Posting Policy

Title: Posting Policy
Policy Owner: Office of the Provost and Office of the Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment
Applies to: Faculty, staff, students, visitors
Campus Applicability: Storrs and regional campuses
Approval Date: June 27, 2024
Effective Date: June 28, 2024
For More Information, Contact Office of the Provost or Office of the Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment
Contact Information: provost@uconn.edu or VPSLE@uconn.edu
Official Website: https://provost.uconn.edu or https://studentlife.uconn.edu

 

PURPOSE

This Policy is intended to ensure the responsible and effective use of bulletin boards and other areas designated for the posting of Flyers, prevent littering and the defacing of or damage to University property. This Policy is not meant to supersede other existing area specific posting policies, nor is it intended to inhibit free speech or expression.  However, all Flyers must comply with established University Policies.

APPLIES TO

Storrs and Regional Campuses, not including UConn Health and UConn Law.

DEFINITIONS

Designated Posting Areas: Specific locations on campus authorized for the display of Flyers and similar materials. These areas are established to help ensure the responsible and orderly use of space for announcements and information dissemination. Designated Posting Areas are either Controlled Posting Spaces or Open Posting Spaces.

Controlled Posting Spaces: Designated posting areas managed by respective building managers and/or departmental owners. Prior approval is required to post a flyer in a controlled posting space.

Open Posting Spaces: Designated posting areas that do not require approval prior to posting.

Flyers: Posters, printed materials, and/or any other physical materials.

POLICY STATEMENT

Flyers may only be posted in Designated Posting Areas, such as bulletin boards and other designated spaces throughout the campus. Under no circumstance may Flyers be affixed in any manner on University signs, lampposts, trees, or any place that would impede ingress/egress. For safety reasons, Flyers may not be slipped under the doors of offices, classrooms, or other University spaces. Any postings in non-designated areas will be removed.

Flyers must be affixed in a manner that does not cause damage to University property. Only non-permanent methods may be used to display Flyers. Permanent or semi-permanent adhesion that may cause damage to University property must not be used. In general, only tacks on bulletin boards, and painter’s tape on non-tackable boards should be used. Individuals/organizations wishing to post Flyers should also ensure compliance with the departments/offices' policies, including those linked in the References section below.

PROCEDURES

Printed Flyers should be of a standard size (e.g. 8.5”x11”) not to exceed 11”x17”. Only one Flyer per event or notice should be posted in each Designated Posting Area. Excess Flyers and other posting materials may be removed.

Flyers should include the name of the organization/individual responsible for the posting and the date on which it was displayed.

Individuals or groups posting Flyers for events should remove them within 24 hours of the event's completion. Once the event date has passed, anyone may remove the posting.

Building managers may remove Flyers that do not have specific dated events periodically based on the date the posting is displayed (e.g. once per semester or on another schedule).

LOCATIONS

Building managers may designate Open Posting or Controlled Posting Spaces, in consultation with leadership of departments/units within the building, for the posting of Flyers that meet the standards outlined in this Policy. Classrooms are not considered Designated Posting Areas. Postings in classrooms can be used as part of instruction during class times and should be removed after the class is over.

Open Posting Spaces are areas designated for the posting of Flyers that meet the standards outlined in this Policy and do not require prior approval. Open Posting Spaces shall be clearly marked. A listing of known locations is available in the References section below.  If a space is not clearly marked as an Open Posting Space, individuals are encouraged to seek permission before posting.

Flyers must be approved prior to posting in Controlled Posting Spaces, including materials that would be placed on or in the ground in outdoor spaces. Separate posting policies, procedures or guidelines in university buildings/departments/units may have other restrictions such as size, length of posting times, and methods for affixing materials, and will follow the standards provided by this Policy.

Refer to department/unit-specific Controlled Posting Spaces guidelines prior to posting in these spaces. Flyers that have not been approved for posting in Controlled Posting Spaces may be removed. Controlled Posting Spaces shall also be clearly marked. A listing of known locations is available in the References section. Faculty office areas (e.g. doors and bulletin boards outside of their offices) and administrative spaces are at the discretion of academic departments/building managers.

In University buildings/departments/units that have separate posting policies, procedures or guidelines,  items must be posted in accordance with the standards  provided by the specific department/unit/building and this Policy.

In University buildings/departments/units that do not have a separate policy or defined Open or Controlled Spaces, postings are not allowed.

ENFORCEMENT

Violations of this policy may result in appropriate disciplinary measures in accordance with University By-Laws, General Rules of Conduct for All University Employees, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and the University of Connecticut Student Code.

Individuals and groups can be charged with violating the University Code of Conduct or the Student Code, specifically Part III, B. 17: “Damage or misuse of property, which includes, but is not limited to, attempted or actual damage to or misuse of University property or other personal or public property”.

Individuals, departments, units, student organizations, and off-campus businesses or groups that violate this Policy will be asked to remove Flyers immediately and will be billed for any damage to University property that occurs because of improper posting.

Flyers that do not meet the standards outlined in this Policy or posted in places not designated for display may be removed at any time.

Questions about this Policy may be directed to the Office of the Provost at provost@uconn.edu or the Office of the Vice President for Life and Enrollment at VPSLE@uconn.edu.

REFERENCES

The list of departments/units with specific posting policies includes but is not limited to the following:

POLICY HISTORY

Policy created:  06/27/2024 Approved by the Senior Policy Council and the President

Financial Commitments to Institutional Training Grants and Nationally Competitive Graduate Fellowships

Title: Financial Commitments to Institutional Training Grants and Nationally Competitive Graduate Fellowships
Policy Owner: Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School
Applies to: Faculty and Graduate Students
Campus Applicability: All campuses, including master’s and PhD programs at UConn Health, and excluding the UConn School of Law
Approval Date: June 27, 2024
Effective Date: July 1, 2024
For More Information, Contact Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School
Contact Information: (860) 486-3167
Official Website: https://grad.uconn.edu/

BACKGROUND

Institutional Training Grants and Nationally Competitive Fellowships provide essential financial support for graduate students, including Stipends and partial coverage of tuition and health insurance costs. The Institutional Allowance associated with these grants and fellowships for tuition and health insurance often falls short of the total cost. This gap in funding can place a financial burden on students. The University's commitment to providing additional subsidies aims to bridge this funding gap, ensuring that graduate students can pursue their studies without financial hardship.

PURPOSE

To outline the financial commitments from the University that help ensure students supported on Institutional Training Grants or Nationally Competitive Fellowships are not responsible for tuition payments to the University and that they receive a health insurance subsidy equivalent to the subsidy available to graduate students who hold graduate assistantships.

APPLIES TO

This policy applies to all graduate students supported on an Institutional Training Grant or Nationally Competitive Fellowship and to faculty teams to whom an Institutional Training Grant is awarded.

DEFINITIONS

Institutional Allowance: Funds provided by an Institutional Training Grant or Nationally Competitive Fellowship to defray a portion of the tuition for full-time enrollment and the cost of health insurance.

Institutional Training Grant: A competitively awarded grant from an external organization or agency provided to teams of faculty for the purpose of training graduate students in specific disciplines, which often complements faculty research. These grants offer important financial support for graduate students, including Stipends.

Nationally Competitive Fellowship: A fellowship available to U.S. graduate students that is awarded by a federal agency or other external organization to individual graduate students who apply and who are selected by a review panel overseen by the awarding agency or organization.

Stipend: A Stipend is an allowance provided by either an Institutional Training Grant or a Nationally Competitive Fellowship intended to support living expenses of the graduate student supported by the award.

POLICY STATEMENT

The University may provide tuition and health insurance subsidies to bridge the gap between an Institutional Allowance associated with Institutional Training Grants or Nationally Competitive Fellowships and a graduate student’s total cost of tuition and health insurance. To qualify for the tuition and health insurance subsidies available under this policy the following conditions apply:

  1. Institutional Training Grants: Students supported on the Institutional Training Grants listed below will receive subsidies for tuition and health insurance if the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School has approved the Institutional Allowance in the budget request associated with the grant proposal before the grant has been submitted. The faculty member or team must apply for the maximum Institutional Allowance available under the award. Graduate students supported on Institutional Training Grants not listed below may receive subsidies at the discretion of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School provided the Institutional Allowance associated with the grant covers a substantial fraction of the total cost of tuition and health insurance and the faculty applied for the maximum Institutional Allowance available under the award.
    • Department of Education – Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need
    • National Institutes of Health – Ruth L. Kirschtein Institutional Awards (T32, )
    • National Science Foundation – National Research Traineeship
    • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) – Training Grants
    • Department of Agriculture – National Needs
  1. Nationally Competitive Fellowships: Students supported on the Nationally Competitive Fellowships listed below will receive subsidies for tuition and health insurance. Students supported on other nationally competitive fellowships may receive subsidies at the discretion of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School provided the fellowship offers an annual Stipend equal to or greater than Level I graduate assistantship (9-month) Stipend as well as an Institutional Allowance determined to be adequate by the VP and Dean.
    • National Defense Science & Engineering Grad Fellowships (NDSEG)
    • National Institutes of Health - Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
    • National Science Foundation – Graduate Research Fellowship
  1. Notification Requirement: Faculty teams leading an Institutional Training Grant and the home departments of students holding a Nationally Competitive Fellowship must notify the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School of all supported students at least six weeks before the beginning of each semester.
  2. Graduate Students: Graduate students receiving subsidies must register as full-time students. They are responsible for mandatory fees associated with enrollment unless the award specifically mandates that the Institutional Allowance is intended to cover fees as well as tuition. Graduate students must also pay a portion of the health insurance premium equivalent to that charged to graduate assistants in similar circumstances.

ENFORCEMENT

Violations of this policy may result in appropriate disciplinary measures in accordance with University By-Laws, General Rules of Conduct for All University Employees, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and the University of Connecticut Student Code.

POLICY HISTORY

Policy created:   06/27/2024 Approved by the Senior Policy Council and the President

Revisions:                         

Replaces:  Policy on Competitive Federal Graduate Fellowship Awards; Policy on Competitive Non-Federal Graduate Fellowship Awards

Modified Duties for Faculty Due to Life Events, Policy on

December 19, 2023

Title: Modified Duties for Faculty Due to Life Events
Policy Owner: Human Resources
Office of the Provost
Applies to: All Faculty
Campus Applicability: Storrs and Regional Campuses
Approval Date: December 19, 2023
Effective Date: January 1, 2024
For More Information, Contact: Human Resources
Contact Information: hr@uconn.edu
Official Website: https://hr.uconn.edu/ 

BACKGROUND

The University of Connecticut is committed to fostering an educational community with a flexible and supportive work environment where faculty can thrive in both their professional and personal lives. Periodically, a faculty member may need to modify some level of academic duties in order to respond to an anticipated or unanticipated personal qualifying life event.

The university encourages faculty to utilize this policy as needed to respond to anticipated or unanticipated life events or situations.

This policy does not diminish, supersede or replace other employee entitlements, such as FMLA, the Faculty Medical Leave Guidelines, ADA, personal leave, or leaves under the By-Laws of the University of Connecticut, the UConn AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement, or any other state or federal law. Instead, this benefit is available upon a faculty member’s return to on-campus activities following such a leave or when modified duties fully resolve the issue or supplement existing entitlements.

PURPOSE

This policy allows a faculty member to request a temporary modification of academic duties in order to respond to an anticipated or unanticipated personal life event or situation (see Qualifying Events definition). Specifically, the intent of this policy is to modify or re-arrange a faculty member’s duties over the course of a semester or 12-month equivalency to address an immediate and short-term personal need or obligation. Of note, duty modifications do not decrease a faculty member’s responsibilities; instead, modification allows the faculty member, in conjunction with their Department Head and/or Dean, to exchange duties on a short-term basis.

Modified duties involve either 1) full-time work with flexible schedule, modified work duties as defined herein, remote work, and/or other arrangements as agreed upon and approved or 2) a combination of working less than full-time (Voluntary Schedule Reduction), paid leave and/or leave without pay (e.g. FMLG/FMLA if eligible), as appropriate.

DEFINITIONS

Modified Duties: Modification, partial release, or complete release from teaching and/or other responsibilities in which alternative duties will be assigned for a period of one semester or the equivalent of one semester distributed over a longer period not to exceed 12 months.

Primary Caregiver: The person primarily responsible for the care and upbringing of a child or the care of an immediate family member with a serious illness or injury.

Secondary Caregiver: The person who provides backup care in the absence of the primary caregiver.

Immediate Family Member: Immediate family means spouse, parent, parent-in-law, sibling, sibling in-law, child, and any relative who is domiciled in the employee’s household.

Qualifying Event: In most instances, faculty members will seek the benefits of this policy following their return from an approved medical leave after the birth or adoption of a child. Other qualifying circumstances could include: short-term care for the employee or an immediate family member on a part-time basis following the completion of an approved personal or FMLA leave; or bereavement following the death of an immediate family member or other emergency circumstance. The University will not grant duty modifications for faculty members to devote time to consulting, outside employment, or non-medical related family obligations.

POLICY STATEMENT

All full-time tenure-track and non-tenure-track (e.g., Clinical, In Residence, Lecturer, and Extension) faculty members, and Athletics’ titles (Article 37) serving as the primary or secondary caregiver shall be eligible for modified duties due to a qualifying life event involving themselves or immediate family member(s). The faculty member or an employee covered by Article 37 must submit a Modified Duties Request form to seek permission and receive approval before modified duties can be assigned or implemented.

All Academic Assistants (Article 13[1]), Facilities Scientists (Article 13), Research Assistants (Article 24), Research Associates (Article 24), and Temporary Faculty(Article 26), are not eligible for modified duties and will continue to be eligible to request remote work, flexible schedules or use of paid leave and/or leave without pay (e.g. FMLG/FMLA if eligible), when appropriate and with approval.

Approval for modified duties does not alter contractual employment agreements and cannot be used as a basis to extend employment contracts.

ENFORCEMENT

Violations of this policy may result in appropriate disciplinary measures in accordance with University By-Laws, General Rules of Conduct for All University Employees and applicable collective bargaining agreements.

PROCEDURES/FORMS

Available from the Academic Affairs section of the Academic Affairs Governance Document Library.

  • Procedures for Modified Duties for Faculty Due to Life Events

REFERENCES

Tenure Clock Adjustments for Qualifying Life Events for more information.
Leave of Absences (FMLA, Leave without pay, Military Leave)
Voluntary Schedule Reduction

Acknowledgments: This policy is based on the University of South Carolina’s, Modified Duties for Faculty policy (https://www.sc.edu/policies/ppm/acaf160.pdf.). Adaptations were made to fit the University of Connecticut context.

POLICY HISTORY

Policy created: 12/19/2023 (Approved by Senior Policy Council and the President)

 

[1] Article references are to the collective bargaining agreement between the University of Connecticut and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP-UConn).

 

Restriction on Lithium-Ion Battery Motorized Personal Transportation Vehicles (MPTV) Policy

July 11, 2023

Title: Restriction on Lithium-ion Battery Powered Motorized Personal Transportation Vehicles within University Owned and/or Managed Buildings
Policy Owner: University Safety
Applies to: Students, Workforce Members, and Visitors
Campus Applicability: All Campuses
Approval Date: August 30, 2023
Effective Date: August 31, 2023
For More Information, Contact: University Safety, University of Connecticut Fire Department
Deputy Fire Chief & Executive Officer
Contact Information: UConnFire@uconn.edu
Official Website: https://universitysafety.uconn.edu/fire/safety/

BACKGROUND

The proliferation and utility of lithium-ion battery powered motorized personal transportation vehicles (MPTVs) (e.g., mopeds, scooters, e-bikes, etc.) throughout the University of Connecticut (UConn) has led to a significant community safety concern as these devices are charged, stored, and utilized within University owned and occupied buildings.

Lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries, when incorrectly charged or stored, can create thermal runaway in which the lithium-ion cell enters an uncontrollable, self-heating state, resulting in the ejection of gas, shrapnel and/or particulates, extremely high temperatures, smoke, and fire. This can result in high intensity flame and noxious gases that pose a serious risk to life safety, and can cause catastrophic property damage.

PURPOSE

To reduce the risk of safety hazards, property damage and potential disruption to business continuity by enacting a  University-wide restriction on the charging, storage, and use of lithium-ion battery-powered motorized personal transportation vehicles (MPTVs) within all University-owned and/or managed buildings and the University’s electrical infrastructure. The storage, charging, and maintenance of Motorized Personal Transportation Vehicles within University owned or managed buildings, or through use of the University’s electrical infrastructure, is strictly prohibited.

APPLIES TO

All University students, staff, faculty, and visitors, and University-owned and/or managed buildings across all campuses.

DEFINITIONS

Associated Electrical Infrastructure: the equipment and services necessary to take electrical energy generated and transmitted for end-use. Charging MPTVs within University owned and/or managed buildings and their associated electrical infrastructure transfers the risk of life safety hazards and property damage to areas that may directly impact business continuity (e.g. academic and operational buildings). A building’s interior and exterior electrical infrastructure may not be rated to handle such electrical demands. 

Motorized Personal Transportation Vehicle (MPTV): a vehicle or device used for human transport that does not require a license to operate and utilizes a fuel or battery driven motor for propulsion (e.g., electric bicycle, electric skateboard, hoverboard, self-balancing electric scooter, gasoline powered scooter, moped, etc.).

Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) Battery: a type of rechargeable battery composed of cells in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode through an electrolyte to the positive electrode during discharge and back when charging. These cells use an intercalated lithium compound as the material at the positive electrode, and typically graphite at the negative electrode.

POLICY STATEMENT

The storage, charging, and maintenance of MPTVs within University-owned and/or managed buildings, or through use of the University’s electrical infrastructure is strictly prohibited. Exceptions to this Policy are MPTVs that are used for medical purposes (e.g., lithium-ion battery powered wheelchairs) and items used in approved and supervised research activities.

ENFORCEMENT

Violations of this policy may result in appropriate disciplinary measures in accordance with University By-Laws, General Rules of Conduct for All University Employees, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and the University of Connecticut Student Code.

PROCEDURES

University Building owners and stewards (e.g., Residential Life, School of Engineering, Student Union, Athletics, etc.), and their designees, will support compliance and enforcement of this policy by  notifying occupants and visitors through messaging (e.g., signage, internal email communication, etc.). University Building owners will direct removal of MPTVs from within buildings when device owners are unresponsive to compliance.

Any lithium-ion batteries, or powered devices that display signs of pending Thermal Runaway (e.g., bulging, off-gassing, high temperature production, etc.) are an immediate danger to life and health, and shall result in a notification to University Safety/public safety authorities via 9-1-1.

REFERENCES

Residential Life, University of Connecticut (2022). 2022-2023 Housing Contract. https://reslife.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3384/2023/03/UConn-Reslife_Housing_Contract-2022-2023-.pdf

POLICY HISTORY

Policy created: August 30, 2023 (Approved by the Senior Policy Council and the President)