V603.03 Nepotism

SBHE Policy 603.3 states

University system officers and employees shall comply with N.D.C.C. § 44-04-09, relating to nepotism. Accordingly, an officer or employee may not, except as permitted by law, serve in a supervisory capacity over, or enter into a personal services contract with, a member of the officer's or employee's immediate family.
When two or more members of the same immediate family are employed in the same department or institution, the head of the department or institution shall reassign responsibility for performance evaluations, salary recommendations, disciplinary actions and other supervisory authority as necessary in order to comply with N.D.C.C. § 44-04-09.
"Immediate family" means a parent (by birth or adoption), spouse, son or daughter (by birth or adoption), stepchild, brother or sister by whole or half blood or adoption, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, or son-in-law or daughter-in-law.
The Chancellor may adopt procedures to ensure compliance with this policy.

The new hire process will include a question asking new employees if they have any relatives who are employees of VCSU and if yes, who and where they work.
The Director for Human Resources will review supervisor/employee relationships in situations of internal hires and transfers.
The Human Resources Director will send an annual request asking employees to self-identify non-compliance with the nepotism policy.

Sponsor: Vice President for Business Affairs

Reviewed: July 2008

Revised: Spring 2014

Reviewed: October 2018

Revised: April 2023