FACULTY FACTS ~ A POLICY HANDBOOK FOR FACULTY, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES OF MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE FACULTY FACTS Published by Michigan State College East Lansing, Mi,chigan 1947 FOREWORD As a member of the faculty and staff of Michigan State College, you are a part of one of the nation's leading educational institutions. Your profession is among the world's most respected. You are jus· tifiably proud of Michigan State College. The College is proud of you. Traditionally, every faculty member has one objective-to see that Michigan State College continually increases in prestige, esteem and usefulness. No col lege is ever greater than its faculty. FACULTY FACTS has been prepared to assist you in your service to Michigan State College and the people it serves. With the cooperation of administrative officials and others on the staff, a variety of information has been assembled for your reading and reference. It is in· tended that this booklet serve as a per manent guide to you in your work. c 0 N T E N T s FOREWORD A BRIEF HISTORY OF MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE THE COLLEGE OFFERS YOU: Study Opportunities Recreation Social Retirement and Insurance Programs Library Facilities Union Dining Facilities Leaves of Absence Vacation Pay Military Service Privileges Student Publications The Staff Bulletin Calendar of Events 3 6 8 9 9 10 10 11 12 13 13 14 15 15 15 4 FACULTY YOUR COOPERATION IS NEEDED: Out-of -State Travel Physical Exams Smoking Employee Solicitation Employing Relatives Outside Positions Catalogs and Directories Using the Telephone Campus Traffic Regzilations Greeting Visitors Channeling Information to the Public MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION Emergencies Mainte,iance Calls Telephone Repair Service Tenure of Employment Salaries and Wages College Mail Borrowing College Equipment Lost and Found Keys Holidays FACTS 16 16 17 17 17 17 17 18 19 20 20 22 22 22 22 23 23 24 24 24 24 5 A BRIEF HISTORY OF MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE When Michigan State College opened its doors in 1857 it consisted of six professors and 60 students. Only a few buildings stood in the stump-filled clearings and -the library contained less than a thousand volumes; but here was born the first state institution in the nation founded to incorporate science and practice in the education of the farming and industrial classes. As similar agricul tural colleges were generated by the Morrill Act in other states, they drew upon the graduates and the educational innovations developed at Michigan State College. Most significant of these innovations was the emphasis on science, practical experience, and general education. Science, which promised to revolutionize farming, oc cupied one-half of the students' 15 or 20 classroom hours each week. Such subjects as English, philosophy, history, and geography composed one-fourth. The remainder was devoted to practical courses supplemented by daily tasks on the college farm. That early pattern of fundamental science, practical application, and general education has remained the ideal of Michigan State College. As students preparing for other occupations sought the advantages of college training, the pattern was adapted to their needs. Curricula in engineering (1885), in home economics (1896), in veterinary medicine (1909), and in business administration ( 1925 ) were only the beginning. In 1922 and 1924 the establishment of the divisions of applied science and liberal arts-they were combined in 1944-opened further fields of specialization. New courses and the growing interest in college training in- 6 FACULT Y creased the enrollment from 500 at the end of the 1890's to more than 5,000 at the end of the l930's. This mush roomed to 15,000 by 1947. During this period of rapid growth specialization was accelerating and the element of general education was losing something of its emphasis in the curriculum. It was to restore the element to its earlier prominence and to provide it in a better integrated form that the Basic College was organized in 1944. Today the College is beset with problems of growing enrollments, new buildings, new courses, and new per sonnel. It was ever thus. Michigan State College is what it is because it met such problems forthrightly. That spirit brought this institution into being ninety years ago-the first of its kind-and has made it one of the nation's great universities. FACTS 7 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE The governing body of Michigan State College is the State Board of Agriculture, which meets regularly on the third Thursday of each month. Items requiring Board action are due in the President's office by noon on Thursday of the week preceding the Board meeting, and must be in the Deans' offices by Wednesday after noon of that week. Blanks for use in recommending ter minations, appointments, and out-of-state travel may be obtained in the President's or Deans' offices. It is the policy of the State Board of Agriculture for all employees of the college to take up all matters of offi cial business to come before the Board with the President before consulting individual members of the Board, its committees, or the Board itself. 8 FACULTY THE COLLEGE OFFERS YOU: Study Opportunities Faculty members are encouraged to pursue advanced study while employed at Michigan State College. The following requirements govern advanced study by staff members: ( l ) During the quarter off, full-time credit work may be taken with the approval of the h ead of the depart· ment, the academic dean and, if graduate study, the Deau of the School of Graduate Studies. (2) If credit work is taken during teaching quarters, the average permitted is four cr edits per quarter, the total for three quarters not to exceed 12 credits. Fees are ·assessed on the credit-hour basis. Graduate assistants or fellows holding a State Board of Agriculture appoint· ment earning $1,200 or less p er year are exempt from fees. ( 3 ) Staff members wishing to audit courses without credit may do so by permission of the head of the de partment if the usual arrangements can he made. (Per mission of the instructor teaching the course, and author ization by dean or enrollment officer and registrar. ) No fees are charged for such auditors. Recreation Recreational facilities for faculty and staff members include a variety of entertainment sponsored by the College. Season tickets for all home Michigan State College athletic events may b e obtained through the athletic office, Ext. 611. Faculty and staff may secure season tickets for the FACTS 9 Lecture-Concert series through the ticket office in the Union Building, Ext. 334. Each year popular artists are presented in this series. The College dramatics department presents a number of plays during the college year. Tickets for these pro ductions are placed on sale in advance of each perform· ance and can he secured at the Union Building ticket office, Ext. 334, or on the night of the performance at the Fairchild Theater ticket office. Physical education facilities are available to men and women of the faculty and staff during each quarter at designated hours to he announced at the beginning of each quarter. Various types of recreation are provided for College Club members in the club rooms on the third floor of the Union Memorial building. Social Several social organizations on the Michigan State College campus are open to faculty and staff members. The Faculty Women's Association includes women members of the faculty. The wives of new staff members are eligible for mem bership in the Faculty Folk Club and its affiliated groups. Largest of these is the Newcomers' Club with member ship limited to two years. Other interest groups are formed as requested. Membership in the State College Club 1s open to all male members of the staff. Retirement and Insurance Programs Michigan State College has a plan providing for the retirement of employees at 65 years of age, and at an 10 FACULTY earlier age for disability in special cases. The entire cost is borne by the College, but employees are required to carry a life insurance policy for $1,000 as a part of the plan. Premium payments are deducted from wages and salaries. Employees on the salary payroll are en titled to participate in the program immediately upon appointment. Employees on the wage payroll are not eligible to participate until they have been with the College for six months. Further details are available at the offices of the Secretary and the Comptroller. A revised retirement plan is in the process of de velopment. Surgical and hospital insurance plans are available to all College employees. Details may he had at the office of the Comptroller. Library Facilities The Michigan State College Library, located between the Beaumont Tower and the Administration Building, contains 209,483 volumes available to faculty and staff members. These hooks, most of which are shelved on the six tiers of steel stacks in the west wing of the building, may he reached by way of the main circulation desk on the second floor. Faculty and staff members may be required to present their employee identification cards before being admitted to the stacks. Faculty members are free to charge out as many books as they ~ish for the academic year, hut hooks may be recalled after a two-week period if requested by other borrowers or if placed on assigned reading lists by other faculty members. All books are recalled annually at the close of the spring term. Faculty members are expected to make out call slips at the desk when taking out books. Copies of a mimeographed, detailed instruction pam· FACTS 11 phlet regarding the use of the Library are available at the desk. In the early fall, the Library apportions book funds among various departments of instruction. Department heads are responsible for ordering library books against these apportionments. If a faculty member wishes to order hooks for the Library, he should contact the de partment head, who will supply him with Library order cards. These cards must be initialed by the department head before being sent to the Library. The assigned reading (or reserved bo~k) room en deavors to reach each member of the faculty prior to the beginning of each term to discuss reserved book lists and the ordering of any new books desired. All faculty members who intend to use this room should contact the professional assistant in charge to learn details. Union Dining Facilities The Union Memorial Building offers dining facilities for students, faculty, and staff members at reasonable prices. Guests may be taken to either the cafeteria or dining room at any time. The Union Cafeteria, located in the basement of the three meals daily Monday Union Building, serves through Saturday. The hours are: Breakfast 7 a.m.-8 a.m. Luncheon 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Dinner 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Sunday dinner is served from 12 noon until 2 p.m. The Hearth Room, located on the second floor, offers table service Monday through Friday. The hours are: Luncheon 11:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Dinner 5: 15 p.m.-7: 15 p.m. 12 FACULTY Leaves of Absence It is a policy of the College to grant leaves of absence for study, travel, specialized writing or other effort of advantage to the College and to the individual. However, leaves of absence with full or part salary are given only to those who have served six years or more on the College staff, have performed meritorious services, and whom the College wishes to retain on the staff. Any employee given leave with full or part salary is expected to return to the staff for at least one year following his leave. Usually leaves are granted for a full calendar year at one-half pay. Only in exceptional cases or when the quarter free from teaching is included in the period is a leave for six months or less at full pay granted. Also, the quarter free from campus teaching is not usually added to either end of a specified leave to in crease the extent of time provided. Vacation Pay Academic employees work and are paid on a yearly basis, and in each year they are entitled to 30 days vacation for rest and relaxation. Vacations are not cumulative. Teaching employees are expected to teach three quar ters in each college year, and to be free from teaching one quarter. In the quarter free from teaching, 30 days are available for the annual vacation; the time remaining in the quarter is to be used in the service of the college for some purpose meeting the approval of the depart ment head and the dean. Enrollment in educational institutions, research, library study, preparation of teach ing material, writing of books and articles, and like activities of a nature contributing to the effectiveness FACTS 13 of the teacher and serving the interests of the college, are eligible for approval. In some instances, due to the impossibility of recruit ing additional teaching personnel, the illness of other m embers of the department, or other reasons, it may be necessary for teachers to teach all or a part of the fourth quarter. However, it is the policy of the institution to eliminate all fourth-quarter teaching as rapidly as pos sible. To qualify for terminal pay, teaching employees are expected to give at least three months notice of intention to sever connections with the institution. Ordinarily, the final quarter of employment for those having taught three quarters in the year will be a quarter free from teaching. In case of r esignation, the employee will be paid for the entire period as usual, including the annual 30-day vacation, provided the resignation is received in time for action by the State Board of Agriculture at its regular meeting prior to the opening of the final quarter. Employees not giving three months notice will be paid for earned vacation time only. Military Service Privileges The College allows employees to take up to 15 days active duty training annually with the National Guard, Officers' Reserve Corps, or similar military organizations. For employees who are entitled to two weeks or less vacation, this is not counted against their vacation time. The College will pay the employee the difference between his military pay and allowances and his normal take home pay for the 15 days of military duty. For employees entitled to more than two weeks vaca tion, the 15-day period is counted against vacation time. 14 FACULTY Student Publications One copy of the Michigan State News, daily student publication of Michigan State College, is delivered free of charge to each department. Faculty and staff members may subscribe to this newspaper by calling the State News Office, located in the basement of the Union, Ext. 268. Subscriptions to The Spartan, monthly magazine pub lished by students, and The Wolverine, college yearbook, may he obtained by calling The Spartan office, Union Annex basement, Ext. 256, and The Wolverine office, 4 Union Annex, Ext. 273 or 278. The Staff Bulletin The Staff Bulletin, known as the Blue Sheet, is distrib uted each Friday afternoon during the college year and contains announcements for the following week. Items to he included in the Bulletin should he submitted m writing to the President's office by Thursday noon of each week. If a change is to he made in the number of Bulletins to be sent to each office, please notify the President's office. Each staff member-teaching, extension, and research should receive a copy. Calendar of Events A master calendar of events of all-college interest is maintained in the Secretary's office in the Administra tion Building. Staff members are welcome to stop in or call 214 for information at any time. FACTS 15 YOUR COOPERATION IS NEEDED Out-of-State Travel . All out-of-state travel must be authorized by the State Board of Agriculture. The Board regularly meets on the third Thursday of each month. All travel items must be approved in advance. Occasionally meetings are called on short notice, making it impossible to comply with this ruling. Special consideration may be given such cases by the President. However, travel authorization will not be granted without previous Board approval if the meet· ings to be attended were scheduled in time to make advance Board approval possible. Out·of-state travel that is without expense to the Col· lege must be approved by the President. This does not apply to personal trips. All out-of.state trips for which the College pays all or part of the expenses require a brief written report to accompany the expense account. This r eport, to be filed in the President's office, 8hould include suggestions or recommendations resulting from the meetings or trip that might be of interest or value to the College. Only one copy of the trip report is necessary. Physical Exams New faculty and staff members are required to have complete physical examinations before the approval of their appointments by the State Board of Agriculture. These examinations . are given at the Health Service Building on the campus. 16 FACULTY Smoking Smoking is permitted in the Union Building, sections of the dormitories, and in certain rooms set aside in other fire-proof structures. -Smoking in other rooms or build i11gs on the campus or College farms is prohibited by 9fficial ordinance because of fire hazards. Employee Solicitation Employees are asked not to attempt to take orders for nor to sell any kind of tickets or merchandise or solicit contributions for any purpose on the campus with out first securing written permission from the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture. Employing Relatives As a general policy, the State Board of Agriculture is opposed to the employment of related persons, particu larly within the same department or division. Therefore, consent of the President is necessary before any related persons can be added to the College payroll. Outside Positions Administrative members of the college staff are not to hold official positions in financial institutions with which the College does business without the approval of the State Board of Agriculture. Catalogs and Directories Summer and winter catalogs and student and faculty directories are furnished to all members of the staff each year by the Registrar's office. Each staff member is FACTS 17 asked to fill out a directory card and forward it through the office of the department head before the opening of the fall quarter each year. Using the Telephone First impressions are important, and the first impres· sion many persons receive of Michigan State College is gained through telephone contact with the College. For this reason, good telephone manners are important in gaining and maintaining good will and making pleasant impressions. Here are ten essentials for good telephone technique, as suggested by the Michigan Bell Telephone Co.: ( 1) Answer all telephone calls promptly. (2) When answering, always identify the department, office, or give your own name. ( 3) Speak distinctly and about as loudly as in ordinary conversation. ( 4) Don't transfer a call to someone else if you can take care of it. ( 5) Keep paper and pencil near the telephone. ( 6) If you use lists or records, have them near the telephone. (7) When you have finished talking, say "Good-bye" pleasantly and replace the receiver gently. ( 8) When making a call, it is common courtesy and good business to remain at the telephone until connected. If you have someone else place your call for you, be ready to talk with the person called when the connection has been completed. (9) When away from your desk or office, be sure that someone will answer your telephone and know when you will he hack or where you can he reached. (10) Be courteous in all your telephone contacts. 18 FACULTY I' The College telephone operators can be of greater service if the names and locations of new staff· members are turned in promptly to the operator, by telephone or otherwise. Please do not wait for the directory. Many inquiries come to the operators who are unable to be of service because of lack of information. This is particu larly true near the opening of the school year. Campus Traffic Regulations All faculty members are required to register their motor vehicles with the college Police Department. Each faculty motorist will be issued a tag to be attached to the automobile in a manner prescribed by the Police De partment. Motor vehicles bearing faculty tags issued to faculty members or employees, and operated by faculty members or employees, may park or drive on campus under the provisions of College ordinances and Michigan laws relating to motor vehicles. The Police Department has the right to issue, revoke and regulate the permits, control driving and parking upon the College campus, and keep records and collect data with reference to the ownership and use of auto mobiles on the campus by students, faculty members, and other employees. Certain parking areas are designated for student cars. Faculty and visitors are permitted to park in all park ing areas except those reserved for students. No motor vehicle is to be driven at more than 25 miles per hour on any Michigan State College property. Traffic on the circular drive moves in a counter-clock wise direction. If any vehicle is found upon the campus in violation of any provisions of these rules and regulations and the FA CT S 19 identity of the driver cannot he determined, the person in whose name the vehicle is registered shall he held responsible. Greeting Visitors Many friends are made or lost for Michigan State College and individual faculty members through good or poor office hospitality. Each secretary should he care· fully schooled on the techniques of graciously greeting office visitors. Guests should he treated as such and made to feel at home. Information should he offered freely and courteously and every effort made to service the caller as promptly and efficiently as possible. Channeling Information to the Public The Department of Public Relations, 21 Agricultural Hall, operates to serve all departments and the college as a whole. Its principal functions include keeping Mich igan people informed on the developments and activities of the College; channeling useful information by way of press and radio to the public from research and extension workers; editing and circulating bulletins and other pub lications; providing visual aids for use of off-campus groups and staff people working in the state; and offering guidance in public relatione matters. So that all departmente and the College as a whole will benefit to the greatest extent from the services of the Department of Public Relations, the full cooperation of every College staff member is needed. Obviously it is impossible for the public relations staff to keep in fre· quent contact with all faculty members. For that reason it is highly desirable that each staff member keep the 20 FACULTY Department of Public Relations fully informed of signi· ficant activities. ' Please notify the Public Relations staff of new projects being launched, of participation in off-campus conven tion and conference programs, and of any other develop ments that are of interest to the public. The Department of Public Relations can be reached through Ext. 451. Radio stations WKAR (870) and WKAR-FM (90.5) are operated by the Department of Radio Broadcasting. This department also operates the public address systems on campus, maintains and repairs college-owned radio receivers and gives assistance to extension personnel who are carrying programs on other stations. The radio stations are heard throughout most of Mich igan and in adjoining states where they reach many citi zens who have no other contact with the college. Pro grams are planned for a state audience and embrace education, information, public service and entertainment. Program materials and personnel are derived from the faculty, student body, departments of state government, federal departments and agencies and state organizations. Printed programs are mailed monthly on request of listeners. Cooperation of the faculty in developing programs is essential to the maintenance of a comprehensive program serving all activities of the College. Departments or staff members having program materials to suggest may call the radio office, Ext. 488. PACTS 21 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION Emergencies For all emergencies dial "O". To report a fire on campus dial "O'', the college oper ator, and ask for "Manual 11." To report or inquire of any police matter on campus dial Ext. 7251. Maintenance Calls The Buildings and Utilities Service Department, Ext. 471, is open daily for maintenance calls from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. daily and on Sun days and holidays, please dial "O" for maintenance service. Telephone Repair Service All calls pertaining to telephone alterations, exten sions, and repairs are to be routed through the College operator, "0", or Ext. 476. Tenure of Employment Instructors are appointed for an initial one-year term. This appointment may be followed by not more than two terms of two years each, after which those instructors who are not promoted to the rank of assistant professor may not be reappointed. In case any instructor in his first year of service to the College is not to be reemployed, he will be notified in 22 FACULTY writing by his departmental head six months prior to the expiration of the period of his appointment. Other in· structors who are not to he reempioyed are to he notified nine months before the end of their terms. Assistant professors are appointed for a term of three . years. Those who have been instructors in this College and who are reappointed at the end of the three-year period will have permanent tenure regardless of promo· tion. For those from other institutions originally appoint· ed as assistant professors, the probationary period will not exceed six years. Associate professors and full professors have perma· nent tenure from the date of their original appointments. Permanent tenure does not protect any person from the loss of his or her position as a result of incompetence or moral turpitude, voluntary withdrawal or actions which are injurious to the College. Salaries and Wages Salary checks are issued on the last day of each month. Arrangements may he made with the payroll department to have checks deposited in a hank. It is important that new employees fill out the tax· withholding blanks at the payroll department immedi ately so there will he no delay in issuing their checks. College Mail Michigan State ColJege maintains a campus mail sys· tern w!iich handles all inter-department correspondence. Off-campus mail is picked up from departments twice