Lansing Community College Policies
Partnerships
Personnel and Compensation
Prerequisites
Program Effectiveness
Purchasing
Purchasing Card Policy
Resident Tuition
Retiree Benefits Policy
Severance Policy
Sick Leave Policy
Smoking Policy
Special Admissions
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PARTNERSHIPS
Lansing Community College is committed to forging formal educational partnerships and alliances which
lead to the betterment of educational possibilities for our students and for the community;
enrich our own institutional and individual learning and development;
share mutually agreed upon goals;
can be shown to be mutually beneficial to all partners;
can be projected to succeed, and
can be adequately supported by College fiscal and human resources
This policy applies to all College partnerships with academic institutions as well as business and industry.
The College will engage in such partnerships only with organizations which maintain the standards of quality and service to which we hold ourselves. The College should develop general guidelines to guide decision-making in the establishment of formal partnerships and review partnerships regularly to be sure that they are meeting the criteria described above.
The College's Provost is responsible for the monitoring and implementation of this policy.
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
PERSONNEL AND COMPENSATION
In order to assure appropriate staffing, and to identify current and future costs which are associated with employment arrangements, the Board of Trustees shall annually review and approve a Table of Organization and provide compensation policy parameters for both represented and non-represented personnel. Parameters for represented personnel shall be determined by the Board in executive session pursuant to the relevant exemption from the Open Meetings Act.
The Table of Organization shall identify and establish the number of full and part time administrative personnel, and the number of authorized temporary administrative personnel positions.
The number of faculty positions will be identified with the understanding that it may be modified administratively as sections are added or deleted due to changes in enrollment or class size requirements.
Adopted: May 15, 2006
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
PREREQUISITES
Lansing Community College believes that students' chances for success in college-level courses are significantly increased when students possess basic skill levels, prior course work, and/or content mastery determined to be critical to a successful learning experience. In addition, we are committed to a system of assessing student preparedness that is flexible, convenient, easily understandable, and fair --and which provides reasonable access to learning for our students.
This policy applies to all courses and programs where the department faculty have decided that students need to demonstrate basic skill levels.
The decision on which courses and programs require students to demonstrate basic skill levels and/or particular course prerequisites prior to registration is the province of faculty in a program or discipline. In order to serve students well, faculty must assess a course or program's prerequisite requirements through a careful analysis of the reading, writing, math, and content knowledge necessary to succeed. Other considerations include the role the course or program plays in transferability, the matriculation status of the course, and the relationship of the course to our institution's CORE and MACRAO requirements.
It is appropriate to allow exceptions to required prerequisites for individual students who can otherwise demonstrate their ability to succeed in a course or program based on criteria established by the faculty in the discipline and/or when legally required.
The College will develop a system for assigning prerequisites to courses and programs, deciding whether such prerequisites are to be enforced or recommended, and granting exceptions that reflect the wording and spirit of this policy.
The Divisional Instructional Leaders along with the Department Chairs are responsible for preparing divisional procedures to implement this policy.
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
In order to ensure that the academic programs offered by the college continue to be of the highest possible quality, all programs will engage in a formal process of review designed to assess and enhance program effectiveness.
This policy applies to all courses and academic programs at the College.
The program review process will be outcomes-based, data-driven, and implemented by the program itself. It will involve identification of quality indicators appropriate to the program, measurable baselines, and measurable progress toward improvement as needed. Reviews will occur on an ongoing, cyclical basis.
The College Provost is responsible for the leadership in preparing the process and procedures to implement this policy.
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
PURCHASING
The purpose of this policy is to delineate (1) the authority and responsibility of the Purchasing Department; (2) the procedures and processes to be utilized by the Purchasing Department to ensure a continuous supply of goods and services necessary to support student learning, instructional support, and college administration, (3) the scope of the policy.
The responsibility of the Purchasing Department includes:
Ensuring that prime consideration is given to the College’s interest while seeking to maintain and further long term, mutually beneficial and ethical supplier relationships.
Securing supplies and services from a responsible and responsive supplier offering the lowest possible cost and providing the overall best value to the College.
Maintaining public confidence in the procedures and processes used by the College in obtaining (purchasing) goods and services.
Ensuring fair and equitable treatment of all persons who seek to provide goods, supplies and services to the College.
Promoting, in a manner consistent with applicable law, minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises’ participation as suppliers of goods and services to the College.
Increasing efficiencies in the College’s purchasing activities and maximizing to the fullest extent practicable, the value of the College’s expenditure of public funds.
Establishing and maintaining safeguards to ensure a purchasing system of high quality and integrity.
This policy applies to all purchases and leases.
Competitive Sealed Bidding
- A competitive sealed bidding process shall be used for all acquisitions that exceed $25,000 and will be advertised in the appropriate media.
- The acquisition process will permit sufficient time to prepare the solicitation, advertise, determine the qualifications of bidders, availability of plans and specifications, obtain deposits of bidders, receive and open sealed bids, and withdrawal of bids.
- When competitive sealed bids are used, the College may specify that bids are for the entire project or for specified parts of the project, and it may request bids, optional alternates or additional construction. Compliance with applicable Federal, State and local laws and regulations will be required. The College reserves the right to reject all bids.
- Maintenance Contracts purchased from the manufacturer or supplier of the specific equipment to be serviced may be made with or without competitive bidding.
- Sealed bids are not required for purchases under contracts established by the College, a public agency or cooperative agreements. Purchases in case of emergency involving safety of persons, protection of property or the prompt restoration of service to minimize interruption of College activities are also exempt.
- The Purchasing Director, along with a representative from the requesting department, shall conduct negotiations as appropriate. Written documentation shall be included in the purchase order file.
- All contracts for goods and services are subject to a periodic cycle of review for quality and cost, including an assessment of the market through a formalized bid process.
Sole Source Purchases
- A purchase over $5,000 may be awarded without competition upon written request and certification from a requesting official of at least the level of dean that no other responsible source is available, and when Purchasing determines in writing after conducting a good faith review of available sources, that there is only one source for the required supply, service, or construction item. Purchasing will conduct negotiations, as appropriate, as to price, delivery, and terms.
- Notice of intended sole source purchase shall be posted on the LCC purchasing and department website for three business days prior to execution.
- A record of sole source purchases will be maintained as a public record and will list each supplier name, the amount, a listing of item(s) purchased, the purchase order number and be provided to the Board of Trustees on a monthly basis.
Simplified Purchases
- A Request for Quotation will be used for acquisitions that are greater than $5,000 and less than $25,000. The buyer will seek a minimum of three written quotations and award will be made to the Supplier whose quotation is most advantageous to the College, where price, quality and other factors are considered.
- For acquisitions less than $5,000 the buyer may go to the source recommended by the requester.
- Purchasing may delegate authority through the issuance of a LCC Card. Users of an LCC Card shall be responsible for complying with the requirements of this policy.
- Pyramiding of purchases which would result in avoiding the requirements for competitive bidding is prohibited.
Purchases exceeding $100,000
- A contract or purchase order in excess of $100,000 shall be approved by the Board of Trustees, unless already authorized within the approval of a larger capital project. The total anticipated payment to a supplier must be considered in determining purchase order total, including anticipated expenses over and above the direct cost of the good or service. When an increase in the total purchase from under $100,000 to over $100,000 is expected, the change order shall be reported to the Board’s Finance Committee, which shall determine if Board action is required. No action by the committee to refer the proposed change order to the full Board within 15 days shall constitute concurrence with the proposed change order.
- Board approval shall be required when the $100,000 threshold will be reached for a given project and/or service, or a given vendor.
- Purchasing will provide a report in January (for the previous calendar year) and September (for the prior fiscal year) by supplier name, amount, and listing of items(s) purchased, and purchase order number(s) for all suppliers who received awards totaling $100,000 or more in the aggregate.
Emergency Purchases
- In cases where delaying a purchase of $25,000 or more until the next regularly scheduled Board meeting or until a special meeting is called would result in a material undue expense, or in cases of an emergency* the President will inform the Board Chairperson or his/her alternate of the need to proceed with a purchase and request his/her approval. A special meeting of the Board will be called if reasonably possible. If a special meeting cannot be scheduled, because of the urgency of the situation, every effort will be made to contact all Board members to notify them of the emergency requirement and that approval is being given by the Board Chair or his/her alternate. Members of the Board shall be notified of the final disposition of the purchase and its approval immediately.
- “Emergency” shall be defined as an occurrence or need that presents a physical hazard to students, faculty, staff or the general public, a physical plant problem that would impede or shut down operation of a facility, or a systems failure that would seriously impair any critical function of the college which could not reasonably for which remedial action could not reasonably be delayed 24 hours.
Contract, Blanket, Standing, &/or Open Orders
- Contract, blanket, standing, and/or open orders shall comply with the provision of this policy. A list of all such orders will be provided to the Audit Committee twice a year, in January (for the previous calendar year) and September (for the prior fiscal year), by supplier name, amount, and listing of items(s) purchased, and purchase order number(s) for all suppliers who received awards.
No-bid contracts
- The policy requiring solicitation of bids or proposals may be waived by the Purchasing Director, upon written justification from a requesting official of at least the level of a Dean, when it is necessary to obtain supplies or services essential for the efficient operation of the college but which do not constitute an emergency under the definition above. In all such cases, such no-bid contracts shall be reported to the Audit Committee within 3 business days, which shall have the authority to require all future supplies or services for which this exception was made to be competitively bid.
Encouraging Purchases from Minority-owned and Women-Owned Businesses
- In all acquisitions of $5,000 or more, Purchasing staff will solicit bids/proposals from a minimum of three Minority Business Enterprise(s) and/or Women Business Enterprise(s), in addition to the requirement for three written bids.
- Contracts will generally be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. Awards of bids or proposals will be evaluated, in part, based on the bidder’s use of subcontractors or partners (in a joint proposal) that are Minority Business Enterprise(s) and/or Women Business Enterprise(s). On construction contracts the College reserves the right to award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder. In assessing whether a contractor is "responsible," the College will give significant weight to the following requirements with respect to Minority Business Enterprise(s) (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise(s) (WBE). Failure to achieve the goals established by this bid provision will result in a contractor being disqualified, except for good-faith cause submitted in writing by the contractor. The College shall be the sole judge as to whether the reasons submitted for failure to achieve these goals are good-faith cause. Lansing Community College has determined that the levels of MBE and participation in construction projects shall be as follows:
- 1 percent of the total contract price, as awarded, shall be made available to Minority-owned Business Enterprise(s) (MBE); and
- 1 percent of the total contract price, as awarded, shall be made available to Women-owned Business Enterprise(s) (MBE.)
- Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) is defined as a business entity in which 51% or more of the voting shares and interest in the enterprise is held by minority individuals. The minority ownership of the enterprise shall have management and investment control of the company.
- Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE) is defined as a business entity in which 51% or more of the voting shares and interest in the enterprise is held by a woman or women. The female ownership of the enterprise shall have management and investment control of the company.
- The MBE and WBE goals are independent. Meeting or exceeding one of the goals does not constitute achievement of the second goal. If a bidder or subcontractor is both a WBE and MBE, their percentage of the contract may be counted toward either (MBE minority percentage or (WBE) women percentage, but not both.
- A bidder may meet these goal(s) by using a WBE and MBE, as applicable, in the following roles:
- Prime contractor;
- Member of a joint venture (participating as a prime contractor or subcontractor);
- Subcontractor; or
- Manufacture or supplier of materials.
- The apparent Low Bidder shall, within 24 hours, after receipt of bids, provide the names of the MBE/WBE, description of work to be done by each, dollar value of work, and percentage of contact price. This information shall be included with the contract breakdown specified in Section 01309 of the specifications. Failure to provide this data may void the quotation or bid.
- The Purchasing Department maintains a list of known Minority and Women Business Enterprises in the region. Bidders can obtain a copy of this list. This list is not intended to be comprehensive. Similarly, it does not constitute an endorsement or certification of acceptability of the contractors and suppliers included.
Prevailing Wage Requirement
- Work for renovation and construction bids for projects which exceed $30,000 shall be subject to prevailing wage unless otherwise prohibited by law.
- Preference for Supplier’s located in Lansing Community College tax district (bidders or offerors) on contracts over $25,000.
- When sealed bids are received under Section III.A.1. for purchases in the amount of $25,000 or higher, the following policies shall also be considered in the awarding of the contract:
- The person or business submitting the lowest bid shall be deemed the lowest bidder. If the lowest bidder is not located in the Lansing Community College tax district, any bidder located within the LCC tax district with a bid within 5% of the lowest bid that has been deemed responsive and responsible, shall be deemed the lowest bidder if it agrees to reduce its bid to match the bid of the lowest bidder.
- If such a bidder located within the LCC tax district refuses to reduce its bid to match the lowest bid, then the next lowest responsive and responsible bidder located within the LCC tax district with a bid within 5% of the lowest bid shall be deemed the lowest bidder, if it agrees to reduce its bid to match the bid of the lowest bidder.
- If no responsive and responsible bidder located within the LCC tax district within 5% of the lowest bid agrees to reduce their bids, then the contract shall be awarded to the person or business with the lowest, most responsive and responsible bid.
- No contract awarded pursuant to this clause shall be sublet in any manner that permits 50% or more of the dollar value of the contract to be performed by a subcontractor who does not or subcontractors who do not meet the definition of located within the LCC tax district.
- Any bidder located within the LCC tax district awarded a contract pursuant to this clause shall agree to make available to the College the records necessary to establish such eligibility.
- Qualifications for supplier located within Lansing Community College tax district:
- Pays property taxes on real property located within the Lansing Community College tax district.
- Preference statement to be included in all Invitation for Bids/Requests for Proposals over $25,000.
This provision shall apply when overall college purchase of goods and services from local vendors are less than 20% of expenditures on an annualized basis.
"A supplier located with the Lansing Community College tax district that has been deemed responsive and responsible that is within 5% of the low bid will be given an opportunity to match the low bid amount to receive the contract. If there is more than one qualified, responsive and responsible supplier located within the LCC tax district, the first opportunity to match the low bid will go to the supplier with the lowest bid. If the supplier located within the LCC tax district refuses to match the low bid, the contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible low bidder."
Professional Services
- Professional services agreements for legal, auditing, architectural, and engineering services, technology consultants, management consultants, and all other typical professional services shall be solicited through Requests for Proposals rather than competitive bid. Requests for Proposal shall be considered on the ability to perform the work and experience of the assigned professional(s) as well as of the firm, price and time frames for completion.
- If the total expected cost of such services for a fiscal year is anticipated to be less than $25,000, the RFP requirement may be waived by the Purchasing Director upon written request and justification from the requesting Dean or above. Request for waiver shall be based on limited time frame and urgency of service need, follow-up on prior work, or other professionally prudent reason for such waiver as determined by the Purchasing Director.
- Should expected costs during the fiscal year subsequently be expected to be $25,000 or more, service being provided under the waiver provision will be reported to the Finance Committee for determination if the exemption from RFP shall continue and referred to the Board for approval.
- Requests for Proposal shall be posting on the website and sent to all providers who have requested in writing to receive a posted RFP.
- Waiver of this policy
Waiver of the provisions of this policy, other than those delineated above, may only be approved by the Board of Trustees.
- Violations
All violations of this policy shall be reported to the Audit Committee monthly.
The College’s Director of Purchasing is responsible for preparing procedures to implement this policy. Each employee requesting approval of a purchase is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information supporting their request for a purchase order.
Revised: April 21, 2006; November 17, 2006; June 19, 2006
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
PURCHASING CARD POLICY
The purpose of this policy is to delineate (1) the authority and responsibility of LCC Purchasing Cardholders; including requirements for overall compliance with the Purchasing Policy; (2) the procedures and processes to be utilized by LCC Cardholders, and (3) the scope of the policy.
This policy applies to all LCC Purchasing Cardholders and their supervisors.
LCC Purchasing Card
Purchasing may delegate authority through the issuance of a LCC Card. Employees who are designated to make small dollar purchases for their department or who travel may request an LCC Card. Employees must receive approval from their immediate supervisor and attend cardholder training before receiving an LCC Card. Purchasing performs a monthly audit of cardholder statements to ensure compliance with purchasing policy.
Card controls include a single transaction limit, monthly cycle limit, and merchant code category restrictions.
Cardholders must reconcile their LCC Cardholder expense statement in a timely manner and provide receipts for all transactions. Supervisors must review and approve all employee expenses.
Cardholders are assigned the appropriate delegation of authority to make purchases for Lansing Community College business purposes only.
All equipment with a dollar value of $1,000 or more must be approved by Divisional Budget Administrator. All purchases of $4,999 or more must be executed by the Purchasing Department unless authority has been delegated to make such purchases on the LCC Card.
LCC Card Abuse
Cardholders abusing card privileges may also be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. The employee will be liable for all personal purchases. Violations include, but are not limited to:
Purchasing items for personal use
Utilizing the LCC Card for unauthorized purchases
Failure to return the LCC Card when reassigned, terminated, or upon request
Failure to retain proper documentation
Failure to process LCC Card charges thru iExpense by each Pay Day Friday
Use of the LCC card to avoid or negate the other requirements of the Purchasing Policy.
Violations
All violations of this policy shall be reported to the Audit Committee monthly. Violations shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
The College’s Director of Purchasing is responsible for preparing procedures to implement this policy. Each employee authorized an LCC Card is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information supporting expenses.
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
RESIDENT TUITION
In order to abide by state law and ensure the fairness for taxpayers in our district, the College's Board of Trustees has approved tuition and fees for resident, nonresident, out-of-state, and international students.
This policy applies to all students who meet the following criteria for eligibility for residency.
Eligibility for Paying Resident Tuition
The College's Registrar is responsible for preparing procedures to implement this policy.
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
RETIREE BENEFITS POLICY
The purpose of this policy is to provide a list of benefits that are available to retirees, as defined by this policy.
Any College employee who retires through MPSERS/ORP and
or
or
Computer Access: The retiree will be provided an account which provides dial-in access to the World Wide Web, an e-mail account, computer training provided to faculty and staff as space is available and access to limited HELP desk information for dial-in and e-mail accounts.
Facility Access: The retiree will be provided with an ID card for access to the library; pool (during open swim, subject to applicable fee); on campus, LCC sponsored sporting events at no charge. Open computer lab access at specified times for retirees as posted by lab staff
Tuition for the retiree, spouse, and IRS qualified dependent not to exceed 8 credits per family, per semester. A retiree or family members may be dropped to prevent displacing paying students. Registration and all other fees will be paid by the retiree or family members.
Publications: campus publications (Open Line; Foundation Focus; Campus Connection; Lookout) will be mailed to retirees if requested. Retiree will be asked to notify the College when they no longer wish to receive publications.
This policy is subject to change upon reasonable notice to the recipients.
The College's Executive Director of Human Resources is responsible for the oversight of this policy.
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
SEVERANCE POLICY
To provide specific circumstances under which severance may be offered, recognizing that severance is not an entitlement.
Acknowledging that it is sometimes desirable for both parties to end an employment relationship and facilitate an orderly termination process, the College may provide for severance payment, contingent upon a release of claims. No severance agreement will be valid or authorized unless approved by the Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees typically will not approve severance if the employment relationship is terminated by the College under the following circumstances:
Dishonesty in connection with job performance that results in personal benefit to the employee.
Material breach of duties that has not been cured by the employee within 14 calendar days after the College notifies the employee of the breach; or
Conviction of or plea of nolo contendere to a felony criminal offense or any misdemeanor criminal offense related to substance abuse, performance of the employee’s job or the reputation or operation of the College.
Responsibility for compliance with this policy shall rest with the President, Human Resources Director and General Counsel.
Adopted: June 5, 2006
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Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. |
SICK LEAVE POLICY
The purpose of this policy is to articulate sick leave provisions for employees.
This policy applies only to regular, full-time employees who are not covered by any collective bargaining agreement.
Sick leave is defined as an absence of an employee from work by reason of verified illness or accident which is non-work related and not compensable under the Worker's Compensation Act.
A full-time employee who is absent from work due to illness is eligible to receive paid sick leave at his/her regular rate of pay on the basis of one (1) day of sick leave for each month of employment.
Employees shall be permitted to use sick leave days before they are earned. However, in a case where an employee terminates before the end of the fiscal year, their leave days will be prorated. Sick leave credit for new employees shall accrue from the date of employment. An employee beginning work on or before the fifteenth (15th) of any month shall earn sick leave credit for that month. If work is begun on the sixteenth (16th) or after, no credit shall be given for that month.
In cases where an employee frequently claims personal illness or when his/her ability to perform assigned duties appears to be impaired, the Board may require a medical or psychological statement certifying that the employee is capable of performing his/her assigned duties. When such a medical or psychological statement is required, the physician or psychologist will be selected and paid by the Board.
The College's Executive Director of Human Resources is responsible for the oversight of this policy.
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
SMOKING POLICY
Lansing Community College recognizes the need to address the health and safety needs of the students, staff and visitors from smoking and the use of tobacco products.
This policy applies to all persons including all students, staff, and visitors.
No smoking or use of a tobacco product is permissible (except in the designated smoking area only) on Lansing Community College property, including any building, facility, or structure and on real estate that is owned or leased.
For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:
"Smoking" means the carrying by a person of a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or other lighted smoking device.
"Use of a tobacco product" means inhaling or chewing a tobacco product or placing a tobacco product within a person's mouth.
The College's Director of Student Judicial Affairs and the Executive Director of Human Resources are responsible for the oversight of this policy.
Revised: December 9, 2002; February 14, 2004
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
SPECIAL ADMISSIONS
The College recognizes that there are instances where high school students are academically ready to earn college credit. In order to serve the community in these cases, the College will provide qualified students with educational enrichment through special admissions.
This policy applies to freshmen and sophomores.
This program is designed to provide an opportunity for qualified high school freshmen and sophomores to earn college credit. High school credit may or may not be granted according to the discretion of the participating high school. The Special Admission Program affords students educational enrichment in specific areas where unusual ability and interest are displayed, especially in courses and academic areas not available in the student's high school. Special admission is contingent upon receiving departmental/divisional approval for each class for which the student intends to enroll.
Qualifications for the Special Admission Program
Applicants must:
(See Appeal Process for Denial of College Admission for appeal procedures.)
The College's Registrar is responsible for preparing procedures to implement this policy.
Failure to follow this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
