Ethics Compliance | Ethics | Chicago State University

Ethics Compliance

Program for Compliance with the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act PA 93-0617

The new State Officials and Employees Ethics Act (“SOEEA”) requires the Illinois public university governing boards in coordination with the Illinois Board of Higher Education to demonstrate they have adopted and implemented for all employees under their respective jurisdiction and control specific personnel policies relating to

(a) work time requirements,
(b) documentation of time worked,
(c) documentation for reimbursement of authorized travel expenses while on official State business, compensation, and the earning or accrual of State benefits for all State employees who may be eligible to receive those benefits. 5 ILCS 430/5-5.

“….The president or designee is fully authorized to adopt necessary standards and implementing procedures in order to effectuate the Institution’s Policies and Board Regulations and maintain them in accordance with applicable laws or regulations. The president or designee shall, at the request of the Board or the Board Chair, issue interpretive memoranda in response to questions of interpretation.” Where necessary or appropriate the president may authorize updates to this program of compliance.

The following personnel policies are in effect to assure Chicago State University (CSU) is in appropriate compliance with the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, all other applicable state laws, and the standards previously established by the Board of Trustees of CSU. Any policies stated herein that were not previously in effect are automatically effective by operation of law through authority of the Board of Trustees of Chicago State University and provisions of its Bylaws no later than March 4, 2004 to the extent authorized or required by applicable laws.

Designation of Contact Persons

Robin M. Hawkins, Esq. is the individual assigned by the President to serve as Ethics Officer for CSU.

Personnel Policies Required by the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act

Applicable CSU Policies

CSU’s Institutional Policy Manual, Article XII, Section 1, establishes policies pertaining to political activity in relation to publicly supported work time or resources. These Regulations read as follows:

"Chicago State University is an institution of Higher Education created, funded and governed by the Illinois Legislature. As such, soliciting support or money for any political party or candidate on University property, owned or leased, is prohibited.”

Accordingly, no political activity prohibited by the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act shall be conducted on university property or resources by any university employee or member of the Board of Trustees of Chicago State University.

Reporting Violations of Law, Rule, Regulation, or Policy

To put an end to misconduct it is important if you witness misconduct or have evidence of it, you report it to the proper authorities. As a University employee, it is your ethical duty to report violations of laws, rules, or regulations by another University officer, employee, or other relating to University business.

Employees should report the following activities if witnessed to the Ethics Officer at EthicsOffice@csu.edu or the Chicago State University Police Department (773) 995-2111.

Unethical activities in the workplace
Inappropriate activity in the workplace
Fraud, waste, abuse or misconduct by CSU employees or those doing business with the University

Work Time Accounting

CSU policies and procedures provide for periodic reporting and accounting of the accrual and utilization of State benefits. New requirements of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act relate to work time requirements and documentation of time worked. For each category of CSU employee, the following procedures shall apply.

Work Time Requirements and Reporting

Chicago State University maintains operations on a 7-day, 24-hour, per week basis. Individual work responsibilities naturally vary according to assignments and roles. Throughout this entire time frame, faculty and staff work schedules and task completion responsibilities are assigned to pursue and maintain the instruction, scholarship, public service and outreach commitments; organizational/administrative functions; and operations required to fulfill the university’s mission and functions. By way of example, individuals’ responsibilities may include: classroom, laboratory or field instruction, and associated preparation; evaluation and grading; one-on-one work; continuing professional education and development to maintain current competencies in relevant fields of knowledge; participation in university organizational and disciplinary professional events; and representing the university throughout a variety of time periods that include evenings and weekends.

Unless otherwise required by unusual circumstances, normal university department office hours are 8:30am through 5:00pm Monday through Friday with lunch periods designated by individual departments. Work hours pertaining to individual instructional/scholarship, services, and administrative responsibilities extend throughout the 7-day, 24-hour, workweek as necessary to maintain operations and fulfill the university’s mission.

Work schedules applicable to all full-time administrators, shall assume a minimum schedule of 40 hours of work per week. All exempt, non-negotiated civil service staff shall work 37.5 hours per week. All non-exempt, non-negotiated staff shall work a minimum schedule of 35 hours of work per work. All negotiated faculty, administrators, and staff shall work the hours as set forth in their contractual labor agreements. Expectations for part-time schedules are assigned proportionately. For purposes of compensation rates, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exempts faculty, professional, and administrative staff from maintaining specific and limited work hours (normally extending well beyond the minimum hourly standard) as necessary to fulfill their assigned responsibilities.

For purposes of this policy statement, CSU employees are subdivided into three categories (Hourly/FLSA Non-Exempt, Salaried/FLSA-Exempt, and Faculty/Instructional).

Hourly/FLSA Non-Exempt Employees

The Hourly employee category includes all hourly-paid civil service, extra help, student, and non-status employees of Chicago State University . For these positions, the Documentation of Time Worked requirements of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act shall be fulfilled through compliance with Board of Trustees Regulations. Accordingly, no Hourly employee may engage or be required to engage in prohibited political activity (as defined by applicable CSU policies and the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act) that would interfere with the normal execution of their duties and responsibilities, nor involve the use of university property or resources, for any time period during the employee’s appointment with Chicago State University. Employees must utilize available vacation/personal leave benefits or declare time off without compensations, for any activity undertaken during their normal work schedule that would fall under the definition of Board of Trustees Regulations.

Salaried/FLSA-Exempt Employees

The Salaried/FLSA-Exempt category of employment includes all salaried supportive professional Staff, administrative exempt civil service, and other employees appointed for time frame that do not correspond with the academic calendar (i.e., greater than 9-month appointments eligible for vacation accrual). For these positions, the Documentation of Time Worked requirements of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act shall be fulfilled through compliance with Board of Trustees Regulations. Accordingly, no Salaried/FLSA-Exempt employee may engage or be required to engage in prohibited political activity (as defined by applicable CSU policies and the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act) that would interfere with the normal execution of their duties and responsibilities, nor involve the use of university property or resources, for any time period during the employee’s appointment with Chicago State University. Non-instructional salaried employees must utilize available vacation/personal leave benefits, or declare time off without compensation, for any activity undertaken during their normal work schedule that would fall under the definition of Board of Trustees Regulations.

Faculty/Instructional Employees

The Faculty/Instructional employee category includes all tenured and tenure-track faculty, part-time lecturers, instructors, visiting, affiliate, graduate assistant and any other employees appointed for time frames that correspond with the academic calendar ( i.e., 9-month appointments not eligible for vacation accrual). For these positions, the Documentation of Time Worked requirements of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act shall be fulfilled through compliance with Board of Trustees Regulation. Accordingly, no Faculty/Instructional employees may engage or be required to engage in prohibited political activity (as defined by applicable CSU policies and the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act) that would interfere with the normal execution of their duties and responsibilities, nor involve the use of university property or resources, for any time period during the faculty member’s appointment with Chicago State University. Faculty/instructional employees must utilize available leave benefits (if any), or declare personal time off without compensation, for any activity undertaken during their normal work schedule that would fall under the definition of Board of Trustees Regulation.

It shall be the responsibility of all CSU employees to comply with the provisions of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act and the work time accountability requirements specified in this policy statement and other applicable regulations/procedures. CSU will maintain compliance with these procedures and employees will be held fully accountable for any proven violations of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.

Documentation for Reimbursement for Travel on Official State Business, Earning of Compensation and Accrual of State Benefits

Documentation requirements for reimbursement of official university travel expenses must comply with rules of the Higher Education Travel Control Board and relevant CSU Board of Trustees Regulations.

Documentation requirements for earning of compensation for services, and accrual of State benefits such as vacation, sick leave, bereavement leave, leaves of absence, holidays, unpaid personal leave, disability and retirement shall be maintained in accordance with applicable university policies, procedures and interpretations which are made a part of this compliance program. Eligible leave time benefit utilization shall be documented on applicable time cards and the weekly attendance record sheets for all CSU employees.