect the terms and conditions of a student’s standing at the College.

Even if a student consents to a romantic relationship with a Rhodes employee, the existence of such a relationship could have unintended adverse effects on both the student and the educational environment of the College. In some cases such a relationship can end unhappily or become problematic, resulting in charges of sexual harassment, and even physical or psychological abuse.

Some circumstances in which employees work with students can have the potential for the exploitation of students. For example, a work-study student might be asked to perform services that go beyond the terms and conditions of the work-study assignment, e.g. child care or personal business transactions. In such cases, it must be clear that the student may decline such personal invitations without any adverse consequences. It may be that a work-study student will respond to an invitation to provide personal assistance, but this relationship must be one in which the student volunteers, is offered and accepts a fair wage for services, and one which bears no relationship to the continuation of or the evaluation of the work-study assignment.

There are exceptional circumstances in which the spouse or partner of a College employee is a student at the College. This fraternization policy does not apply in such circumstances. In the case of faculty, the Provost, in consultation with the Director Human Resources, is the administrative officer who determines whether an exceptional circumstance applies. In the case of staff, the Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs, in consultation with the Director of Human Resources, is the administrative officer who determines whether an exceptional circumstance applies.

Rhodes College is committed to providing a work environment in which employees are encouraged to do their best work in an atmosphere that promotes teamwork, personal development, and good communication among colleagues. Rhodes also recognizes that there may be times when employees feel that their work environment is not productive. This may be so for a number of reasons, including conflicts with a co-worker or supervisor, perceived lack of training or resources, concerns about advancement or compensation, situations in which the employee feels they have been treated unfairly, personal issues that are affecting performance or attendance, or other similar concerns. 

If you would like to raise a concern such as this, contact Human Resources at hr@rhodes.edu or your immediate supervisor. In the case of faculty, this would be your Department Chair. If you are uncomfortable reporting your concern to your immediate supervisor, you may also report your concern to your next-level supervisor or, in the case of faculty, to the Provost’s Office. You may be asked to put your complaint in writing. If the employee feels they have been discriminated against, the concern should be reported to the Director of Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator.

An investigation will then take place. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the investigation may include a personal interview, review of pertinent documentation, and interviews of other people with relevant information. Every effort will be made to conclude the investigation within thirty days of receipt of the complaint, but there may be times when it will take longer. The complainant will be kept advised of the status of the investigation. 

At the end of the investigation, a resolution will be proposed. If the employee is not satisfied with the proposed resolution, the employee may go to the next level supervisor or, in the case of faculty, to the Provost. The decision of the applicable Vice-President or, in the case of faculty, the Provost, will be considered final. 

The College strives to resolve complaints as quickly and confidentially as possible while ensuring that enough information is collected to reach a proper resolution. Retaliation for using this process will not be tolerated and should be reported promptly to Human Resources. 

Rhodes College is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all members of the campus community. Hazing, in any form, is strictly prohibited. This policy applies to all students, student organizations, athletic teams, employees, and affiliated groups or individuals. Hazing is antithetical to the values of integrity, inclusion, safety, and personal development that guide our institution. For more information, please see the Hazing Policy in the Rhodes College Student Handbook.

All students and employees are required to have a Lynx Card I.D. Members of the Rhodes community may be asked by Campus Safety Officers to identify themselves with their Lynx Cards. Lynx Cards are required by the Barret Library to check-out books and and by the mailroom in order to pick up mail and packages. They are also used to access meal plans in the Refectory and for admission to various College events.

Lynx Cards are made for faculty and staff at the time of hire. New and replacement cards are produced at Rhodes Express. Lost cards may be replaced for a $25.00 fee.

This policy addresses the responsible use of information and technology resources at Rhodes. Rhodes provides and maintains the following forms of electronic communication, messaging agents and electronic facilities: internal and external electronic mail (email), telephone voice mail, internet access, videoconferencing, and computer hardware and software. As a condition of providing the previously identified communications access to its employees, the College places certain restrictions on workplace use. 

All electronic communication systems, as well as the equipment and data stored, are and remain at all times the property of the College. Therefore, employees have no right of privacy in regard to any activities conducted on Rhodes-provided technology. The College reserves the right to routinely monitor usage patterns for its email and internet communication systems. Accordingly, all messages and files created, sent, received or stored within the system, including personal, non-business messages and files, are and will remain the property of Rhodes. Personal use of email is permissible, provided such use does not interfere with the individual’s job duties, productivity or work performance. 

Definitions. The following definitions apply to the policies and guidelines for appropriate usage of technology at Rhodes College.

• “Rhodes computers” refers to computing equipment purchased with institutional funds as well as to computing equipment purchased with personal funds but authorized for and placed on a mediate or immediate location on the Rhodes network.
• “Authorized computers” refers to Rhodes computers that have been inspected by Rhodes Information Services division personnel and certified for connection to the Rhodes network in its configuration. Subsequent hardware, software, or operating system configurations of the same machine may require reauthorization. Authorized computers must conform to the standards as defined below. Requests for exceptions to the standard must be made to the appropriate dean or vice president before a machine may be purchased or submitted for authorization for a network connection.
• “Appropriate dean or vice president” refers to one’s corresponding representative at the level of dean or vice president. For example, students are to contact the Dean of Students, faculty the Provost or Associate Provost, and staff their divisional head.
• “Information Services” refers to the array of services provided by the division of Information Services and includes equipment procurement, equipment support, user support, and system and account administration.
• “Authorized users” (hereafter also “users” unless specified as “unauthorized users”) refers to individuals who may exercise the privilege to use Rhodes computers or Rhodes information services. Use of Rhodes computers is limited to those persons identified under the following item, User Privileges, and is subject to the following standards of use.

User Privileges. Any Rhodes faculty, staff, or student, full-time or part-time, may use the Rhodes computers for any academic purpose. No employee or student may use Rhodes computers for commercial ventures. No employee or student may use Rhodes computers on behalf of external organizations or persons unless such use is directly related to Rhodes courses or to faculty research and professional development and is approved by the appropriate dean or vice president.

User Responsibilities

Cooperative Use. Collegiality demands the practice of cooperative computing. In addition to following the intent of other policy statements on student conduct and employee conduct, it entails:

• Regular deletion of unneeded files from one′s accounts on shared computing resources.
• Refraining from overuse of connect time, and network services such as information storage space, printing facilities, processing capacity and bandwidth.
• Refraining from use of sounds and visuals, which might be disruptive or offensive to others.
• Refraining from use of any computing resource in an irresponsible manner.
• Refraining from unauthorized use of departmental or individual computing resources.

Violations. Violation of any portion of the Computer Usage Policies will result in suspension of one’s privileges for use of Rhodes computers and information technology services until the appropriate dean or vice president approves reauthorization of access to equipment and services, in addition to any other penalty that maybe imposed under other College rules. Users must not conceal or help to conceal or “cover up” violations by any party. Users are expected to report any evidence of actual or suspected violation of these policies to the Chief Information Officer.

Rhodes College is authorized to investigate alleged or apparent violations of college policy or applicable law using whatever means appropriate. Rhodes reserves the right to monitor use of Rhodes computers and to access, inspect and/or download any and all information stored on Rhodes′ computers in the course of such investigation. Information Services is authorized by the college to investigate policy violations and apply reduction or elimination of access privileges while the matter is under review and/or as a penalty for violations. These sanctions may apply to computing accounts, networks, college-administered computing rooms, and other services or facilities. A college user accused of a violation will be notified of the charge and will have an opportunity to respond to the appropriate College authority before a final determination of any penalty.

Unauthorized Access. Users must not access or attempt to access data or services on a college system they are not authorized to access. Users must not defeat or attempt to defeat any college system’s security, for example, by ‘cracking’ or guessing user identifications or passwords. Additionally, users must not permit or assist any unauthorized person to access college systems. Unauthorized use includes giving a valid username and password to any unauthorized individual, business, or agency outside of the Rhodes community. Unauthorized use also includes giving an authorized user access to a service or equipment for which the user is not authorized by giving a valid username and password. Users are responsible for the security of their college system accounts and passwords. Accounts and passwords are not to be shared. Users are presumed to be responsible for any activity carried out under their college system accounts. Users must not conceal their identity when using college systems, except when anonymous access is explicitly provided. Users must not masquerade as or impersonate others.

Unauthorized Services. Users must not run unauthorized servers, including but not limited to DNS, DHCP, email, file sharing, print, video or audio streaming, web, peer-to-peer, or other application services. Such services disrupt and in some cases disable central services. Authorization to run a service may be obtained upon approval from the Chief Information Officer.

Denial or Disruption of Service. Users must not deny or disrupt or attempt to deny or disrupt service to other users by means of excessive consumption of resources, distribution of computer “worms” or viruses, excessive computing load or deliberately causing the failure of any system resource, including email, bandwidth, or web services. Knowing or reckless distribution of unwanted mail or other messages is prohibited. Uses of computer resources that may cause excessive network traffic are prohibited. Equipment causing service disruptions will be removed from the network immediately, the user notified of the removal, and then arrangements made for repairing the equipment to avoid further disruption upon reconnection to the network.

Data Networks. Users publish information in electronic forms on Rhodes equipment and/or over Rhodes′s networks. Rhodes has no intention or opportunity to screen such private material and thus cannot assure its accuracy or assume any responsibility for this material. Users must observe all applicable policies and laws when using such networks. Users must not download or post material that is illegal, such as child pornography or proprietary, such as copyrighted music, software, video, text or other intellectual property. Discovery of such material will result in its immediate removal and possible disciplinary action.

Modification of Data or Equipment. Without specific authorization, users of college systems must not cause, permit, or attempt any destruction or modification of data or computing or communications equipment, including but not limited to alteration of data, reconfiguration of control switches or parameters, or changes in firmware. Users must not make or attempt to make any deliberate, unauthorized changes to data on a college system. Users must not intercept or attempt to intercept data communications not intended for that user’s access, for example, by ‘promiscuous’ bus monitoring, network “sniffing,” port scanning, wiretapping, or using an unprotected system that has been logged on. Without specific authorization by the Chief Information Officer, users must not remove any College-owned or -administered equipment or documents from a college system. This rule protects data, computing and communications equipment owned by Rhodes College, or any other person or entity authorized as part of the Rhodes computing community.

Privacy of Personal Records. The College observes the requirements of the following regulations:

• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
• Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (GLBA)
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

Every individual who, in the course of performing their duties, has access to personal data is charged with maintaining the highest standards of conduct with regard to those data. Accordingly, the College requires everyone with access to these data to take whatever actions are warranted to protect the privacy of individuals covered by these regulations and abstain from any activity that might compromise that privacy. Violations of these principles will be handled in a manner consistent with the procedures outlined above in “User Responsibilities” and elsewhere in the Handbook.

Purchasing. Purchasing of all computing software and hardware (e.g., programs, computers, monitors, printers, network and storage devices) must be coordinated through Information Services. All purchases of Rhodes computers must conform to the standards for authorized computers unless the appropriate dean or vice president has issued approval for nonstandard hardware or software. Deans/VPs should consult with the Chief Information Officer to determine the risks, liabilities, and conditions for use of nonstandard equipment prior to consideration for approval.

Information Technology Support

Information Services is located in Barret Library. The division establishes and maintains the technological infrastructure, services, and products required for the students and employees of Rhodes College to make the institution the best residential, liberal arts college it can be. The vision of Information Services is to provide a standard of support that enables the students and employees of the College to explore technological solutions to old and new problems in liberal arts education with eagerness and confidence.

Help Desk. The Help Desk is the central place from which technical problems are solved. The technician who receives your call will attempt to resolve the issue over the phone. If, however, the technician is unable to solve the problem in a few minutes, then they will assign your call to a staff member who will respond in a timely manner depending on the priority of the request. Call 843-3890 or email help@rhodes.edu.

Email. Email is available to facilitate the professional and business work of persons employed at the College. It provides a way to communicate on a one-to-one basis and to designated groups. The following guidelines are intended to establish reasonable usage of electronic mail.

• Please do not post personal messages or requests using @facstaff, @faculty or @staff.
• Announcements of College events should be limited to one per event; however, one brief reminder is permitted.
• Please address your electronic mail to the appropriate group. Use @facstaff for all faculty and staff, @faculty for faculty only, and @staff for staff only.
• Create distribution lists to send messages to specific groups rather than blanket the entire faculty and staff with a message that is of interest to only a few people.

Network services. Networked connections and services are maintained by Information Services. No device should be connected to the network without approval of Information Services. Unauthorized servers are not permitted. Please do not post personal messages or requests using @facstaff, @faculty or @staff. 

This policy does not apply to faculty. Information about promotions and transfers applicable to faculty may be found in the Faculty Handbook. 

Individuals may apply for an open internal position after successfully completing their introductory period. If the employee has been in their current position for less than one year, then the employee must obtain supervisory approval to apply for an internal position. The employee must notify their immediate supervisor if selected as a finalist in the selection process.

Employees who find a position of interest for which they are qualified should submit an internal application through Workday. All internal job applications must be approved to be considered by the Director of Human Resources. 

When an employee is officially notified of selection for the new position, at least two (2) weeks’ notice must be given to the present department, unless waived by the employee′s current supervisor. In the event a promotional assignment is found unsuitable by either the employee or the College, consideration will be given to allow the promoted employee to return to the former position if available. If not available, and the employee has been counseled and given sufficient time to correct any existing deficiencies, the employee may be subject to termination.

No offer of employment can be made by a hiring manager of one department of the College to an employee of another department of the College without approval of the respective Vice President/Dean.
 
Any job changes will be effective at the beginning of a new pay period. 

This policy does not apply to faculty. For job performance standards related to faculty, see the Faculty Handbook. 

In order to become a “regular” employee (either full or part-time), each employee must complete an initial introductory period of ninety (90) days following initial employment or reemployment in a regular budgeted position.

This period will be utilized to train and evaluate the employee’s effective adjustment to work tasks, conduct, observance of rules and regulations, attendance, and job responsibilities. It is also a time for the employee to evaluate whether the job is a good fit. The introductory period may be extended for a period of time, at the discretion of the supervisor in consultation with the Director of Human Resources. 

New and rehired employees will not be eligible to take Sick Leave and Vacation Leave until they are considered a “regular” employee at the end of their introductory period. The accrual of these benefits, however, begins immediately upon employment. If employees still in their introductory period are absent due to illness or non-work related injury, their pay (only if a full day is missed for exempt employees) will be adjusted to reflect an unpaid absence.

Employees who receive a promotion or transfer to another position at Rhodes will be subject to a new introductory period. Sick time may be utilized if necessary but vacation time is discouraged during this new introductory period. Previously scheduled vacation time must be approved by the new manager and should not exceed one week.

For up to one year after the child’s birth, Rhodes will provide any employee who is breastfeeding their child with reasonable break times to express breast milk for their baby. A room for this purpose is available in the Human Resources Office. A refrigerator for the storage of breast milk is available. Nursing parents wishing to use this room must request and reserve the room by contacting the Benefits Service Manager at 843-3750 or hr@rhodes.edu. 

Employees must notify Human Resources within five business days of any misdemeanor or felony conviction, guilty plea, or no-contest plea occurring during their employment with the College.  

Employees whose positions require professional licensure, certification, or credentialing must promptly notify Human Resources of any investigation resulting in formal disciplinary action, censure, suspension, restriction, revocation, or lapse of such credentials.

Disclosure alone will not result in disciplinary action. The College will conduct an individualized assessment considering the nature of the offense or disciplinary action, its relationship to the risks and responsibilities of the employee's position, the employee's work history, time elapsed, applicable law, and any other relevant factors before determining appropriate action.

In order to protect our students, all Rhodes employees (except confidential resources as defined below) are required to report to the Title IX Coordinator or a Deputy Title IX Coordinator any information that comes into their possession that would indicate that a student has been subjected to any type of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, stalking, dating violence or domestic violence, or other sexual misconduct such as sexual exploitation or coercion, regardless of where it occurred. The College Chaplain and any licensed member of the Counseling Center staff and any Health Services staff are considered “confidential resources” and are not considered mandatory reporters for purposes of this policy. Student employees are also not considered mandatory reporters under this policy.

The mandatory reporter must provide all reported information, including the name of the potential victim, the name of the accused individual, and other identifying details about witnesses, location, etc. While Rhodes will attempt to maintain the confidentiality of the information, if requested, the mandatory reporter has no right to confidentiality from the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Title IX Coordinators or to withhold information that may assist Rhodes in its investigation and potential remediation of the incident. A mandatory reporter who fails to properly report an incident involving a student may receive disciplinary action up to and including termination from Rhodes.

If the disclosing individual expresses reservations about sharing information they would prefer to keep confidential, the mandatory reporter should refer the disclosing individual to Rhodes’ Confidential Resources at the Counseling Center, Health Services or the College Chaplain. No employee (other than the Confidential Resources) can or should promise confidentiality.

Mandatory reporters may assist disclosing individuals with contacting Campus Safety, law enforcement, or other people or resources at the request of the disclosing individual.

For more information, please refer to Rhodes’ Title IX Policy.

Mandatory reporters also have duties, pursuant to the Clery Act, to report to Campus Safety other crimes or incidents not involving sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct. When in doubt, the Title IX Coordinator can facilitate such reports if requested.

Rhodes College seeks to employ and promote the most highly qualified and competent candidates. The College will permit employment of qualified Relatives, Household Members or Intimate Partners of employees as long as: (1) neither employee participates in making recommendations or decisions affecting the appointment, retention, promotion, demotion, termination, salary, or work assignments of the other; (2) one relative does not directly supervise another; and (3) there is no actual conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest.

For purposes of this Policy, the term “Relatives” includes the following: spouse, parent or step-parent, child or step-child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin, and in-laws. “Household Member” means any person residing in the immediate household of a Rhodes employee. “Intimate Partner” means a person with whom an employ is having or, within the last twelve months, had a romantic and/or sexual relationship.

Each individual is responsible for disclosing that such a relationship exists, including a change in circumstances affecting application of this policy.

This policy applies to employees who marry or become members of the same household during their employment with Rhodes College. Should this become an issue, the College will attempt to find a suitable position within the College to which one of the affected employees may transfer. If accommodations of this nature are not feasible, the affected employees will be permitted to determine which of them will resign.

In exceptional circumstances, there may exist a supervisory relationship between relatives, necessitated by unique qualifications or responsibilities. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis by Human Resources. In such cases, job performance and salary determinations shall be handled by the second level supervisor as approved by the appropriate dean or vice president.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), Memphis Fire Protection Laws and insurance regulations as well as general safety precautions make parking and traffic control on campus a necessity. Written regulations and appropriate signage are established to facilitate traffic flow, control parking and protect fire lanes and unloading areas as are designated. In consultation with the Rhodes Student Government, the Social Regulations Council, the Traffic Appeals Committee and various other representatives of the Rhodes community, regulations and procedures have been developed for using a motor vehicle on campus. If you have any questions, please contact the Campus Safety office at 901-843-3880.

Registration of Motor Vehicles

All members of the Rhodes community who park on campus are required to register their vehicles with the Campus Safety Office and display a current registration decal. If a member of the Rhodes community drives a vehicle on campus, it must be registered with either a permanent or temporary registration decal.

Faculty and staff must register their vehicles online via Register a Vehicle and Request a Permit. Persons choosing not to register their vehicles for campus parking must still abide by all "off campus" parking regulations as listed below.

Parking Decals

All students, faculty, and staff cars and motorcycles must have a parking decal. Vehicles may be registered online via Register a Vehicle and Request a Permit. Notification will be sent by email when the decal is ready for pickup from Rhodes Express.

Decals indicate registration information and specified parking areas. They must be properly affixed to the lower left, inside driver′s side front windshield.

Parking at Rhodes College is available at no cost to faculty and staff who have a parking decal affixed to their cars; the Parking Registration Fee for students is $400.00 per academic year. Students must annually register their vehicle. See Student Instructions for Registering a Vehicle and Requesting a Permit (pdf).

Those parking on the Rhodes campus park at their own risk. Rhodes is not responsible for any damage to personal vehicles including, but not limited to, weather damage, accidents, damage, or theft. 

For bicycle permits please come to the Campus Safety Office (Lower Level of McNeill Concert Hall, Room 101) in person to register bikes and receive a decal.

Parking Regulations. The College strives to have a parking control system that is based upon compliance, safety, and convenience for all. Written regulations and appropriate signage are established to facilitate traffic flow, control parking, and protect fire lanes and unloading areas as are designated. In consultation with Rhodes Student Government and the Community Standards Council, the Director of Campus Safety manages the parking program. Parking information is available on the Campus Safety website, all parking maps, and in both the Student Handbook and College Handbook. If you have any questions, please contact the Campus Safety office at 901-843-3880.

Entering Campus. When a Campus Safety officer is on duty at any entrance onto the campus, drivers must stop or slow down to be acknowledged and identified before entering.

Moving Vehicle Regulations. The maximum posted speed limit on College property is 15 mph. Vehicle operators must have their vehicles under control at all times regardless of their speed to avoid collision or endangering others’ well-being. Vehicle operators who fail to control their vehicle, who endanger others’ well-being, or who have the potential to endanger others while operating a vehicle are subject to being held accountable for reckless driving.

• Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol on campus is strictly prohibited and may be prosecuted with police involvement.
• Driving is permitted only on designated surfaced drives. No vehicles are allowed on grass, lawns, or fields without special permission.
• Failure to stop at posted stop signs will result in a referral to the Office of Community Standards.

No Parking Areas. Access ramps, such as those behind Clough Hall and Rhodes Physics Tower provide access to buildings for firefighting equipment and must remain open. Additionally, in case of a fire, access ramps and designed routes of ingress/egress campus buildings must be kept free of parked vehicles. If a space is not lined or marked as a parking space, it is considered a violation to park in the space and subject to citation.

Fire Lanes: All campus streets are designated as fire lanes except Philips Lane. No parking in any fire lane.

Illegal Parking. All legal parking areas within the college complex are clearly indicated both on site and in publications. Parking in areas other than those properly lined as parking spaces is a violation and will be cited. Parking along curbs, unless clearly marked as a parking space or unless otherwise authorized is strictly prohibited.

Visitor Parking. Visitor parking is considered "reserved" twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week. All designated parking spots in upper Phillips Lane (which is the entire area each of the junction of Thomas and Phillips Lanes and up to the Charles Diehl statue) is designated as VISITOR PARKING ONLY 24/7, 365 days per year whether A-frame signage is present or not. Areas designated as visitor parking are strictly reserved for visitors to the campus only. Unauthorized parking is subject to citation.

Off Campus Parking. While parking on campus is recommended, those who choose to park on streets near Rhodes should be aware of restrictions imposed by both the City of Memphis and also those regulations held by Rhodes College. All persons are expected to comply with the "off campus" parking regulations.

City of Memphis parking restrictions are clearly indicated with signage.

Rhodes College restricts parking in the following areas where Rhodes community members are not allowed to park: 

1. North side of Snowden west of University; 
2. South side of Snowden, west of the alley behind Stewart Hall; 
3. North side of Tutwiler, west of the entrance to Spann/Stewart Parking lot; and
4. The west side of University Street north of Snowden Avenue to Jackson Avenue.

These restrictions apply to all members of the Rhodes community.

Use of Emergency Flashers. Use of emergency flashers DOES NOT justify parking in violation of regulations and IS NOT an appropriate cause for appeal. Time elapsed is not an element of a violation. Violating a parking regulation "for only two minutes to run inside" is not a defense for the violation.

Penalties. Fines assessed for traffic and parking violations are indicated on the citation. If no appeal is made, the charge for the citation will be added to your account with the College and can be paid the next time the College processes bills.

Appeal of Citations. If employees of the college believe they have received a citation in error, they may ask for an appeal of the charges through the Parking Appeals Board. This board is made up of representatives from the faculty, staff, and student populations.

To file an appeal, the employee must do so online within (10) calendar days of the offense. Otherwise the right to appeal is forfeited.

Appeals should be filed on-line in the parking registration system. All of the pertinent details such as the citation number, time and date issued, location, name and R number of the citation recipient, must be included in the appeal. Appeals are heard several times each semester and outcomes are emailed to appellant. The ruling of the appeals board is final.

Accidents. Please remember that accidents do happen. Should you bump another vehicle or become involved in an accident on campus, call Campus Safety immediately. Hit-and-run offenses are taken very seriously and can result in serious consequences.

Visitors/Guests and Parking. Visitors are always welcome at Rhodes and visitor parking is available on campus. All visitors (non-decaled vehicles) must stop and check in at the entry gate.

If you have a bus drop-off, special parking needs, or questions about where to park, please call Campus Safety at 901-843-3880.

Deliveries. Deliveries such as flowers, gifts, and mail should be directed to the mail room Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm.  

After hours and weekends, flowers only will be accepted at the Campus Safety Office.

Food delivery (pizza, etc.), rideshare, and other common transportation and/or delivery services need to remain, be met, or dropped off at the gate. These services will not be allowed unlimited access to campus.

Helpful Documents.  Campus Map with Parking (pdf).  

This policy applies to staff employees. Performance evaluation for faculty is addressed in the Faculty Handbook. 

The College conducts an annual performance management process for staff employees. Performance evaluation documentation is completed electronically in Workday.

The annual performance management process is designed to promote open and constructive communication between employees and managers, provide employees with meaningful feedback about their performance, recognize accomplishments and identify opportunities for growth and development, and maintain a historical record of performance and professional development.

Performance evaluations are based primarily on the employee’s current job duties and essential functions, as documented in the employee’s position description. Employees and their managers should periodically review the position description to ensure that it accurately reflects the work being performed. Proposed updates should be submitted to Human Resources.

In addition to job duties, all staff employees are evaluated on six, College-wide competencies:   

• Accountability
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Communication
• Community Excellence 
• Quality Service
• Leadership

Both job performance and competencies rare evaluated using the following rating scale:  

1. Exceptional Performance
2. Exceeds Expectations
3. Meets Expectations
4. Needs Improvement
5. Does Not Meet Expectations

Before each annual performance review cycle begins, the employee and manager review the employee’s job duties and submit any revisions to Human Resources. The performance review cycle consists of the following steps: 

1. Employee Self-Evaluation
2. Manager Evaluation
3. Evaluation Meeting 
4. Manager Follow-Up
5. Employee Acknowledgement

The Human Resources Office maintains a personnel file on each employee of the College. Contained in these files is information relevant to the employment relationships and statistical and legal information required by governmental regulations. 

Employees are responsible for regularly reviewing their employee record in Workday to ensure accuracy. If necessary, they should update their data in Workday with changes to name, contact information (both personal and work), marital status, federal withholdings, payment elections, beneficiary changes, emergency contacts, etc. 

Access to Personnel Records in the Human Resources Office. Employee records are property of Rhodes College. The confidential nature of personnel records is respected by the College and access is granted to only those current employees with a clearly demonstrable job-related necessity. Current employees have access to their own personnel files; however, the removal and/or copying of records is prohibited. To review documents not included in Workday, employees must make an appointment with Human Resources.

References. The Human Resources Office will verify current and past employment, giving only current job title and employment dates. Salary information will be verified by written request only. If employees seek release of employment information beyond title and dates of employment, they must obtain, complete and return the Rhodes Reference Release Form from Human Resources. The Human Resources Office will verify that a Reference Authorization Release Form has been signed and is on file.

The College has established this Protection of Minors Policy to protect children who participate in programs and activities associated with the College or that are involved with non-College programs or activities on the College’s campus. Rhodes College welcomes the presence of children in our campus community and is committed to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of all children (those under the age of 18). This policy also provides guidance for College faculty, staff and students, as well as non-College organizations or individuals who are involved in programs with minors on campus.

I. Scope

This policy applies broadly to interactions of College students, faculty, and staff with minors in College-affiliated programs and activities (including those hired temporarily to work in such programs), and non-College organizations or individuals that operate programs or activities involving minors on the College’s campus. College programs with activities for children fall within the scope of this policy and currently include, but are not limited to, athletic camps and academic programs (such as the Rhodes Summer Academy and the Mock Trial Academy). College faculty and others on campus who only interact in classes or other normal academic settings with Rhodes undergraduates are not obligated to undergo the training or background checks required by this Policy. Anyone covered by this Policy who knows or suspects that a Rhodes undergraduate or high school student under the age of 18 has been abused or neglected must, however, make reports as required and outlined in Sections VIII and IX. Minors visiting campus and staying in dorms as part of an official visit with the Office of Admission are not covered under this policy. The Office of Admission trains undergraduate student hosts in appropriate conduct with minors, and coordinates official visits, including visits by athletic recruits who are spending the night on campus.

II. Definitions

Abuse or Neglect of Minors for the purposes of this policy means serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, exploitation or imminent risk of serious harm of a person under the age of 18. Sexual abuse also means the commission of any act involving molestation, fondling or carnal knowledge of a child. Neglect includes the failure to make reasonable efforts to prevent the infliction of abuse upon a person under the age of 18.

Minor for the purpose of this policy is any person under the age of 18. Rhodes undergraduate students who are also under the age of 18 are treated similarly to other College students under this policy with regard to their interactions with minors in College-affiliated programs.

III. Guidance and Responsibilities

When participating in College-affiliated programs and activities, students, faculty and staff (including those hired temporarily to work in such programs) must

• always be vigilant in protecting the well-being and safety of minors with whom they interact on campus or elsewhere;
• review the informational material about the signs of abuse and neglect of minors at this website: What Is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms | Child Welfare Information Gateway and Appendix B; and
• watch for signs of minor abuse or neglect and promptly report suspected instances of abuse or neglect, or violations of this policy or law (see Sections VIII and IX).

Before engaging in any College-affiliated program or activity involving contact with minors, students, faculty and staff (including those hired temporarily to work in such programs) must

• meet the requirements of this Policy relating to training (Section IV) and criminal background checks (Section V); and
• meet any additional requirements that relate to the specific program or activity.

Program Directors and supervisors of all College and non-College affiliated programs that involve minors must 1) register their program; 2) coordinate and certify appropriate training; and 3) coordinate and certify appropriate background checks. Specific information is found in Appendix A. Non-College organizations and entities that operate programs or activities involving minors on campus must be aware of and comply with this Policy.

To the extent that College faculty, staff or students are participating in programs or activities run by a non-College organization or entity off campus, they should familiarize themselves with, and follow, the policies of the organization relating to interactions with minors and understand their legal obligations with respect to working with minors in the program setting.

IV. Training

College students, faculty, and staff who participate in College-affiliated programs or activities involving minors (including those hired temporarily to work in such programs) must complete appropriate training and sign the certification form as outlined in Appendices A and B. Training is the responsibility of the director of each program. At a minimum, training must include

• basic warning signs of abuse or neglect of minors;
• guidelines for protecting minors from emotional and physical abuse and neglect; and
• requirements and procedures for reporting incidents of suspected abuse or neglect or improper conduct.

Training may be expanded depending upon the program or activity and the person’s role in the program or activity.

Non-College organizations and entities that wish to operate programs or activities involving minors on campus must provide documentation to the College indicating that all individuals who will be interacting with minors (and anyone who supervises such individuals) have received training that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements of this section.

Specific requirements and procedures for training appear in Appendices A and B.

V. Criminal and Background Checks

Certain categories of individuals are required to clear a criminal background check prior to participation in College-affiliated activities involving minors, and it is the responsibility of the director of each program to ensure that these checks are completed before offering employment. Area county schools require FBI/TBI background checks with fingerprinting. The College honors the results of these background checks for personnel entering schools through its classes and programs, and does not require an additional background check by HR. The categories of individuals who must undergo background checks are listed in Appendices A and C.

If a College criminal background check reveals adverse information or unfavorable results, the College will conduct an individualized assessment using criteria designed to identify potential risk to minors. A prior conviction shall not automatically disqualify a person from participating in a program or activity.

Non-College organizations and entities that operate programs or activities on campus involving minors must conduct criminal background checks of their employees, volunteers, and representatives that meet College standards. The College may request any additional information it deems necessary to meet the requirements of this Policy. Rhodes requires such organizations to have a minimum of $1,000,000 of liability insurance and a minimum of $1,000,000 of sexual molestation insurance. Organizations that are unable to provide proof of the required insurance coverage will not be permitted to operate programs or activities on the Rhodes campus.

Specific requirements and procedures for background checks appear in Appendices A and D.

VI. Staffing and Supervision

An adequate ratio of staff to participants should be maintained at all times; particularly when in residence halls; Minimum required staffing ratios are as follows:

Acceptable procedures for releasing children from the program or activity should be followed (i.e. participants that are being picked up by a parent should be properly matched with the parent before the participant is released).    

VII. Housing Guidelines for Overnight Programs

For College groups, participants will be housed such that all those in a dorm are either: 18 and older; or are under 18. The only adults (18 or over) allowed to stay in a dorm with participants who are under 18 are program employees who have had a background check and training as outlined in the Policy, OR participants who are rising Rhodes first-year students. However, if a camp has other participants who are 18 or older, rising Rhodes first-year students that are also 18 or older would normally be housed with these other adults. Age will be determined as the age of the participant on the first day of the program, and all programs should ask for date of birth on participant applications. It is the responsibility of the Program Director to ensure that Office of Residence Life knows the ages of all participants for appropriate housing assignments. If possible, programs should employ Resident Assistants (RA) recommended by the Residence Life Office. If none of the recommended RA’s is available to work the program, other Rhodes students may be considered for the RA positions.

Dorms are not appropriate family housing, and the College will not house family units (parents with their children) in dorms. The Office of Residence Life will work with each program to determine appropriate housing for participants and instructors. Visitors, other than parent/guardian and siblings, are discouraged. No overnight visitors are permitted.

The Program Director should collect and have readily available the following medical information for all participants:

• Emergency contact information
• Known medical conditions
• List of medications the participant is taking (participants taking prescription medication must be able to self-administer their medication)
• Health insurance information

The Campus Safety Office should be made aware of the program and should be provided with the following information prior to the start of the program:

• Name of the program
• Contact persons and phone numbers
• Names of the residence halls where the participants will be staying overnight

VIII. Reporting

According to Tennessee state law, a report is required when a person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been abused, neglected, or sexually abused. Failure to report is a Class A misdemeanor.

1. Emergencies: In case of an emergency, one should immediately call Campus Safety (901) 843-3880 or 911.
2. Mandated Reporting: Any person with knowledge of child abuse or neglect (Tenn. Code. Ann. §§ 37-1-403; 37-1-605) must report that knowledge to local law enforcement or law enforcement where the child resides and internally to the College Title IX Coordinator or Campus Safety Office. This reporting obligation applies to physicians, osteopaths, medical examiners, chiropractors, nurses, hospital personnel, other health or mental professionals; teachers, other school officials or personnel, daycare center workers, or other professional child care; foster care, residential or institutional workers, social workers, practitioners who rely solely on spiritual means for healing, judges or law enforcement officers; neighbors, relatives or friends, and other persons. Essentially anyone with knowledge of child abuse or neglect must report that knowledge (Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 37-1-403; 37-1-605).

Reports may be made to the Tennessee Child Abuse Hotline, 877 237 0004, to the Memphis Police Department, or the Rhodes College Campus Safety Office, 901-843 3880, or the College Title IX Coordinator, TitleIX@rhodes.edu; 901-843-3550, or by filing a report at: Institutional Equity. The Title IX Coordinator, with support from other appropriate offices as necessary, will help determine appropriate next steps.

In addition, one should promptly notify one’s supervisor or the Program Director.

IX. Addressing Reports of Abuse or Neglect

A. Whenever the College receives a report of alleged abuse or neglect of a minor in a College affiliated program or activity:

1. The person receiving the report shall immediately notify the Title IX Coordinator (see contact information above).
2. The Title IX Coordinator, in consultation with the Campus Safety Office, the College Legal Counsel, and appropriate senior College leadership, shall: 
   1. Take immediate steps to prevent further harm to the alleged victim or other minors, including, where appropriate, removing the alleged abuser from the program or activity or limiting his or her contact with minors pending resolution of the matter. 
   2. Determine whether Campus Safety, TN Department of Child Services, or both have already been notified and, if not, whether such notification is required or appropriate given the circumstances. 
   3. If the parents or guardians of the alleged victim have not been notified and are not the alleged abusers, notify the parents or guardians of the minor involved. 
   4. Investigate the report and resolve the matter in a way that safeguards minors, protects the interests of victims and reporters, affords fundamental fairness to the accused, and meets relevant legal requirements.
   5. Facilitate the College’s cooperation with any investigation conducted by Campus Safety, TN Department of Child Services, or other governmental agency.

B. Whenever a report alleges that someone involved in a non-College program or activity on campus who is not a member of the College faculty, staff or student body has abused or neglected a minor, the person receiving the report shall immediately notify the Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator, in consultation with Campus Safety, the College Legal Counsel, and appropriate senior College leadership, shall coordinate with the non-College organization or entity as necessary to see that the requirements of Part A. 2 of this Section are accomplished.

X. Enforcement

Sanctions for violations of this policy will depend on the circumstances and the nature of the violation, but may include the full range of available College sanctions applicable to the individual including suspension, dismissal, termination, and, where appropriate, exclusion from campus. The College may also take necessary interim actions before determining whether a violation has occurred. The College may terminate relationships or take other appropriate actions against non- College entities that violate this Policy.

APPENDIX A: For Program Directors and Supervisors
Rhodes College has adopted a “Protection of Minors Policy” to promote the wellbeing and safety of minors who participate in College-affiliated programs or activities and in programs and activities run by non-College organizations or individuals that operate programs or activities on the College’s campus.

Directors of programs or activities (“Program Directors”) of College and non-College Affiliated programs involving minors must

1. Register their program with the Finance Office;
2. Coordinate and certify appropriate training; and
3. Coordinate and certify appropriate background checks.

Some details regarding each of these responsibilities follow below. Further details can be found in associated appendices.

1. Register the program or activity involving minors

Program Directors must register their program with the Finance Office In order to register a program or activity involving minors, fill out the “Program or Activity with Minors Registration Form” appended at the end of this policy and send to the Finance Office The completed form (which includes Program Director required training be completed – see below) must be on file in the Finance office 14 days prior to the opening date of the program or activity, or in the case of summer programs, by March 1 each year.

2. Coordinate and certify training for individuals working with minors

Program Directors are responsible for providing training to those working in College and non- College programs or activities with minors as outlined below.

a. Program Director required training: Program Directors must complete free online training through United Educators, our insurer. There are two courses to complete (see below) with a total time of about an hour. Login at this address: https://learn.ue.org/WJ2M5193586/RhodesProtectingChildren. Complete the Registration form.

• Enter your first name, last name, and email address and click Register.
• You will receive a welcome email with your username and a temporary password.
• Follow the link in the email to sign on.
• You will be prompted to:
  • Enter your temporary password
  • Create a new password
  • Create and answer a security question
• Once you are logged in, be sure to complete all courses assigned to you. Program Directors must complete two training courses entitled “Hiring Staff Who Work with Minors” and “Identifying and Reporting Sexual Misconduct”, each will take about 30 minutes to complete.
• A history of your completed courses is available in “My Completions.” You will also receive an email containing a link to your completion certificate, upon successful completion of the course. Note: If you have any issues with sign-in or accessing the courses, or if you did not receive your welcome e-mail, visit the Support Portal or click any Support Portal link on the site.

b. Supervisors and Individuals who stay overnight, or are regularly alone, with minors require training

Supervisors, and individuals who stay overnight, or are regularly alone, with minors must complete the one online training course entitled Identifying and Reporting Sexual Misconduct (same as the director) and it will take about 30 minutes to complete. Login at UE Learning Portal and complete the Registration form.

• Enter your first name, last name, and email address and click Register.
• You will receive a welcome email with your username and a temporary password.
• Follow the link in the email to sign on.
• You will be prompted to:
• Enter your temporary password
• Create a new password
• Create and answer a security question
• Once you are logged in, be sure to complete all courses assigned to you. Program staff must complete one training courses entitled “Identifying and Reporting Sexual Misconduct”, which will take about 30 minutes to complete.
• A history of your completed courses is available in “My Completions.” You will also receive an email containing a link to your completion certificate, upon successful completion of the course. Note: If there are any issues with sign-in or accessing the courses, or if you did not receive your welcome e-mail, visit the Support Portal or click any Support Portal link on the site.

c. Additional Required Training for All: Working with Minors Guidelines

All individuals working with minors in College affiliated programs or activities are required to

• review What is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms
• review Appendix B: Working with Minors Guidelines; and
• sign the Certification contained in Appendix B.

Individuals required to read Appendix B and to submit the signed Certification to the Program Director or supervisor prior to the start date of any program or activity (Program Directors should set an appropriate deadline). In general, individuals who participate in programs or activities involving minors are required to review the Guidelines and sign the Certification at least annually for each program or discrete activity.

d. Supplemental Training: Program Directors are encouraged to supplement the College’s training to meet the needs and specifics of their program.

3. Coordinate background checks for relevant individuals working with minors
Program Directors are responsible for coordinating criminal background checks of the following:

• program and activity directors and supervisors (consult with Human Resources, if you are unsure who needs a background check);
• those who stay overnight with minors; and
• those who regularly spend time with minors as part of their job responsibilities or role in a program involving minors.

More specific information on background check requirements and procedures can be found in Appendix C. A few specifics are given below. Area county schools require FBI/TBI background checks with fingerprinting. The College honors the results of these background checks for personnel entering schools through its classes and programs.

Background checks need to be done no more than 90 days before the start date of the program. To start the background check process, send the names and email addresses of potential hires to Human Resources, and they will initiate the entire process. This process, from submission to result, can take several days so please leave 2 weeks between the request and the date you need to certify the check (see 4 below), just to be sure. The Program Director will be informed if concerns are raised by the background check. Because a problem with a background check could impact your ability to hire a particular individual, you should have HR perform background checks as early as possible, but no more than 90 days before the start date of your program. HR will forward concerns raised about Program Directors to the Finance Office. FBI/TBI checks are performed by an external service.

Training and background check certification

Program Directors are responsible for certifying that all training and background check requirements are fulfilled by completing the “Program Employee Information” form and attaching all signed “Training Certification” forms (last page of Appendix C) for each employee, volunteer, and supervisor, and the online certifications for those necessary. This completed form and accompanying documentation is due at least 7 days prior to the start date of the program to the Finance Office.

Non-College Programs Operating on the College Campus

Non-College organizations that wish to operate programs or activities involving minors on campus must comply with the College’s Protection of Minors Policy, including requirements relating to reporting suspected abuse or neglect of minors, completing all relevant training and criminal background checks, and providing satisfactory evidence of liability insurance as noted in Section V of the Rhodes College Policy on the Protection of Minors. Non-College organizations or entities must also register their program and submit to the Finance Office certification of compliance with the training requirements described herein at least seven (7) days prior to the start of any program or activity involving minors on campus.

College departments or units that would like to host non-College programs involving minors on campus (“Non-College Program Coordinators”) must contact the Finance Office well in advance of the program’s anticipated start date for further information about the procedures for ensuring that outside organizations meet these requirements.

APPENDIX B: Working with Minors Guidelines

Code of Conduct for Working with Minors

Those associated with programs or activities involving minors should observe the following "dos" and "don'ts" in order to maintain a safe and positive experience for program participants, encourage parental confidence, and avoid mistaken allegations.

DO:

• Maintain the highest standards of personal behavior at all times when interacting with minors. 
• Whenever possible, try to have another adult present if you are working with minors in an unsupervised setting.
• Conduct necessary one-on-one interactions with minors in a public environment where you can be observed.
• Listen to and interact with minors and provide appropriate praise and positive reinforcement.
• Treat all minors in a group consistently and fairly, and with respect and dignity.
• Be friendly with minors within the context of the formal program or activity while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
• Maintain discipline and discourage inappropriate behavior by minors, consulting with your supervisors if you need help with misbehaving youth.
• Be aware of how your actions and intentions might be perceived and could be misinterpreted.
• Consult with other adult supervisors or colleagues when you feel uncertain about a situation.

DON'T:

• Don’t spend significant time alone with one minor away from the group or conduct private interactions with minors in enclosed spaces or behind closed doors.
• Don’t engage in inappropriate touching or have any physical contact with a minor.
• Don’t use inappropriate language, tell risqué jokes, or make sexually suggestive comments around minors, even if minors themselves are doing so.
• Don’t give personal gifts to, or do special favors for, a minor or do things that may be seen as favoring one minor over others.
• Don’t share information with minors about your private life or have informal or purely social contact with minors outside of program activities.
• Don’t strike or hit a minor or use corporal punishment or other punishment involving physical pain or discomfort.
• Don’t relate to minors as if they were peers, conduct private correspondence or take on the role of "confidant" (outside of a professional counseling relationship).
• Don’t “friend” minors on personal social media networks. If your Program has a Facebook page, Twitter account or uses other social media, be sure to use it for Program business only.
• Don’t date or become romantically or sexually involved with a minor, either in person or virtually (no sexting).
• Don’t show pornography to minors or involve minors in pornographic activities, either in person or virtually.
• Don’t provide alcohol or drugs to minors or use them in the presence of minors.

APPENDIX C: Criminal Background Checks for Those Interacting with Minors

The following categories of adults are required to undergo a criminal background check prior to their participation in College activities or programs involving minors:

• Directors and supervisors of programs involving minors, including those who are responsible for supervising those who interact with minors;
• Those who stay overnight with minors as part of their job responsibilities in a program or activity involving minors; and 
• Those who regularly spend time with minors as part of their job responsibilities or role in a program involving minors.

More guidance on which employees need background checks, see the Guidance at the end of this appendix.

Background checks for College employees and students who participate in College- affiliated programs or activities involving minors must be renewed every four (4) years. Any employee or student who is required by this Policy to have a background check is under a continuing obligation, as long as he/she continues to participate in programs or activities involving minors, to disclose immediately any new felony or misdemeanor conviction to the Human Resource Office. Employees who have a break in service of more than six (6) months, and students who withdraw, are suspended or dismissed, or who take leaves of absence of more than six (6) months, will be required to undergo a new background check if they reengage in College programs or activities involving minors and would otherwise be required to undergo a background check pursuant to this policy.

Individuals who are required to have a background check under this Policy who are not College employees or students (whether involved in a College program or activity or one operated by a non-College entity) must renew the background check annually to continue participation. Human Resources (HR) will oversee the processing of criminal background checks and maintain all records relating to these checks for at least 10 years, except in the case of FBI/TBI background checks with fingerprinting. Details on the mechanics of getting background checks done through HR can be found in Appendix A.

For College-affiliated programs or activities, only a background check conducted by the College or an external source approved by the College (such as FBI/TBI check with fingerprinting) will be accepted for purposes of this policy. Background checks, at a minimum, shall consist of a social security number trace, address locator for seven years, a search of federal and state or county databases for criminal history for the past seven years, and a sex offender registry check.

If a background check reveals adverse information or unfavorable results as determined solely by the College, an individualized assessment will be conducted by HR and the Finance Office, taking into account the following:

• the nature of the finding;
• the job for which the applicant is being considered;
• the underlying event(s) that occurred;
• the time elapsed since the event(s) occurred;
• the applicant’s employment history and other evidence of his or her activities in the intervening time since the event(s) occurred; and
• other relevant information.

A prior conviction shall not automatically disqualify an applicant from a program or activity, but shall be considered using the criteria identified above.

Non-College Programs Operating on the College Campus

Non-College organizations and entities that operate programs or activities involving minors on campus must conduct criminal background checks of their employees, volunteers, and representatives that meet College standards. If any background check conducted by a non-College program returns a conviction or other adverse information, the external program must inform their College contact person in writing. The College may, in its sole discretion, exclude any external program employee, volunteer, or representative who does not successfully pass a background check.

Certification of compliance with the background check rules described herein, including that they have conducted background checks as set forth in this Policy and that they have disclosed all convictions revealed by background checks, is required prior to the start of any program or activity involving minors on campus. The College may request any additional information it deems necessary to meet the requirements of this Policy.

Guidance: Background Check Requirements Student workers

Student workers are all "current and incoming College undergraduate students" and thus include rising accepted and deposited first-year students and accepted and deposited transfer students. HR has a separate form for hiring "Current and Incoming College undergraduate students.”

Employees in the Student Worker category WILL be subject to background checks

• IF

1. they are 18 years or older;

• AND/OR b:

1. they "regularly spend time with minors as part of their job responsibilities or role in a program involving minors". Directors will need to determine if an employee, volunteer or student regularly spends time with minors.
2. they "stay overnight with minors as part of their job responsibilities in a program or activity involving minors".

All new employees in temp and staff positions must have a background check performed before they are hired. This includes temp employees and staff who have already been in the employ of the College at any point in the past, regardless of the length of time of any break in service. Current policy is for all such tests and checks to be charged to the department or program that is doing the hiring.

• This policy applies to all employees of your programs that you are hiring each year EXCEPT

1. those who are "Current and Incoming College undergraduate students" who have NOT

• withdrawn from the College;
• been suspended or dismissed; or
• taken a leave of absence for more than 6 months.
   
• Employees in your program will be subject to a new background check only every 4 years IF a AND b are true, AND IF they need a background check because of c OR d:

1. they are already in the employ of the College; and
2. they have not had a break in service of more than 6 months (excluding approved leaves of absence);
3. they "regularly spend time with minors as part of their job responsibilities or role in a program involving minors". Directors will need to determine if an employee, volunteer or student regularly spends time with minors; or
4. they "stay overnight with minors as part of their job responsibilities in a program or activity involving minors."

You are responsible for making sure your employees who are also in the employ of the College have had a background check in the past 4 years IF they are in the category that need a background check (either c or d above are true). Some employees may have been hired before the College started doing background checks. Check with HR to confirm an up-to-date background check (again, only on those for whom it is necessary).

Other Individuals: Individuals who are required to have a background check under this Policy who are not College employees or students (whether involved in a College program or activity or one operated by a non-College entity) must renew the background check annually to continue participation.

Background. Remote work is an arrangement in which an employee performs assigned duties from an approved location other than campus on a temporary or regular basis. Because in-person presence is important to the effective performance of many positions, remote work is intended for limited situations in which the nature of the work, the employee’s performance, and the needs of the department support working remotely.  

Policy. Each request to work remotely will be considered individually based on the eligibility requirements below. Remote work is an option when job responsibilities and the employee’s performance support working remotely. It is not an entitlement or College-wide benefit and does not change the terms and conditions of employment.

Employees seeking approval to work remotely must submit a Rhodes College Remote Work Request Form to their supervisor.

Eligibility Requirements. The employee must demonstrate sustained satisfactory performance and be able to maintain expected productivity, quality and responsiveness while working remotely.

The nature of the employee's job allows remote work to be feasible and appropriate.

The proposed arrangement must meet the operational needs of the department and College.

The employee must have an appropriate work environment.

Administration of Policy. Remote work must benefit both the employee and the College and must be mutually agreed upon through the approval process described below.

All remote work arrangements are initially approved on a three-month trial basis and may be modified or discontinued at any time based on operational needs, performance, or other legitimate business reasons.  

Remote work does not reduce or alter an employee’s normal work responsibilities, availability, work schedule, or performance expectations. Employees may not use scheduled work time to perform work for another employer or operate a personal business.  

A specific work schedule, including workdays and hours, must be agreed upon in advance. Any work outside the established schedule requires prior supervisor approval. Nonexempt employees must accurately record all hours worked in accordance with College procedures.

Employees must remain available during scheduled work hours and report to campus when requested for meetings, training, events, or other work responsibilities.

Employees are responsible for protecting College property, records, systems, and confidential information while working remotely and must comply with applicable College technology and information security requirements.  

Employees must promptly report work-related injuries occurring while working remotely in accordance with College workers’ compensation procedures. Rhodes is not responsible for injuries sustained by visitors to an employee’s remote work location.

The College will determine, on a case-by-case basis, what equipment or technology, if any, will be provided for remote work. Employees are responsible for maintaining a suitable workspace and covering ordinary expenses associated with working remotely. Personal computers and other devices used for College business must meet applicable College technology and information-security requirements. Rhodes IT department does not provide support for personally owned computers.

College-provided equipment remains College property and must be appropriately secured and returned upon request or when the remote work arrangement ends. Employees are responsible for ensuring that their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance provides appropriate coverage for injuries or other claims arising from business use of their remote work location.

Employees may not relocate or work remotely from another state or country without prior written approval. Approval is subject to the College’s ability to comply with applicable legal, tax, payroll, benefits, workers’ compensation, and other requirements associated with the proposed work location.

Procedure for Requesting Remote Work. The employee requests approval from their supervisor by completing the Rhodes Remote Work Agreement Request Form.

The supervisor reviews the request, verifies the employee’s eligibility, and makes a recommendation based on factors including related expenses, security and confidentiality, the nature of the work, the employee’s performance, and the potential impact on the department and other employees.  

If the supervisor recommends approval, the request is forwarded to Human Resources for review and then to the employee’s appropriate Vice President and the Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs for final approval.

Rhodes College recognizes that relationships of a romantic and/or sexual nature may develop between two employees. These relationships (even when consensual) are potentially exploitive when one employee is the supervisor of the other because of the inherent imbalance of power. In addition, when such relationships come to an end they can potentially lead to claims of sexual harassment. 

Because of these potential issues, Rhodes College prohibits employees from making decisions affecting the appointment, retention, promotion, demotion, salary or work assignments of an employee with whom they have a romantic or sexual relationship. When an intimate relationship develops between employees in a supervisory relationship, immediate steps must be taken to terminate the supervisory arrangement and alternative means of supervision must be implemented if feasible.

Each individual has the responsibility for promptly disclosing that such a relationship exists to the Director Human Resources. An employee’s failure to report a relationship may result in disciplinary action for the employees involved – see “Employee Discipline and Termination”.

In exceptional circumstances, necessitated by unique qualifications or responsibilities, a supervisory relationship may exist between two people in a sexual or romantic relationship. In these cases, job performance, work assignments and salary determinations shall be handled by the second level supervisor or an alternative supervisor as approved by the appropriate Dean or Vice President.

This policy does not apply to faculty. For information about secondary employment for faculty, see the Faculty Handbook.

Time Limitations. Paid outside employment for full time employees will be limited to the person’s non-scheduled work hours at the College (i.e., evenings, weekends, and vacations or holidays). Work on a second job may not be performed during working hours.

Materials, facilities and ITS Services. Normally in outside employment, no use will be made of Rhodes materials and facilities and ITS services. Exceptions to this policy shall be made only by written authorization from the appropriate Vice President and proper reimbursement to the College. 

Name. The use of the College name in soliciting outside employment is prohibited except in cases approved in writing by the appropriate Vice President.

Competition. Providing services to higher education institutions is prohibited. Exceptions to this policy may be made in regard to teaching if the gain for the College is sufficient. Such exceptions shall be made only upon the written approval of the Provost and the President.

College values and goals. Activities to fulfill outside employment should be consistent with Rhodes values and goals. 

Non-interference. Activities related to outside employment shall not interfere with one’s duties at the College.

Conflict of interest. No full-time employee shall engage in outside employment, whether for extra compensation or not, which would be a conflict of interest with those of the College. Please contact the Finance Office to obtain the required Conflict of Interest Form.

Rhodes reserves the right to require an employee to end a secondary employment job in the event it determines, in its sole discretion, that the job creates a conflict of interest, is contrary to Rhodes’ values and goals, interferes with an employee’s duties at Rhodes, or is otherwise inconsistent with its business needs. Failure to resign a secondary employment job when requested is grounds for discipline, up to and including termination.

Rhodes College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities in accordance with applicable law. Service animals are addressed under the Animals on Campus Policy which applies to students, faculty, staff, and visitors and establishes the definitions, access requirements, owner responsibilities, and standards applicable to service animals on campus.

An employee who wishes to bring a service animal to work as a reasonable accommodation should contact Human Resources in advance of bringing the animal to campus. Human Resources will review the request and engage in an interactive process with the employee to determine whether allowing the service animal is a reasonable and effective accommodation.

Employees are not required to provide certification, licensing, or other documentation establishing that an animal is a service animal. Human Resources may ask whether the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform, unless the need for the service animal and the task it performs are readily apparent. Consistent with applicable law, when the disability or need for the accommodation is not obvious, Human Resources may request reasonable documentation sufficient to establish the existence of a disability and the need for the requested accommodation. Medical information provided in connection with an accommodation request will be maintained confidentially and separately from the employee’s personnel record.

Approval to bring a service animal to work is based on an individualized assessment of the employee’s request, the requirements of the employee’s position and workplace, and the applicable reasonable-accommodation standards. Approval may be subject to reasonable conditions necessary to address legitimate workplace, health, safety, or operational concerns.

Once approved, the service animal must comply with the requirements established in the Animals on Campus Policy, including requirements concerning control of the animal, cleanliness and housebreaking, and conduct. Rhodes may remove or restrict access for a service animal when permitted by applicable law, including when the animal is not under the handler’s control, is not housebroken, or poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated or reduced through reasonable measures. Such determinations will be based on an individualized assessment and objective evidence rather than assumptions or generalizations about the animal.

Pets and emotional support animals are not permitted in the workplace unless otherwise approved as a reasonable accommodation under applicable law. Requests for an accommodation involving an emotional support animal should be directed to Human Resources and will be evaluated through the College’s reasonable-accommodation process.

Questions or requests concerning service animals or other workplace accommodations should be directed to the Office of Human Resources.

Certain areas of the campus are designated as non-smoking. Specifically, all interior spaces of all buildings and all exterior space within 50 feet of all buildings are designated as "No Smoking." 

In order for Rhodes to have an environment that is relatively free of pollutants or other substances that may be hazardous to one’s health, members of the campus community are encouraged to direct those who choose to smoke to do so in exterior locations at least 50 feet away from all buildings. 

This policy includes e-cigarettes, which are not permitted for use in any buildings. A violation of the smoking policy is also a violation of the fire safety policy.

This policy does not apply to faculty. 

Social media at Rhodes extends existing communication efforts to raise the profile and manage the reputation of the College. “Social media” as referenced in this policy refers to any website, platform or application that allows users to create and share content or participate in digital social networking. Participating in social media sites on behalf of Rhodes College is not a right, but a privilege and should be taken seriously and with respect to the broader community. Social media platforms develop and change at a rapid pace, and the policy may be revised from time to time as new platforms are developed and new concerns are identified. The lack of explicit reference to a specific site does not limit the extent of the application of this policy.

Use at Work

• College employees seeking to represent Rhodes via social media outlets, including departmental accounts, must do the following:
  • Observe all obligations, policies and requirements of Rhodes College concerning privacy and confidentiality. 
  • Conduct themselves at all times as representatives of the College, and accordingly, adhere to all College standards of conduct and observe conventionally accepted protocols and proper decorum.
  • Identify themselves as an employee of the College.
  • Refrain from using language or images that are obscene, sexually explicit, threatening, intimidating, or harassing; or language that ridicules, harasses, maligns, disparages, or otherwise expresses bias against any person(s) on account of race, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
  • Respect the intellectual property rights of others.
  • Do not combine your personal social media account with the social media account you maintain on behalf of Rhodes. 
  • At Rhodes’ request, promptly take down any posts or other information deemed to violate this policy.
• College employees using social media on College-provided devices must not:
  • Circulate or post commercial, personal, religious or political solicitations, chain letters, spam or promotion of outside organizations unrelated to the business of Rhodes College.
  • Use working time to post on social media unless part of an employee’s job duties.

Personal Use

Rhodes recognizes the important part social media may play in the personal lives of its employees. However, in this interconnected world, an employee’s personal social media presence may affect the reputation of Rhodes College. For this reason, Rhodes expects employees to observe the following rules for the personal, off-duty use of social media:

• Employees engaged in the personal use of social media, whether it be the employee’s own sites, the sites of others, media pages, professional sites or other information exchange forums, must not state or imply that they are speaking or acting on behalf of Rhodes or presenting or representing the interests of the College. 
• Employees may not post, transmit, or otherwise disseminate any confidential or proprietary information such as student information, social security numbers, personal health information, business strategies, future planning, or attorney-client communications to which they have access as a result of their employment. 
• Employees may not display the College’s name, seal, or logos on their personal web pages in such a manner as to give the appearance of an official site of the College. 
• Employees must refrain from using language or images that are obscene, sexually explicit, threatening, intimidating, or harassing; or language that ridicules, harasses, maligns, disparages, or otherwise expresses bias against any person(s) on account of race, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
• Rhodes employees should expect that any information created, transmitted, downloaded, exchanged, or discussed in a public online forum may be accessed by the College at any time without prior notice.
• Rhodes employees should recognize the importance of maintaining professional boundaries between Rhodes employees and Rhodes students when communicating with students on social media platforms. 

Rhodes College is committed to the highest standards of ethics and integrity. Each employee pledges that they will hold themselves and those who report to them to the highest standards of honest and ethical conduct. 

• Each employee will report to their supervisor any real or potential conflicts of interest between their personal and professional relationships, including those relationships with only the appearance of a conflict. Such conflicts may arise when someone could receive personal benefits (financial and otherwise) as a result of their position at the College. All employees will complete the Conflict of Interest Questionnaire on an annual basis.
• Each employee is committed to full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in the College’s financial statements and other public documents. Each employee should understand that even individuals outside the Finance area help create the College’s financial statements since all entries into the College’s accounting and financial records maintained in its administrative systems contribute to the development of the financial statements. Each employee should also understand that any public announcement or statement by the College must be complete and correct to the best of their abilities.
• Each employee will transact the business of the College in compliance with laws, rules, and regulations applicable where it conducts business.
• Each employee will acknowledge that employment records, student data, and other information they utilize may be covered by laws of confidentiality, and pledge that they will not disclose any confidential information except where authorized or legally obligated to do so.
• Each employee pledges to promptly report any violations of this Code or any other suspected fraud or criminal or fraudulent activity of which they become aware to the Director of Campus Safety. They may make such reports in writing, by telephone, or by email, or in person by appointment. The College will not allow any retaliation against anyone who acts in good faith in reporting any such violation or suspected violation.
• Each employee is responsible for their own adherence to these Standards, and for exercising proper supervision to detect and report violations by their subordinates, peers, and other members of the Rhodes’ community.

Conduct Prohibited. The use of illegal drugs and/or alcohol by employees and impairment in the workplace due to drugs and/or alcohol are prohibited and will not be tolerated. Engaging in prohibited and/or illegal conduct will lead to discipline, up to and including termination. Prohibited and/or illegal conduct includes, but is not limited to:

1. Being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs during working hours;
2. The sale, possession, transfer or purchase of illegal drugs on College property or while performing College business;
3. The manufacture, use, sale, distribution or possession of illegal drugs while on duty;
4. Off-duty use of alcohol or illegal drugs that discredits the College or adversely impacts an employee’s ability to do their job;
5. Refusing or failing a drug and/or alcohol test administered under this policy; and
6. Providing an adulterated, altered or substituted specimen for testing. 

Illegal drug use includes the use of prescription medication without a valid prescription. Employees are also precluded from reporting to work under the influence of over-the-counter or legally prescribed medications that adversely affect the ability of the employee to safely and efficiently perform their duties.

Employees who organize or sponsor a student group involved in an institutionally sponsored activity of the College, whether on or off campus, have the responsibility to take all reasonable measures to limit the consumption of alcohol to those legally entitled to drink. Reasonable measures would include (but not be limited to): required use of identification when alcohol is allowed, monitors utilized, etc.

Drug and Alcohol Testing. An employee is subject to testing for illegal drugs and/or alcohol where there is reasonable suspicion to believe the employee is using or is under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. The decision to test will be based on specific and contemporaneous observations concerning the appearance, behavior, speech and body odors of the employee. Drug and alcohol testing may also be conducted following a work-related accident where the use of illegal drugs or alcohol may be the cause or contributed to the accident.

Upon being notified of a test for drugs or alcohol, the employee must submit to testing at the specified location immediately. Employees who refuse to submit to testing, or who have been found to have submitted a substituted or adulterated specimen for testing, are subject to immediate termination.

Employees who have tested positive for illegal drugs or alcohol will be notified in writing of a positive test result. The employee will then have an opportunity to offer a written explanation of the test result to the testing facility within five (5) working days after receiving the notification. The employee is subject to immediate removal from duty without pay and may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Rehabilitation Policy. Employees who voluntarily come forward to ask for assistance with a drug and/or alcohol problem may be eligible to take a leave of absence to seek professional help. Employees who seek to voluntarily disclose a drug or alcohol problem should contact the Benefit Services Manager. Requests for assistance will be handled with as much confidentiality as possible. A request for assistance is considered voluntary only where it is made prior to an employee being selected or scheduled for testing.

For employees allowed leave for treatment, such leave will be considered family and medical leave to the extent the employee is eligible for such leave. Employees who have no accrued paid time available and are not eligible for family and medical leave will be given unpaid leave up to the extent allowed by the College’s leave policies. 

The College will pay for reasonable, appropriately documented and properly authorized travel expenses that are necessary to achieve a legitimate business purpose provided those expenses adhere to the guidelines outlined in this policy. It is the expectation of the College that employees and students should neither lose nor gain financially when traveling on official business. The College is not obligated to reimburse employees or students for expenses not in compliance with Rhodes’s policies.

The IRS states that ordinary and necessary business-related expenses are deductible and reimbursable. The IRS defines ordinary as “common in your field of trade, business or profession”; and necessary as “helpful and appropriate for your business.” The IRS states that meals, transportation, hotels and entertainment expenses cannot be “lavish or extravagant.” The IRS requires all businesses (profit and non-profit) to adhere to “an accountable plan” when reimbursing employees for travel and entertainment expenses. For a plan to be deemed “accountable”:

1. There must be a business reason for the expense.
2. The employee must substantiate the expenses within a reasonable time period.
3. The employee must return to the employer any amount advanced in excess of the substantiated expenses on a timely basis.

To ensure compliance with the IRS, the College has prepared the following accountable travel and entertainment plan. Rhodes has defined a reasonable time period to report Accountable Plan expenditures as within 60 days from the date of the transaction. The trip or entertainment expense must have a valid purpose to benefit the employee’s job or College business and not be given as a bonus or for the morale of the employee. These guidelines apply to all College employees and students traveling on College business.

These guidelines are not meant to be an exhaustive statement of College policies, but rather to provide sufficient guidance to conduct business and seek reimbursement. These general policies apply to most College travel. These may be adapted to be more restrictive by programs or other offices or for specific events. Employee’s whose expenses are funded by a grant or contract should refer to the terms of that grant or contract for guidance on what expenditures are allowable. 

Travel Costs. Travel costs are the expenses for transportation, lodging, meals, and related items incurred by employees who travel on official business for the College. 

All business travel should be pre-approved by the traveler’s Department Chairperson or Supervisor. Expenditures to be paid by departmental funding must be pre-approved by the appropriate Department Chairperson or funding Budget Manager. Expenditures submitted for grant or other restricted funding should be approved by the Grant Principal Investigator or the appropriate Gift Manager. 

Travel planning should be completed as far in advance as practicable. Advance travel planning is key to obtaining the lowest airfares and securing first choice flight times and room accommodations. 

Employees are required to use their College credit card for all travel related expenses. If an employee does not have a College credit card, a personal credit card may be used. For business expenses not paid with a College credit card, employees should use personal funds or other means and request reimbursement immediately following the incurrence of the expense by submitting an expense report in Workday for such expenses.

Combining Business and Personal Travel. When business travel is extended for personal reasons, or coincides with personal travel, the employee is responsible for any expenses incurred as part of their personal travel. This includes but is not limited to rental cars, lodging, meals, tips, entertainment, etc., and any increase in the standard cost of business expenses to accommodate travel companions. As long as the main purpose for the trip is business the College will pay or reimburse necessary and reasonable travel expenses directly related to the business purpose of the trip. When an employee’s travel includes transportation to or from a non-business travel location the College will pay only that portion that is business related. The employee must provide documentation to detail the business purpose and to support the cost of the College’s portion of the trip.

Travel Companions. The College will not pay expenses attributable to an employee’s family member(s) or personal guests. 

Transportation Expenses

Mode of Travel. Transportation should be chosen based on the most economical mode of transportation that reasonably meets the business travel needs. Travelers should choose carriers (air, rail, rentals) based on cost and most reasonable mode rather than giving preference to companies based on personal rewards from memberships. 

Airline Reservation Procedures. Rhodes has a designated travel agency which can be helpful in securing airline reservations and can assist with international travel requirements and documents. Travelers may make their own arrangements but are welcome and encouraged to contact the Finance Office for guidance and travel agency information. Call or email the Finance Office at (901) 843-3760 or FinanceOffice@Rhodes.edu. 

Air Travel. Travelers are expected to book the lowest priced coach airfare. Airfare costs in excess of the customary standard commercial airfare (coach or equivalent) are not allowed except when such accommodations would excessively prolong travel, require travel during unreasonable hours, result in additional costs that would offset the transportation savings, or offer accommodations not reasonably adequate for the employee’s medical needs. Exceptions should be explained and documented to provide justification for higher costs. First class travel is not reimbursable.

Vehicle Rental. When renting a vehicle, travelers are expected to rent the safest and most economically available car for the business purpose. When traveling in groups, sharing of vehicles is encouraged to reduce costs. Travelers must refuel the vehicle prior to returning it to the rental company. Do not purchase the pre-paid fuel options and luxury add-ons are not reimbursable. The College carries auto rental insurance in its comprehensive insurance policy. No additional coverage should be purchased when renting vehicles for domestic business travel. Additional insurance coverage should be purchased for international rentals. All persons expected to drive the rental vehicle should be registered with the rental agency to ensure age and legal requirements of the contract are met. Only approved drivers that have completed passenger van training may drive a 15 passenger van. Training must be completed every three years. Contact the Finance Office to access the training.

The College has a Preferred Business Contract with Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental companies. The contract covers both agencies. Business travelers should use this contract number on business rentals to ensure discounted pricing and sales tax exemptions in the states where we have exemptions. Enterprise and National should be priced before choosing other car companies based on the traveler’s memberships. Contact the Finance Office for further information on the Business Contract. 

Approved Drivers. Anyone who regularly rents or drives a vehicle for College business or drives a College-owned vehicle must be an approved driver. Students may be approved drivers but cannot rent vehicles on behalf of the College. Contact the Finance Office to provide the information necessary for driver qualification review. 

Personal Vehicles. Travelers may request expense reimbursement for the use of personal vehicles for business-related travel. Either a mileage or a fuel reimbursement may be requested but not both for the same trip. Both reimbursements have limitations. The College only reimburses mileage up to 250 miles (500 round trip). For trips greater than 250 miles (500 round trip) other travel options may be more economical. Contact the Finance Office for details and further options. 

• The insurance of the vehicle owner, rather than the College’s insurance, applies when employees use their personal vehicle for business travel; The College’s insurance does not cover business travel in personal vehicles. 

Lodging. The College will pay actual and reasonable costs of lodging as supported by the detailed bill, for each day that lodging away from home is required for business purposes. Travelers should choose good quality, non-luxury hotels for business travel. However, when attending a conference, travelers may stay in the conference hotel even if it is not the most economical option available, provided the conference hotel is not exorbitant. Charges for personal services and items such as movies, in-room mini-bar, laundry, alcohol, etc. are not permissible business expenses and should not be added to the hotel bill. These items must be paid with personal funds. Qualified expenses charged to the room must be substantiated with detailed receipts showing all the services or products received; otherwise the charge will be considered personal and not covered by the College. 

Lodging with Friends or Family. While traveling, an employee may elect to stay with family or friends in lieu of staying in a hotel. A reasonably priced meal or non-cash gift given to the host in lieu of hotel costs is permissible. Detailed receipts must be provided for the expense. Cash payments, gift cards, and certificates for products, services and entertainment given to the host are not allowed. 

Meals. The College will reimburse or pay for reasonable meal expenses incurred while traveling away from home or entertaining while on College business. Travelers should use good judgement when spending College funds for meals during travel. Alcohol is not reimbursable unless the meal is for the purpose of business-development entertainment with non-Rhodes attendees. Buying alcohol for students is not permissible regardless of their age. If the event will be paid for by a grant or College restricted program, ensure that the grant or program will allow alcohol during entertainment meals. A traveler may choose to be reimbursed for meals by the Actual Cost of Meals with detailed receipts or Per Diem. Contact the Finance Office for details and submission requirements for each method. Limits do apply.

Group Travel. Contact the appropriate Dean or Vice President for approval of any Rhodes related group travel program or excursion.

International Travel. If traveling out of the country, all student-related programs must be registered and cleared through the Buckman Center for International Education. Additionally, all international travel by faculty and staff must be registered with the Buckman Center. For more information regarding international travel involving students and non-students, please contact the Buckman Center for International Education.

Travel Expenses Reimbursements and Reconciliations. The College will reimburse reasonable and necessary expenses of travel for College-related business within the policies prescribed by the Finance Office or the appropriate Vice President or Dean if those policies are more restrictive. Requests for travel reimbursements or a reconciliation of travel expenses on College credit cards must be made by submitting an expense report in Workday. 

Expense Report. Expense reports must be submitted through Workday with a clear business purpose and substantiating documentation. Receipts and supporting documentation must show the vendor name and location, transaction date, detailed description of all goods and services purchased and their costs, amount paid, and the form of payment. A description of each transaction should be detailed enough for all approvers, including those who are unfamiliar with the nature of the employee's work, to clearly understand the nature and business purpose of the expense. All expenditures may be subject to review for up to three years or longer as determined by the IRS. Insufficient documentation could result in retroactive tax consequences to the employee. 

The College provides uniforms for Campus Safety Officers, Housekeeping, Engineering, Building Maintenance, and Special Services employees. Employees are expected to wear a clean uniform every day. The employee is required to return the uniforms on their last day of employment. For any uniforms not returned or returned damaged, the cost of the uniforms may be deducted from the employee′s final paycheck under applicable law.

The College does not provide shoes or boots nor requires steel toe protection, but uniformed employees are required to wear the proper shoes or boots based on suitability with the job description and the supervisor's approval. Employees should wear solid sole, closed toe work shoes or boots and consider shoes with steel toe protection. Sandals or other open toe shoes, slides, slip-ons or high heels are not allowed for uniformed employees. 

All employees should be able to vote either before or after regularly assigned work hours. However, when this is not possible due to work schedules, employees will receive up to three hours during the work day to vote. Employees must inform their supervisor at least 24 hours in advance of a need to take time off to vote.

Rhodes College prohibits possession of weapons of any type by students, staff, faculty, and visitors on College property (excluding handguns properly stored in motor vehicles pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-1313), including and not limited to firearms of any type, B-B guns, pellet guns, paintball guns, stun guns, slingshots, bows and arrows, martial arts weapons, knives, chemical weapons, explosives or any other object or substance that could be used as a deadly weapon. Toy and water/squirt guns are not permitted on campus because they tend to look realistic and may be perceived by others to be a weapon.  

Persons who remove their handgun from the motor vehicle are in violation of this policy and are subject to suspension, expulsion, termination, arrest or any combination of appropriate sanctions. 

The sole exception to this policy is that Rhodes College complies with Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-1313.

In accordance with TCA § 39-17-1313, a person who has a valid enhanced handgun carry permit, or concealed handgun carry permit, or who lawfully carries a handgun pursuant to § 39–17–1307(g) may, unless expressly prohibited by federal law, transport and store a firearm or firearm ammunition in the person’s motor vehicle if:

1. The person’s vehicle is parked and located where it is permitted to be; AND
2. The firearm or ammunition being transported or stored in the vehicle:
   • Is kept from ordinary observation if the person is in the vehicle;
   • Is kept from ordinary observation and locked within the trunk, glove box, or interior of the person’s motor vehicle or a container securely affixed to the vehicle if the person is not in the vehicle.

Any violation of this policy must be reported immediately to Campus Safety at 901-843-3880. Prohibition of such weapons extends to the property and/or vehicles controlled by an individual while on College property if that individual is not in compliance with TCA § 39-17-1313. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Director of Campus Safety.

Updated 9-15-2025

Work Schedules

The official work week is from Monday morning to the following Sunday night.

The normal work schedule for full-time, non-exempt office personnel is 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with one hour for lunch. Employees should check with the employee’s supervisor regarding the employee’s individual work schedule.

The normal work schedule for full-time, non-exempt personnel in Physical Plant and Campus Safety is forty (40) hours per work week. Employees should check with the employee’s supervisor regarding the employee’s individual work schedule.

All staff employees may take a fifteen-minute break each half-day. Breaks should be scheduled so that offices and telephones, or other essential responsibilities, are not left unattended. 

At the supervisor’s discretion, non-exempt employees may be allowed or required to take time off to maintain time worked within the 40-hour work week. This time must be taken within the same 40-hour work-week in which the unscheduled hours are worked. 

How to Report Time

• Exempt employees: Request and report time not worked (i.e., sick and vacation) in Workday. Time reports are not submitted.
• Salaried non-exempt (37.5 hour work week): Report both time worked and leave time in Workday.
• Hourly Non-exempt (40 hour work week): Report time worked through the College electronic timekeeping system and leave time (i.e., sick and vacation) in Workday.

Rules for Keeping Time

• Time must be kept daily by non-exempt employees.
• Hours worked by non-exempt employees must be reported accurately per day and on the exact date worked.
• If a non-exempt employee believes their time record is incorrect, the employee should inform the supervisor immediately so the record can be corrected.
• Records must be submitted to Finance Office in Southwestern Hall by 9:30 a.m. Monday on a biweekly basis.
• Falsification of time records is grounds for termination.
• Employees may not clock in or out for another employee under any circumstances.
• Non-exempt employees must report all time worked even if work is done outside of regular work hours, at home, or during lunch. Working off the clock is not permitted under any circumstances. 

Employees who are faculty, regular full-time staff, regular part-time staff, introductory, or temporary and lose time because of an accident or illness arising out of and in the course of employment may be entitled to Workers′ Compensation benefits. Rhodes maintains a workers’ compensation insurance policy for this purpose.

No cash benefits will be paid by the insurance company for the first seven calendar days, excluding the day of injury, unless the disability extends to 14 calendar days. Regular employees will be allowed to use accrued sick leave and/or vacation leave to compensate them for the first 8 working days of disability. When an employee is off work for 14 calendar days or more because of the disability, the insurance company will pay the employee for the first 7 calendar days. This payment is known as a “Wage Replacement Benefit.” If disability is for 14 calendar days or less, no wage replacement is made for the first seven days. Employees that elect to submit payment of the “Wage Replacement Benefit” to the College will be credited back the amount of sick and/or vacation leave used during the first week of disability.

Each time an employee is not at work due to a workers′ compensation injury, the total amount of the employee’s Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits will be reduced by the amount of workers’ compensation leave utilized.

Any medical expenses incurred as a result of such injury at work will be paid by the insurance company. Employees should not pay for any such expense from the employee’s own funds.

All job-related accidents must be reported immediately to the supervisor and the Human Resources Office. The supervisor should give the injured employee a Medical Identification Form (completed by the supervisor authorizing treatment) and a Medical Release Form. The Medical Release Form should be returned to the Benefits Services Manager when completed by the doctor. The supervisor must complete an Employee′s First Report of Work Injury Form and forward to the Benefits Services Manager within 24 hours. This report must reach the Workers′ Compensation Company no later than 48 hours after the accident occurs. Failure to report an injury or occupational disease may result in a delay or denial of benefits.

Employees who are involved in a work-related accident may be subject to drug and alcohol testing and possible disciplinary action as stated in the Substance Abuse Policy. Employees who sustain an injury due to intoxication or illegal drug use may have their workers’ compensation benefits suspended or denied. Any employee who refuses to take a drug test in connection with an injury or accident may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

When an employee returns to work after an absence caused by an accident or illness, the employee may be required to furnish a physician′s statement as to the employee’s fitness to perform the employee’s usual duties. The employee may also be required to have a physical examination by a physician designated by the College.

Any employees with questions about the contents of this policy should contact the Benefits Services Manager.