Middlebury Handbook

D.6.a. Lost and Found

Money, clothing, or other valuables should not be left in areas where a theft might occur. The Institute's lost and found area is located in the Security Office. The Institute is not responsible for lost or stolen property.

D.6.b. Parking

All on-campus parking is by permit only, and permits are issued to employees residing a mile or more from the campus. Eligible employees may request a permit from Security. Vehicles may be parked in designated parking stalls as space permits in the faculty/staff parking areas. If space is not available, employees must park off Institute property. Employees may not use Institute parking areas specifically designated for students. Handicap parking is by permit only. The Institute is not responsible for any loss or damage to employee vehicles or contents while parked on Institute property.

D.6.c. Lactation Accommodation

The Institute will provide a reasonable amount of break time to accommodate an employee desiring to express breast milk for the employee's infant child. The break time will, if possible, run concurrently with any paid break time that is already provided to the employee. If additional break time is required, it shall be unpaid.

D.6.d. Outside Organizational Activity/Solicitation

Employees are expected to devote their working hours to job-related activities that contribute to the goals and objectives of the Middlebury Institute. Except for activities related directly to the benefit of the Institute, employees may not solicit, distribute, or receive solicitation materials during working time or in work areas. Work areas generally exclude eating areas, parking lots, or employee lounges. Working time excludes unpaid lunch break, rest periods, or any other specified period during the workday when employees are not required to engage in performing their work tasks.

Because of the Institute's status as a nonprofit organization, no employee may use the Institute's name in carrying on any partisan political activity. The name of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, the logo commonly used to represent the Institute, or the name of any department of the Institute should not be used on letters or other written material intended for political purposes.

D.6.e. Security Investigations

The Institute seeks to maintain a safe, healthy, and secure work environment. The Institute may occasionally find it necessary to investigate current employees where behavior or other relevant circumstances raise questions (For example, work performance, honesty, trustworthiness, or potential threat to the safety of coworkers or others). In the event that an investigation is necessary, the Institute will comply with all applicable federal and state laws. Employees subject to an investigation are required to cooperate with the Institute’s lawful efforts to obtain relevant information and may be disciplined up to and including termination for failure to do so.

D.6.f. Health and Safety

Each employee is responsible for her/his safety as well as the safety of others in the workplace. In compliance with California law and to promote the concept of a safe workplace, the Institute maintains an Injury and Illness Prevention Program. The program is available for review in the Human Resources 7office. All accidents that result in injury must be reported to the appropriate supervisor and Human Resources, regardless of how insignificant the injury may appear. Such reports are necessary to comply with laws and to initiate insurance and workers’ compensation procedures as applicable.

In compliance with Proposition 65, the Institute will inform employees of any known exposure to a chemical known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.

D.6.g. Emergency Closure

If weather conditions, such as flooding, prevent employees from safely traveling to work, they must notify their supervisors as soon as possible. Absences due to inclement weather will be considered as leave without pay, unless the employee chooses to use accrued CTO hours to cover the absence.

In the event of a natural disaster such as earthquake, fire, explosion, etc., offices will be closed if the building is damaged or roads immediately leading to the offices are damaged. For instruction on reporting to another location, employees should contact their supervisors immediately, if possible. Refer to the Emergency Action Plan (https://www.miis.edu/offices/security) for further details.

If the Institute is closed due to inclement weather or natural disaster, regular salaried employees will receive regular pay, up to a maximum of three days per calendar year. If the Institute is open, yet an employee is unable to get to work due to personal circumstances, the time off will be counted as leave without pay, unless the employee elects to use accrued CTO hours. If there is a temporary power outage, employees are expected to remain at work and perform what duties are safely possible under the circumstances, until and unless they are officially notified that the office is closed for the remainder of the day and that there is no other office on campus where they can continue to work.

D.6.h. Security/Workplace Violence

The Institute is committed to providing a workplace that is free from acts of violence or threats of violence. In keeping with this commitment, the Institute has established a policy that provides “zero tolerance” for actual or threatened violence against co-workers, students, visitors, or any other persons who are either on our premises or have contact with employees in the course of their duties.

Every threat of violence is serious and must be treated as such. Threatening behavior can include such actions as throwing objects, making a verbal threat to harm another individual or destroy property, displaying an intense or obsessive romantic interest that exceeds the normal bounds of interpersonal interest, or attempting to intimidate or harass other individuals.

If an employee becomes aware of any actual violence, imminent violence, or threat of imminent violence, obtaining emergency assistance must be a matter of first priority. The employee should immediately contact Security by calling extension 4153 and, if appropriate, should contact Monterey Police Department authorities by dialing 911. Then the employee must report the incident to her/his supervisor, who shall in turn notify the manager of human resources and Security. Employees may report any incidents of violence or threats of violence without fear of reprisal.

Employees who become aware of any threats of workplace violence must report the threats immediately to their supervisors, who, in turn, will be responsible for notifying Security and the Manager of Human Resources.

Compliance with this anti-violence policy is a condition of employment and will be evaluated, together with other aspects of an employee’s performance. Due to the importance of this policy, employees who violate any of its terms, who engage in or contribute to violent behavior, or who threaten others with violence may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination.

Employees are reminded to secure their desks, files, and confidential information at the end of the day or when called away from the work area for an extended length of time. Employees should not leave valuable and/or personal articles in or around their workstations.

Employees must immediately report to their supervisor when keys, identification cards, or other Institute property is missing.

D.6.i. Travel Policies

Members of the faculty and staff traveling on behalf of the Institute are expected to seek the least expensive option that allows them to do their job effectively and safely when incurring any expense that will be charged to the Institute.

All travel plans and individual travel programs must be approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor and the budget officer of the department to be charged with the travel costs.

Advances for travel are prohibited except in cases where travel without an advance would impose an unreasonable hardship. Requests for advance are officially discouraged. Recommendations for advances must have the approval of the department head, VPAA, and the VP for Human Resources and Chief Risk Officer.

Travelers booking plane or train fares must secure the most economical rates available and should use an individual or departmental Institute purchasing card whenever possible, following all policies associated with such cards. If a personal credit card must be used, the traveler must submit original copies of the card statement along with accounting codes to be charged and a clear explanation of the itinerary in order to receive timely reimbursement.

The Institute reimburses members of the faculty and staff using their own vehicles on trips for official Institute business on a per-mile-driven basis, at the rate authorized by the IRS. Requests for reimbursement, using the check request form, must include details of the dates, points of departure and arrival, and miles driven, and should be submitted to the Business Office.

Employees who are required to drive an Institute vehicle, or a personal vehicle, on Institute business will be required to show proof of current, valid driver's license and current effective insurance coverage prior to the first day of employment.

The Institute retains the right to transfer to an alternative position, suspend or terminate employment if driving on Institute business is an essential function of a position and an employee's license is revoked, or s/he fails to maintain personal automobile insurance coverage, or if s/he is uninsurable under the Institute's policy.

A. Allowable Travel Expenses

Allowable travel expenses include essential transportation and associated costs such as parking and tolls, lodging, meals, and appropriate thank-you gifts for a dinner or event host. Normally, travelers should select compact class rental cars; restrict meal costs to the recommended maximums published by the business office; and provide customary tips (not to exceed 15%) associated with their activities. Other expenses must receive advance approval from the department head.

B. Accounting

Formal accounting for reimbursable travel expenditures made by an individual must be submitted to the Business Office immediately upon return from a trip. This accounting must include original receipts for meal, hotel accommodations, transportation, etc., and must be approved by the supervisor and budget officer.

Internal Revenue Service regulations require that adequate records substantiate all expenditures for travel and entertainment. This substantiation must include information relating to the:

• Amount of the expenditure;
• Time and place of the expenditure;
• Business purpose of the expenditure; and
• Names and the business relationships of individuals (other than the traveler) for whom the expenditures are made;

Reasonable incidental expenses of $10 or less do not require documentation but need to be enumerated.

D.6.j. Travel Expenses Not Permitted

No expenses for a spouse/partner accompanying the faculty or staff member may be charged to the Institute, with the exception of the cost of a meal if the spouse/partner's presence is essential to the event and where there has been prior approval.

No personal expenses may be charged to the Institute, including (but not limited to) traffic and parking tickets; rental, repair, and replacement of clothing items; personal entertainment such as sporting-event or theatre tickets and in-room movies; alcoholic beverages other than those customarily taken with a meal that is part of an Institute function; and any item which an individual would normally purchase for her/himself if not traveling.

D.6.k. Other Expenditures Not Permitted

Budget administrators are expected to exercise restraint and good judgment in committing Institute funds. The Institute's principal revenue sources are from students and from donors (individuals, foundations, and industry). Increasingly, we must be sensitive to how we use these funds toward promoting the primary mission of the Institute. The following expenditures should not be incurred since they relate more directly to personal needs:

• Artwork for offices
• Briefcases
• Contributions (political and charitable)
• Expensive desk accessories
• Flowers (except when coordinated through the VPAA's Office)
• Holiday decorations and parties
• Memberships in non-job related professional societies
• Travel related:
• Air travel clubs
• First class/business class airfare
• Health club memberships
• Hotel amenities (movies, etc.)
• Optional conference events (golf outings, tours, etc.)
• Non-business entertainment and travel
• Payment of fines or parking tickets
• Purchase of clothing and other personal items
• Spouse related costs
• Meals among co-workers (except when staff are traveling together on Institute business, or for community-building meals approved by a budget administrator.)

D.6.l. Procurement Card Program

The Middlebury Institute has implemented a Procurement Card Program to provide an efficient and effective method of purchasing and paying for goods and services. Procurement Cards are issued to individuals who place orders on behalf of the Institute and/or individuals who frequently travel on Institute business. An individual receives a procurement card upon recommendation of her/his department head, and then only after completing the application form and cardholder agreement, and after attending a Procurement Card Training Session to learn the proper procedures for using and documenting use of the card. Complete guidelines for P-card use can be found at: https://www.middlebury.edu/offices/administration/vpfin/controller/paymen...

Cardholders are accountable for the proper use of Institute funds. Although the card is issued to the cardholder, it remains Institute property, and may be rescinded at any time. Use of the card is only for Institute business. If the procurement card is misused (for example, for inappropriate purchases, exceeding budget and or card limits, or failure to maintain proper records) penalties could range from a warning to adhere to the procedures to cancellation of the card. Should the Institute cancel a card, that action will be noted in the cardholder’s personnel file. In extreme cases, such as flagrant misuse and/or use for personal items, additional consequences, up to and including termination of employment could be imposed.

The adoption of the Procurement Card does not constitute a change to the Institute policies regarding travel on Institute business. Rather, for many Institute employees whose job responsibilities dictate regular travel, the "P Card" will provide a means to process and pay those travel expenses more conveniently.

Faculty and staff with only occasional travel needs may be able to make use of a "departmental" card held by an administrative assistant or other departmental support staff who make air, hotel, or auto reservations for department faculty and staff.

As with any travel on Institute business currently made using a personal credit card with subsequent reimbursement, it is the responsibility of the traveler using a Procurement Card to obtain full documentation/receipts for all expenses processed on the card and to file and retain those receipts with the monthly statement mailed to the cardholder.

Please direct any questions regarding the use of the Procurement Card to the card administrator.

D.6.m. Employee Recognition

Above and Beyond Award

The Above and Beyond Award was established in 2006 to recognize employees of the Institute who go above and beyond the normal duties of their position. The award is presented during the faculty/staff holiday reception each December. Each award recipient receives a certificate and a $500 cash award. Recipients of the award are those who:

a)     Consistently provide outstanding customer service.

b)     Is the “go-to” person.

c)     Provides an outstanding service that is not part of their normal job duties.

d)     Strives to innovate, improve, or streamline processes.

The VPAA and the senior administrators (direct reports to the VPAA) will consult with staff in their areas to nominate candidates. Generally, up to three awards will be made during the Faculty/Staff Holiday Reception.