Clarendon College Policy Manual

2000 SERIES

BUSINESS AND GENERAL OPERATING POLICIES

BUDGETING

2110

The President of Clarendon College shall be responsible for preparing and presenting to the Board of Regents annually an estimate of income and expenditures for the College for each fiscal year of operation.

Fiscal Year

The fiscal year for Clarendon College shall begin on the first day of September in each calendar year and end on the last day of August of the next succeeding calendar year.

Operating Budget

The estimate of income and expenditures for each fiscal year shall become the operating budget for the College when approved by a majority of all members of the Board of Regents.

The operating budget adopted by the Board of Regents may be amended only by a majority vote of the Board.

The approved budget shall be filed with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and with the County Clerk of Donley County on or before November 1 of the fiscal year for which the budget was adopted.

A public hearing concerning the proposed budget shall be held on or about the third Thursday of August of each year. A notice of the public hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the College district.

Responsibility

Responsibility for coordinating the preparation of the College budget and developing the necessary working procedures rests with the President with the assistance of the administrative council. Initial budget proposals, will be prepared for each instructional program by members of the college faculty. These program budgets, will be consolidated into divisional budgets by the division directors and the Dean of Instruction.

The Dean of Instruction is responsible for preparing the total instructional budget. Other employees will prepare initial budget proposals for their respective areas. Once complete, these budgets will be forwarded to the appropriate dean. The deans are responsible for forwarding the budget proposals to the President.

The President of Clarendon College shall then take steps to verify all estimates of income and to adjust estimates of expenditures to achieve a balanced operating budget for the College. The President shall make the final budget recommendation to the Board of Regents.

PURCHASING AND ACQUISITION

2120

Applicable Law

The provisions of Subchapter B, Chapter 44, Education Code, relating to the purchase of goods and services under contract by a school district apply to the purchase of goods and services under contract by a junior college district.

To the extent of any conflict, the provisions of Subchapter B, Chapter 44, prevail over any other law relating to the purchase of goods and services by a junior college district. Education Code 130.010, 44.031

Board Authority

The Board may adopt rules and procedures for the acquisition of goods and services. Education Code 44.031(d)

Delegation of Authority

The Board may delegate its authority regarding an action authorized or required, to be taken by the College District by Education Code Chapter 44, Subchapter B to a designated person, representative, or committee.

The Board may not delegate the authority to act regarding an action authorized or required, to be taken by the Board by Education Code Chapter 44, Subchapter B. Education Code 44.0312

Purchases Valued at or above $25,000

All Clarendon College contracts, except contracts for the purchase of produce or vehicle fuel, valued at $25,000 or more in the aggregate for each 12-month period, shall be made by the method that provides the best value for the College:

1. Competitive bidding.

2. Competitive sealed proposals.

3. A request for proposals for services other than construction services.

4. A catalog purchase as provided by Government Code Chapter 2157, Subchapter B.

5. An inter-local contract.

Note: Regarding construction of college facilities, bid(s) may take the form of competitive bids; competitive sealed proposals; design/build contracts; contracts using a construction-manager agent; contracts using a construction-manager-at-risk; and/or job order contracts for minor repairs/alterations and must follow other applicable state laws. Education Code 44.031(a)

Factors

In awarding a contract, the Clarendon College may consider:

1. Purchase price.

2. The reputation of the vendor and of the vendor's goods and services.

3. The quality of the vendor's goods or services.

4. The extent to which the goods or services meet the College's needs.

5. The vendor's past relationship with the College.

6. The impact on the ability of the College to comply with laws relating to historically underutilized businesses.

7. The total long-term cost to the College to acquire the goods or services.

8. Any other relevant factor specifically listed in the request for bids or proposals.

Education Code 44.031(b)

Note: The factors listed above are the only criteria that may be considered by the College in its decision to award a contract. The College District may apply one, some, or all of the criteria, but it may not completely ignore them. R.G.V. Vending v. Weslaco Indep. Sch. Dist., 995 S.W.2d 897 (Tex. App.-Corpus Christi 1999).

Notice of Publication

Notice of when and where bids or proposals or the responses to a request for qualifications will be received and opened shall be published in the county where the College's central administrative office is located, once a week for at least two weeks prior to deadline for receiving bids, proposals, or responses to a request for qualifications. If there is no newspaper in the county, the advertising shall be published in a newspaper nearest to the county seat. In a two-step procurement process, the time and place where the second-step bids, proposals, or responses will be received are not required to be published separately. Education Code 44.031(g)

Personal Property Purchases Valued at between $10,000 and $25,000

When the College seeks to purchase personal property of a value of at least $10,000 but less than $25,000, in the aggregate, for a 12-month period, the College may either purchase those items in accordance with Education Code 44.031(a) and (b) described above or follow the vendor list procedures described below. Education Code 44.033(a)

Notice

For each 12-month period, the College shall publish a notice in two successive issues of any newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the school is located. If there is no newspaper in the county in which the school is located, the advertising shall be published in a newspaper in the county nearest the county seat of the county in which the school is located, specifying the categories of personal property to be purchased and soliciting the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of vendors that are interested in supplying any of the categories to the College. Education Code 44.033(b)

Vendor List

For each category, the College shall create a vendor list consisting of each vendor that responds to the published notice and any additional vendors the College elects to include. Before the College makes a purchase from a category of personal property, it must obtain written or telephone price quotations from at least three vendors from the list for that category. If fewer than three vendors are on the list, the College shall contact each vendor. Whenever possible, telephone quotes should be confirmed in writing by mail or facsimile. The bidding records shall be retained with the College's competitive bid records and are subject to audit. Education Code 44.033(b)(c)

Produce or Fuel Purchases

When the College purchases produce or fuel valued at $10,000 or more in the aggregate, for a 12-month period, the College must either purchase those items in accordance with Education Code 44.031(a) and (b) described above or follow the vendor list procedures described immediately above. Education Code 44.033(a)(d)

Professional Services

The purchasing requirements of Education Code 44.031 do not apply to a contract for professional services rendered, including the services of an architect, attorney, or fiscal agent.

The College may contract for professional services rendered by a financial consultant or a technology consultant in the manner provided by Government Code 2254.003, in lieu of the methods provided by Education Code 44.031. Education Code 44.031(f)

Competitive bids shall not be solicited for professional services of any licensed or registered certified public accountant, architect, landscape architect, land surveyor, physician, optometrist, professional engineer, state-certified or state-licensed real estate appraiser, or registered nurse. Contracts for these professional services shall be made on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualifications to perform the services and for a fair and reasonable price. Gov't Code 2254.002, 2254.003(a)

Computers

The College may acquire computers and computer-related equipment, including computer software, through the Texas Building and Procurement Commission (GPC) under contracts with the (GPC) in accordance with Government Code Chapter 2157. Education Code 44.031(i)

Sole Source

Compliance with Education Code 44.031 is not required for purchases that are available from only one source, including:

1. An item for which competition is precluded because of a patent, copyright, secret process, or monopoly.

2. A film, manuscript, or book.

3. A utility service, including electricity, gas, or water.

4. A captive replacement part or component for equipment.

The sole source exception shall not apply to mainframe data processing equipment and peripheral attachments with a single-item purchase price in excess of $15,000. Education Code 44.031(j)(k)

Impermissible Practices

A Regent, employee, or agent shall not, with criminal negligence, make or authorize separate, sequential, or component purchases to avoid the purchasing requirements set out in Education Code 44.031. An officer or employee shall not knowingly violate Education Code 44.031 in any other manner.

"Component purchases" means purchases of the component parts of an item that in normal purchasing practices would be made in one purchase. "Separate purchases" means purchases, made separately, of items that in normal purchasing practices would be made in one purchase. "Sequential purchases" means purchases, over a period, of items that in normal purchasing practices would be made in one purchase.

Violation of this provision is a Class B misdemeanor and an offense involving moral turpitude, conviction of which shall result in removal from office or dismissal from employment. A Regent who is convicted of a violation of this provision is considered to have committed official misconduct and for four years after the date of final conviction, the removed person is ineligible to be appointed or elected to public office in Texas, is ineligible to be employed by or act as an agent for the state or a political subdivision, and is ineligible to receive any compensation through a contract with the state or a political subdivision. Education Code 44.032

Insurance

A contract for the purchase of insurance is a contract for the purchase of personal property and shall be made in accordance with Education Code 44.031 or 44.033. Education Code 44.031, 44.033; Atty. Gen. Op. DM-347 (1995)

Multi-year Contracts

The College may execute an insurance contract for a period longer than 12 months, if the contract contains either or both of the provisions described at COMMITMENT OF CURRENT REVENUE, below. If the College executes a multi-year insurance contract, it need not advertise for insurance vendors until the 12-month period during which the College will be executing a new insurance contract. Atty. Gen. Op. DM-418 (1996)

Competitive Bidding

If the College receives two or more bids from responsible bidders that are identical, in nature and amount, as the lowest and best bids, it shall select only one bidder from the identical bids.

If only one of the bidders submitting identical bids is a resident of the District, that bidder shall be selected. If two or more such bidders are residents of the District, one shall be selected by the casting of lots. In all other cases, one of the identical bids shall be selected by the casting of lots.

The Board shall prescribe the manner of casting lots and shall be present when the lots are cast.

All qualified bidders or their representatives may be present at the casting of lots.

Local Gov't Code 271.901

Inter-local Agreements

To increase efficiency and effectiveness, the College may contract or agree with other local governments and with state agencies, including the GPC, to perform some of its purchasing functions. Gov't Code 791.001, 791.011

The College may agree with another local government, including a nonprofit corporation that is created and operated to provide one or more governmental functions and services, or with the state or a state agency, including the GPC, to purchase goods and services reasonably required for the installation, operation, or maintenance of the goods. Such an agreement may not, however, apply to services provided by firefighters, police officers, or emergency medication personnel.

The College may purchase goods and services by agreement with another local government or with the state or state agency satisfies the requirement to seek competitive bids for the purchase of goods and services. Gov't Code 791.025(b)(c); Atty. Gen. Op. JC-37 (1999)

State Purchasing Program

Purchasing services performed for the College by the GPC may include:

1. The extension of state contract prices to the College when the GPC considers it feasible.

2. Solicitation of bids on items desired by the College if the solicitation is considered feasible by the GPC and is desired by the College.

3. Provision of information and technical assistance to the College about the purchasing program.

College Requirements

The College may participate in the purchasing program by filing with the GPC a resolution adopted by the Board requesting that the College be allowed to participate on a voluntary basis, to the extent the GPC deems feasible, and stating that the Board shall:

1. Designate an official to act for the College in all matters relating to the program, including the purchase of items from the vendor under any contract.

2. Direct the decisions of its representative.

3. Be responsible for:

a. Submitting requisitions to the commission under contract(s) and for payment directly to the vendor; and

b. Electronically sending purchase orders directly to vendors and electronically sending the GPC reports on actual purchases.

c. Be responsible for the vendor's compliance with all conditions of delivery and quality of the purchased item.

A purchase made through participation in this program meets any state requirement to seek competitive bids for the purchase of the item.

Electronic Marketplace

If the College has the ability to electronically send purchase orders and information, it may participate in the GPC's electronic procurement marketplace, as described in Gov't Code Chapter 2177. Local Gov't Code 271.083

Cooperative Purchasing Program

The College may participate in a cooperative purchasing program with another local government or a local cooperative organization. If the College does so, it may sign an agreement with another participating local government or a local cooperative stating that the College will:

1. Designate a person to act on behalf of the College in all matters relating to the program.

2. Make payments to another participating local government or local cooperative organization or directly under a contract, as provided in the agreement.

3. Be responsible for the vendor's compliance.

If the College participates in a cooperative purchasing program, it satisfies any law requiring it to seek competitive bids. Local Gov't Code 271.102; Atty. Gen. Op. JC-37 (1999)

Commitment of Current Revenue

A contract for the acquisition, including lease, of real or personal property is a commitment of the College current revenue only, provided the contract contains either or both of the following provisions:

1. Retains to the Board the continuing right to terminate the contract at the expiration of each budget period during the term of the contract.

2. Is conditioned on a best efforts attempt by the Board to obtain and appropriate funds for payment of the contract. Local Gov't Code 271.903

Recycled Products

The College shall give preference in purchasing to products made of recycled materials if the products meet applicable specifications as to quantity and quality. The College shall periodically review and revise its purchasing procedures and specifications for purchase of goods, supplies, equipment, and materials in order to:

1. Eliminate procedures and specifications that explicitly discriminate against products made of recycled materials.

2. Encourage the use of products made of recycled materials.

3. Ensure to the maximum extent economically feasible that the College purchase products that may be recycled when they have served their intended use.

The College may seek an exemption from compliance if it has a population of less than 5,000 within its geographic boundaries and demonstrates to the Water Commission that compliance would work a hardship on the College. Health and Safety Code 361.426

Agricultural Products

If the cost and quality are equal, the College shall give preference in purchasing to agricultural products, including textiles and other similar products that are produced, processed, or grown in Texas. "Processed" means canning, freezing, drying, juicing, preserving, or any other act that changes the form of a good from its natural state to another form. If Texas agricultural products are not equal in cost and quality to other agricultural products, the College shall give preference in purchasing to agricultural products produced, processed, or grown in the United States, if the cost and quality of the U.S. and foreign products are equal.

The College may not adopt product purchasing specifications that unnecessarily exclude agricultural products produced, processed, or grown in Texas.

Vegetation for Landscaping

If cost is equal and the quality is not inferior, the College shall give preference to Texas vegetation when it purchases vegetation for landscaping purposes. Education Code 44.042

Dairy Products

The Board shall not purchase milk, cream, butter, cheese, or a product consisting largely of one or more of those items that has been imported from outside the United States. However, imported milk powder may be purchased if domestic milk powder is not readily available in the normal course of business. Health & Safety Code 435.021

Imported Beef

The College shall not purchase beef or a product consisting substantially of beef that has been imported from outside the United States. Agriculture Code 150.012

Delinquent Franchise Taxes

The College shall not contract with any corporation that is delinquent in a tax owed the state under Chapter 171, Tax Code. Bus. Corp. Act, Art. 2.45, V.A.T.S.

Group Purchasing Programs

The College is authorized to purchase materials, supplies, or equipment through group purchasing programs that offer discount prices to institutions of higher education. Govt Code 2155.134(a)

Criminal History

Before entering into a contract with the College, a person or business must give notice to the College if the person or an owner or operator of the business has been convicted of a felony. The College may terminate a contract with a person or business if the College determines that the person or business failed to give such notice or misrepresented the conduct resulting in the conviction. The College must compensate the person for services performed before the contract terminated. Education Code 44.034

Operational Policy

The purchase of supplies, materials, equipment, and services for the operation of Clarendon College shall be accomplished in a controlled and systematic manner, which supports the interests of economy and quality. The President shall be responsible for developing and implementing procedures and guidelines consisting of generally acceptable purchasing practice.

General Provisions

1. The general requisition/purchase order procedures described below are to be used for all purchases regardless of the amount of the purchase.

2. Requisitions/purchase orders are to be used by all personnel in ordering supplies, equipment and services.

3. All employees must adhere to institutional purchasing procedures and policies, as well as state and federal laws.

Purchases of less than $10,000

1. The originator/requester should secure a requisition/purchase order from his/her supervisor or from the Business Office. The originator should provide the following information on the requisition:

A description of the item(s) requested. If a specific brand/model is required, it should be noted in the description.

A recommended vendor should be listed. Price, quality, serviceability, and potential travel and/or freight expenses involved in the purchase should be considered in determining potential vendors.

An estimate of unit and total cost should be listed.

A justification for the purchase should be listed on the requisition/purchase order. Additional supporting documentation should be attached, as appropriate.

2. The originator/requestor should present the completed requisition to his/her supervisor/director and the appropriate Dean for approval. If approved, the originator/requestor or the supervisor/director should assign the budget account number(s) against which the purchase is to be charged. The Dean should validate the account number and that the requested amount is within budgetary limitations. (Note: The supervisor’s and the Dean's signature will indicate to the Business Office that the supervisor and the Dean agree that the purchase is necessary and appropriate. In some cases, the originator/requestor and the budget custodian (supervisor) will be one in the same. In that event, the individual need only sign the requisition as budget custodian. In all cases, the purchase order must be signed by the appropriate Dean.

3. Once the requisition/purchase order has been approved by the appropriate Dean, the originator/requestor should present the requisition to the Business Office. At that point, the appropriate administrative approvals will be secured by the Business Office, contingent upon available budget. Only the College President is authorized to provide final administrative approval.

a. In the case of any purchase of $500.00 and less than $10,000, the Comptroller may require that the originator/requestor secure a minimum of three quotes from potential vendors.

b. In cases where a department is dealing with a particular vendor on a regular basis (i.e., utility bills, maintenance or office supplies, bookstore) an open purchase order may be established through the same procedures as above. The amount of the open purchase order will be determined by the Comptroller. Once that amount is expended, another open purchase order can be created, budget permitting. Once an open purchase order has been established, departmental employees may make purchases within the established limit without filing individual purchase orders for each item. However, in each case, the employee must submit all receipts and/or invoices to the Business Office so that expended amounts can be charged against the open purchase order.

c. Purchases that do not exceed $200.00 can be made through the College’s petty cash fund, upon approval by the Business Office. In the event, an employee makes a purchase with petty cash, all receipts must be returned to the Business Office.

4. Once the purchase order has been approved and a purchase order number assigned, copies of the purchase order will be distributed by the Business Office for the following purposes:

a. The originator/requester will receive two copies of the purchase order. - one to be presented to the vendor and a second copy to be returned to the Business Office after the goods have been received and inspected.

b. Two copies will be retained in the Business Office - one for the numerical file and a second for the vendor file.

5. As stated, a copy of the purchase order should then be presented by the requester to the vendor in a logical fashion (i.e., hand delivered, mailed, or faxed).

6. Upon receipt of the item(s) purchased, the originator/requestor should examine the item(s) to make certain what was ordered has been received in good condition. Upon inspection/acceptance of the goods, the requester should return his/her copy of the purchase order to the Business Office with a notation on the purchase order that payment should be made to the vendor. Any invoices, packing slips, or other relevant documentation should be attached to the purchase order by the requester.

a. In the event the item(s) are not received in good condition and/or the order is short, the originator/requestor should immediately notify the Business Office. The Comptroller or his/her designee will be responsible for contacting and arranging for satisfaction. No payment will be made by the College to the vendor until full satisfaction has been achieved.

b. Moreover, no payments will be made to the vendor absent adherence to the above procedures. In the event an employee fails to follow the aforementioned procedures, the originator/requester may be held financially liable for the purchase(s).

c. Any incident deemed an emergency or extraordinary circumstance by the Comptroller and/or the President, may be exempted from the aforementioned procedure until the originator/requester is available to complete the process.

d. Note: If any warranties are associated with the item(s) purchased, documentation of such, i.e., warranty cards, should accompany the authorization to make payment. A copy of the warranty will be retained by the Business Office.

Purchases of more than $10,000 and less than $25,000

When the College seeks to purchase personal property of a value of at least $10,000 but less than $25,000, in the aggregate, for a 12-month period, the College may either purchase those items in accordance with Education Code 44.031(a) and (b) or follow the vendor list procedures described above.

Purchases of $25,000 or More

In the case where a purchase is $25,000 or more, the College will engage in a purchasing process as set forth by the Texas Education Code, Section 44.031 et seq.

These options include:

1. Competitive bidding.

2. Competitive sealed proposals.

3. A request for proposals for services other than construction services.

4. A catalog purchase as provided by Government Code Chapter 2157, Subchapter B.

5. An inter-local contract.

When the College employs a sealed bid request for proposals process, it will advertise for bids in the local newspaper a minimum of two successive weeks. Additionally, in any case in which the College is limited to purchasing from a sole source supplier, appropriate documentation will be filed in the Business Office to that effect.

Items for Resale

Items purchased for resale by the bookstore are not bid.

Emergency Purchases

If College facilities and/or equipment are severely damaged or destroyed and the Board determines that the delay posed by competitive bidding process would prevent or substantially impair the conduct of classes or other essential school activities, then contract(s) for the repair and/or replacement of equipment and/or the repair of College facilities may be made without competitive bidding, as otherwise required. Education Code 44.031(h).

Authority to Obligate Funds

The business office, under the direction of the Comptroller through the President, through the requisition/purchase order system, has sole authority to obligate the funds of the College. The College will assume no liability for payment of obligations undertaken in any other manner or by any other person.

PROPERTY CONTROL

2130

It shall be the responsibility of the Comptroller of Clarendon College to maintain accurate records of all institutional property, equipment purchases and disposition, and to periodically account for all property and equipment owned by the College.

Definition

Property and/or equipment is defined as being any item of a permanent nature having a useful life of more than one year and costing approximately $1000 or more.

Responsibility

Considerable resources have been allocated to the acquisition of items of equipment. Therefore, it is imperative that a system of accounting for this equipment be established in order to fix responsibility for the proper utilization, maintenance and care for those resources. The Comptroller shall function as the Chief Inventory Control Agent and is responsible for keeping all equipment inventory records. He/she carries out these responsibilities under the direct supervision of the President.

Inventory Records and Control

Once items of equipment have been received, the business office will assign a number to each item and affix a permanent identifying tag on the equipment item. An entry is made in the inventory records showing:

Campus location

2. Inventory number

3. The description, model and serial number

4. Cost, including freight

Equipment Donations

Only the President is authorized to accept equipment donations on behalf of Clarendon College. All offers of equipment donations should be directed through channels to the President's office.

Equipment Transfers

To enable the business office to keep accurate records as to location of equipment items, it is necessary that this office be notified when equipment is moved from one area to another.

Equipment Deletions

Items that have become lost or stolen, obsolete, worn or broken beyond repair, or cannibalized, should be deleted from the inventory records and the business office should be informed.

Items Lost or Stolen

The employee should notify his/her immediate supervisor and the supervisor should notify the business office immediately upon discovery that an item has been lost or stolen. In addition, the supervisor should report the lost or stolen items to his/her Dean. The Dean shall furnish the business office with the inventory number, description and serial numbers of the item. The business office will take appropriate action in an attempt to recover the missing property. The business office will make an entry deleting the item from the inventory records. If the item is found or recovered, it should be returned to the original department, the business office notified and an entry made to reinstate the item on the inventory records.

Responsibility for Equipment

The employee supervising the use of items of equipment holds primary responsibility for its care and safekeeping; thence, responsibility follows through organizational channels to the President. The division director is responsible for maintaining the equipment inventory records for his/her division.

College Equipment May Not Be Used for Private Purposes

Clarendon College equipment shall not be loaned to outside groups and/or to individuals for personal use.

Removal of College Equipment

Items of equipment should not be removed from the campus except with prior written permission from the President.

Personal Equipment

Clarendon College will not assume responsibility for or the repair of personal equipment. Faculty members are encouraged to request actual needs in the budget process and not bring personal equipment to school.

Annual Equipment Inventory Check

Periodically, the division directors and administrative officers will be given lists of items for the departments under their supervision. At least once during each fiscal year the business office, in cooperation with the faculty, division directors and other supervisors, will match the equipment items to the inventory records for each department and report exceptions to the President, the Comptroller and other appropriate administrators.

CASHIER FUNCTION

2140

All monies collected by Clarendon College are to be collected and accounted for by the College business office. No faculty member or other employee should collect any money for any purpose unless acting as a duly appointed agent of the business office.

All funds collected for any purpose by and for Clarendon College shall be receipted and accounted for by the Business Office.

CASHIERING AND PURCHASING FOR CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS

2150

All funds collected for any reason by any club or organization on the campus of Clarendon College must be accounted for in the Business Office. A separate account will be maintained for each club or organization revealing both receipts and disbursements. Periodic financial reports will be made.

Purchases or a club or organization will follow the same requisition/purchase order system as used for other college purchases. In no case will a student's signature be acceptable for payment from these funds.

GATE RECEIPTS

2160

Gate receipts and admissions fees to College-sponsored activities are the responsibility of the business office. Adequate procedures shall be developed by the Comptroller to insure the safety of all receipts and to properly account for all receipts collected. The business office shall make the required deposits and shall cause the proper entry to be made crediting the receipts to the proper accounts.

TUITION AND FEES

2170

Tuition and fees are payable at the time of registration, except as provided for under the Installment Payment Plan for Tuition and Fees. A student has not officially enrolled until tuition and fees are paid or an installment payment plan has been executed.

Any student interested in the installment plan must complete and sign a promissory note and pay 50 percent of the tuition and fees plus a non-refundable service fee of $25 prior to the census date.

A student who fails to make full payment of tuition and fees, including any incidental fees, by the due date may be prohibited from registering for classes until full payment is made. A student who fails to make payment prior to the end of the semester may be denied credit for the work done that semester.

1. A full-time student (12 semester hours or more) may pay for tuition and mandatory fees for the regular Fall and Spring semester by one of two methods: (1) payment of tuition and fees in full (one payment) or (2) payment of tuition and fees in three payments. Once a payment plan has been chosen, it may not be changed.

2. All scholarships and awards provided by the College and all federal and state grants and loans will be applied toward the full amount due the College for the payment of tuition, fees, and other charges before installment payments are scheduled.

3. The installment payment plan for tuition and fees may be used only for the initial registration at the beginning of the Fall and Spring Semesters. Installments may not be used for any other registration periods.

4. The three-payment plan will consist of a one-half payment of tuition and fees plus the $25 service fee before the beginning of the semester, a one-quarter payment prior to the start of the sixth class week, and a final one- quarter payment before the beginning of the eleventh class week.

5. It will be the student's responsibility to pay on time. Installment payments may be made in the Business Office any time during regular business hours.

6. The total installment payment must be paid in full on or before the date due.

7. Students who fail to make the second payment:

a. Will have a hold placed on their records;

b. Will be prohibited from registering for classes;

c. Will still be responsible for the full amount due under the contract; and,

d. Will receive no grades, awards, diplomas, and records, including but not limited to official transcripts to which they would otherwise be entitled.

e. Upon full payment of the amount due, the hold will be released.

8. Students who fail to make full payment of all charges prior to the end of the semester are subject to the conditions listed above in seven (7) and may be denied credit for the work done that semester.

9. Students adding courses will be required to pay the full cost for the additional courses at the time the courses are added.

10. Students dropping hours will pay installments on the basis of the original installment contract. Any and all refunds will be applied to the installment payment. (For students receiving Title IV aid, refunds will be applied in accordance with federal refund guidelines.)

11. Students withdrawing from the College must pay all tuition and fees owed. Withdrawal does not cancel or void the installment payment plan contract.

A list of tuition and fees is published each year in the College Catalog.

REFUND POLICY

2180

Refunds will be made as prescribed by law and as stated in the College Catalog.

TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL

2190

It shall be the responsibility of the President of Clarendon College to develop and administer a transportation program for providing student and employee transportation consistent with the laws of the State of Texas and the goals and purposes of Clarendon College.

College-Owned Vehicles

The Board of Regents of Clarendon College may, on the recommendation of the President, authorize the purchase of appropriate vehicles for the transportation of students and employees. Gasoline for college vehicles shall be supplied by contract purchase, by the use of college credit cards, and/or by reimbursement of individual purchases. All college travel is to be conducted in college vehicles when available. Use of personal transportation for college business will be authorized only when college vehicles are not available and must be approved in advance by the President or designee.

Use of Private Automobile

When no college vehicle is available and when the transportation request has prior approval, the use of a private automobile will be reimbursed at a rate per mile established by the Board of Regents. The rate of reimbursement is currently set at $.30 per mile.

Use of Public Transportation

When approved in advance by the President, the actual costs of travel by public conveyance will be paid by the College.

Reimbursement for Other Travel Expenses

Special trips on college business, or to attend conferences in the interests of the College, may be authorized by the President. For such travel, employees may be reimbursed for a flat or fixed amount, on a per diem basis, or for actual expenses incurred for transportation, cost of lodging and meals, conference registration fees, college-related telephone calls, and other miscellaneous travel-related expenses. All such travel must be authorized by the President and approved in advance.

Per Diem Reimbursement Allowances

Meals: $30.00 per day (Travel must include an overnight stay in order to claim per diem reimbursement. Meal receipts are not required.)

Hotel: $80.00 per day (Receipts required)

Non-Reimbursable Expenses

Non-Reimbursable Expenses include, but are not limited to:

1. Expenses that do not relate to official college business.

2. Any expenses, with the exception of parking expenses that are related to the operation of a personally owned vehicle.

3. Personal expenses such as the rental or purchase of video-tapes for personal entertainment, alcoholic beverages, and/or dry cleaning.

Specific Procedures

Detailed guidelines and all forms necessary to implement these policies shall be developed by the Comptroller.

CHIEF FISCAL AGENT

2210

The Comptroller shall be the Chief Fiscal Agent of Clarendon College and shall be responsible for receiving, obligating, and accounting for all college funds. He/she shall be responsible to the President for developing and implementing procedures which are necessary to insure sound fiscal operation.

ACCOUNTING

2220

The accounts of the College shall be maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principals and practices and audited in accordance with accepted rules and regulations for colleges and universities and will be audited annually by an outside firm.

FINANCIAL REPORTING

2230

The Comptroller shall have responsibility for preparing, submitting, and publishing timely financial reports as required by the laws of the State of Texas and all applicable regulatory agencies.

In addition, he/she shall publish and distribute to the Board of Regents a monthly financial report on the fiscal operation of the College. A year-end report will also be prepared for the Board of Regents giving a final accounting of all income and disbursements for the completed fiscal year.

AUDITING AND CONTROL

2240

The financial records of Clarendon College shall be audited each year and an independent audit report shall be prepared and certified by a Texas licensed or certified public accountant. Such independent audit report shall be submitted to the Board of Regents, to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and to other such agencies or offices, as may be required by law.

Responsibility for additional and continuous evaluation of fiscal procedures and practices of financial control shall rest with the Comptroller.

DEPOSITORY

2250

The Board of Regents of Clarendon College shall select, by means of competitive bidding, a depository bank to serve for a period of two years and until another has been duly selected and qualified. The selection shall be made and the depository bank or banks named at a regular meeting of the Board in odd-numbered years.

All funds subject to the control of the Board of Regents shall be deposited in the depository bank daily, but not later than within seven days from the date of collection. Once funds are deposited and accounted for, monies may be invested and/or transferred in a manner consistent with the Clarendon College Investment Policy.

The Board of Regents shall require adequate surety bonds or securities to be posted to secure the deposits and may require additional security at any time it deems the deposits inadequately secured.

A depository shall pay interest on the deposits at a rate agreed on by the depository and the Board of Regents.

TAX RATE AND LEVY

2260

The Board of Regents of Clarendon College elects to have the taxable property of its district assessed and its values equalized by the county-wide appraisal district, and to have its taxes collected by the Donley Appraisal District in a manner and for such compensation as shall be mutually agreed upon. The property of its district shall be assessed and valued on the same basis as that used to assess and value taxable property of Donley County until and unless a different basis is determined and adopted by the Board of Regents.

The tax rate for the support of tax bonds and maintenance tax shall be authorized by a majority of the voters in an election held for such purpose and may not exceed such limit or the limits set by state statutes.

REVENUE BONDS

2270

The Board of Regents may authorize the issue of revenue bonds secured by rentals, rates, charges, fees, or other resources of the Board for the purpose of acquiring, purchasing, constructing, improving, enlarging, equipping, operating, and maintaining any property, facilities, activities, or operations for and on behalf of Clarendon College. Such issuance of revenue bonds shall be governed by the statutes of the State of Texas and the regulations of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

INVESTMENTS

2280

This policy shall apply to all Clarendon College funds not needed for current operations. This policy shall be reviewed annually by the Board of Regents. This review and any changes to this policy will be placed on the agenda of a meeting of the Board and formal action of the Board will be taken.

All funds of the District shall be invested in accordance with State and Federal laws and regulations and shall be managed responsibly and in accordance with this policy, for investment and not for speculation. No investments will be made that do not guarantee the principal amount invested.

I. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES

The investment objectives of Clarendon College shall be:

A. Preservation and safety of the principal.

The primary objective of all College investment activity is the preservation and safety of the principal. Each investment transaction shall ensure that capital losses are avoided, whether from security default, sale of instruments prior to maturity, or erosion of market value.

B. Maintain sufficient liquidity.

The investment portfolio will remain sufficiently liquid to provide adequate cash flow to meet the operating requirements of the College on a timely basis.

C. Minimize risks involving interest rates, maturity, and market value. All investments will be made by the investment officer given the investment officer’s assessment of the desired investment risk (i.e., credit risk, market risk, opportunity risk) in order to provide the College with the best available yield on instruments or securities that have fixed interest rates and fixed maturities.

D. Maximize investment income within the above objectives of preservation, liquidity, and risk. To provide diversification in the investment portfolio with regard to maturity, instruments, and financial institutions permitted under the Public Funds Investment Act. Yields on investments will need to be competitive with an analysis being made to the Board of Regents on a regular basis.

II. INVESTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Board of Regents has the responsibility of designating the College’s Investment Officer(s). The Comptroller and the Assistant to the President are the designated investment officers of the College and are responsible for the investment of the College’s funds. The Board of Regents also appoints the Investment Committee, which is composed of: the President, the Comptroller, the Assistant to the President, the Director of Financial Aid, and a representative from the Board of Regents.

Guidelines Governing Investments.

A. Standard of Care

Investments shall be made with judgement and care, under prevailing circumstances, that a person of prudence, discretion, and intelligence would exercise in the management of the person’s own affairs, not for speculation, but for investment, considering the probable safety of capital and the probable income to be derived. Investment of funds shall be governed by the objectives stated in I above.

In determining whether an Investment Officer has exercised prudence with respect to an investment decision, the determination shall be made taking into consideration:

1. The investment of all funds or funds under the College’s control over which the officer had responsibility rather than a consideration as to the prudence of a single investment, and

2. Whether the investment decision was consistent with the written investment policy of the College.

B. Liquidity of Investments

Liquidity of investments should, in most instances, be within one year, but in no circumstances more than two years. U. S. Treasury Notes should in most circumstances be not less than two (2) years and not more than five (5) years. Diversification within allowable investment instruments to increase investment yields is encouraged.

C. Deposit of Funds and Daily Cash Requirements

All funds of the institution will be deposited daily. (State law requires that deposits be made into the depository bank within seven days of collection.) The balance of funds not required for daily operation of the College will be invested in short-term certificates of deposit. Monitoring and transferring of these funds will be the responsibility of the College’s Comptroller.

D. Bank Depository.

State law requires re-bidding the depository bank contract every two years.

E. Types of Funds to Invested.

Investment officers may invest the surplus amounts of all college funds not required for the daily operation of the College. The transfer between the College’s bank accounts is the responsibility of the Comptroller and/or the Investment Officer. Investment of funds outside the regular certificate of deposit and/or treasury notes requires approval of the Board of Regents at a regular Board meeting. All investments require the approval of at least two people (i.e., the Comptroller, the President, or the Assistant to the President).

F. Other Investments

Any investment of College funds or liquidation of such investments other than in the above manner must be approved by the Board of Regents. This Board action must clearly outline any associated risks to principal, maturity, interest rate, or market value.

III. AUTHORIZED INVESTMENTS

Funds are to be invested in accordance with the Public Funds Investment Act of 1995 which requires the investment of funds as follows:

1. Obligations of the United States or its agencies and instrumentalities;

2. Certificates of Deposit issued by state and national banks domiciled in this state;

Direct obligations of this state or its agencies and instrumentalities;

Collateralized mortgage obligations directly issued by a federal agency or instrumentality of the United States, the underlying security for which is guaranteed by an agency or instrumentality of the United States;

Other obligations, the principal and interest of which are unconditionally guaranteed or insured by, or backed by the full faith and credit of this state or the United States or their respective agencies and instrumentalities and;

Obligations of States, agencies, counties, cities, and other political subdivisions of any state rated as to investment quality by a nationally recognized investment rating firm not less than A or its equivalent.

Fully collateralized direct repurchase agreements having a defined termination date, and secured by obligations described by this subdivision.

IV. AUTHORIZED AND PROHIBITED TRANSACTIONS

Authorized transactions are those within the limits of the Public Funds Investment Act of 1995 as listed in Part III above. Clarendon College normally deals with the following:

1. Certificates of Deposit

2. Treasury Bills or Notes

3. TexPool or Lone Star and any obligation of the State of Texas

Any item outside of the Clarendon College depository bank shall require approval by the Investment Committee and required Board action and be recorded in the Board minutes.

Prohibited transactions are any that are not within the limits of those listed in Part III. Examples are as follows:

1. Common Stock or any stock in a corporation

2. Investments in a Savings and Loan

3. Bonds other than those listed above (No Junk Bonds)

4. Sales of donated stock are kept until receiving a fair market price.

V. CRITERIA FOR MEASURING INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE

Each month the Investment Officer shall prepare a written report of investment transactions for all College funds for the preceding reporting period and submit this report to the President and to the Board of Regents. This report must contain the type of instrument, type of funds invested, interest accrued, length of time for investment, maturity date, rate of return, projected return, and principal invested. This report must be prepared jointly by all investment officers of the College and be signed by each investment officer.

The College’s auditing firm shall perform a compliance audit of management controls on investments and adherence to this investment policy. The audit must include a formal review of the monthly investment reports to the Board. Any findings that result from these audit procedures shall be reported the Board of Regents in the annual report to the Board of the independent audit.

VI. PERSONNEL AND BOARD TRAINING

The Investment Officer(s) shall attend an investment training session every two years. The training session must be provided by an independent source approved by the Board of Regents.

An annual training program and/or training video will be prepared and presented by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for members of the Board of Regents. This program will be provided within six months of a board member taking office and will include training on investment controls, security risks, strategy risks, market risks, and compliance with the Public Funds Investment Act.

VII. INVESTMENT POLICY ACKNOWLEDGMENT

A written copy of the Clarendon College Investment Policy shall be presented to any person seeking to sell an authorized investment to the College. The registered principal of the organization seeking to sell an authorized investment shall execute a written instrument substantially to the effect that the organization has:

Received and thoroughly reviewed the investment policy of the College; and

Acknowledged that the organization has implemented reasonable procedures and controls in an effort to preclude imprudent investment activities arising out of investment transactions conducted between the College and the organization.

If the investment officer fails to obtain an acknowledgment from an organization selling securities, securities may not be purchased from the organization.

GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND DONATIONS

2290

It shall be the responsibility of the President of Clarendon College to develop appropriate procedures for the handling of gifts, bequests, and donations to Clarendon College. The President or his/her designee shall be responsible for discussions and negotiations with prospective donors regarding gifts to the College, and no other employee of the College has the authority to accept or agree to accept any gift or donation, except as provided for in the establishment Clarendon College Foundation.

CONSTRUCTION

2310

Construction practices at Clarendon College shall comply with all state and federal statutes, rules of all applicable regulatory agencies, local building and safety codes, and to commonly accepted standards of construction. All materials used in construction projects shall meet or exceed the architect's standards and specifications.

ACCEPTANCE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION

2320

When the Board of Regents of Clarendon College has been satisfied that all construction contract agreements and conditions have been fulfilled and that the building conforms in all ways to the architect's plans and working drawings, it shall formally accept the building. Any remaining financial obligations of the College to the architect, contractor, subcontractors, or others shall then be fulfilled.

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

2410

Overall responsibility for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the buildings and grounds of Clarendon College rests with the Director of Maintenance who reports to the President. He/she shall develop such organization of personnel, schedules of work, and procedures of operation as will insure the proper discharge of this responsibility.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

2420

Work orders or requests for maintenance should be written, stating the needed repair. Work orders are received by the Office of the President where each one is evaluated, assigned a priority and forwarded to the Director of Maintenance. The Director of Maintenance will assign the work to a member of the maintenance staff. Once work is completed, the work order is returned to the Office of the President with the time and cost assigned.

Work orders or requests for maintenance at the Pampa Center should be written, stating the needed repair, and submitted to the Dean of the Pampa Center. Work orders are evaluated, assigned a priority, and forwarded to maintenance. Once work is completed, the work order is returned to the Dean’s office with the time and cost assigned.

CUSTODIAL SERVICES

2430

It is the philosophy of Clarendon College that good custodial care achieves the following desirable results: protects health, promotes safety, eliminates fire hazards, improves morale, extends surface life, protects equipment, improves productivity, and provides good public relations. Based on this philosophy, the housekeeping staff has overall responsibility to provide cleaning services for floors, washrooms, walls and ceilings, doors, windows, walkways, and furnishings in all rooms and buildings of Clarendon College.

ROUTINE HOUSEKEEPING/CUSTODIAL SERVICE

2440

Routine housekeeping and custodial service is performed on a daily basis under the direction of the Director of Maintenance. Special request for custodial services may be requested on the regular work order request form.

MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF MECHANICAL SERVICES

2450

Mechanical services provide comfort conditioning, including heating and cooling, electrical power, gas distribution, and water for all required activities of Clarendon College and are under the direct supervision of the Director of Maintenance. It is the responsibility of the Director of Maintenance to keep all building mechanical services operating efficiently and in a safe and reliable manner.

SECURITY

2460

The Dean of Students has overall responsibility for providing a safe and secure environment for all college activities. The College shall provide for a campus security officer, as a minimum and additional personnel may be employed during games, dances, or at other critical times.

COLLEGE KEYS

2470

Faculty and other college employees will be provided keys to their offices and other areas as required by the nature of their work. Requests for keys must be made to the President or designee who will approve the request and forward it to the Director of Maintenance. A record of all keys will be maintained by the Director of Maintenance and a periodic inventory will be taken to verify key locations.

Requests for building master keys will be honored only in unusual circumstances where the need is clearly established. Final approval of master key requests rests with the President.

All employees should respect the rights of other employees by carefully protecting their own keys from theft, loss and loan. Under no circumstances are keys to be loaned to students for any reason. Lost keys should be reported to the President immediately.

Each employee who is issued a key assumes responsibility for the area accessed by the key including all equipment and supplies therein.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

2510

When students become ill in class, they should be asked to excuse themselves from the classroom. They may be considered mature enough to seek appropriate relief such as returning to the residence hall, returning home, visiting the restroom, or seeking medical help.

Medical emergencies may sometimes occur while a class is in session or in other gathering places. If the person cannot or should not be moved, the following steps should be taken:

1. Move other members of the class and/or other students away from the individual in distress.

2. If the individual is unable to give directions for his/her care, send someone to call 911 for emergency assistance.

3. While waiting for the emergency medical assistance to arrive, provide whatever comfort and aid the individual appears to need. If no one has first aid training, do not attempt to provide assistance beyond making the individual comfortable and clearing the area of furniture or other equipment that may be in the way of removing the individual from the room.

4. When the ambulance arrives, provide the emergency workers with whatever information you may have about the person’s illness or injury.

5. As soon as practical, contact an administrator who may be able to provide necessary insurance or other information, or to contact parents, spouse, or other emergency contact.

EVACUATION PROCEDURES

2520

During an emergency evacuation, all faculty and staff present are responsible for assisting in the safe evacuation of the building. College employees have the responsibility for preventing panic and providing calm leadership. The following guidelines should be observed:

The shortest route from the classroom or laboratory to the nearest exit(s) is posted in each room. Students and visitors should be directed to those exits and then to an area of safety.

Do not return to the building until instructed to so by appropriate authorities or until all danger has clearly passed.

SEVERE WEATHER

2530

Only the President or the administrator in charge in his/her absence, has the authority to determine the institution's response to severe weather. In general, the following guidelines are to be followed:

TORNADO

If, in the judgment of the President or administrator in charge, the threat of impending danger warrants it, the following actions may be taken:

Dismiss all classes and assemble students and employees into storm shelters or other safe areas.

Top of Form

Everyone should remain in these "safe" areas until, in the opinion of the President or the administrator in charge, the threat of danger is past.

FLOODING

Buildings at Clarendon College are not likely to flood; however, during a period of flooding, the President or administrator in charge will remain in contact with appropriate authorities and will keep both students and employees advised of local road conditions.

ICE AND SNOW

n the event that ice and/or snow threatens to make highway travel hazardous, the President or administrator in charge may dismiss classes to allow commuters to return home safely.

CLOSING THE COLLEGE AS THE RESULT OF SEVERE WEATHER

2540

Only the President or administrator in charge in his/her absence has the authority to close the College. When this action is to be taken, the President will notify the College deans, the director of maintenance and the food service director. In addition, area radio and television stations will be notified and asked to broadcast the notice of closing.

SELF DETERMINATION POLICY

2550

No student will attempt to attend classes and no employee will report to work if, in their opinion or on the warning of law enforcement officials, travel conditions in their area are unsafe or if other circumstances would place their lives or health in jeopardy.

COLLEGE BOOKSTORE

2610

Clarendon College operates a college bookstore for the convenience of students, employees, and guests. The College Bookstore is operated on a part time basis with the hours to be open noted on bulletin boards at the beginning of each semester.

FOOD SERVICE

2620

Clarendon College will provide an appropriate food service enterprise for the benefit of students, employees, and guests. This function is provided by a private company and is the responsibility of that company. The company shall develop and recommend policies to the Comptroller and the President for the following operations:

1. The hours at which meals will be served.

2. The price at which food and other merchandise will be sold.

3. Determination of method and manner of service.

4. Methods of providing food quality testing, sanitation, and inspection of facilities.

5. The work schedule of food service employees.

6. Method of handling banquet and college function services.

HOUSING

2630

The Dean of Students has overall responsibility for student housing at Clarendon College. It is his/her responsibility to provide general supervision of residents, enforce rules and regulations, hear complaints, provide for safety and comfort of residents, to report needed facility repair or adjustments.

The purposes of college housing include providing a safe and supportive environment where students can learn and develop life skills necessary for both academic and career success. The campus living environment should allow students to develop lasting relationships, experience cultural diversity, and increase social skills as well as complete their academic requirements.

VENDING

2640

All vending services at Clarendon College are operated as part of the auxiliary enterprises program and are under the authority of the Comptroller. He/she will exercise his/her authority to determine numbers and kinds of machines, location of machines, charges, collection procedures, accounting practices, and record keeping.

STUDENT SOLICITATION AND SELLING

2650

As used in this policy, the words "student solicitation" shall mean the sale or offer for sale of any property or service, whether for immediate or future delivery, and the receipt of or request for any gift or contribution by a student or registered student organization.

No student solicitation shall be conducted in or on any property either owned or controlled by the District, except in accordance with the following provisions when they do not violate a sole-source vendor contract clause:

1. The sale or offer for sale of any newspaper, magazine, or other publication in an area designated in advance by the President for the conduct of such activity.

2. The sale offer for sale of any food or drink item in an area designated in advance by the President or a designated representative for the conduct of such activity.

3. The collection of membership fees or dues by registered student organizations at meetings of such organization scheduled in accordance with the College's regulations on use of facilities.

4. The collection of admission fees for the exhibition of movies or other programs that are sponsored by a student or registered student organization, and are scheduled in accordance with college regulations.

5. The activities of a student or registered student organization that can present to the President written evidence from the Internal Revenue Service that the organization has been granted an exemption from taxation under 26 U.S.A. 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code. No organization may solicit under this section for more than a total of fourteen days, whether continuous or intermittent, during each fiscal year.

No solicitation shall be conducted in the buildings, on the grounds, sidewalks, or streets of any property either owned or controlled by the College district, except as approved by the President or his/her designee.

No student organization may solicit in the community or service area of the College, unless such solicitation has been approved by the College President or his/her designee.

Solicitation made pursuant to the terms of this policy must be conducted according to the following:

1. The solicitation will not disturb or interfere with the regular academic or institutional programs being conducted in buildings or on property owned or controlled by the District.

2. The solicitation will not interfere with the free or unimpeded flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic on sidewalks and streets and at places of access and exits to and from buildings owned or controlled by the District.

3. The solicitation will not harass, embarrass, or intimidate the person or persons being solicited.

If, after a reasonable investigation, the President determines that a solicitation is being conducted in a manner violating this policy, the President may prohibit the offending student or registered student organization from soliciting on the campus for such period or periods of time determined to be appropriate. In the case of a registered student organization, the President or his/her designee may cancel the registered status of the organization. A student in violation of this policy shall also be subject to disciplinary measures as authorized by Board policies and administrative regulations. Any investigation shall afford the accused student or registered student organization every right guaranteed by the due process clause of the United States and the Texas Constitutions.

FUND RAISING PROJECTS

2660

Any outside organization that raises money under the school's name to aid or assist a program, a student organization, or other activities carried on by the school must first receive permission from the President or his/her designee.

SAFETY

2710

No safety rule is a complete substitute for common sense, nor can safety rules be devised to cover every situation. For these reasons, good judgment must be used in every situation.

Individual Responsibility

Follow the approved practices and procedures or standards which apply on any work you perform for the College.

Use only the appropriate protective equipment and devices. Use such equipment or devices whenever the hazard justifies their use or when so instructed by a supervisor.

It is the responsibility of everyone to make frequent inspections of tools and other equipment used to make sure such tools and equipment are in good physical condition.

Report to his/her supervisor any condition which might injure any person or damage any property. The hazard should also be pointed out to others exposed to it in order to correct or avoid it before an accident occurs.

Any injury which occurs at work, no matter how slight, or any accident which causes damage to property shall be reported immediately to the person in charge. All injuries and accidents should be reported to the supervisor by the end of the day and to the Assistant to the President or the Comptroller within forty-eight (48) hours.

If anyone observes another who is about to endanger themselves, another person, or property while at the College, he/she should intervene immediately.

Alcoholic beverages are not allowed on college property and the use of such is prohibited. No one is to report for work evidencing any effects of alcohol consumption.

Controlled substances, such as marijuana or cocaine, are illegal by state and federal law. Their use and possession are prohibited.

Water, oil or other liquids, or excessive dust, dirt or any other debris spilled on floors represent serious slipping hazards and should be cleaned up immediately upon observation.

Accident Investigation and Reporting

Anyone who suffers an injury during work shall promptly report such injury to their supervisor no later than the end of the work period on the day in which the injury occurred.

Every accident shall be investigated to determine the cause and the steps needed to prevent a recurrence. It shall be the responsibility of the supervisor to obtain the complete and

detailed facts of the accident as soon as possible after it occurs and to see that the required reports are made.

The department in which an injured person works shall notify as soon as practicable the Comptroller of all injuries. Details of the injury and required reports should be in the Comptroller's office within forty-eight (48) hours.

FIREARMS

2715

Firearms, ammunition, explosives, or other weapons are prohibited on college property.

Exceptions to this policy are limited to the following instances:

Department of Public Safety and other law enforcement agencies

in performance of their normal duties may carry firearms on college property.

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

2720

Good housekeeping is essential to safe operation. It will result in fewer accidents and will reduce fire hazards. Oil and chemical spills should be cleaned up promptly to eliminate slipping and fire hazard. All work areas must be kept free of tools, materials, draped hoses, extension cords, and other objects which create hazards. Cleaning up the work area is part of the job. A job is not completed until the area is cleaned up. It is the responsibility of each employee to maintain his/her work area in a neat and orderly manner.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

2725

Many accidents are caused by the improper use of tools and equipment, and by the use of defective tools and equipment. No one should be allowed to operate equipment unless they have been properly instructed in such use and are qualified to use it.

Tools and equipment shall be kept in proper operating condition and used only for the purpose for which they were designed.

Tools and equipment should be inspected at regular intervals and any tool which develops defects while in use should be taken from service, tagged and not used again until restored to proper working condition.

No one should tamper with or render inoperative safety guards and switches on machinery.

Eye protection should be used when operating any grinding, cutting, drilling or power driven tool.

SOLVENTS, CHEMICAL CLEANING, WATER TREATMENT AND OTHER CHEMICALS

2730

All chemicals and solvents are treated as potential hazards from initial delivery to ultimate use and require the use of safe practices at all times.

Anyone handling flammable liquids or chemicals of any type should wear appropriate protective clothing and will comply with industry safe practice and the safety instructions on the container label in regards to both the use and storage of these materials.

Chemicals and materials with toxic fumes are to be used only in well-ventilated areas.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

2735

In compliance with the Hazard Communication Act, the College, at a minimum, shall:

1. Post and maintain notices promulgated by the Texas Board of Health in the workplace.

2. Provide appropriate training for employees using and handling hazardous chemicals.

3. Compile and maintain a work-place chemical list that includes required information for each hazardous chemical normally present in the workplace in excess of 55 gallons or 500 pounds, or as determined by the Texas Board of Health for certain highly toxic or dangerous hazardous chemicals.

4. Maintain a legible copy of the most current manufacturer’s material safety data sheets (MSDS) for each hazardous chemical.

5. Provide employees with appropriate personal protective equipment.

RESPONSIBILITY

2740

It is the responsibility of everyone to be aware of the hazards related to the use of solvents, chemical cleaning materials, water treatment and other chemicals, and enforce the rules related to their use.

1. Hazards to be considered in the use of solvents, chemical cleaning materials, water treatment and other chemicals are as follows:

2. Contact with a hazardous material which can cause skin rash or dermatitis, corrosive burns or eye damage.

3. Potential explosive or fire hazard.

4. The ingestion of a poisonous, corrosive or other hazardous substance through the mouth or absorbed through the skin.

5. The inhalation of a volatile solvent, gas or toxic dust which may produce asphyxiation, intoxication, or damage to mucous membrane and internal organs.

FIRST AID

2745

While there are several first aid kits available throughout the campus, it is the college policy that anything other than a very minor injury should be treated at the local clinic or a nearby hospital.

FIRE PREVENTION

2750

Fire Prevention

Everyone should exercise good judgment and conduct themselves in a manner that would prevent fires while on college property.

The following chart describes the different types of fires normally encountered and the proper extinguisher to use in each case.

TYPES OF FIRES Ordinary Combustible Materials Such As Paper, Wood and Trash Flammable Liquid And Gases Such As Gasoline, Lubricating Oils and Natural Gas Electrical Such As Electronic Instruments and Switchgear Installations

TYPES OF EXTINGUISHER AND AGENT Water (Preferred) And Multi-Purpose Dry Chemical (Preferred) And Carbon Dioxide Halon, (Preferred) Carbon Dioxide, and Dry Chemical

STORAGE OF FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS

2755

Appropriate storage cabinets, metal containers, and/or safety cans equipped with flame arresters and spring-actuated caps should be used for the storage and handling of all flammable liquids with a flashpoint of less than 100 degrees F.

TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT STUDENT TRAVEL

2810

Modes of Transportation

Modes of Transportation used for student travel shall include, but not be limited to cars, vans, and/or motor coaches. Travel arrangements for student groups shall be made in accordance with the College’s operational procedures and administrative regulations.

Driver Requirements

A driver who is transporting students in a College-owned or -leased vehicle must:

1. Be at least 21 years of age;

2. Be approved by the College;

3. Hold a valid driver's license appropriate for the vehicle to be driven. (A driver of a commercial vehicle must have a valid commercial driver's license with appropriate certifications for the vehicle to be driven.)

4. Have an acceptable driving record, as verified through the College's insurance carrier; and,

5. Obey all rules and laws governing the roadways and be subject to losing their eligibility to drive a college vehicle if a violation occurs. (Note: The College will not be responsible for the payment of any fine levied by law enforcement against a driver of a college-owned or -leased vehicle. The fine is strictly the personal responsibility of the individual driver.)

Safety Standards

The driver shall ensure that the number of passengers does not exceed the designed capacity of the vehicle and that each passenger is secured by a safety belt, if provided.

For emergency purposes, all College-owned vehicles shall be equipped with a cellular telephone and/or CB radio. Drivers of College-owned vehicles should not use a cell phone, unless equipped as a hands free device, while the College-owned vehicle is in motion.

The driver should check to make sure the vehicle is in safe operating condition before starting each trip. (Such things as lights, brakes, tires, spare tire, gas, etc. should be checked.) Any suspected problem with the vehicle must be reported before starting the trip.

Smoking and the use of any other tobacco product, including smokeless or chewing tobacco, is prohibited at all times in all college-owned vehicles.

Students participating in college sponsored trips are subject to the College’s Code of Student Conduct at all times during the sponsored trip.

Driver Fatigue

A driver of a college owned vehicle shall not drive for more than three consecutive hours without taking a 15 minute break or relief from driving.

TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE TRAVEL

2812

Modes of Transportation

Modes of Transportation used for travel shall include, but not be limited to cars, vans, and/or motor coaches. Travel arrangements shall be made in accordance with the College's operational procedures and administrative regulations.

Driver Requirements

A driver who operates a College-owned or -leased vehicle must:

1. Be at least 21 years of age;

2. Be approved the College;

3. Hold a valid driver’s license appropriate for the vehicle to be driven. (A driver of a commercial vehicle must have a valid commercial driver’s license with appropriate certifications for the vehicle to be driven.)

4. Obey all rules and laws governing the roadways and be subject to losing their eligibility to drive a college vehicle if a violation occurs. (Note: The College will not be responsible for the payment of any fine levied by law enforcement against a driver of a college-owned or -leased vehicle. The fine is strictly the personal responsibility of the individual driver.)

Safety Standards

The driver shall ensure that the number of passengers does not exceed the designed capacity of the vehicle and that each passenger is secured by a safety belt, if provided.

For emergency purposes, all College-owned vehicles shall be equipped with a cellular telephone and/or CB radio. Drivers of College-owned vehicles should not use a cell phone, unless equipped as a hands free device, while the College-owned vehicle is in motion.

The driver should check to make sure the vehicle is in safe operating condition before starting each trip. (Such things as lights, brakes, tires, spare tire, gas, etc. should be checked.) Any suspected problem with the vehicle must be reported before starting the trip.

Smoking and the use of any other tobacco product, including smokeless or chewing tobacco, is prohibited at all times in all college-owned vehicles.

Driver Fatigue

A driver of a college owned vehicle, shall not drive for more than three consecutive hours without taking a 15-minute break or relief from driving.

ACCIDENT REPORTS

2820

Any accident, regardless of the extent of damage, involving a college vehicle, should be investigated by a police officer, and the College Business Office is to be informed.

SERVICE OF COLLEGE VEHICLES

2830

The service of all college-owned vehicles will be the responsibility of the Motor Pool Specialist. It is the responsibility of the Specialist to regularly inspect, service, and/or repair (or arrange for the repair of) all college vehicles, to promote safety, to make certain no vehicle is used that is not absolutely roadworthy, and to make certain all vehicles are equipped with a cellular telephone and/or CB radio in the event an emergency occurs.

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND COMUTING RESOURCES

2910

Clarendon College shall provide adequate computing and technology resources for the many educational programs offered by the College and shall provide computing resources to adequately support the institution's management and administrative functions.

The Dean of Instruction has overall responsibility for educational technology and computing resources at Clarendon College. The Director of Information Systems and Computer Operations has day-to-day operational responsibility. The Dean of Instruction and the Director of Information Systems and Computer Operations are responsible for developing procedures and guidelines for computer resources and computer usage, and for balancing services rendered among the different users.

Planning and Acquisitions

A. The Dean of Instruction and the Director of Information Systems and Computer Operations will work with the Learning Resources Committee, the Comptroller, Dean of the Pampa Center, the Dean of Students, and the faculty and staff to develop and maintain a three-to-five-year plan to acquire, maintain, and upgrade the educational technology and computer resources at Clarendon College.

B. Requests for equipment, programming, new applications, and other services are received by the Director of Information Systems and Computer Operations and/or the appropriate dean. These requests will be incorporated into the planning process.

C. Requests for instructional software or for computer-based instructional materials will be forwarded through the appropriate Division Director. The Division Director will notify the Dean of Instruction of the recommendations that have been made and any plans and target dates for implementation. The feasibility of each request will be then reviewed, and if feasible, the request will be incorporated into the planning process.

D. Requests not incorporated into the plan, or needs which arise during the course of the plan will be addressed by the Learning Resource Committee and/or the Director of Information Systems and Computer Operations. The feasibility of each request will be determined and a priority assigned.

Conflicts in the use of Educational Technology and Computer Resources at Clarendon College

It is the goal of Clarendon College to provide adequate educational technology and computing resources for the educational programs and for all administrative functions. In an effort to achieve this goal, Clarendon College provides some dedicated systems to some of its users and some shared systems or resources. The shared systems/resources are designed in so far as possible to run simultaneously; however, whether we address shared systems or dedicated systems, conflicts will arise. Therefore, the following is applicable in the resolutions of such conflicts:

A. When administrative, faculty, and/or student computing resources or other educational technology resources at Clarendon College are in high demand and the needs of various users are in conflict the following priority schedule will be applicable:

1. System security and integrity, backup, and maintenance.

2. Beginning- and End-of-Semester Processing (Business Office, the Office of Admissions, the Records Office, and the Student Financial Aid Office).

3. Reservation of computing resources by a particular user or department, with affected departments notified as necessary.

Computer resources (such as a student lab) and/or other educational technology resources, which are in high-demand may be made available on a reservation basis. Students who are registered in courses, which require the use of the resources in the lab to complete their assignments will have first priority. The designated lab supervisor will be responsible for maintaining a reservation system, as needed, keeping in mind that all students in a class requiring the resources must have adequate time to complete the required assignments.

B. Conflicts and scheduling problems not addressed in these guidelines will be addressed and resolved by the Director of Information Systems and Computer Operations working in conjunction with the appropriate dean and other involved parties.

COMPUTER RESOURCES ACCEPTABLE USE

2920

The computing resources at Clarendon College are provided for the use of Clarendon College students, faculty, and staff to support the educational programs, instructional activities, academic research, and administrative functions of the College. These resources are intended for the sole use of the College students, faculty, staff, and other authorized users, who are responsible for seeing that these computing resources and facilities are used in an effective, efficient, ethical, and lawful manner. The following policies and guidelines relate to all computing resources and their use.

Ethics and Responsibilities

1. Computer facilities/resources and accounts are owned by the College and are to be used only for educational- and college-related activities.

2. Accounts (IDs and passwords) are approved and issued by the Department of Information Systems and Computer Operations. Accounts are issued to individuals and are intended for the sole use of that individual. An account assigned to an individual is not transferable and may not be used by others without explicit permission from an instructor, an administrator, or the Director of Information Systems and Computer Operations. The individual to whom the account has been issued is responsible for the proper use of the account, including password protection. The account holder shall keep his/her keywords and passwords confidential to protect themselves and their files. Users shall not give or sell passwords to others.

3. Users may use only the computing resources they are authorized to use and only for the purposes specified when their accounts were issued or permission to use the resources (i.e., microcomputers) was granted.

4. Users shall not access or copy software or data belonging to others or to Clarendon College without prior authorization. Users shall not transport software or data provided by Clarendon College to another computer site without prior written authorization.

5. Computer software protected by copyright is not to be copied from, into, or by using campus-computing facilities, except as permitted by law or by contract.

6. Users shall follow the published procedures for using the College's computing resources and shall not modify any hardware or software provided by the College.

7. Users shall respect the rights of other users. A user shall not hamper or deprive another of access to resources or encroach on another's use of computing facilities. Users shall consider the impact of their conduct on other users.

8. The same standards of intellectual honesty and plagiarism apply to computer resources, computer programs, and files as to other forms of published work.

Misuse or Abuse of Computing Resources

Conduct for which disciplinary action may be taken--in relation to the computer network, equipment, programs, or data--includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Unauthorized use of computing resources or use of computing resources for unauthorized or nonacademic purposes.

2. Unauthorized accessing or copying of programs, records, or data belonging to the College or another user, or copyrighted software, without permission.

3. Using computer resources to threaten or harass others.

4. Attempted or actual breach of the security of another user's account, depriving another user of access to College computing resources, compromising the privacy of another user, or disrupting the intended use of computing or network resources.

5. Attempted or actual use of the College's computing resources for commercial purposes or non-college/non-educational related activities.

6. Attempted or actual transport of copies of College programs, records, or data to another person or computer site without written authorization.

7. Attempted or actual destruction or modification of programs, records, or data belonging to the College or another user or destruction of the integrity of computer-based information.

8. Attempted or actual use of the computing facilities to interfere with the normal operation of the College's computing systems; or, through such actions, causing a waste of such resources (people, capacity, computer).

9. Other types of activities (the list is not meant to be inclusive) of behavior that are considered unethical and/or unacceptable include:

a. Attempting to alter system software or hardware configurations.

b. Attempting to deliberately degrade the performance of the computer system and/or depriving authorized users of resources or access to any college computer system.

c. Owning, using, or attempting to introduce worms, viruses, or Trojan horses.

d. Creating and/or running programs that are designed to identify security loopholes and/or decrypt intentionally secure data.

e. Misrepresenting one's identity in electronic communication.

f. Violating copyright and/or software agreements.

g. Using the College's computer resources for commercial or profit-making purposes without written permission from the President.

h. Violating rules and codes set by services subscribed to by the College.

i. Disobeying or disregarding computer lab rules and/or computer system rules, policies, procedures, and protocols.

10. Allowing another person, either through one's personal computer account, or by other means, to accomplish any of the above.

11. Any act or omission that violates federal, state, or local laws or regulations relating to computer equipment, programs, or data and which is not otherwise covered may be grounds for disciplinary action and referral to the appropriate law enforcement or investigative agency.

Computer abuse is covered in federal laws by the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the Electronic and Communications Privacy Act of 1989. The state statute for computer abuse is Chapter 33, Computer Crimes, Texas Penal Code. College policy is based on these laws.

Computer Security and Privacy

The security and integrity of the College’s computing resources are essential. Therefore, priority is given to maintaining system security and integrity, backing up the system, and general maintenance of the system. The following relate to system security, integrity, and privacy.

1. The College President shall appoint an administrator responsible for developing and maintaining College regulations and procedures regarding security and privacy of computer data, software, and hardware.

2. Any student's or employee's (faculty/staff) use of College computing facilities is a privilege that may be revoked for violation of this policy, regardless of the need for computer use in performing assigned duties.

3. Any student or employee (regardless of employment contract or tenure status) found to be involved in infractions of this policy and/or civil or criminal laws regarding College computer security and privacy may be subject to disciplinary actions including, but not limited to, revocation of computing privileges, suspension, dismissal, prosecution, and restitution for damages. Involvement, as used here, includes, but is not limited to, participating, encouraging, aiding, or failing to report known infractions.

4. Programs and files are confidential unless they have explicitly been made available to other authorized users. However, the Department of Information Systems and Computer Operations (ISCO) reserves the right to monitor all computer resources to protect the integrity of its computing systems, computing software, workstations, and lab facilities. ISCO personnel may access others' files when necessary for the maintenance of the computer systems. When performing maintenance, every effort will be made to insure the privacy of a user's files. However, if violations are discovered, the violation(s) will be reported immediately to the appropriate dean.

5. Some jobs or activities of the College involve access to resources critical to computer security and privacy. The College may require faculty/staff employees or students involved in these jobs or activities to disclose personal histories, participate in special training, and/or sign special agreements concerning computer use.

6. All students and faculty/staff employees shall cooperate with official state and federal law enforcement authorities in aiding the investigation and prosecution of any suspected infraction of security and privacy involving either College personnel or College computing facilities.

7. Clarendon College makes every effort to ensure the integrity of its various systems. All computer systems available to users offer some form of dataset protection which can be modified by an authorized user as needed. However, none of the systems offer absolute security. Therefore, users should not place sensitive information on a publicly accessible system. Clarendon College, nor the Department of Information Systems and Computer Operations cannot, under any circumstances, be held liable for the consequences of such actions.

8. The College does not take responsibility for the safe storage of student files. Students must keep their own copies of any information that is important to them. Clarendon College is not responsible for any loss of information from college computers or networks, regardless of the cause.

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