Policy Statement - 05-10 Nepotism, Policy on
Policy on Nepotism
This policy was recommended by the Academic Senate on May 12, 2005
and approved by the President on June 10, 2005.
(This Policy Statement supersedes Academic Policy PS 01-13)
It is the policy of the California State University, Long Beach to seek for its administrators, instructional faculty, and support staff, including students, the most qualified candidates through appropriate search procedures preceding each appointment and promotion. There shall be no bars to the appointment of immediate family members in administrative, faculty or staff employment categories, in the same or different units or departments so long as the following standard is met: No CSU employee shall vote, make recommendations or in any way participate in decisions about any personnel matter which may directly affect the selection, appointment, evaluation, retention, tenure, compensation, promotion, termination, other employment status or interest of an immediate family member as defined below.
Hence, if either of the following circumstances exists before an appointment:
1. the individual to be appointed is to be assigned to a position under the supervision or control of an immediate family member who has, or may have, a direct effect on the individual’s progress or performance; or
2. the individual to be appointed is to be assigned to work for the same immediate supervisor as another immediate family member, then special written provisions must be approved by the head of the organizational unit (such as Dean, Director or Associate Vice President) before the individual may be appointed. Also, if a change in circumstances occurs so that an employee is now an immediate family member in one of the two conditions noted above, then special written provisions must similarly be approved, before a personnel action can be initiated.
The special written provisions shall include a plan to ensure that personnel matters including evaluation, retention, tenure, promotion, wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment will not be decided based on the relationship as an immediate family member. The plan should provide that the head of the organizational unit is to review all decisions on personnel matters. In those cases where related employees will be working for the same immediate supervisor, the plan should include steps to be taken to alleviate any pressures toward favoritism that could occur as a result of supervising members of the same immediate family. Those undergoing personnel matters described above must also report relationships during the process. The head of the organizational unit shall be responsible for investigating concerns about conflicts of interest or favoritism involving members of the same immediate family.
For the purposes of this policy, “immediate family member” is defined as a close relative including: parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin, spouse, registered domestic partner, step-parent, step-child, brother-in-law, sister- in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, individual related by guardianship or adoption or a person residing in the immediate household except live-in household employees or roomers. Relatives of domestic partners shall be treated as relatives of spouses.
EFFECTIVE: Immediately
