Faculty & Unclassified Professional Staff Handbook
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The Office of the Provost maintains a record of all Handbook changes since July 2000. Sections with major changes are listed below. Policies mentioned are / were included in, or linked to from, the Faculty and Unclassified Professional Staff Handbook. For a more complete list of University policies, see the University Policies page - a repository for the official policies of Fort Hays State University. Also refer to the Kansas Board of Regents policy manual.
Major Updates
October 2025 to August 2026
| Section | Revision Notes |
|---|---|
| Ch 4, Terminal Degree Requirements, Agriculture | Request from Department Chair and Dean. Apvd by Provost 12/01/25. |
September 2024 to September 2025
| Section | Revision Notes |
|---|---|
| Ch 1, Tuition Assistance Program for Employees, Spouses and Dependents | Revision adds FHSU affiliation schools. Apvd by President's Cabinet 9/25/24. (Handbook links to University Policies - HR) |
| Ch 2, Faculty Senate Bylaws | Article VI. Committees Section 2: Standing Cmts. Wording in c.3., e.2, and e.4. Section 4: Cmt Appt Procedures c and d., move procedures from last to first FS meeting of AY. Apvd by Faculty Senate 8/17/25. |
| Ch 2, Faculty Senate Bylaws | Article VII. Amendment and Ratification Changes to a. and b. made in error from May 2024 Faculty Senate Bylaws revision. August 2025 Handbook edited with correct prior wording per 2024-25 Faculty Senate President 9/8/25. |
| Ch 2, Instructional Programs, Procedures for Approval of New Courses and Programs | Outdated information replaced with current procedures. Apvd by Assistant Provost for Academic Programs 7/16/25. |
| Ch 3, Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for ... and Tenure Recommendations, Part V: Tenure | Updated per MOA Tenure article, which removed first year tenure track review and library faculty requirement to teach at least one course. Apvd by Provost 6/25/25. |
| Ch 3, Unclassified Contract Policy | Outdated and no longer in use. Removed and replaced with Human Resources contact information. Apvd by General Council, 7/12/25. |
| Ch 4, Terminal Degree Requirements, Informatics | Updated to correlate with 2019 Informatics dept criteria document. Apvd by Provost 3/27/25. |
| Ch 4, Terminal Degree Requirements, Theatre | Request from Program Chair and Dean. Apvd by Provost 5/21/25. |
| Ch 5, Sabbatical Leave | For clarification and to correspond with MOA, reference added that NTT faculty are not eligible for sabbatical per MOA XII:2.A.ii.A. Teaching. Apvd by Provost 7/10/25. |
| Ch 7, Hazing Policy | Policy expanded to include faculty, staff, student orgs not sanctioned by FSHU, updated definitions, and training/implementation programs per University Compliance Officer 7/2/25. Adopted by Cabinet 6/23/25. (Handbook links to University Policies - student affairs) |
| Throughout Handbook | New handbook title is Faculty and Unclassified Professional Staff Handbook to improve clarity and differentiation from University Support Staff Handbook. Apvd by Provost 7/30/25. |
July 2000 to August 2024
| Section | Revision Notes |
|---|---|
| Admission and Academic Policy, Academic Regulations | Chapter 7 |
| Advising, Changing Advisor/Major | Revised 9/09, Chapter 2 |
| Advising, Faculty Hours | Revised 2/09, Chapter 2 |
| Advising, Grade Reports | Revised 7/07, revised 7/08, revised 4/13, Chapter 2 |
| Alcohol, Service and Consumption of, on Campus | Revised 7/06, revised 6/13, revised 5/14, revised 9/16 Chapter 1 |
| Animals in Research and Education, Care and Use of, | New policy added 6/12, Chapter 4 |
| Appointments | Revised 4/10, revised 7/19, Chapter 3 |
| Blackboard Automated Course Creation Policy | New policy added 10/09, revised 7/11, revised 6/12, Chapter 2 |
| Building Access Policy and Procedure | Key System Policy revised and renamed Building Access 2/16, revised 9/19, Chapter 6 |
| Campus Facilities, Use of | Revised 7/06, revised 9/11, revised 10/14, Chapter 1 |
| Campus Posting Policy | Revised 7/06, revised 3/07, revised 10/10, revised 10/14, revised 3/18, Chapter 8 |
| Capital Assets Inventory | Inventories policy revised and renamed Capital Assets Inventory 1/16, Chapter 6 |
| Cell Phone Policy | New policy added 7/11, revised 7/18, Chapter 6 |
| Change to Official Registration (Add/Withdrawal) | Revised 7/14, Chapter 7 |
| Child Sexual Abuse Reporting | New policy added 2/12, revised 1/16, Chapter 1 |
| Code of Conduct | Revised 9/15, Chapter 7 |
| Commencement | Revised 6/08, Chapter 4 |
| Commitment of Time, Conflict of Interest, Consulting and Other Employment Policies of the Board of Regents | Revised 6/13, revised 8/24, Chapter 4 |
| Computing Resources, Use of | Revised 7/06, revised 6/08, Chapter 1 |
| Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Time Reporting Procedures | Revised into Commitment of Time policy 7/2, Chapter 4 |
| Consensual Romantic Relationships Involving Students | New policy replaced Consenting Relations Policy 9/19, Chapter 4 |
| Contracts and Contractual Authority | revised 9/15, Chapter 6 |
| Credit Card Security | New policy added 6/09, Chapter 6 |
| Credit Hour Definition, Compliance, and Review | New policy added 12/17, Chapter 2 |
| Crime Reporting | New policy added 7/09, Chapter 1 |
| Criminal Background Checks for Employees, Policies and Procedures | New policy added 10/08, Chapter 1 |
| Criminal Background Checks for Students Engaging in Clinicals | New policy added 7/06, name change 10/08, revised 6/11, Chapter 1 |
| Crowdfunding/Crowdsourcing, Campus-wide | New policy added 7/19, Chapter 6 |
| Data Classification | New policy added 12/17, Chapter 6 |
| Deposit of Cash Receipts | Chapter 6 |
| Digital Signage | New policy added 12/17, Chapter 8 |
| Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedure | Replaced Protected Class and Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure 9/11, Chapter 1 |
| Drug and Alcohol Policy | Drug-Free Workplace policy revised 7/14, replaced by Drug and Alcohol Policy 7/16, Chapter 4 |
| Educational Travel | New policy added 1/07, Chapter 6 |
| Information Access and Technology policies | Electronically Stored Information, new policy added 6/08, Chapter 6, incorporated into multiple Information Access and Technology policies 3/17 |
| Email Policy | New policy added 12/17, revised 12/18, Chapter 6 |
| Emotional Support Animal Policy | New policy added 11/18, Chapter 1 |
| Employment of Non-U.S. Citizen | New policy added 11/06, revised 3/08, Chapter 1 |
| Endpoint Protection and Configuration | new policy added 10/17, Chapter 6 |
| Equal Employment Opportunity Program | Revised, name change from Affirmative Action 7/08, Notice of Accessibility revised 7/10, revised 10/11, Chapter 1 |
| Evacuation of Facilities | New policy added 7/16, revised 9/19, Chapter 1 |
| Export Controls | New policy added 2/14, revised 1/16, Chapter 4 |
| Extramural Funding | Revised, name change from Policy on Research Incentives 10/08, Chapter 4 |
| Faculty Approval Policy and Process | Chapter 3 |
| Faculty Authored Textbooks | New policy added 6/07, Chapter 2 |
| Faculty & Unclassified Professional Staff Handbook | Revised 1/07, Chapter 1 |
| Faculty Office Space, Provision and Use of , | Chapter 4 |
| Faculty Senate Bylaws | Revised 1/07, revised 9/11, revised 6/13, revised 3/14, revised 5/24, Chapter 2 |
| Faculty Senate Standing Rules | Revised 9/19, revised 5/24, Chapter 2 |
| FHSU Faculty Seeking Terminal Degrees, University Support of | New policy added 1/07, revised 9/16, Chapter 4 |
| Fringe Benefits | Revised 7/11, revised 12/15, Chapter 6 |
| Gifts and Hospitality for Unclassified State Employees | Chapter 4 |
| Gifts, Prizes, Awards and Promotional Items Purchased | New policy added 7/11, Chapter 6 |
| Graduate School | Graduate School Appeals, new policy added 11/08, revised 10/15, revised 9/17, revised 2/18, link directly to Graduate School page 7/24, Chapter 7 |
| Harassment Policy | Policy revised 9/11, 9/16, Chapter 1 |
| Hazing Policy | New policy added 7/06, revised 12/18, Chapter 7 |
| Holiday Observations | Policy revised 11/08, Chapter 4 |
| Human Subjects Research | New policy added 10/14, Chapter 4 |
| Identity Theft Prevention | New policy added 7/09, revised 12/18, Chapter 1 |
| Inclement Weather Policy | New policy added 7/19, revised 2/20, Chapter 1 |
| Individual Financial Conflict of Interest | New policy added 7/13, Chapter 4 |
| Information Security | New policy added 10/17, Chapter 6 |
| Instructional Procedures-Class Schedule Policy, Examinations | Revised 1/07, Chapter 2 |
| Instructional Procedures-Class Schedule Policy, Class Record Book, Grades | Revised 7/07, revised 7/11, revised 8/11, revised 4/13, Chapter 2 |
| Instructional Procedures-Transfer of Pass/No Credit Grades | New policy section added 1/14, Chapter 2 |
| Key System Policy and Procedure | Revised 1/07, revised 1/13, revised and renamed Building Access 2/16, Chapter 6 |
| Language Competency | Revised 12/08, revised 9/13, link to KBOR manual 7/19, Chapter 3 |
| Leaves Fulbright Leaves | Leaves, revised 3/07, revised 7/10, Fulbright Leaves added 6/09, revised 9/15, revised 7/19, Chapter 5 |
| Meningitis Policy | New policy added 7/06, removed from Handbook 8/24, Chapter 7 |
| Misconduct in Research | Revised 12/14, revised 2/19, Chapter 4 |
| Missing Students Policy | New policy added 6/09, revised 7/16, Chapter 7 |
| Mobile Computing Security Policy (Endpoint Protection Policy) | Mobile Computing Security Policy, new policy added 4/07, Chapter 1, incorporated into Endpoint Protection Policy 3/17 |
| NACUBO Code of Ethics | Policy added 3/07, Chapter 6 |
| Nepotism | (Formerly Employment of Relatives/Conflict of Interest), revised 12/12, Chapter 1 |
| Notice of Non-Discrimination, Notice of Accessibility and Equal Employment Opportunity (Formerly Affirmative Action) Program | Revised, name change from Equal Employment Opportunity Program 10/11, revised 6/14, Chapter 1 |
| Offices and Assigned Space, Personalization and Modifications of | Revised 12/11, Chapter 6 |
| Official Hospitality | Revised 1/07, revised 6/12, Chapter 1 |
| Official Travel | Revised 11/06, revised 1/07, revised 3/20, Chapter 6 |
| Operating Paper for the Graduate School (Graduate School Handbook) | Operating Paper for the Graduate School, revised 1/07, revised 6/10, revised 4/15, revised 9/17, revised 7/18, revised 2/21, link directly to Graduate School Handbook 7/24, Chapter 2 |
| Overload/Replacement/Part-Time Adjunct/Professional Unclassified Staff (Salaries, Part-Time Adjunct / Professional Unclassified Staff) | Overload/Replacement/Part-Time Adjunct/Professional Unclassified Staff, name changed and policy revised 1/14, see Salaries, Part-Time Adjunct / Professional Unclassified Staff 8/24, Chapter 3 |
| Participant Support | New policy added 7/13, Chapter 4 |
| Pass/No Credit Policy | Revised 7/14, Chapter 2 |
| Physical Security of Data Center and University Data | New policy added 12/17, Chapter 6 |
| Policy Development and Publication, University | New policy added 4/11, revised 1/16, revised 3/18, revised 11/18, Chapter 1 |
| Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for Determining Annual Merit, Promotion, and Tenure Recommendations, Part II: Duties and Criteria, B2 | Revised 7/08, Chapter 3 |
| Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for Determining Annual Merit, Promotion, and Tenure Recommendations, Part III: Annual Merit | Revised 7/12, Chapter 3 |
| Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for Determining Annual Merit, Promotion, and Tenure Recommendations, Part IV: Promotion, E | Revised 7/18, Chapter 3 |
| Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for Determining Annual Merit, Promotion, and Tenure Recommendations, Part V: Tenure, A3 (General Policy on Notification Procedure) | Revised 6/07, Chapter 3 |
| Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for Determining Annual Merit, Promotion, and Tenure Recommendations, Part V: Tenure, G3 | Revised 7/18, Chapter 3 |
| Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for Determining Annual Merit, Promotion, and Tenure Recommendations, Part V: Tenure, H1 | Revised 6/09, Chapter 3 |
| Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for Determining Annual Merit, Promotion, and Tenure Recommendations, Part V: Tenure, H6 | Revised 7/18, Chapter 3 |
| Policy on Research Incentives (Extramural Funding) | Policy on Research Incentives, replaced by Extramural Funding, Chapter 4 |
| Policy Guidelines for the Establishment of Endowed and Named Faculty Appointment | Chapter 3 |
| Political Activity of Employees | Revised 6/13, Chapter 1 |
| Political Activity by State Employees | Revised 2/13, Chapter 1 |
| Possession, Use and Storage of Firearms and Weapons on Campus (Gun Policy) | Possession, Use and Storage of Firearms and Weapons on Campus, new policy added 11/06, revised 10/08, replaced with Gun Policy 1/17, Chapter 1 |
| Post-Tenure Review | policy added from MOA 1/16, Chapter 3, link directly to MOA 8/22 |
| Postage | Revised 7/13, revised 9/15, Chapter 6 |
| Posthumous Degrees | New policy added 6/07, revised 9/16, Chapter 1 |
| Printing Services | Updated 7/10, revised 9/15, Chapter 6 |
| Privacy Rights | Revised 9/14, revised 3/18, chapter 7 |
| Privacy of Student Financial Information Policy | Revised and renamed 2/19, Chapter 7 |
| Procedures for Approval of New Courses and Programs | Chapter 2 |
| Professional Dues | Revised 8/24, Chapter 4 |
| Program Discontinuance of Undergraduate Programs | Updated 1/08, Chapter 2 |
| Program Specialist, Position Descriptions | Revised 1/07, Chapter 3 |
| Proposal Preparation and Submission Guidelines for Sponsored Projects | New policy added 4/12, Chapter 4 |
| Purchasing Procedures (Purchasing Office) | Purchasing Procedures, revised 7/12, revised 10/17, revised 7/19, Chapter 6, link directly to Purchasing Office 7/24 |
| Recruitment for Vacant Positions | Revised 12/17, Chapter 3 |
| Regents Distinguished Professorship | Revised 6/13, link to KBOR manual 7/19, Chapter 3 |
| Resignations, Exit Interview | Revised 1/07, Chapter 5 |
| Retirement | Revised 4/07, revised 7/09, revised 7/11, revised health care bridge 7/19, revised basic retirement 8/24, Chapter 5 |
| Retirement, Phased Retirement | Policy added to 7/11, Chapter 5 |
| Safe Possession, Use and Storage of Weapons on Campus (Gun Policy) | New policy added 1/17, Chapter 1 |
| Safeguarding Student Financial Information (Privacy of Student Financial Information Policy) | Safeguarding Student Financial Information, policy added 3/07, replaced by Privacy of Student Financial Information Policy 2/19, Chapter 7 |
| Safety, Workplace and Campus | New policy added 6/09, Chapter 1 |
| Salaries, FHSU Online (Salaries, Supplemental Appointments) | Salaries, FHSU Online revised and renamed Salaries, Supplemental Appointments, 8/22, Chapter 3 |
| Salaries, Part-Time Adjunct / Professional Unclassified Staff | Policy revised 12/15, revised 6/17, revised 8/22, revised 8/24, Chapter 3 |
| Salaries, Seasonal | Policy revised 8/22, Chapter 3 |
| Security Awareness and Training | New policy added 12/17, Chapter 6 |
| Sexual Harassment and Violence | New policy 9/16, Chapter 1 |
| Skateboards, Skates and Bicycles | Chapter 1 |
| Statement on Degree Completion Monies | Chapter 4 |
| Standing Rules and Bylaws of the Faculty Senate | Chapter 2 |
| Student Grievances and Complaints | New policy added 7/13, revised 8/16, Chapter 7 |
| Study Abroad, Faculty-Led | New policy added 7/11, Chapter 2 |
| Summer Session Purpose, Expectations, Policies, and Procedures | Revised 7/06, Chapter 3 |
| Terminal Degree Requirements | Revised 12/07, revised 7/08, revised 7/09, revised 7/10, revised 7/11, revised 12/11, revised 10/12, revised 10/13, revised 7/14, revised 5/15, revised 3/18, revised 4/22, Chapter 4 |
| Timely Warnings to the University Community | Bew policy added 6/09, revised 4/16, Chapter 1 |
| Tobacco Usage Policy | Revised 6/08, revised 9/10, revised 1/12, revised 5/14, revised 2/18, Chapter 1 |
| Transfer Credit Policies and Procedures | New section added 7/10, revised 6/13, Chapter 2 |
| Travel and Subsistence Allowance for Candidates Interviewed | Revised 7/13, Chapter 3 |
| Tuition Assistance Program for Employees, Spouses and Dependents | Policy added 1/07, revised 6/13, revised 9/15, revised 7/18, revised 11/18, Chapter 1 |
| Unclassified Contract Policy | Revised 7/04, removed 7/25, Chapter 3 |
| Unclassified Professional Staff | Chapter 3 |
| Unclassified Professional Staff Furloughs or Pay Reductions | New Policy added 6/09, Chapter 3 |
| Visitor Parking | Revised 6/13, Chapter 6 |
| Website Advertising | New policy added 7/06, Chapter 1 |
| Whistleblower Policy | New policy added 9/16, Chapter 4 |