Faculty and staff members are to provide the Office of Human Resources with correct information concerning addresses, marital status, changes in deductions, payroll tax information, etc.  Please submit this information in writing via e-mail, slot box, or deliver to Overstreet 115.

Copy machines are available in various locations around the campus for the official business of the University.  Most copy machines available outside the Communications Center require an access code for operation.  Faculty and staff members obtain codes at the Communications Center.  For copies made at the Communications Center, an account number is necessary.  Personal copies must be paid for at the cashier window in the Business Office or at the Communications Center.

The Physical Plant determines optimum temperatures for comfort and energy conservation for each season.  Although this policy does not apply to residence halls, occupants are urged to be energy conscious and turn off lights, blowers, and fans when not needed.

University personnel are expected to be at work when the University is open.  Each faculty and staff member must exercise judgment as to when it is safe to travel.  Accrued annual leave must be used for absences during inclement weather unless the employee has approved sick leave at the time of inclement weather.

In cases in which weather conditions are unfavorable in the early morning but expected to improve during the day, the University may implement a delayed-start time.  Announcement of the delayed-start will be given as early as possible on the morning of the delay.  Generally, published on the SAU website, weather announcements will be made known by television and radio stations serving the ArkLaTex area, SAU website, social media, and emails.

On a delayed-start day, employees arriving after 10:00 a.m. or not at all, except in cases of previously approved sick leave, will be charged with annual leave for all hours missed.

Some critical support positions as designated by the University and/or departments (such as police officers and Physical Plant maintenance staff) are expected to report to work during inclement weather.  Using personal judgment to determine when it is safe to travel, employees in these roles may be required to report to work early and/or remain after normal working hours in support of critical functions of the campus.

All official travel requires that a travel permit form be completed, approved and submitted one week in advance to the travel clerk in the Office of Financial Services.  The travel permit authorizes travel and states the account number to be charged for the expenses of travel including registration fees. The object code is 6180 (last four digits of the account number).  Most expenses relating to travel must be reimbursed after the expense has been incurred by the traveler.  Expectations are discussed below:

1. If a private vehicle is used for the travel, the owner/operator will receive reimbursement and if a SAU vehicle is used, the charges are paid to the motor pool account.  The reimbursement rate is the current rate authorized by the state of Arkansas.
2. Common carrier travel requirements may be purchased through a local travel agency or with a travel card.  Contact the travel clerk for complete instructions.  Submit a travel permit and a purchase order (for common carrier charges only).  Room, meals (unless in registration fee), and other transportation (vehicle rental, etc.) must be reimbursed on the travel reimbursement form (TR-1) and generally cannot be paid in advance.  Faculty or staff members may obtain common carrier services from other vendors.  The Office of Financial Services must approve, in advance, any vendor selected for travel other than local travel agencies.  Charges from non-local travel agencies will be reimbursed on a TR-1 form as are most other travel expenses or placed on travel card.
3. Registration fees paid in advance require a purchase order and an approved travel permit.  Registration fees should be paid out of object code 6180 (last four digits of the account number.)
4. Rental vehicles – SAU maintains a contract with a car rental agency to provide vehicles for usage of SAU employees in conducting SAU business.  The Office of Financial Services maintains rental vehicle information.

1. 1. 1. Submit an approved travel permit and a purchase order to the Office of Financial Services. The purchase order should indicate the vehicle class, daily fee, and the number of days the rental is required.  Current contract requirements are available from Financial Services.

1. 5. For information on group travel contact the travel clerk in Financial Services.
   6. SAU vehicles are to be considered as a last option, after use of personal or rental vehicles.  Requests for an SAU vehicle require approval of the president.
   7. Travel permits that request an SAU bus should be submitted directly to the Physical Plant.

2. A travel card is available to qualified faculty and staff for use on official travel.  The card is issued to faculty and staff members.  The Office of Financial Services has applications and further information.
3. Travel advances may be requested when needed with an approved travel permit.  Advances are limited to 90 percent of the travel permit estimate of out-of-pocket expenses.  The state limits the amount in this fund and, during peak times of student travel, it may not be possible to honor all requests.  The TR-1 must be filed within five days of return from travel to replace the travel advance funds.
4. To obtain reimbursement for expenses of official travel, a TR-1 form must be completed and submitted to the Office of Financial Services.  The state of Arkansas only allows reimbursement for actual expenses and in addition has established daily reimbursement limits for lodging and meals.  Receipts are required.  Daily meal reimbursement is limited to the actual amount paid up to the maximum allowable amount with no exceptions.  Meals are reimbursed only if there is overnight travel.  Contact the Office of Financial Services for current rate.  Payment of taxes on meals requires receipts that list tax separately.  Travelers must request permission to exceed daily lodging limits when the travel permit is submitted.  The president must approve this request.
5. Personal use of frequent flyer miles or bonus points earned while on official travel is prohibited by the state of Arkansas.  All miles or points must be used for future official travel.  The state may recover the full fare value of tickets used for personal travel obtained through miles or bonus points.

Any manufacturer rebates received by the cardholder as results of a P-card transaction shall be credited to the P-card and documentation reflecting the transaction shall be attached to the P-card Transaction Log to support such credit.

The cardholder is not to use any rewards card to accrue points or coupons from state purchases.  Any rebates, coupons, rewards, gifts, points, frequent flyer miles, cash cards, etc., must accrue to the state entity and utilized only for official state related business.  No personal gain by making purchases with the state purchasing card is permitted.  Misuse of this section could result in disciplinary action.

Use of any and all state-owned equipment and supplies shall be restricted to official state use only.  Unauthorized or personal use of equipment or supplies may be grounds for dismissal.  (Governor’s Policy Directive 5 – State-Owned Equipment and Supplies).  An occasional personal phone call or e-mail is permitted as necessary to schedule medical appointments, coordinate family needs or child care providers.  These must be of short duration of generally three minutes or less.  Use of the Internet for personal purposes is included in this prohibition.  Under no circumstances should any University property be used for purposes that produce income or impact daily work assignments (see also 315 Outside Employment and 314 Technology).

When a need for maintenance arises, a work order should be submitted to the Physical Plant using the online form that is on the SAU website, except in an emergency. If an emergency exists (broken water pipe, heating/air conditioning outages) the Physical Plant should be called immediately. Once the call has been made, then proceed to submit the workorder using the online form. Normal wear and tear costs are generally funded through the Physical Plant maintenance budget. Capital improvements must be funded separately, normally through the annual capital budget process. Specific concerns should be addressed through administrative channels. Most routine work orders should be processed through the building captain, the faculty or staff member designated to coordinate building maintenance needs with the Physical Plant. Building captains are generally a senior manager in a building.

1. All posters, signs, etc., are to be taken to the Office of Student Activities in the Reynolds Center, for stamping and distribution.  The office will provide workers to place signs at designated locations, and the signs will be removed at the expiration date.  This procedure does not apply to offices that have a designated bulletin board for specific information relating to that office.
2. ALLUSERS e-mail announcements are for official SAU communication. Questions of an official nature should be referred to the vice president of your area.

1. State contract purchases.  The state of Arkansas has extensive procedures for purchasing.  Many items including office supplies are on state contracts.  Contact the Office of Financial Services for current information.  If an item is on state contract it must be purchased from that vendor.
2. Other purchases not on state contract.  For all other purchases (supplies, services, or other items including software of software licenses), submit a purchase order form to the Office of Financial Services for approval before any item is ordered or a P-card may be used subject to the guidelines.  P-cards are issued based on specific needs to qualified individuals.  Contact Office of Financial Services.
3. Bidding requirement limit on purchasing authority:
   1. Purchases $2,500 to $25,000 must include a quote bid from at least three vendors.  Catalogs may be used for quoting prices.  The quote sheet is to be submitted with purchase order requests.  Quote sheets may be obtained in the Office of Financial Services.
   2. Purchases of $25,000 or more must be submitted to the Office of Financial Services along with specifications for the items requested and suggested vendors.  The Office of Financial Services will bid these purchases and request approval of the bid results from the person submitting the request.
   3. Computer related purchase orders (hardware or software) must be reviewed by the University’s Department of Information Technology Services for compatibility with existing SAU hardware and software before submission to the Office of Financial Services.
   4. Printing requests must be submitted to the Communications Center for approval before an order can be submitted.  Extensive state bidding laws apply to printing.
   5. Equipment to be connected to the building utilities and/or installed by the Physical Plant must be reviewed for utility compatibility, energy efficiency, code compliance, etc.  The Physical Plant can provide additional information.
   6. Before any technology purchase may be authorized or approved, the vendor must certify that the item being purchased is capable, either by virtue of features included within the technology or because it is readily adaptable by use of other technology and that the technology is accessible by a person with visual impairments.  Each department is required to attach this certification to their purchase order request that is submitted for approval.
4. Other Requirements/Recommendations:
   1. Some purchases may require a contract with a vendor or provider of services.  If so, the contract must be signed by the president.  This includes software licenses.  Contract routing approval forms are available from the vice president for administration.
   2. Flowers can be purchased for official functions but not for office or personal use.  Only the president can designate official functions.
   3. Award plaques, prizes, etc., can be purchased for students but not faculty or staff members.  The SAU Foundation, with the president’s approval, may purchase awards for faculty and staff.
   4. Purchases under $2,500 do not require bids, but comparison shopping is desirable.
   5. Invoices must be charged to Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, and submitted to the Office of Financial Services with the gold copy of the purchase order signed to indicate department approval to pay for listed items.
   6. Items ordered before a purchase order number is issued may be considered personal expenditures and may not be reimbursed by the University.  Payment approval for items ordered without a properly approved purchase order will be received by the agency purchasing official for purchases where a purchase order should have been obtained.  The purchases that were not properly approved will be submitted to the applicable vice president and the president for their approval or disapproval.

Faculty/Staff

Should an agency or enterprise outside the University make an inquiry about a present or former faculty or staff member, generally information regarding the position title of the faculty or staff member and dates of employment will be given.  Other information may be requested under a freedom of information request.

The University may publish directory information that lists name, title, department, campus address and phone number, educational background, etc.

2. Students

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, helps protect the privacy of student records.  The Act provides for the right of students to inspect and review their education records, to seek to amend those records, and to limit disclosure of information from the records.  The Act applies to all institutions that are the recipients of federal funding.

Parents of students termed “dependent” for income tax purposes may have access to the student’s educational records with proof of dependency.

Institutions may disclose information on a student without violating FERPA through what is known as “directory information.”  This generally includes a student’s name, address, telephone number, major field of study, participation in officially recognized sports and activities, weight and height (of athletes), dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and other similar information.  Deceased students and formerly enrolled students have rights under FERPA. Students who have applied but have not attended an institution do not.

Persons entitled to the information are the following: the student and any outside party who has the student’s written consent; school officials who have “legitimate educational interests” as defined in FERPA; parents of a dependent student as defined by the Internal Revenue Code; and the issuer of a judicial order or subpoena which allows the institution to release records without the student’s consent.  A reasonable effort must be made to contact the student before complying with the order.  Student may request that no information be released by informing the vice president for student affairs in writing at the beginning of each semester of enrollment.

The University does not designate a formal rest period for staff members.  Taking a break depends upon the department involved and whether the work of the department is of such a nature that it can be interrupted at some time during the day for staff members to have a few minutes off.  Where rest periods are allowed, they are limited to two (2) fifteen minute breaks per day (one in the morning and one in the afternoon), and each department must be sure that adequate staff is on duty at all times.  Health and safety may require adjustments as approved by a Vice President.

1. Accident Prevention.  The University strives to provide safe working conditions, but the prevention of accidents is largely a matter of individual carefulness.  Horseplay and practical jokes are strictly prohibited and are grounds for dismissal.  Conditions that seem unsafe and not readily correctable should be reported immediately to a supervisor.
2. On-the-Job Injuries.  When University faculty or staff members are injured through an accident arising out of and in the course of employment, they are to report the accident immediately to their supervisor, go without delay to the University Health Services located in the Reynolds Center, and call The Company Nurse at 1-800-339-1893.  In all cases, the appropriate emergency actions should be taken.  Injuries sustained at night or on weekends when the University Health Services is closed should be treated at the Magnolia Regional Medical Center or other available health care provider.  Supervisors and workers should not hesitate to call an ambulance when there is evidence of serious injury to a fellow faculty or staff member.  The driver should be directed to take the faculty or staff member to the emergency room.  In all cases involving on-the-job injury, faculty or staff members and supervisors are reminded that good judgment must be the guiding factor in determining where the injured faculty or staff member is to report for emergency treatment.
3. As soon as the injured worker’s condition permits, appropriate workers’ compensation forms must be completed and sent to the Office of Human Resources.  Copies of these forms are available in the Office of Human Resources, Physical Plant, and University Health Services.  It is essential that these reports be completed thoroughly and in a timely manner, so authorized personnel will have adequate information on which to base decisions regarding the classification of injuries and payment of related expenses, and if necessary, to determine third party responsibility.  Questions should be addressed to the Office of Human Resources.  The University will work closely with the faculty or staff member and supervise the filing of necessary documents.  All claims under Workers’ Compensation are processed by Public Employee Claims Division of the Arkansas Department of Insurance.
4. SAU participates in a state managed care service for workers’ compensation claims.  Please contact Office of Human Resources for access to the state managed care network.

Effective August 1, 2010, SAU will be a smoke free campus in compliance with Act 734 of 2009 of the Arkansas General Assembly.  This act includes penalties of fines from $100 to $500.

1. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the SAU campus or in vehicles owned or leased by SAU.
2. Smokeless tobacco use is not permitted in any SAU building or vehicle.

Staff development opportunities include training for faculty or staff members to keep them current in their jobs, and general training based on technological changes affecting a large number of faculty and staff members.  In addition, state and federal laws mandate specific training.  Staff development may consist of both on-campus and off-campus opportunities as needs of the University and funding permit.  (See also Fringe Benefits, courses taken for training).  Overall coordination of staff development is through the Office of Human Resources.

SAU is a state-supported institution of higher learning and, as such, its facilities are provided and designed to be used to further the educational aims and objectives of the University.  Facilities may be used for purposes that are consistent with the mission of Southern Arkansas University, and the right to make such a determination is vested solely in the University.  SAU is committed to the conserving of energy, and thus as much as possible, shall accommodate facility requests by using buildings that are already scheduled to be opened and in use during the time period of the request. In summary, the process is as follows:

1. Complete and fax or e-mail (normally at least ten working days prior to the date of intended use) a facility request form for:
   1. All facilities other than Reynolds Center to the facilities coordinator in the Office of Academic Affairs.
   2. The Reynolds Center to the center coordinator.
2. The facilities coordinator will obtain approval from the appropriate faculty or staff member (generally a building captain) and process copies of the form to the necessary offices. (These include Physical Plant, University Police, individual requesting the approval, building captain, and food service or educational media if needed).
3. If the facility is not available, the facilities coordinator will contact the requestor and discuss alternatives.
4. Failure to timely submit may result in disapproval of facility use or some of the services requested by support agencies, such as the Physical Plant.

For more detailed information, review the “Policy Manual of Utilization of Campus Facilities” available in the Office of Academic Affairs.

Staff members of SAU are permitted to go to the Mulerider Activities Center (MAC) for wellness program participation. Each staff member is permitted to take an extra 30 minutes at lunch or 30 minutes at the end of the workday for wellness activities at the MAC. No office is allowed to close and a supervisor must approve the time for wellness. Registration and attendance records are kept at the MAC Reception desk. Failure to sign in will result in the time off being charged as vacation.