V603.02 VCSU Equal Opportunity Employment Plan

Valley City State University is fully committed to equal opportunity in employment decisions and educational programs and activities, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age or Vietnam-era veteran's status.

More specifically, the University abides by the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as the implementing regulations of the Department of Education (34 CFR Parts 100, 106, and 104 respectively), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and North Dakota Human Rights Act of 1983.

Inquiries concerning compliance may be directed to the VCSU Director for Human Resources/Deputy Title IX Coordinator, (101 College St SW, McFarland 211, Valley City ND 58072; 701-845-7424), Vice President for Student Affairs/Title IX Coordinator (101 College St SW, McFarland 209, Valley City ND 58072; 701-845-7300), or to the Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 10220 N. Executive Hills Blvd., 8th Floor, 07-6010, Kansas City, MO 64153-1367.

The following policy will be followed in making any appointment to a payroll position for which the individual will receive fringe benefits.

When a position vacancy occurs and there is a pool of regular employees appropriately qualified for transfer or promotion (including former employees covered by the Reduction in Force policy) a supervisor, in consultation with the appropriate Vice President and Director of Human Resources, may choose to advertise a vacant position internally for a minimum of five working days, externally, or internally and externally (simultaneously). With the exception of length of posting time, procedures will be the same as for external searches. Employees who have not completed a six-month probationary review may apply as external applicants, and those who have completed a six-month probationary review may apply as internal applicants.
Although the department heads are encouraged to only announce any position throughout the University that offers an important promotional opportunity to employees in other departments, the formal position announcement procedures shall be optional in the following cases:

Time slip employment, which is not identified as a payroll budget appointment.
The transfer or promotion of an employee within a department or office provided that the employee is fully qualified for the new position and was originally hired through a competitive search.
The transfer of a faculty member from special appointment status to a probationary appointment provided that he or she had secured the special appointment on a competitive basis.
A reassignment of duties on a part-time basis, including any appropriate change in title, which does not result in more than a 10% salary increase, a change of more than 50% of the original duties, or the creation of a position vacancy.
The appointment of an employee to fill a vacant administrative position on an acting basis, normally for a period not to exceed one year, while a search is being conducted for a permanent appointee.
When there is a concurrence by the hiring department, reassignment due to:

An injury resulting in worker’s compensation award and subsequent retraining, or
Reduction-in-force.

Recruitment for all full-time, benefited administrative/managerial, professional, technical and paraprofessional, office support, crafts/trades, and services classified staff positions (1000, and 3000-7000 band job categories) shall include:

Posting internally for the length of a five working days, and internally/externally for the length of a minimum of ten working days.
The use of a search committee of at least three people to be appointed by the Search Committee Chair at the same time as the request to recruit to fill a position opening. Search Committee Chairs are urged to consider the importance of diversity when making appointments to the search committee.
The search committee shall be involved in recruiting, screening and interviewing applicants,
The search committee is encouraged to solicit and include applicants from under represented and protected groups.
Selection from the group of finalists to fill the position is the responsibility of the Search Committee and Search Committee Chair.
Internal candidates are not guaranteed a interview.

The Director of Human Resources, depending on the type of position, shall be considered an ex-officio member of each search committee and will be available to assist the committee in fulfilling its responsibilities.

Recruitment for all full-time, benefited academic classified staff positions (2000 band job categories) shall include:

Posting internally for the length of a minimum of five working days, and internally/externally for the length of a minimum of twenty working days.
The use of a search committee of at least three people to be appointed by the Search Committee Chair at the same time as the request to recruit to fill a position opening. Search Committee Chairs are urged to consider the importance of diversity when making appointments to the search committee.
The search committee shall be involved in recruiting, screening and interviewing applicants,
The search committee is encouraged to solicit and include applicants from under represented and protected groups.
Selection from the group of finalists to fill the position is the responsibility of the Search Committee and Search Committee Chair.
The Director of Human Resources and Vice President of Academic Affairs, depending on the type of position, shall be considered an ex-officio member of each search committee and will be available to assist the committee in fulfilling its responsibilities.
Appointment and search proceedings will follow V601.04 & V601.05, Selection and Appointment Procedures for Full-Time Tenure Track Positions and Selection and Appointment Procedures for Temporary and Part-Time Faculty (respectively)
With prior approval, the temporary appointment of a person to a grant-funded position when the individual has been instrumental in the development of the project, or is identified by name in the proposal as having unique expertise necessary to the project. This temporary appointment may not be continued beyond the period of the grant project, and the individual may not be transferred to any other University appointment without an appropriate search.

Exceptions to this policy may be authorized by the President in consultation with the Director of Human Resources. The request for an exception will be made by the appropriate vice president after consultation with the University’s Director of Human Resources and the director of the department involved.
Grievances may be made by any employee of the University.

Sponsored by: Director of Human Resources

Reviewed: Winter, 1996

Revised: July 2001

Revised: May 2012

Revised: May 2013

Revised: November 2018