Section I.
Student Affairs Division
A. Mission Statement
The mission of the Division of Student Affairs is to foster student development by engaging students in learning opportunities that enhance their personal, social, cultural, moral, physical and cognitive growth.
B. Organizational Chart and Staff Profiles
The Division of Student Affairs consists of several offices with different, yet complimentary missions and purposes. Each of these offices, along with their missions and services, are listed in the Student Affairs Policies and Procedures Manual. To develop an understanding of the structure of the Division of Student Affairs, please refer to the Student Affairs Organizational Chart and Staff Profiles in the appendices.
C. Emergency Procedures
The university has an established Critical Incident Response Plan, administered by the Department of Public Safety. The role of Student Affairs Staff members during incidents of a critical nature depends upon the incident type. Incidents relating to students in any manner will typically involve appropriate members of the Student Affairs staff. (See Critical Incident Response Plan – under development). Various members of the Student Affairs Staff hold significant responsibility in the University Emergency Response Plan
The University Hazardous Weather Policy is maintained by the Office of the Vice President for Administration. In accordance with that policy, the University President determines if the University schedule or operating hours should be adjusted due to inclement weather.
Student Affairs Emergency Notification Plan
In the event that it becomes necessary to transmit an emergency message to the University community (such as inclement weather, crisis, etc.), staff members are expected to implement the Emergency Notification Plan as follows:
President – notifies Vice President for Student Affairs (and other cabinet members)
Vice President for Student Affairs notifies:
· Dean of Students, who notifies:
o Assistant Dean of Students
o Coordinator of Student Life
o Coordinator of Campus Recreation and University Center
o Assistant Coordinator of University Center
o Administrative Assistant – Dean of Students
o Coordinator of International Student Affairs
· Director of Career Development, who notifies:
o Administrative Assistant, Career Development
· Director of Counseling & Testing, who notifies:
o Assistant Director of Counseling
o Coordinator of Testing and Special Projects
o Coordinator of Student Health Services
o Administrative Assistant, Counseling and Testing
· Coordinator of Multicultural Affairs
· Administrative Assistant, Student Affairs
· University Chaplain (if appropriate)
· Athletics Director, who notifies:
o Coaching Staff
o Associate Director
o Administrative Assistant
D. Budgets & Purchasing
Budgets are maintained as a guideline for revenues/additions and expenses/deductions. As circumstances change, it may become necessary to transfer or adjust line items within the budget.
Staff members are responsible for being aware of their budget and to operate within its limits. Staff members should apprise their supervisor of potential shortfalls or other concerns in advance.
The Director or Coordinator of each department may be responsible for managing one or more budget accounts within their area. Budget managers must adhere to University policy and procedure relating to budget management, purchasing, and procurement. On or near the first day of every month (with the exception of July), budget managers should receive a copy of a budget summary report from the previous month, including beginning balances, expenditures, encumbered amounts, and remaining balances. Each budget manager must carefully review the budget printout and compare the items to their own budget ledger. Should differences occur, the budget manager should discuss the issue with their supervisor.
The President established a University Budget Committee with the purpose of (1) reviewing and recommending to him revisions to the current budget procedure; (2) advising him on all issues related to the University’s budget; (3) participating in the review of the budgetary needs of all University departments and recommending an annual plan for the allocation of University funds; and (4) assisting in the overall planning for the University budget over a three to five year period.
During the late spring semester, the Vice President for Student Affairs will require budget managers to submit budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). All budgetary requests must contain appropriate justification for funds.
Any procurement activity, including purchases, rentals, and leasing must be in adherence to procurement policies and procedures as maintained and administered by the Office of Purchasing. All expenditure relating to student payroll must adhere to student employee guidelines. Interdepartmental expenditures and transfers must adhere to policies and procedures as maintained and administered by the Accounting Office.
Procurement Card Management
The Procurement Card is a purchasing tool offering an alternative method for obtaining supplies with a total value of $2,500.00 or less. Cards are issued to qualified applicants in the name of the cardholder and are used for official University purchases only. Applications for individual cards are submitted by Deans of Schools or Vice Presidents, and forms are available in the Office of Business Affairs - Purchasing. The Office of Purchasing administers the issuance and use of procurement cards.
Cards are issued in accordance with established policy, training is required for cardholders and other principles involved in the process. Student Development Staff members should abide by the following protocol when utilizing a Procurement Card.
1. Use the procurement card in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Purchasing Office.
2. Ensure the safekeeping of the Procurement Card, keeping it secured at all times.
3. Immediately report the theft or loss of the procurement card in accordance with the procedures established by the purchasing office, as well as to the Vice President for Student Affairs.
4. Ensure the budget to which the purchase will be charged is adequate to fund the amount of the purchase.
5. Maintain an orderly file of all receipts from procurement card transactions yet to be reconciled.
6. Upon receipt of the monthly procurement card statement, reconcile any outstanding receipts with the statement, ensuring the validity and accuracy of all charges. Those receipts should then be attached to the statement, which is to be filed and maintained for a minimum of three fiscal years.
7. Should any procurement card transactions need to be charged to an account other than the primary account assigned to the card, the cardholder should submit a request to transfer the charge to the Vice President for Student Affairs or Dean of Students, who will consider the request and send to the Director of Purchasing if approved. All transfers must have the approval of the administrator responsible for any budgets involved in the transfer.
8. All materials related to procurement cards, including the card itself, records, receipts, and statements, should be readily available for review by appropriate administrative staff.
E. Telephone Logs/ Fax Machine
The use of Francis Marion University’s telecommunications service, including telephone and facsimile machines, is limited to university business. It may be a violation of state law to misuse or abuse services, including long distance.
Staff members are responsible for limiting access to their office telephone to official personnel and use only. Long distance charges are billed to the budget assigned to the telephone on a monthly basis. While the university does not require long distance calls be logged, this is one method of ensuring accurate records. At the end of every month, each department head will receive a record log of all long distance calls made on their telephone(s). This record should be checked for accuracy, signed, and returned to the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs. No personal long distance calls should be made when using the university long distance service. The Office of Telecommunication Services facilitates telephone service for the university, and has the latest information on telephone/long distance costs. Every department is charged for each individual telephone line and long distance charges on a monthly basis, as reflected in the monthly budget summary.
The fax machine located in the Student Affairs office is to be used only for official use by Student Affairs staff members. EVERY use of the fax machine (on or off campus, local or long distance) MUST be logged, with the staff member and department clearly marked. Long Distance charges from usage of the fax machine will be billed to the appropriate departmental budgets.
F. Meetings (Full staff and individual)
The Student Affairs Staff has meetings on a monthly basis. All Staff members are expected to attend these meetings in their entirety. Should a conflict with the meeting arise, the staff member should discuss the matter with their supervisor and the Vice President for Student Affairs prior to the meeting date.
The Vice President and Dean of Students may schedule individual meetings with staff members on a regular basis. During those meetings, staff members should be prepared to discuss issues and events related to their responsibilities. Should there be a need to reschedule, staff members should notify the VP or Dean of Students in advance.
G. Affirmative Action Procedures
The Division of Student Affairs adheres to the university employment and affirmative action policy.
H. Affiliations (Professional Organizations)
The Division of Student Affairs encourages staff members to maintain membership in the appropriate Professional Organizations relating to their areas of responsibilities. The Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs maintains institutional membership in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. Other individual professional affiliations within the division are encouraged within budgetary constraints.
I. Student Advisory Board to the Vice President of Student Affairs
Purpose
To provide input to the Vice President for Student Affairs about issues, items, or initiatives (as determined by the Vice President) during meetings, and possibly via electronic mail.
Structure
The Board shall meet at least three times during the academic year;
The Board shall consist of 12 members, including the President of the Student Government Association and 11 other full time students selected through the process described below.
The Chair of the Board shall be appointed by the Vice President of Student Affairs prior to the first meeting, and shall serve a one-year term.
Selection
With the exception of the President of the SGA, members would be selected from nominations from Faculty or Staff members. Minimal criteria for eligibility include:
- 2.2 grade point average
- Acceptable Disciplinary Record
- Full time student status
Additional consideration should be given to those students who display a genuine interest in providing constructive input as well as a commitment to being involved and participating in the group.
Nominations for members would need to be made by a Faculty or Staff member. The selection body shall be appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs, and consist of staff and/or faculty members. During the selection process, the selection body should take the following into consideration, and attempt to select a group of students representative of all aspects of the student body:
- Area of Study
- Class Standing
- Involvement Collegiate Experience
- Gender and Ethnicity
- Representation in regards to residence (On/Off Campus, In/Out of State, Pee Dee Native, etc.).
All appointments are for one academic year. Should vacancies occur during the academic year, the Vice President for Student Affairs may appoint students to fulfill the term of appointment.
J. General Office Procedures
1. Telephone Issues
In accordance with Telephones located in the Student Affairs Office should be used for official business. Telephones should be answered in the following model:
“Office of Student Affairs, may I help you?”
2. Copier Issues
Each Budget Manager has a code used to make copies on the copy machine located in SUC 205. This code should be provided to full time staff or trusted student staff only. Copies made on this machine should be for official use only, as they are paid for by university funds. Every month, the Purchasing Office will transfer the amount of money equal to the number of copies made from each office budget. If there is a problem with a copy code, or if there is a need to change a copy code, staff members should contact the Purchasing Office.
3. Office Supplies/Equipment
Supplies and equipment paid purchased with university funds are for official use only. For purchasing procedures, please refer to the FMU Policy and Procedures manual.
4. Leave
Prior to scheduling vacation or annual leave, staff members should consult with their immediate supervisors to determine if the timing is appropriate. Certain university activities are not conducive with personal leave time (i.e. open house sessions, commencement, Fall semester opening, and orientation sessions). Staff members should adhere to all University policies regarding annual leave and sick leave maintained by the Office of Human Resources. .
5. Student Employee Issues (under review)
Student Employees must sign the following statement prior to employment:
As a student employee in the FMU Division of Student Affairs, I understand that I may have access to information that is confidential under university policy and/or local, state, or federal laws. I agree to maintain the confidentiality of any information to which I have access unless otherwise authorized by my supervisor(s).
Additionally, I agree to abide by university policy and all local, state, and federal laws while performing my duties as a student employee. As a student employee, I may be assigned to operate university equipment or vehicles. I agree to abide by all laws governing the operation of such equipment and motor vehicles. I understand that use of university equipment, property, keys, and facilities is restricted to the scope of my position as directed by my supervisor(s), and that any unapproved use or access in prohibited.
6. Lunch Period
In accordance with University policy, all staff receive a lunch break between ½ hour and 1 hour (depending upon use of flexible work schedule. Employees must schedule their lunch periods to ensure adequate office coverage. The employees supervisor may adjust lunch periods to best meet the needs of the division.
It is important that employees use their lunch break for meals or other personal activities. It is not appropriate for a staff member to take a full lunch break, return to the office, and then eat while at their desk. All employees are expected to be timely with their lunch breaks, as other staff members are depending upon them.
7. Student Records & Confidentiality
Staff members are required to abide by guidelines outlined in the FMU Student Handbook as related to student records. Staff members are required to comply with the provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act and FMU Policy relating to student records. As a general rule, student records may not be released without specific written consent from the student (Exceptions to this may be outlined in specific policy statements). The Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs determine what members of the staff and faculty have a ‘legitimate educational interest’ that requires access to records created and maintained by offices in the Division of Student Affairs. Student records should be maintained in a manner that ensures the security and integrity of the records, including locked filing cabinets, secured computer terminals, locked offices, and the use of non-disclosure statements when records are released. Specific guidelines have been created by offices that maintain records on a regular basis.
8. University Policies and Procedures
All staff members are expected to review and adhere to all applicable university policies, including, but not limited to, those maintained by the Office of Human Resources, Office of Business Affairs (and subsidiary units), the Office of Administration, and the Office of Student Affairs. Many of these policies are available for review on the FMU web site.
9. Office Coverage
Every office suite should maintain appropriate telephone and office coverage. Staff members are expected to assist with reception and telephone duties as needed.
All staff members should treat private information about students in a confidential manner whether the information is contained in a student record or not.
Student Affairs
Departments
