Administrator Conduct

Administrators of Saint Vincent are required to both adhere to the policies and standards of conduct that have been established by the College and to perform their duties at a level providing meaningful service to the Mission of the College as a Catholic, Benedictine institution of the Liberal Arts and Sciences. Administrators are expected to have a full appreciation of the Strategic Plan of the College and to seek its implementation in the carrying out of their duties. They are to play a crucial role in creating a positive and supportive academic community on campus.

Administrators understand that their hiring is contingent upon a background check regarding their criminal history and child protection databases. They agree to submit to such checks as well as updated checks that may be required by the College during their term.

Unless otherwise delineated in the terms of their appointment, administrators are expected to be full-time employees of the College. With the permission of his or her supervisor, an administrator may engage in outside employment, business or consulting that does not conflict with the Mission of the College.

An administrator who wishes to engage in direct political activity, e.g., holding or running for political office, managing a campaign or directing group action in behalf of a political candidate or issue, that may involve a substantial commitment of time must discuss such plans with his or her relevant supervisor and obtain permission in advance for any release time from duties to the College.

This document outlines areas of administrator discipline, termination and dispute resolution. Nothing herein creates or purports to create contractual rights or obligations on the part of Saint Vincent College or any person or entity, and may not be construed to set forth any promise upon which justifiable reliance may be placed. The policies and procedures set forth herein are subject to change, at the discretion of the College, without advance notice or immediate revision to this document.

Discipline of Administrators

The failure of an administrator to maintain a level of performance in accordance with the above principles may subject them to disciplinary action which may include, at the sole discretion of the College, termination without prior warning. Saint Vincent recognizes that each situation must be judged on its own specific facts and, when possible, Saint Vincent will follow progressive disciplinary steps should the situation warrant it. However, progressive discipline is not required in each case and where a violation of the standards of administrator conduct warrants immediate action (which may range from a warning up to termination), the College reserves the right to do so.

By way of illustration only, the following are examples that would warrant disciplinary action by the College. The listing of these instances is not meant to be exhaustive or to limit the ability of Saint Vincent to take disciplinary action in other circumstances where such action is deemed necessary: 

1. Violating Saint Vincent’s nondiscrimination and/or sexual harassment policy.
2. Insubordination or neglect of duties, including refusal to follow a supervisor’s orders pertaining to work (unless the administrator questions the safety or ethical propriety of the order).
3. A pattern of excessive absenteeism or tardiness or failure to provide notice whenever unable to report to work.
4. Falsifying information on time sheets, employment applications or other documents requested by the College.
5. Theft, damage or destruction of property of the College, other administrators, students or visitors.
6. The unauthorized possession or consumption of any alcoholic beverages on the premises or during working hours.
7. Possession or consumption of illegal drugs on the premises at any time.
8. Conduct in violation of the Crimes Code of Pennsylvania or any federal criminal law that is committed on the premises of the College or any location wherein the administrator is engaged in activities that are part of his/her employment.
9. Conduct in violation of the Crimes Code of Pennsylvania or any federal criminal law that occurs outside the premises of the College and not as part of an administrator’s normal work function but which negatively reflects on the College or potentially endangers others on campus.
10. The possession of pornography on the premises, with the discretion as to whether something is deemed pornography resting solely with the College.
11. Violation of the weapons policy.
12. Misuse of leave privileges or other benefits.
13. Speeding and/or careless driving of institutional vehicles.
14. The use of email, internet or telecommunications systems in violation of any Saint Vincent policies.
15. Releasing confidential information to an unauthorized person.
16. Fighting or engaging in threatening or disruptive behavior.
17. Disregarding safety or security regulations, policies or procedures.
18. Failing to meet the requirements of the job, negligent performance or mismanagement of responsibilities.
19. Failing to report the conduct of fellow administrators or other employees whose actions endanger the health and safety of others on campus.
20. Violation of the Social Media Policy.
21. Violation of the Smoking Policy.
22. During working hours, the failure to dress or present oneself in a professional manner that is consistent with the duties the administrator is performing and the overall mission of Saint Vincent.
23. The failure of an administrator to familiarize himself or herself with and abide by the policies of the College concerning the use/abuse of College property (intellectual and otherwise) and resources as such policies are set forth on the Portal or are otherwise available through the Human Resources Department.

An administrator subject to discipline will be notified of the reasons for such discipline in writing and be given the opportunity to respond in writing and to discuss the matter with his or her supervisor and the Director of Human Resources. The administrator may appeal any final decision regarding discipline to the President. The President shall have final authority as to any matter of discipline.

Administrators may be subject to periodic performance reviews in a manner and at times determined by the President and Chancellor.

Where an administrator believes that his/her ability to perform his/her duties in accordance with the standards set forth by the College is impaired by a documented physical or mental condition, the administrator and the College shall engage in an interactive process in which the administrator provides any necessary medical documentation in support of an accommodation request. Saint Vincent will work with the administrator to decide upon what accommodation is reasonable. This interactive process

will be between the Human Resources Director and the administrator who is seeking the accommodation. Consultation with other offices such as IT will be made as necessary within the confidentiality requirements of the ADAA regulations. What constitutes a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis, utilizing input from the affected administrator whenever possible. The HR office is responsible for documenting all reasonable accommodations.

Non-Disciplinary Termination

An administrator’s employment with the College may end in a variety of ways for non-disciplinary reasons at the instigation of either the administrator or the College.

1. At the Instigation of the Administrator

   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Statement of Benefits, an administrator who opts to retire or resign his or her position and who has at least one year of continuous service will be eligible for payment of all vacation time accrued but not taken at the time of resignation or retirement if the administrator:

   1. Provides at least one month’s notice of his or her resignation or retirement, unless a shorter time is agreed to by his or her Supervisor and the President;
   2. Participates in an exit interview with the Human Resources Director; and
   3. Makes timely return of all Saint Vincent property such as keys and files to the Human Resources Director.
2. At the Instigation of the College
   1. Non-Reappointment and Notice

      Administrators are employed under one-year appointments with the College unless the terms of their appointment explicitly state otherwise. No administrator has any contractual right to renewal of that appointment beyond the one-year term. Notice of non-reappointment will be given one month in advance of the expiration of the current appointment in the first year of service; two months in the second year; and three months after two or more years at Saint Vincent. If sufficient notice is not given before the expiration of the appointment, an additional short-term appointment may be given to provide the necessary notice or compensation may be made to the administrator equivalent to the salary covered by the short-term appointment.

   2. Termination During the Term of Appointment

      From time to time, the College may determine that a particular administrative position should be eliminated due to reasons other than the performance of the individual currently serving in that capacity. In such circumstances, notice to the administrator of the termination of the position will be given in accord with Section B(1) above. The College will make a reasonable effort to reassign the administrator to another, open position for which they are qualified. Failing that, any administrator terminated in such a circumstance will be placed on a “furlough period” during which he/she will be given preference for an administrative opening for which he/she applies and is deemed qualified. The furlough period is up to two years from the time of the termination. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Statement of Benefits, all recalled administrators shall retain credit for service and shall be entitled to redeposit repurchased past service credits for retirement in accordance with TIAA-CREF regulations. They shall not be considered as new staff members for purposes of fringe benefits. 

Resolution of Disputes Raised by Administrators

When possible, administrators may seek to resolve disputes internally by reaching out to their supervisor. This, however, may not be possible in every situation. In any case, the administrator should seek advice and guidance from the Office of Human Resources. The role of the Office of Human Resources in these matters may be that of mediator or intervenor, as appropriate.

An administrator may also contact the General Counsel of the College directly with respect to any employment matter. Ultimately, an administrator is also free to bring his or her concerns directly to the President or Chancellor.

For incidents or reports of conduct that may violate the College’s policy on Sexual Misconduct and Harassment, the processes and procedures outlined in that policy shall be followed.

The Title IX Coordinator has been designated to handle inquiries and reports regarding discrimination based on sexual misconduct and harassment. Reports can be made directly to the Title IX Coordinator via email (titleix@stvincent.edu), in person during office hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, Second Floor Alfred Hall) or by phone 724-805-2897.

All other incidents or reports of discrimination should be made to the Director of Human Resources or General Counsel. Such reports will be handled in accordance with the law and/or applicable College processes and procedures. The Office of Human Resources shall provide all Saint Vincent College administrators with a copy of the conduct and disciplinary processes and procedures upon their hiring at Saint Vincent and on an annual basis. These policies, processes and procedures shall also be readily available to all administrators on the Human Resources portal page.

Retaliation against any individual who has brought a good-faith report of misconduct to the attention of the College is prohibited. Retaliation, whether actual or threatened, destroys the sense of community and trust that is critical to a learning and work environment. The College considers acts or threats of retaliation in response to such reports to constitute a serious violation of College policy, which may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, against the individual responsible for retaliation.

In addition, if any administrator believes he or she has become aware of a violation of any of the published policies of the College and/or any financial improprieties or irregularities involving the financial or other resources of the College, they may submit those concerns on a confidential basis or anonymously via the designated hotline: 724-805-1900.

Finally, any administrator is free to consult any relevant government agency or independent counsel of their choice with respect to any matter concerning their employment. The Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, enforces civil rights laws in a wide variety of contexts. Information about filing a complaint or reporting a potential civil rights violation with the appropriate Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Section, may be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint, or by calling toll-free 855-856-1247 or 202-514-3847.