1. Authority.
1.1 The Board of Trustees (BOT) authorizes the Administrative Board to establish Professional Development and Training policies.
1.2 The component institutions shall have prime responsibility for establishment of professional development, training and funding. Component institution processes, approvals, and benefits for professional development, training and funding for employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement may be defined in the collective bargaining agreement.
2. Professional Development and Training.
2.1 Goal. Employee development is intended to be a continuing responsibility of both the individual employee and the institution. The goal is to encourage individual growth and improved productivity, and to provide a means of reinforcement and reward. Component institutions may develop and utilize a range of tools for employee development and growth, only some of which are detailed in this USY.V.E.
2.2 Employee and supervisory training will be conducted as determined by the institution.
2.3 The institutional office responsible for training and/or individual supervisors will determine attendance policies, such as mandatory or optional participation. Employees taking advantage of the tuition benefit will normally be expected to make up the time or use accrued leave time for time taken to attend courses during the work day. Time spent by employees attending work-related workshops or seminars shall normally be considered time worked. In all cases such time will be accounted for in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act and other applicable law.
2.4 Funding. Professional development training and/or travel shall be subject to availability of funding. Each institution shall define the approval process for funding.
2.5 Professional Development Plans and Individual Development Plans.
Component institutions may utilize different tools for the development and growth of employees, and the needs of the individual employee will be considered in determining the tools that will be utilized. Such tools may include Professional Development Plans or Individual Development Plans.
2.5.1. Professional Development Plans are typically used when a leader has identified a skill gap that is impacting an employee’s ability to complete their job successfully. The intention of the development plan is to build missing skills to allow the employee to continue to evolve and grow with the University. Professional Development Plans are developed by the supervisor in conjunction with the employee and Human Resources and should detail specific outcomes to be achieved by the employee and the resources that will be dedicated to helping them achieve those outcomes, including training, experience-based learning, demonstration of the skills and feedback.
If the plan is unsuccessful in building or enhancing the skill set of the employee and the skills gap continues to impede future performance, a manager may begin the performance management process as outlined in USY.V.C.8.2.
2.5.2. Individual Development Plans are utilized when an individual requests to build additional skills and grow for the future or when a manager has identified an employee with potential, and proposes to coach them to develop additional skills enabling future opportunities. These plans are employee driven and supported by the leader through feedback, experiential learning and growth opportunities, and cross campus mentorship. They should identify the specific skills that the employee is seeking to develop and the resources that will be dedicated to helping them develop those skills.
3. Job Exchange. Job Exchange shall be available as a matter of privilege rather than right and shall be granted to an eligible faculty or exempt employee only in those cases where it is mutually beneficial to the participants and the institution.
3.1 Faculty Exchange Programs. Full-time status faculty are eligible for exchange programs with faculty at other institutions of higher education when endorsed by the appropriate administrator, and approved by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or their designee.
3.1.1 While on exchange, the faculty member will be considered on full time appointment at their home institution with salary, benefits, and all rights and responsibilities retained.
3.1.2 Exchanges may be for any period of time up to one calendar year. Time spent on exchange will count as time in rank toward mandatory tenure decision and as time toward eligibility for a subsequent leave for professional improvement.
3.1.3 Performance evaluations will be requested from the host institution and a post-exchange evaluation of professional activities will be required from the participant, to be included in subsequent considerations for promotion and salary adjustments.
3.1.4 Faculty on exchange will be obligated to return to their institutions for a period of one year following the exchange.
3.2 Exempt Employee Exchange Programs. Exempt employees who are employed in status positions are eligible for exchange programs at other institutions of higher education when the experience is endorsed by the appropriate administrator, and approved by the CEO or their designee.
3.2.1 While on exchange, the exempt employee will be considered on regular appointment at their home institution, with salary, benefits, and all rights and responsibilities retained, including use and accrual of Vacation and Sick Leave.
3.2.2 Exchanges may be for any period of time up to one calendar year.
3.2.3 Performance evaluations will be requested from the host institution and a post-exchange evaluation of professional activities will be required from the participant, to be included in subsequent considerations for promotion and salary adjustments.
3.2.4 Exempt employees on exchange will be obligated to return to their institutions for a period of one year following the exchange.
3.3 Other procedures and/or contractual relationships will follow guidelines and legal requirements adopted by the host institution.
4. Professional Development Leave.
4.1 Goal. Status faculty and other exempt employees are eligible for leave for professional improvement that will result in specific benefit to the institution and/or USNH. Such leave shall be available as a matter of privilege rather than right and shall be granted to an eligible faculty or exempt employee only in those cases where the criteria set forth below are met.
4.2 Leave Conditions -- General. Recipients of paid leaves for professional improvements are permitted to receive income for professional activities without prejudice to their receipt of income from USNH, provided the activity is approved by the institution's Provost and the Chief Human Resources Officer. In no case may the faculty or exempt employee undertake full-time paid employment while on leave for professional improvement, or other activities that present a conflict of interest with their USNH position (see USY.V.D.7). Upon return from leave the faculty or exempt employee is expected to submit a report summarizing the professional activities of their leave. The individual's campus may require that they return to service for a specific period after a professional development leave or reimburse the institution the full amount of salary and benefits paid during the leave.
4.3 Leave Approval -- General. All paid leaves for faculty and exempt employees require approval of a specific proposal for professional improvement that outlines the benefits expected for both the individual and USNH. Applications for leave are submitted to the CEO or their designee through the appropriate academic/administrative officer who should be given reasonable notice of the date the leave is to begin. Each application is judged upon its individual merits and availability of funding. The CEO or their designee must approve all paid leaves.
4.4 Sabbatical-Faculty.
4.4.1 Eligibility. Faculty members with the rank of assistant professor and above shall become eligible for sabbatical leave upon the completion of six years of full-time service at the institution. Years of service shall count from the date of full-time appointment to the rank of instructor or above or from the ending date of the previous leave for professional improvement. All leaves of absence (with or without pay) shall be excluded in determining years of service for this purpose, as shall all years of less than full-time service. Sabbatical leaves are ordinarily reserved for those members of the faculty who have completed advanced academic preparation. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the CEO if: (1) completion of formal advanced study will strongly promote interests of the college/university and (2) the person has shown substantial progress toward completing such study while employed by the institution.
4.4.2 Duration of Leave. For faculty on an academic year appointment, one semester at full salary or two semesters at half salary. For faculty on fiscal year appointments, it shall be up to six months at full salary or 12 months at half salary. In exceptional cases, shorter leaves at more frequent intervals may be granted or even requested by USNH to allow for greater flexibility than is attainable under the normal circumstances. For leaves at half pay the college/university will maintain its full contribution to benefits if the faculty member makes the applicable contributions. See USY V.F.10 for payroll information and USY V.A for specific information regarding benefit contributions.
4.5 Exempt Employee Professional Development Leave.
4.5.1 Eligibility. Exempt employees who have been employed with USNH for at least three years in a status position may apply for a leave for professional improvement. Each application is reviewed on its own merits.
4.5.1.1 Subsequent Leaves. If an exempt employee has been on either a full or partial leave of 120 days or more or a professional development leave, they are not eligible for a professional development leave again until serving in a status position for at least 24 months after returning from leave, unless the most recent leave was for FMLA reasons.
4.5.2 Duration of Leave. The leave may be of varying duration depending upon the number of calendar years of service not to exceed one month at full pay or two months at half pay per calendar year of service up to a maximum of six months at the employee's full pay or 12 months at the employee's half pay. See USY V.F.10 for payroll information.
4.6 Executive Officer Professional Development Leave.
4.6.1 Eligibility. Executive Officers are eligible for leave that will enhance their professional growth and improve the quality of higher education within USNH. It is anticipated that professional improvement/development leaves will be for projects focused upon such things as organizational problems and the management procedures needed to solve them, cost effectiveness of USNH operations, collective bargaining and its effects on higher education, data processing systems and how they can serve administrators, coordinated academic programming within a diversified university system, and long-range budget or physical plant planning. Such leaves shall be available as a matter of privilege rather than right and are subject to the criteria set forth below.
4.6.2 Application. Approval is required of a specific proposal for professional development leave which outlines the benefits expected for both USNH and the Executive Officer. Leaves of absence for professional development are granted by the CEO of the institution or, in the case of CEOs, by the BOT.
4.6.3 Duration of Leave. Leave for professional development may be granted after three years of full-time service as an Executive Officer with USNH. Such leave may be of varying duration not to exceed one month at full pay or two months at half pay per year of service up to a maximum of six months at full pay or 12 months at half pay.
4.6.4 Conditions. Executive Officers who receive approval for professional development leave will normally be expected to return to employment within USNH (to the same or a higher position) immediately following the expiration of the leave. The Executive Officer, upon return to USNH, will be expected to submit a report summarizing the professional activities of their leave to the institution's CEO, or in the case of CEOs, to the BOT.
4.7 Benefits.
4.7.1 Vacation/Sick Leave Accrual. Fiscal year exempt employees and Executive Officers continue to earn Vacation/Sick Leave at the normal rate of accrual while on a sabbatical/professional improvement leave.
4.7.2 For specific benefits coverage policy see USY V.A.
5. Memberships in Professional Organizations.
5.1 USNH encourages employees to join professional organizations in their respective field. Time spent by employees conducting activities with or for Professional Organizations is normally not considered time worked unless such activities are specifically authorized by their supervisor.
6. Internal Promotion.
6.1 USNH is committed to the concept of promotion of employees as defined in USY V.E.6.1.1. The intent of the internal promotion and hiring guidelines is to:
6.1.1 Enhance upward mobility opportunities by providing an exclusive internal posting for USNH status and adjunct employees who have been employed within USNH for at least twelve (12) months in total and have worked at least 1,250 hours or half-time during the 12 month period preceding the posting. Half-time will mean half of the hours that are normally the base full-time hours (e.g. 2080.0, 1957.5, etc.) as determined by policy. Final determination of eligibility will be made by HR.
6.1.2 Provide status employees with the opportunity to be considered for position openings that could result in enhanced personal advancement opportunities.
6.1.3 Advance qualified employees into executive, administrative, supervisory, and other upper-level management positions.
6.2 Criteria/Conditions. Departments may elect to elect exclusive internal posting of all positions when the following conditions exist:
6.2.1 There are a sufficient number of qualified internal candidates from which to select, with due regard given to equal employment opportunity obligations.
6.2.2 Internal promotion will benefit both the institution and USNH as determined by the CEO or their designee.
6.2.3 If these criteria/conditions do not exist, or if, upon internal posting, no qualified candidates apply, then the department will consider external candidates.
6.3 Procedures.
6.3.1 The component institutions shall establish procedures to conduct internal job postings. Those procedures shall include (a) a formal request to Human Resources to post internally; (b) a means to designate the position as an internal promotional opportunity; (c) a minimum posting notice that complies with policies established in USY V.C.
6.3.2 Where an internal candidate exists within the department the posting may indicate "internal candidate exists as of this posting date" if a candidate has indicated a desire to apply.
6.3.3 Applications, resumes and appointments will be reviewed using the same process as any other selection procedure.
