NUMBER:                               703

SUBJECT:                              CAREER DEVELOPMENT (FOR STAFF ONLY)

AUTHORIZING BODY:         VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

RESPONSIBLE OFFICE:    UNIVERSITY HUMAN RESOURCES

DATE ISSUED:                      APRIL 1978 

LAST UPDATE:                     MAY 2002 

RATIONALE:    This procedure provides guidance and instructions to supervisors and employees regarding application for approval of a career development plan and/or specific courses. Additionally, this procedure addresses credit to student accounts or reimbursement of tuition expenses for completed courses.

POLICY:

SCOPE:  This procedure implements the provisions contained in the negotiated agreements between the university and Oakland University Professional Support Association-MEA/NEA; Oakland University United Professional Service Association-MEA/NEA; Police Officers Association of Michigan; Police Officers Labor Council; and the Personnel Policy Manual for Administrative-Professional Employees and Administrative-Professional Employees with Individual Contracts.

PROCEDURE:

1. Career Development Plan - An employee who desires to make use of the career development plan to advance his/her career must complete an OU Career Development Plan form (Appendix A).

  1. Parts I and II of the form include personal and educational data which provide an overview of the employee's current level of development. Part III reflects the selected objectives in terms of position titles, discipline, and level of competence. Participants are encouraged to select realistic and reasonably attainable objectives. Part IV reflects the difference between the present level of development and the stated objective in terms of known and reasonably available education and/or training programs. The remarks section of the form may be used to clarify and enlarge upon objectives, plans, etc.

  2. The employee submits the completed plan to the immediate supervisor for review and discussion as appropriate. Employee consultation with institutional counselors/advisors and a University Human Resources representative is recommended where appropriate. The supervisor and department head, in approving the plan, are indicating their agreement with it and their commitment to encourage the employee in attaining the objective.

  3. The plan, in most cases, will remain unchanged but may be revised by the employee when circumstances dictate a change. If such adjustment becomes necessary, the revised plan must be approved by the same administrative personnel that approved the original plan, plus any new administrative units not formerly involved in the approval.

  4. Once the plan is developed and approved, it is the employee's responsibility to initiate implementing action by enrolling in courses in accordance with the plan.

2. Career Development Application - The Career Development Application form (Appendix B) is used to secure approval for a credit course contained within the approved Career Development Plan.

  1. The form is self-explanatory. Dates and hours of class meetings, especially in cases where working hours are involved, are important. If the course is directly related to the applicant's current duties, this relationship must be noted in the appropriate space on the form. Approval of administrators shown in Part IV is intended to make them aware of the employee's activities, to indicate concurrence with a proposed class schedule conflicting with the employee's work schedule, and to confirm course relationship to current position, if claimed. Cost figures for tuition must be accurate as they will be used by University Human Resources to reserve monies for refund from a specific budget account administered by that office. The signature of the University Human Resources representative will indicate eligibility for tuition credit or refund.

  2. The form must be initiated and submitted to Employment Services, with signatures of supervisor and department head, prior to or up to the first day of class. Under no circumstances will tuition refunds or credits be processed after the first day of classes and without an approved application form.

3. Tuition Refund - Tuition refund as provided by policy will be initiated for career development courses (paragraph 2) by Employment Services upon receipt of the following:

  1. Original receipt of tuition paid

  2. Evidence of satisfactory completion of the course (grade card) within 20 days of course end date.

4. Tuition Credit - For courses taken at Oakland University, Employment Services will issue a tuition credit to the employee's student account. Employees are required to provide evidence of satisfactory course completion within 20 days of course end date.

5. Repayment Obligation - Employees are obligated to repay all or a portion of the tuition granted to them if they do not remain in the employment of their respective employee group or the university. Employees should refer to their negotiated contract or policy manual.

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

 

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