Core Component 1E:
The organization upholds and protects
its integrity.
St. Cloud State University presents itself accurately and honestly to the public and upholds its integrity by fulfilling its obligations to the state, legislature, MnSCU Board of Trustees, and the federal government. Moreover, the university is a responsible leader in the community, enriching the region with educational and cultural opportunities, enhancing the economy as a major employer, and collaborating with regional businesses and organizations. There are a number of MnSCU policies that are designed to ensure that St. Cloud State University operates ethically, with integrity, and according to state and federal laws.
Employee Procedures
The St. Cloud State University Employee Policies and Procedures Manual includes policies pertaining to employee benefits and compensation, employment guidelines and hiring procedures, expected employee conduct and possible disciplinary actions, the process for filing discrimination and harassment complaints, and the process for resolution of those complaints. Additional information on affirmative action procedures is available on St. Cloud State University's Affirmative Action website.
A faculty handbook was completed and published in October 2006, after a long absence. The handbook contains information about academic, administrative, and personnel policies and procedures at the university.
Student Procedures and Complaint Processes
The university's expectations for its students and the policies and procedures that apply to St. Cloud State University students are contained in the Student Handbook. Key components include the Student Code of Conduct, Policies and Regulations, and Academic Policies. The Student Code of Conduct describes the behavioral expectations and the disciplinary processes associated with conduct violations. It also contains information on the process for filing grade appeals and complaints against faculty. MnSCU policies 3.8 and 3.8.1 concerning student complaints and grievances outline students' rights to seek a remedy for a dispute or disagreement through a designated complaint or grievance procedure. Both of these documents are currently being reviewed.
For a complaint regarding grades, a student may follow the process for appeal of grades. In the period from spring semester 2005 through fall semester 2005 the Office for Academic Affairs processed six grade appeals at the final step. For a complaint regarding a faculty member for matters other than grades, a student may follow the student complaint process as outlined in the student handbook.
For complaints of racial or sexual harassment or discrimination, students may contact the Special Assistant to the President – Lead Investigator and Designated Officer/Discrimination Investigations. From January 2003 through June 2006, students filed 21 complaints with the Lead Investigator. Of these, 13 involved sexual harassment and gender, four involved race, two involved color, three involved national origin, and one involved retaliation. The sum by category exceeds the total because some complaints involved more than one category.
Student complaints against staff other than discrimination or sexual harassment are subsumed under the employment contract provisions for disciplinary action in cases of employee misconduct.
Responding to Discrimination Complaints
St. Cloud State University follows MnSCU's discrimination and complaint reporting procedures outlined under MnSCU Procedure 1B.1.1. Complaints of this type are handled by the Special Assistant to the President - Lead Investigator and Designated Officer/Discrimination Investigations. The Lead Investigator position was separated from the Director of Affirmative Action position in order to provide additional resources to the investigation of discrimination and harassment complaints.
By of the end of the third quarter of the 2006 calendar year the office of the Lead Investigator had processed 27 complaints or reports. Complainants or respondents can be students or employees.
| *Types of complaints | |
|---|---|
| Race | 4 |
| Sex (including sexual harassment) | 10 |
| Color | 2 |
| Creed | 1 |
| Religion | 4 |
| Age | 3 |
| National Origin | 4 |
| Disability | 6 |
| Marital Status | 0 |
| Status re: public assist. | 0 |
| Sexual Orientation | 0 |
| Membership in local commission | 0 |
| Retaliation | 1 |
| *Some complaints involved more than one category. | |
As of October, 2006, four of the cases were pending and two were with decision-makers. Just less than half of the complaints/reports were not substantiated after investigation and nine cases were resolved informally. One case was dropped and closed when the employee-respondent ceased to be a St. Cloud State University employee and one complaint was withdrawn by the complainant after a facilitated discussion with the two parties.
| Disposition of Complaints | |
|---|---|
| Pending | 4 |
| Not substantiated after investigation | 12 |
| Resolved informally | 9 |
| Complaint withdrawn | 1 |
| Respondent no longer St. Cloud State University employee | 1 |
Federal Compliance: Title IV and Related Information
St. Cloud State University has participated since its inception in the federal programs for student financial aid under Title IV of the Higher Education Act. Recent U.S. Department of Education program audit reports have resulted in no significant findings. Key indicators for recent years follow:
| St. Cloud State University Participation in Title IV Programs Fiscal Years 2005 and 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2005 | FY 2006 | |||
| Program | Students | Dollars | Students | Dollars |
| Perkins Loans | 1,017 | 1,278,542 | 1,406 | 1,840,536 |
| SEOG | 536 | 480,173 | 714 | 492,536 |
| Work Study | 692 | 1,024,764 | 704 | 1,176,085 |
| Pell Grant | 3,180 | 7,347,002 | 2,892 | 6,783,393 |
| Stafford Loan | 7,895 | 34,877,142 | 7,872 | 35,973,115 |
| PLUS Loan | 256 | 1,456,647 | 4,605 | 3,155,690 |
| Default Rates on Perkins Loans Fiscal Years 2003-2005 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2003 | FY 2004 | FY2005 | |
| St. Cloud State University | 5.10% | 4.90% | 4.35% |
| National | 8.85% | 8.29% | 8.12% |
| Default Rates on Stafford Loans Fiscal Years 2001-2003 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2002 | FY 2002 | FY2003 | |
| St. Cloud State University | 2.1% | 2.2% | 1.7% |
| National | 5.4% | 5.2% | 4.5% |
In August 2006 St. Cloud State University had a federal program review that confirmed a "Return to Title IV" issue and identified three procedural matters that were resolved. In March 2004 St. Cloud State University self-reported this issue to the U.S. Department of Education related to findings from an internal analysis. The matter surfaced during an external audit conducted on behalf of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. The external auditors discovered an oversight by St. Cloud State University in not making refund calculations for students who received federal financial aid and later withdrew from courses in 2001, 2002, and 2003. St. Cloud State University staff conducted an analysis and determined that oversight involved 522 students in 550 incidents. The total amount of money in question was $475,497.97, which St. Cloud State University refunded to some students, various lenders and guarantee agencies, and the U.S. Department of Education. The repayment to the U.S. Department of Education was $104,401. The university also implemented new procedures to avoid a recurrence of the situation.
St. Cloud State University annually publishes reports on campus crime, as required by the Cleary Act.
Audited Financial Statements
St. Cloud State University prepares annual financial reports in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as established by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The university has an independent audit of its financial statements every year in accordance with Government Auditing Standards. The most recent audit for FY06 had an unqualified opinion. (Paper copies of the current audit and the two previous years are available in the Resource Room.) The results of the audit reflect an organization with a sound fiscal foundation, operating in a prudent manner to assure continued success.
Evaluation of Core Component 1E
St. Cloud State University operates with integrity and fulfills its obligations to its stakeholders. The university has clearly articulated policies and procedures for employees and students and provides venues for the campus community to file complaints when necessary. We complete all public reporting of institutional data as required.
Strengths: St. Cloud State University's established processes ensure that we operate with integrity and our students and employees are treated fairly. We have an engaged and supportive campus environment that is focusing resources and efforts on resolving complaints internally and developing institutional practices that are more open and supportive of students and employees' efforts.
Initiatives in Progress: The university is making efforts to be more purposeful and thorough in the area of documentation and dissemination of policies and procedures for students, faculty, and staff. For example, the Student Code of Conduct and Handbook are in the process of being revised and widely published. The recently published Faculty Handbook will be revised on-line to keep information current.
Future Challenges: The recently hired permanent affirmative action officer faces challenges in clarifying the role of the position and the office, publishing appropriate procedures, and communicating effectively to the campus community about the work of the office. The absence of a permanent affirmative action officer since 2002 has contributed to these challenges.
