Nepotism Policy
Date: 06-04-19
Procedure Number: 1CP6.10.01
Procedure Title: Nepotism Policy
Date AAG reviewed: 05-07-19
Date approved by Executive Team: 05-22-19
Date approved by Navigators Council: 06-03-19
Date posted by Rules Coordinator: 06-04-19
Contact: Dean Erin Blakeney, Student Success at eblakeney@cascadia.edu
Applicable WAC/RCW: RCW 42.52
Nepotism Policy
(1) Policy. The purpose of this Nepotism Policy is to prevent conflicts of interest arising whenever employees may be in a position of supervisory or professional responsibility with respect to a family member or otherwise involved in institutional decisions directly affecting the beneficial, financial, or professional interests of a family member.
(a) Supervisory or Professional Authority. Cascadia employees shall not serve in a position of supervisory or professional responsibility, or otherwise exercise supervisory or professional authority, with respect to a family member, including but not limited to teaching courses in which a family member is enrolled as a student.
(b) Participation in Institutional Decisions. Cascadia employees shall not initiate or participate in institutional decisions in which a family member has a direct beneficial, financial, or professional interest (such as personnel decisions, academic evaluations, or the awarding of business or research contracts).
(c) Special Privileges. Cascadia employees shall not use their positions to secure special privileges or exemptions for themselves or for a family member, except as required to perform their duties within the scope of their employment.
(d) Accessing or Processing Student Records. A Cascadia employee shall not access, process, modify, or delete student records of any kind maintained by the institution that directly relate to a current, prospective, or former Cascadia student who is the employee or a family member of the employee.
(2) Definitions.
(a) Family Member. The term “family member” means: (i) an employee’s spouse or domestic partner; (i) a child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, sibling, stepsibling, aunt/uncle, nephew/niece, or cousin of the employee or of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner; or (iii) the spouse or domestic partner of any person identified in this subsection (2)(a)(ii).
(b) Supervisory or Professional Responsibility. An employee is in a position of “supervisory or professional responsibility” with respect to a family member when the employee is the family member’s supervisor or otherwise has the capacity to exercise supervisory or professional authority or influence with respect to the educational or employment interests of the family member.
(3) Reporting and Managing Potential Conflicts.
(a) Employee Responsibilities. Cascadia employees are responsible for complying with this policy and for notifying their supervisor whenever it appears that they may be in a position of supervisory or professional responsibility with respect to a family member.
(b) Supervisor Responsibilities. Supervisors are responsible for reporting the potential conflict to Human Resources and for providing interim management of the potential conflict in consultation with Human Resources.
(c) Administrative Responsibilities. Human Resources or Faculty Relations shall be responsible for assessing the potential conflict and for working with the administrative unit or academic department to eliminate or otherwise manage the conflict.
(4) Policy Violations. Suspected violations of this policy shall be reported to and investigated by Human Resources. Employees and supervisors found to have violated this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination for cause.