500-599 Employment Contract

McPherson College provides leaves with pay at periodic intervals to members of its faculty. Sabbaticals afford opportunities for scholarship, travel, writing, or other approved endeavors that will contribute to student recruitment, student retention, or growth as a member of the faculty or member of the administrative staff of the college.

The provisions of the McPherson College sabbatical leave program are as follows:

1. Sabbaticals must be approved by the Faculty Review Committee, the President of the College, and the Board of Trustees. Approval of sabbaticals is not automatic; it involves considerations such as the faculty member’s past contributions to the college, the proposed leave’s potential usefulness to the applicant, and the practical problems of handling the absent applicant’s workload.
2. A faculty member may apply for sabbatical leave at the beginning of the sixth year of employment or six years following completion of the previous sabbatical leave.
3. Sabbatical applicants must complete and submit a request form to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) by September 15 of the year prior to the requested leave.  Sabbatical leave forms may be obtained from the VPAA’s office.
4. Applicants may apply for a sabbatical leave of either one semester or one full contract year.
   a. One-semester sabbaticals are paid at full salary.  Fringe benefit programs continue during the one-semester sabbatical on the same basis as if the faculty member were at work full time on campus.
   b. Full-year sabbaticals are paid at half salary.  Because the college must, by law, base its contributions to Social Security and the 403(b) retirement plan on actual salary paid, those contributions will be reduced by half during the sabbatical year.  In the case of the retirement benefit, the college will make up for the lost 403(b) contribution in cash compensation disbursed evenly over 12 pay periods.  The faculty member is free to self-contribute this amount toward retirement, or not.
5. Sabbatical recipients shall sign a statement recognizing that the compensation paid during the sabbatical leave is on a “provisional loan basis.”  One-half of the amount will be canceled after the first full contract year served following his or her return.  The full amount will be canceled after the second contract year served.
6. Within eight weeks following return from sabbatical leave, sabbatical recipients shall submit a written summary of their sabbatical leave experience to the CAO and schedule a time to present their experience to the campus community.
7. Sabbatical leaves are granted for the purpose of professional advancement, not financial gain.  If employment during the sabbatical creates new income greater than the college salary plus additional incurred expenses, the faculty member should consider the alternative of a leave of absence.
8. Faculty on sabbatical leave are permitted to request faculty development funds, but faculty in residence have priority. If funds remain available, requests for faculty development funds will be considered and disbursed (if approved) at the end of the fiscal year in which the sabbatical leave occurred.
9. Exceptions to the particulars set forth above must be approved by the VPAA.

McPherson College grants leaves of absence to members of the faculty for purposes of study and research that promise to increase the member’s professional effectiveness, value, and usefulness in subsequent service to the college.

1. Applications for leaves of absence shall be made in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) in consultation with the appropriate department chair.  Application shall be made not later than six months before the beginning of the term in which the leave is desired.
2. Leaves of absence are approved by the President, upon recommendation of the VPAA.
3. Faculty members on leave of absence may continue on the college’s health insurance, group life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement plans, provided they pay the cost of these benefits. Since Social Security and institutional retirement contributions are based on percentages of salary, these benefits do not accrue when persons are not on salary. If part-salaries are involved, these latter benefits will be handled on a percentage basis relative to the part-salaries.
4. Exceptions to the particulars set forth above must be approved by the VPAA.

McPherson College is committed to supporting a faculty member’s work/life balance. With the well-being of college faculty members in mind, several leaves of absence are available to faculty.

1. For scheduled absences lasting one day to five days (one week), faculty members should reflect the dates and students’ expected activities in their syllabi and notify the academic affairs office of the class cancellations when submitting the course syllabi.
2. For unscheduled absences lasting one to three consecutive days, such as brief illness, bereavement, or caring for a family member, faculty members should email their students, the department chair and the academic affairs office at the earliest opportunity. Department colleagues or the academic affairs office will post cancellation notices on classroom doors.
3. For unscheduled absences of more than three days, the following provides available leaves of absence for the college’s faculty members:
   1. Medical leaves of absence:
      1. For absences of more than consecutive three days, a faculty member is entitled to the rights given under the college’s Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Leave of Absence policy. According to federal law, FMLA is unpaid; however, under college policy, FMLA is paid leave for faculty. Reasons for FMLA requests include:
         • Child birth, pregnancy or prenatal medical care;
         • Placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care and in order to care for such child;
         • To care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition as described below;
         • When the employee’s own serious health condition makes the employee unable to perform the functions of his or her position (see ADM 192 under Administrative Policies, available at wwwi.mcpherson.edu, for a full explanation of what illness, injury, impairment, physical or mental conditions comprise a serious health condition; or
         • For a qualifying exigency, and/or covered service member leave as described in ADM 192.

FMLA qualifying absences up to 12 weeks (counted as 60 work days over a 12-month period) may be granted in a block of time, used intermittently, or as a reduced work schedule. Faculty experiencing more than one of the above events within 12 months of FMLA being triggered are limited to the total of 60 day’s leave within that 12-month period. For qualifying events extending beyond the original 12-month period, faculty must reapply for FMLA certification. Please see the college’s Human Resources Office for details under the ADM 192 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Leave of Absence Policy.

http://wwwi.mcpherson.edu/admin-policies/adm-192-family-and-medical-leave-act-fmla-leave-of-absence-policy/

225. For absences of more than 12 weeks, the chief academic officer shall, in consultation with the human resources office, grant or not grant the leave request. The human resources office will request medical information to substantiate the leave request. Upon the receipt of the requested medical information, the human resources office will determine whether the leave request falls within the realm of an ADA-qualified accommodation request as outlined in ADM 225 –Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Reasonable Accommodation Policy. The human resources office will work with the faculty member and the CAO through the accommodation process as outlined in ADM 225. This leave request is considered an unpaid leave of absence request unless approved otherwise by the CAO.

http://wwwi.mcpherson.edu/admin-policies/adm-225-americans-with-disabilities-ada-reasonable-accommodation-policy/

If a leave request of more than 12 weeks does not qualify through the college’s ADA accommodation process, the CAO, in consultation with the department chair, determines whether the leave request can be granted or would be an undue hardship for the college. Granting a leave request for more than 12 weeks falls within the discretion of the CAO. The president may be consulted in these leave requests. This leave request is considered an unpaid leave of absence request unless approved otherwise by the CAO.

• For any faculty medical leave due to illness or injury that is approaching 90 calendar days, the faculty member would work with the human resources office for eligibility for the college-paid benefit, Long-Term Disability (LTD). This college-paid benefit is outlined in the college’s current college benefit guide and can provide income for the faculty member through her/his Social Security normal retirement age. Upon approval and acceptance of LTD, the faculty member will resign.

https://wwwi.mcpherson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/McPherson-College-Benefits-Guide-2020-11.6.20191.pdf

1. For faculty members who do not qualify for the above listed medical leaves of absence, the faculty member should make her/his request to the chief academic officer.

1. Non-medical leaves of absence
   1. For any other non-medical leaves of absence for more than five days, the faculty member shall make those requests to the CAO.
   2. These leave requests are considered unpaid leave of absence requests.
2. Faculty members on any unpaid leave of absence may continue on the college’s health insurance, group life insurance, disability insurance, and supplemental benefits provided they pay their portion of health insurance and the entire cost of their other benefits and contributions. They may also continue to make voluntary retirement contributions. The faculty member must make payment arrangements with the human resources office prior to the start of the unpaid leave of absence. Since Social Security and institutional retirement contributions are based on percentages of salary, contributions to these benefits are suspended while the faculty member is in an unpaid status.

For any questions concerning this faculty leave of absence policy, please consult with the CAO or the college’s human resources office.

McPherson College supports the professional development of its faculty in several ways. It offers regular workshops and presentations on campus, provides an annual allowance for attending academic or professional conferences and for pursuing continuing education, and gives individual faculty members the option of using a portion of their annual allowance for professional memberships and subscriptions.

A half-day each semester is set aside in the academic calendar for professional develop.  The CAO, in consultation with Faculty Executive Committee, shall make arrangements for these half-day programs, which may involve presentations from internal or external speakers on a variety of pertinent topics in higher education.

Once each semester, there is usually an unscheduled faculty meeting day. For those occasions when an additional meeting is not needed for faculty business, FEC plans one-hour professional development sessions. Typically, internal or local speakers deliver these brief workshops or presentations, but they might also consist of webinars, live presentations via streaming video, recorded videos, etc.

Attendance at these events is expected of all faculty.

McPherson College benefits from a significant endowment—the Kightlinger Fund—designated for the support of academic professional development.  Each half-time and full-time faculty member is allotted a minimum annual allowance from the fund’s endowment earnings.  The allowance may vary from year to year, depending upon the endowment draw approved by the Board of Trustees and the number of faculty eligible for support.

Faculty can access Kightlinger funds for support of continuing education or attendance at academic conferences and workshops by submitting a proposal to the CAO.  The proposal form is available online and from the Academic Affairs office.  As a rule, funds up to the minimum allowance are released soon after receipts are submitted.  When the Kightlinger Fund has a balance at the end of the fiscal year, the CAO will reimburse to the extent possible faculty with expenses exceeding their annual allowance.

The Kightlinger Fund operates on a use-it-or-lose-it basis. Allowances cannot be carried over from year to year, but expenses may be. Faculty who have unrefunded expenses in one year may choose to carry those expenses forward to be covered by their allowance for the following year.

Faculty seeking additional support for completion of a terminal degree may also want to consider applying for the college’s forgivable loan.

Faculty may use no more than half of their annual allowance to defray the cost of professional memberships or subscriptions. In those years when the Kightlinger Fund is exhausted and competing faculty proposals request funds beyond their annual allowance, the amount provided for memberships or subscriptions will be subtracted from requested reimbursements exceeding the annual allowance.

Faculty mentoring at McPherson College is an effort to create informal opportunities for the one-on-one exchange of teaching and learning experiences in a supportive and collegial environment.

These professional development efforts are part of formative development; therefore, submission of reports is not required.

A mentee may, if s/he so desires, solicit a letter of reference from his/her mentor.

If a faculty member would like to be assigned a new mentor, s/he may contact the Dean of Faculty.

New Faculty Mentoring

New faculty orientation is held at the beginning of each academic year. It is expected that all new full-time faculty will attend new faculty orientation. New adjunct faculty, or part-time faculty, are invited to attend as well. As part of the new faculty orientation program, new faculty are introduced to second- and third-year faculty to begin building a professional network on campus.

New faculty orientation continues throughout the year through the new faculty mentorship program, which pairs a new faculty member with a colleague outside of the new faculty member’s department. Mentors meet informally with their new faculty colleague about once a month to provide just-in-time guidance and insight throughout the academic year. The Dean of Faculty may host workshops for new faculty and their mentors throughout the academic year.

New faculty may orient further in his/her department and division with guidance from his/her department chair and division chair.

Each year an award of $200 will be given to both a tenured and a non-tenured faculty member to recognize excellence in teaching and service to students.

By the end of the second full week of classes, the dean will issue a memo to all faculty and students inviting nominations. There is no set criteria for the nomination letter. Faculty and students should feel free to include a variety of supporting information in their nomination letter.

The committee, consisting of award recipients from the previous year plus three students selected by SGA, will meet at least ten days before honors convocation to select the two recipients.

The committee selects the two recipients based on the nomination letters and any other information made available to them.

Faculty can receive the award once every five years.

Recipients will be recognized at fall honors convocation.

Coordinator of Professional Development: A faculty member with one three-hour course release time for the academic year to direct, promote, and facilitate formal and informal professional development events.

A short term Teaching Effectiveness Task Force (consisting of one representative from each division) will meet each spring to determine topics. The Task Force may participate in recommending presenters for the following academic year.

Professional development monies will be allocated to fund the formal professional development events and underwrite the cost of food for the informal professional development events.

Each academic year full time faculty members who teach in a discipline which certifies prospective teachers will document at least eight hours of contact with K 12 school teaching personnel through the following types of activities:

1. Through attendance at professional conferences and workshops where K 12 faculty are participants
2. Through class visits and/or observation of student teachers
3. Through adjudication at music, debate, history, or athletic events
4. Through participation in on or off campus events such as math, computer science, or music contests
5. Through attendance at ESSDACK in service workshops (reimbursement beyond the professional allowance for attendance under 530.3 of one ESSDACK workshop each academic year is available if prior approval is obtained and if funding is available)
6. Other contacts, if pre-approved by the Provost and Dean of the Faculty

Faculty members should document their K 12 contacts by completing the college’s professional development form.

Salaries for nine month and 10 month contracts are divided into 12 equal monthly payments, with one twelfth payment being paid each month. Paychecks for faculty will be deposited in a bank of the employee’s choice, on the last working day of each month, unless employee requests other arrangements. Salary statements are distributed through the campus mail on the day the deposit is made. A schedule showing salaried staff paydays for the current year is available from the Business Office.

Faculty Review Committee administers the Faculty Loan Fund, made available through donors’ gifts. Current policies relating to loans (subject to review and change by the committee) are as follows:

1. The application should be in writing to the committee; a statement of purpose may be required if funds are not adequate to cover all applications.
2. Not more than $400 will be loaned to any one faculty family.
3. There is no interest for the first six months. After six months, interest shall be four percent per annum (on funds actually owed, one third of one percent per month).
4. Initially, no loans will be made for a period longer than 12 months. Any borrower may make application for extension of loan at the above scheduled rate.
5. Any new application within a three month period following settlement of a prior loan will be considered an extension, except in cases of evident emergency.
6. A time of repayment or prospective repayment plan should be submitted with each loan application. (An installment payment plan following the initial interest free, six month period is encouraged but is optional).
7. If the Loan Committee approves the loan, further handling of the loan will be through the Business Office.

McPherson College has no mandatory retirement age. Faculty members electing to retire should submit a letter declaring such to the Chief Academic Officer no later than October 15 of the academic year preceding retirement so that appropriate steps can be taken to seek a replacement.

McPherson College contributes to the Teachers Insurance Annuity Association/College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA/CREF) for eligible employees.  Eligibility begins after completing one year of at least half-time service, or immediately if the employee has previously participated in a college-sponsored retirement program. McPherson College contributes an amount equivalent to 10 percent of contracted salary with benefits payable to the employee at retirement or termination of employment.  Supplemental retirement annuity programs are also available. Details on all such programs are available in the Business Office.

Full-time tenured faculty members with seven years or more of service are eligible to apply for phased retirement.  Phased retirement is a reduced workload/reduced salary contract made available if mutually agreed upon by the faculty member and the administration. Application to participate in the plan should be made with the Chief Academic Officer by October 15 of the college year preceding phased retirement. Approval of phased retirement applications is not automatic; decisions must take into consideration department and college needs.

Phased retirement may impact the faculty member’s eligibility for medical insurance and retirement benefits. Faculty members considering phased retirement should consult the Summary Plan Descriptions for college benefits eligibility, which is available on the Human Resources intranet site.