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Policy Contact: Office of Human Resources

1. Purpose

   This policy and its procedures set forth the protocols related to the University's employee job duty training and related professional development needs.

2. Definitions
    
   1. Training: one or a series of formal, planned activities which are instructional in nature and are developed for attendees' acquisition of demonstrable knowledge, skills, and abilities as employees.
       
   2. Training and Development Plan: a strategy and course of Training designed to achieve discrete objectives arising from the University's mission, core values, and strategic plan.
       
   3. Unit: as used herein, Unit refers to a college, department, school, division, or other University office.
       
3. Policy
    
   1. The Office of Human Resources administers the University's Training and Development Plan in accordance with the annual review of the Plan approved by the V.P. for Human Resources.
       
   2. In accordance with the University's strategic plan, the University intends that Training will be a planned activity; that employees receive Training necessary to achieve development of skills, knowledge, and abilities related to their job duties and individual growth; and that Training programs will provide for the full development and utilization of the human resources potential of all employees in conformity with University core values and the University strategic plan.
       
   3. The Training and Development Plan shall provide for the following:
      1. A uniform and equitable procedure for spending funds for employee Training and development.
      2. The use of in-house Training and, where funding permits, outside Training.
      3. Continuous staff development and the assignment of that responsibility to designated employees for the University to increase the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees to meet both present and future needs of their Units and the University.
          
   4. Training Program
      1. Training will be required for:
         1. New and Returning Employees
            1. To orient them to the University programs and policies; and
            2. To teach them the skills, knowledge, abilities, and attitudes necessary to safely and efficiently perform their jobs. 
         2. Supervisory and Management Employees
            1. To provide and update them with supervisory, management, and human relations skills, so they can effectively work with the employees they supervise to accomplish University and Unit goals and objectives; and
            2. To orient supervisory and management employees to University policies and procedures.
         3. All Employees
            1. To provide and update them with workplace skills so they can effectively serve the public and work harmoniously and efficiently with other employees;
            2. To improve practices in their roles and responsibilities;
            3. To enable employees to develop and realize their own potential, including their potential for promotion at the University; and
            4. To address safety, risk management, security, and compliance issues, including keeping employees up to date on policy and regulatory changes impacting their work.
         4. Individual Employees or Units
            1. To provide and update employees or Units that require remedial development Training to support future employment success.
      2. Training may be accomplished through one or a combination of the following methods:
         1. Technical Training: For new or experienced employees designed to provide minimum skills necessary to perform assigned job duties of the current position.
         2. Proficiency Training: For employees designed to correct a deficiency identified in reviewing work improvement plans or performance reviews, or to provide additional knowledge that would improve performance in their current position.
         3. Developmental Training: For employees designed to develop skills or provide knowledge that will enhance an employee's opportunity for promotion.
         4. In-House Training: Received from University personnel, including online/e-learning and formal in-person instruction through in-service offerings or classes.
         5. Outside Training: Received from anyone other than the University.
      3. University Training is a joint responsibility of Human Resources, individual Units, and other University entities, employees, managers, and supervisors. The Director of Human Resources, or successor, maintains overall responsibility for management of employee Training, including the development of Training and Development Plans.
      4. Human Resources will:
         1. Implement this policy and develop and implement the Training and Development Plans and associated programs in consultation or collaboration with University Units;
         2. Conduct Training needs assessments;
         3. Plan, design, and instruct/collaborate to instruct University-wide, Unit, or individually needed Proficiency, Developmental, and remedial Training;
         4. Coordinate Proficiency and Developmental Training needs with executive staff, other agencies, or private consultants in the most efficient and effective method possible;
         5. Screen and evaluate available Training programs;
         6. Coordinate, advise, and assist Units with their technical Training requirements, as needed;
         7. Review Proficiency and Developmental Training curricula and outcomes; and
         8. Administer University general Training funds, when available.
      5. Units are responsible for:
         1. Working with Human Resources for development of the Training and Development Plans;
         2. Collaborating with Human Resources in the deployment of required Training;
         3. Ensuring employees take their assigned Training;
         4. Tracking employees' compliance for general safety, security, compliance, Technical, or other Training or Unit specific Training; and
         5. Providing or arranging for Unit specific Training.
      6. Employees are responsible for completing general safety, security, compliance, and other Training, and Unit specific Training, as well as for notifying their supervisor if a hazard is encountered for which they have not been trained.
      7. Required Training: The University and supervisors may require employees to attend Training that is job-related, meets identified employer needs, and/or is required by state or federal law or other regulatory authority, including but not limited to:
         1. For new and returning employees, new employee orientation and benefits orientation;
         2. For new or transferring employees, departmental orientation;
         3. For new supervisors, management and supervisory orientations and Training;
         4. Title IX/EO required Training;
         5. IT Security Awareness required Training;
         6. For all employees, all safety, security, and compliance Training;
         7. For individual employees and Units, remedial Training; and
         8. For employees with hazardous job duties as designated by their department, environmental health and safety Training.
   5. Employee Eligibility and Release Time
      1. Employees are eligible to participate in University Training activities.
      2. Required attendance at Training during the employee's normal work hours is considered time worked.
      3. Required attendance outside of working hours is considered time worked and must be compensated in accordance with the FLSA.
      4. Release time is available to employees for non-required, University-sponsored, in-service Training.
   6. Professional Development
      1. Employees may be granted professional development leave in accordance with SDBOR Policy 4.5.3.
   7. Required Supervisory and Management Training
      1. Every new supervisor or manager shall be required to take supervisory and management Training in the semester they are appointed, with the exception of summer appointees who may receive Training in the following fall semester. Supervisors and managers shall be required to take refresher or continuing Training every academic year subsequent to the academic year in which they were appointed a supervisor or manager.
      2. Training shall be offered within the first thirty (30) working days of the fall and spring semesters, and as otherwise approved by the Director of Human Resources, or successor.
      3. Human Resources may waive the requirements for supervisory Training in cases where the supervisor or manager has occupied a designated supervisory or management position for at least one (1) continuous year prior to the present appointment and has demonstrated experience and competence, or the employee can demonstrate their completion of comparable Training to satisfy University requirements.
   8. Human Resources will bi-annually assess the Training needs of campus and quality of programming and the Training and Development Plan by using surveys, questionnaires, or other forms of soliciting feedback from Training participants and their supervisors. Based on this feedback, Human Resources will update the Training and Development Plan.
   9. Participants in Training sessions may be asked to take a final quiz to assess their retention of the Training information. Participants may also be asked to complete and submit course evaluations, which will be used to monitor the quality of the courses and instruction.
   10. Human Resources may consult and assist course designers and instructors in the design and delivery of programs. Courses may be modified, enhanced, or canceled as determined by the University.
   11. Human Resources will report annually to the V.P. for Human Resources the following relevant statistics related to the Training and Development Plan:
       1. Description of Training courses deployed (subject, date, time, and instructor);
       2. Number of participants in each Training session;
       3. Unit of the participants in each Training session;
       4. Amount of work hours dedicated to each Training session by University employees;
       5. Percentage of participants with a passing mark (where applicable);
       6. Description of updates to Training courses; and
       7. Description of those employees who are mandated to attend and complete required Training but failed to do so. 

4. Responsible Administrator

   The Vice President for Human Resources, successor, or designee, is responsible for the annual and ad hoc review of this policy and its procedures. The University President is responsible for approval of this policy.

Approved by President on 10/28/2024.

Sources: SDBOR Policy