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The Faculty Dismissal Policy describes the appropriate rationale and process for dismissing a faculty member whose employment is secured—through tenure or other kinds of contractual letters of appointment.

The Master Teachers Policy describes the designation of “Master Teacher”, setting forth criteria for selection of faculty to receive this designation, as well as the process for nominating and selecting them.

The Fellowships and Externally-Funded Leaves Policy supports Baylor University faculty who apply for fellowships or other externally-funded leaves, providing the framework for pursuing and implementing these opportunities.

The ITS Support Policy discusses the range of support levels through ITS for information technology services.

The Procurement Card Policy is an update to the existing Purchasing Card Policy, to encompass both university liability/university paid card programs (Purchasing Card and Department Card).

The Off-Cycle Payroll Policy allows for processing of payroll payments to employees outside of normal payroll dates when circumstances beyond the employee’s control prohibit payment as scheduled or as otherwise required by law.

The Staff Separation Policy is designed to ensure that all staff separations, regardless of the reason, are handled consistently, fairly, and respectfully. The policy provides clear guidance on the responsibilities of the staff member, the supervisor, and Human Resources throughout the process.

The Policy on Romantic and/or Sexual Conduct with Student and Supervisees serves to uphold the integrity of the academic and professional environment and seeks to protect the well-being of all parties.

The Staff Disciplinary Actions Policy  requires employees to follow University policies and to meet performance and behavioral expectations. Supervisors are required to hold employees accountable for performance and behavior in the workplace. When performance and/or behavior fails to meet expectations, disciplinary action should be both positive and corrective in nature.

The Emergency and Incident Policy provides guidance when Baylor University changes campus operations due to hazardous weather conditions, natural or manmade emergencies, or other incidents.

The Research Leaves Policy establishes the structure and expectations for Compensated Research Time known as “Research Leave” at Baylor University, outlining responsibilities for both the institution and participating faculty members. 

The Whistleblower Policy encourages good faith reporting of suspected or actual misconduct, including any violation of law, regulation or Baylor policy, and prohibits interference with, or retaliation for, such reporting. 

The Employee Records Policy establishes principles regarding Baylor’s collection, storage, use, and release of personnel records in a manner consistent with applicable law and the mission of Baylor University as set forth in Baylor in Deeds.

The Substantive Change policy provides clear and appropriate guidelines for changes that provide a significant modification on the nature and scope of the institution. These include high-impact, high-risk changes and changes that can impact the quality of educational programs and services.

The Privacy Policy establishes principles regarding Baylor’s collection, storage, use, and transmission of personal and confidential information in a manner consistent with applicable law and the mission of Baylor University as set forth in Baylor in Deeds.

The Policy on Misconduct in Research establishes the University’s compliance with federal regulations concerning the requirement to have and maintain written policies and procedures for addressing allegations of research misconduct (42 CFR 93.300; 45 CFR 689.4; etc.)

The Network Usage Policy serves as requirements for connection to the Baylor network.

The University-issued Travel Card is the preferred payment method for faculty and staff to purchase domestic and international business travel, and business entertainment goods and services.

The Fleet Card program enables University departments and authorized users to efficiently pay for fuel purchases for University owned and leased vehicles. The Fleet Card Policy formalizes and expands upon current Fleet Card guidance, detailing card eligibility, specifications, use, and reconciliation.

The University Faculty Ombuds is appointed by the Provost, with the concurrence of the Faculty Senate, and serves to facilitate the resolution of faculty concerns in an impartial manner. The Ombuds is able to serve as an informal, private resource for faculty questions, issues, and disputes. The Ombuds is not an advocate for the administration or faculty but for fair process and impartial mediation. The Faculty Ombuds operates independently of the University’s formal grievance procedures, has no decision-making authority, and is independent of the University’s normal academic administration.

The University Grounds and Access Policy establishes the fundamental principles for controlling access to all University-owned or controlled grounds and facilities. The purpose of this policy is to clearly outline the access procedures for all Baylor University Properties and to enhance campus safety and security, thereby fostering opportunities for student learning and community engagement for all individuals present on University property, including employees, students, affiliates, contractors, and guests.

The Faculty Recruitment and Employment Policy ensures compliance with employment laws and regulations and promotes and ensures fairness in the University’s faculty recruitment process by providing guidance for the University in identifying, recruiting, and hiring the most qualified candidates.

The System Administration Policy replaces the previous Server Security Policy. This updated policy maintains the established security requirements for servers while expanding its scope to address powerful IDs in cloud environments.

The Surplus and Salvage Property Policy establishes requirements for declaring, managing, and disposing of University-owned movable property such as vehicles, furniture, fixtures, and equipment.

The Academic Freedom and Duties Policy articulates the University’s commitment to academic freedom for faculty members, as well as expectations for the performance of their duties.

The Institutional Base Salary Policy establishes Baylor University’s definition of Institutional Base Salary (IBS) and provides the requirements and guidelines regulating IBS calculations for all Baylor faculty and staff and all Sponsored Projects at the University.

The Student Conduct Code applies to all persons taking courses at or through Baylor University, either full-time or part-time, pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or professional studies. Each student is responsible for learning about and adhering to the Baylor University Student Conduct Code.

The Spouse and Children Tuition Remission program provides tuition assistance to a spouse and child of eligible faculty and staff who are pursuing a degree at Baylor University.

The Employee Tuition Remission program provides tuition assistance eligible faculty and staff who are pursuing a degree at Baylor University.

The Baylor University Policy on Hazing describes the University’s definition of hazing, the scope of its proscription, and the institutional responsibilities for prevention, reporting, and enforcement.

The Animals on Campus Policy standardizes Baylor University’s position on the management of animals on University-controlled property.

In order to realign the approvals for exceptions to the Nepotism Policy to the level of leadership closest to the impact of the familial relationship, we have made changes to the policy as outlined below.

The Honor Code has been revised to change the quorum requirement for hearings. A quorum now consists of four Honor Council members, including at least one voting faculty member and one student member. Additionally, under the revised policy, any student requesting a postponement of a scheduled hearing fewer than three business days in advance must provide a valid reason, supported by documentary or other tangible evidence, at the time of the request. Otherwise, the request will not be considered, and the hearing will proceed as scheduled.

The Technology Usage Policy addresses the intended use of technology for the Baylor University community.

The Faculty Workload and Merit Evaluation Policy establishes workload expectations for full-time, regular faculty members. These expectations inform the annual faculty merit evaluation process.

The Tobacco-Free and Smoke-Free Campus Policy prohibits smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, and other tobacco products) and nicotine substances not approved or cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as smoking cessation products by students, faculty, staff, and visitors on all University owned, operated, leased, occupied, or controlled property.

The Americans with Disabilities Act Policy (BU-PP 415) and the Lactation Accommodations Policy (BU-PP 416) have been updated to ensure compliance with the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and to provide greater clarity for employees.

The Export Compliance Policy establishes the University’s compliance with federal regulations concerning exports.

The Tuition Reimbursement Program provides tuition assistance to eligible employees who are pursuing a post-secondary degree or taking courses or training towards the maintenance of an existing job-related credential.

The Shared Governance Policy provides guidance and facilitates transparency across the institution regarding how Baylor’s various constituent groups speak into shared governance and decision-making processes.

The Code of Ethics and Personal Conduct Policy establishes the University’s ethical principles and guidelines on expected behavior in the workplace.

The Facility Improvements, Capital Projects, and Space Allocations Policy, originally published in March 2022, formalized the prioritization and approval process for facility improvements and projects, and ensures all University space is allocated, utilized, and managed according to Baylor University’s vision, mission, and goals, in direct support of the strategic plan. 

The Academic Credentials for Faculty, Graduate Teaching Assistants, and Other Teachers Policy (“Faculty Credentials Policy”) provides clear and appropriate guidelines for the qualifications of any Baylor University teacher of record.

The Workplace Violence policy establishes a zero-tolerance policy that prohibits discrimination and retaliation.

The Excused Absence for Required Short-Term Military Service policy provides reasonable academic accommodations to students who are called to short-term required U.S. military service in order to assist them in meeting their academic requirements.

Student location can impact enrollment eligibility for educational programs, depending on state licensure requirements by the agencies with jurisdiction. Academic programs leading to professions with state licensure or certification requirements will disclose to applicants and students the program’s determination whether it meets the licensure or certification requirements of the states in which the applicant or student is located and/or intends to practice the profession. Students must formally communicate their location by the time of initial enrollment and whenever they have a change of their location.

The Admission to Campus Events and Certain University Facilities policy provides details on the events and facilities that employees and retirees have access to as a perk of being an employee of Baylor University.

The Credit Hour Policy addresses Baylor University’s definition of a credit hour and how that credit hour relates the course curricula to their specified learning outcomes and the estimated time allotted to achieve those outcomes.

The Technology Incident Reporting Policy discusses how the Baylor University community reports a technology-related incident to ITS.

The Lab Visitor Policy provides guidance around access to Lab Spaces and under what conditions.

The Procurement Policy is intended to guide University employees making and approving purchase transactions on behalf of the University.

The Contract Signature Authority and Board Approvals Policy establishes principles and thresholds to be followed in seeking Board of Regents approval prior to executing a contract. 

The Health Leave Policy provides paid leave to eligible employees for reasons related to mental health or illness of an employee, their spouse, children or parent. Paid time off is also provided for attending healthcare and dental appointments for employees, their spouse, children, and parents.

The Traffic, Transportation, and Parking Policy regulates parking and transportation at Baylor University.

The Affiliate Faculty Policy sets forth the qualifications, responsibilities, and guidelines for appointment for Affiliate Faculty at Baylor University.

The Short-Term Study Abroad Compensation Policy is designed to specify compensation rates for faculty teaching in and/or directing short-term study abroad programs.

The Adjunct Faculty policy establishes baseline standards related to search processes, employment agreements, and conditions of employment for adjunct faculty.

The Policy on Full-Time Lecturers, Senior Lecturers, and Teaching Professors at Baylor University sets forth the roles and responsibilities of full-time Lecturers, Senior Lecturers, and Teaching Professors at Baylor University in support of Baylor’s mission.

The Guest Housing Policy provides guidelines for the apartments managed by Guest Housing.

The Outside Activities and Interests Policy provides resources and guidelines for employees about situations that could generate or appear to generate conflicts of interest.

The Protection of Minors Policy sets forth the efforts our faculty, staff, students, volunteers, contractors, and consultants are required to take to minimize the threat of child abuse and to respond promptly should abuse be observed, suspected, or disclosed.

The Minister FICA Exemption Policy establishes a process by which ordained ministers can request exemption from FICA tax withholding.

The Access Control Policy provides guidance for access to facilities and other buildings across Baylor University.

The Faculty Grievance Policy addresses situations in which faculty might have grievances.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Policy is designed to comply with the University’s obligations toward its employees under all relevant federal, state, and local laws set forth in the American with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The Faculty Separation Policy seeks to ensure that all separations, regardless of the reason(s), are executed in a consistent, fair, supportive, and respectful manner.

The Policy on Clinical Faculty at Baylor University sets forth the roles and responsibilities of clinical faculty.

The Policy on Full-Time Lecturers and Senior Lecturers at Baylor University sets forth the roles and responsibilities of lecturers.

The Study Abroad Summer Compensation Policy is designed to specify compensation rates for faculty teaching in and/or directing summer study abroad programs.

The Fraud Policy outlines the University’s commitment to creating an anti-fraud culture and maintaining high ethical standards.

The Policy on Protected Health Information Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act informs Baylor community members of the lawful handling of PHI and establishes a system and provides guidance for operating units for complying with HIPAA regulations.

The Lactation Accommodation Policy creates a supportive working environment to enable faculty and staff to have time during work to express breastmilk.

The Post-Issuance Compliance Policy establishes guidelines to facilitate compliance with the federal tax law applicable to Baylor’s outstanding tax-exempt debt issues, including documentation and filing requirements, use of proceeds, and limitations on the use of property financed by tax-exempt debt.

The Financial Liquidity Policy establishes standards regarding how financial resources are to be managed to support the short-term and long-term financial health of the University, including preservation of sufficient liquidity to meet obligations as they come due and to plan for strategic investments which further the University’s mission.

The Survey Policy is a new policy, intended to ensure that surveys are conducted effectively and within the guidelines of the University.

The International Agreements Policy is designed to provide guidance to Baylor faculty and staff seeking to enter into agreements with international entities.

The Policy on Hazing is an adaptation of the previous statement on hazing, intended to provide clarity for students and those who work with students on what constitute hazing under the State of Texas laws and what constitutes hazing for Baylor University.

The Fleet Management Policy is a new policy, intended to promote a proactive approach to procedures and processes for the efficient management of university fleet for departments.

The Institutional Base Salary Policy defines Base Salary for Baylor faculty and staff for the purpose of ensuring consistency when salaries are charged to federal grants and agreements, as required by the Code of Federal Regulations 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance, or UG), section 430, “Compensation for Personal Services.”

The Travel Card Policy formalizes and expands on current Travel Card guidelines and outlines requirements for card eligibility, use, and reconciliation.

The Travel and Business Expense Policy formalizes and expands on current travel and expense guidelines and outlines university requirements for all stages of the travel process.

The Civil Rights Policy prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of protected characteristics (excluding sex-based harassment which is addressed by the SIM Policy) and provides grievance processes for allegations of conduct prohibited by this policy.

The Traffic, Transportation, and Parking Policy regulates parking and transportation at Baylor University.

The Policy on University Distinguished Professors at Baylor University is a new policy, intended to codify a process for recognizing faculty who have achieved exceptional national and international recognition in their respective disciplines.

To increase policy efficiency while continuing to comply with industry best practices to ensure fairness and equity in our staff selection and hiring process, the former Staff Promotions/ Transfer, New Employment Onboarding, and Temporary Staff Employment policies have been merged with the updated Staff Recruitment and Employment policy.

The Use of Air Charter Services and Donor Aircraft Policy acknowledges time is an important consideration for the President, Vice Presidents, and other senior staff when traveling, and the necessity of attending certain events or meeting University obligations may require adaptability not found in the current commercial air market. Air charter service is also frequently used for athletic team travel, especially when required by athletic regulatory agencies for health and safety measures. In addition, from time to time, Donor Air Charters are made available for use by the University, and such usage needs to receive the same safety and protocol scrutiny as commercial charter flights.

The Family Members Accompanying Short-Term Study Abroad Policy formalizes practices regarding the responsibilities of faculty participating in short-term study abroad programs.

The PCI Policy sets forth the responsibilities of Baylor University (“Baylor”) employees, departments, and Payment Card Oversight Committee in their roles related to the proper and confidential handling of credit card information on behalf of Baylor.

The Use of Online Directories Policy sets forth the rights and responsibilities of Baylor University, its faculty, staff, and students in their roles as members of the University community using information derived from official Baylor online directories.

The Facility Improvements, Capital Projects, and Space Allocations Policy formalizes the prioritization and approval process for facility improvements and projects, and ensures all University space is allocated, utilized, and managed according to Baylor University’s vision, mission, and goals, in direct support of the strategic plan.

The Distance and Online Learning Student Information Policy is a new policy to explicitly meet federal and accreditation requirements for students enrolled in distance and online courses or programs.

The Academic Appeals Policy and Procedure outlines the University’s academic appeals process.

The Student Employment Policy (BU-PP 121) establishes eligibility, guidelines, and procedures to allow currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students to perform work at the University.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Policy establishes guidelines and procedures to provide qualified individuals with reasonable accommodations in compliance with civil rights law.

The Handling of Confidential Information Policy sets forth the rights and responsibilities of Baylor University faculty and staff in their roles as members of the University community using confidential information.

The Art & Collections Policy formalizes and expands on existing University practices regarding the care and use of art and collections owned by Baylor.