Other Financial Benefits

Disability Plan of North Carolina

Permanent employees working 75% time or more (30 hours or more per week) are covered under the North Carolina Short-Term Disability Income Plan benefit at no cost after one year of membership in TSERS or participation in ORP.

In case of a disability, an eligible faculty member receives benefits from the Short-Term Disability Income Plan after a 60-day waiting period. Payments are equal to 50% of the annual base rate of compensation up to a maximum of $3,000/month, subject to coordination with other benefits. Short- Term Disability is payable for a period up to 365 days. It may be extended for as many as 365 days beyond the short-term period, in cases where the disability continues to be temporary and likely to end during the extended period.

After short-term payments end, benefits from the Long-Term Disability Plan are available for permanently disabled persons with at least 5 years of service, if certain conditions are met. Payments are equal to 65% of the annual base rate of compensation up to a maximum of $3,900/month, subject to coordination with other benefits.

Employees should contact WSSU Human Resources to obtain further information and apply for benefits. Details can be found on the Human Resources web site or the web site for the Disability Income Plan of North Carolina.

Optional Disability Coverage

The state provides no disability coverage for faculty with less than one year of service or who are on leave without pay, and only short-term disability benefits for those with less than five years of service. However, participants in both TSERS and ORP may purchase optional disability insurance. For details contact WSSU Human Resources or visit the web site for the North Carolina University-Wide Disability Program.

Workers’ Compensation

As employees of the state of North Carolina, all faculty members are covered against job-inflicted accidents under the state-wide Workers’ Compensation Act. The Act provides for payment for all necessary medical services, disability income, and death benefits. Any faculty injuries incurred during performance of university duties should be immediately reported to the immediate supervisor.

Permanent employees working 50% time or more per week may buy long-term care insurance for themselves or for certain members of their families. Enrollment can be at any time, but the rate increases with age.  Check the Human Resources / Benefits web site for details.

The NCFlex Benefits Program allows Winston-Salem State employees to pay for some benefits through payroll deduction. Since these costs are deducted before taxes are withheld, the employee pays them with tax-free dollars.

Benefits change from year to year. Examples include Dental, Vision, Critical Illness, Cancer, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), Group Term Life, Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA), and Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (DDCFSA).

For up-to-date information, contact Human Resources or check the Office of State Personnel’s NCFlex Flexible Benefits site.

Savings bonds may be purchased through payroll deduction and are available in various denominations. For further information, contact Human Resources or the U. S. government’s web site for Payroll Savings.

Faculty may set aside tax-free savings for college in North Carolina’s National College Savings Program. For more information, contact Human Resources and visit the web site for the NC 529 Plan.

Elder Care Services is a free telephone-based consultation and referral service that helps employees manage caring for an older adult. The employee is responsible for any fees that may be charged for services obtained to help an older adult.  Contact Human Resources for more information.

All faculty members have the option of joining the State Employees’ Credit Union, which provides checking and savings accounts, other services, and all types of loans at interest rates that usually compare favorably with those offered by other sources. Savings deposits and loan payments may be processed through payroll deduction at the employee’s request. Application for membership in the credit union requires an initial deposit of $25.00 to cover the purchase of one share of stock. To find offices for the State Employees’ Credit Union, including some in Winston-Salem, and other information, check the State Employees’ Credit Union web site.

Through a partnership with WeSave, the Office of State Personnel has arranged special discounts for active and retired state employees. Presently, over 1,560 merchants participate. For more information about joining WeSave or finding local participating businesses, check the WeSave web site, Discount Program, North Carolina Office of State Personnel. Also, telephone: 866-987-2833, M-F, 9 am to 5 pm. and e-mail: help@wesave.com.

Full-time permanent faculty and staff members may take up to three tuition-free courses per academic year at any constituent institution of The University of North Carolina. They must be academically eligible to enroll, space must be available in the course, and the course must not interfere with the performance of their normal duties. To take advantage of this benefit, the faculty or staff member must complete an Application for Tuition Waiver – Faculty/Staff, have it properly endorsed, and deliver one copy to the employing institution and one to the institution where the course is to be taken. The Human Resources Department processes the applications and can give more information.

Sources of Funding

The university provides a number of ways for faculty to obtain financial support for professional development and research. The amounts vary from year to year. It is possible for a faculty member to apply for funding from more than one of the sources below if any one does not cover the expenses. Department chairs receive a fixed amount for each full-time faculty member for professional travel.

CETL, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, will provide funds for full-time faculty to attend teaching and learning conferences. Application is required, and recipients are expected to provide reports about their conference experiences. Consult the CETL web site for further information.

Faculty planning to submit research proposals related to the improvement of teaching can obtain Title III seed grants from CETL. Also, CETL can provide Title III seed grants for faculty to conduct action research studies during efforts to innovate and improve teaching skills.

The Committee on Professional Development is a university committee with representatives from all departments. It can authorize funding for instructional development (for courses, courseware, etc.) and for general professional development, such as advanced study leading toward a degree or for the use of technology to facilitate teaching and learning. Application is required. For more information, contact CETL.

The deans may have additional funds for faculty development, to provide assistance in situations not funded by the other sources.

Application for professional development funds should be made before the date of the related activity.

Travel Policies and Procedures

When faculty members travel on university business or receive assistance to attend professional

conferences, they must first secure authorization through the department head and dean. The faculty member should then use two forms, the Advance-Prepayment Form and the Travel Reimbursement Form, to obtain the funds. See the “Travel Forms” file in the Appendix. Only certain expenses can be paid, up to the limit of the travel grant.

Some funds may be obtained in advance of the travel. Faculty may fill out the Advance-Prepayment Form to obtain a check for registration fees for a conference, to make a hotel prepayment, and to obtain authorization for the purchase of an airline ticket through a university-approved travel agent. Faculty should inquire about details and the amount of time needed to process such requests.

Authorization for travel assumes that transportation will be by university-owned vehicles or by common carrier. Travel by air, when necessary, will be reimbursed at the tourist rate. If a state vehicle is requested but is unavailable, the university may authorize the payment of a mileage allowance for the use of an employee’s privately owned car. State vehicles must be used for university business only, and employees to whom vehicles are issued will be held accountable for misuse. State vehicles must be returned to the maintenance/garage area immediately upon completion of each trip.

Payments for subsistence (meals and lodging) are subject to restrictions. If the travel destination is less than 35 miles from either the traveler’s home or office, lodging cannot be paid and reimbursements for meals are made only for special circumstances. The maximum subsistence amounts for in-state and out- of-state travel can change, so faculty should check for the current numbers. A traveler can be reimbursed more for lodging if the travel destination is in a high-cost area or if safety concerns require a more expensive hotel, but this extra lodging authorization must be obtained in advance from the department head.

After the trip, the traveler should fill out the Travel Reimbursement Form, providing necessary original receipts for travel expenses and an itemized hotel bill with zero balance due. Receipts for individual meals are not required, but meals included at a conference are not reimbursable. There is a submission deadline.

Look for up-to-date travel forms and detailed information in Outlook under Public Folders, All Public Folders, Accounting, Travel. For more information, contact the Travel Audit Officer in the Accounting Office.

Academic and Medical Leaves of Absence

See Section III.H (Leaves of Absence) in Chapter IV (Tenure Policies and Regulations). The section on Disability and Worker’s Compensation, found earlier in this chapter, describes longer medical leaves.

Doctoral Study Leaves

Faculty who have taught at Winston-Salem State for at least two full-time years may apply for study leave of up to two years in order to work toward a terminal degree. Renewal of such leave must be requested annually, and requests for extensions beyond the two-year period must be made at least five months in advance of the scheduled return date. The university does not have funding to support doctoral study leaves. Contact the Office of the Provost for further information.

Absences for Professional Meetings

Faculty members are encouraged to attend educational and professional meetings in order to keep abreast of current ideas and trends in their fields. The cost of attending a meeting is normally the faculty member’s own responsibility, but some assistance may be available from the academic department or other sources, described in the section on Support for Professional Development in this chapter.

Procedures for Absences

A faculty member who must be absent from regular campus duties should make arrangements for any classes to be missed by turning in a completed Faculty and Staff Absence Report at least one week in advance. The form is available in the faculty member’s department office and requires signatures of the department head and the dean.

As far in advance as possible, absences due to illness should be arranged for in the same way, but in case of emergency illness the faculty member need only inform the department head or dean immediately and complete the Faculty and Staff Absence Report sheet upon returning to campus.

Faculty Awards

The university sponsors several annual awards to recognize and reward outstanding teaching: the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Wachovia Excellence in Teaching Award, and several Master Teacher awards. In addition, the university sponsors the Wilveria B. Atkinson Distinguished Research Award and the Cedric S. Rodney Distinguished Service Award.

The stipends for the awards are as follows:

• Board of Governors’ Excellence in Teaching Award ($7,500)
• Wachovia Excellence in Teaching Award ($4,500)
• Master Teacher Awards ($1,000-$3,000 each)
• Joseph Patterson Master Teacher Award
• Bill Sheppard Master Teacher Award
• John Fountain Master Teacher Award
• Wilma Lassiter Master Teacher Award
• Willie Burke Master Teacher Award
• Wilveria Atkinson Distinguished Research Award ($2000)
• Cedric Rodney Service Award ($2000)

Criteria for the Board of Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching were established for the UNC system. Criteria for all WSSU institution awards were established by the WSSU faculty.

The recipients of all excellence in teaching, research, and service awards are determined by the Faculty Awards Committee, which is appointed by the provost. Candidates for awards may be nominated by students, faculty, alumni, and administrators, or may be self-nominated.

For further information and nomination forms, consult the Office of the Provost.

Excellence in Teaching Awards

The criteria for excellent teaching as established in 1994 are based upon the following categories: (1) Instructional Delivery Skills, (2) Instructional Design Skills, (3) Content Expertise, (4) Course Management, (5) Student Mentoring, and (6) Personal Attributes/Teaching

To be eligible for nomination for the Board of Governors’ Award a faculty member must

• have earned tenure at WSSU;
• have taught at WSSU for at least seven years; and
• be teaching in the academic year selected.

No faculty member may be eligible to receive this award more than once while teaching at any UNC institution.

To be eligible for nomination for the Wachovia Excellence in Teaching or the WSSU Master Teacher awards a faculty member must

• have taught at WSSU for at least two years (prior to nomination);
• have demonstrated excellent or exceptional teaching ability over a sustained period of time (e.g., two years); and
• be teaching in the academic year selected.

No faculty member may be eligible to receive the Wachovia Excellence in Teaching Award more than once. Faculty may receive the Master Teacher Award more than once.

Each nominee must complete the formal application process to be considered for one of the teaching awards. The application requires the submission of a teaching portfolio, photograph, and classroom instruction video. Additionally, classroom observations are conducted by the Faculty Awards Committee.

Research and Service Awards

Any faculty member who meets the following criteria may be nominated for the Wilveria B. Atkinson Distinguished Research Award:

• has taught at WSSU for at least five years
• is recognized as being an outstanding scholar, as scholarship is defined in his/her discipline
• has demonstrated a pattern of productive scholarly activity that has been recognized nationally or internationally, as appropriate.

Any faculty member who meets the following eligibility requirements may be nominated for the Cedric S. Rodney Distinguished Service Award:

• has taught at WSSU for at least three years
• has performed superior service to the university, the profession, and/or the wider community as evidenced by activities which extend beyond normal expectations, unique contributions, or long- standing leadership and impact on the university and beyond.

A nominee for these awards should submit a research portfolio or a service portfolio with supporting documentation.

Professor Emeritus/Emerita Status

Emeritus or emerita status is granted in recognition of dedicated service at Winston-Salem State University. The designation shall be “Emeritus” or “Emerita” following whatever highest rank has been earned, e. g., Professor Emeritus.

Eligibility

Tenured faculty members who have served for ten or more years at Winston-Salem State University are eligible for emeritus/emerita status. In general, the university will confer emeritus/emerita status at retirement. However, if the faculty member resigns from the university to enter phased retirement, this status will be granted at the end of the phased retirement term. In cases of exceptional service, the chancellor may recommend that the Board of Trustees confer emeritus/emerita status upon retiring faculty who are not tenured or who have not served the university for ten years.

Procedure

Conferral of emeritus or emerita status shall adhere to the following procedure:

• After sending notice of retirement, the faculty member should inform the department chair that he or she requests emeritus/emerita
• The department chair shall verify that the retiring faculty member is eligible for emeritus/emerita
• The department chair shall send the recommendation for emeritus/emerita status through the usual channels (dean, provost) to the chancellor.
• The chancellor shall forward the recommendation to the Board of Trustees, for approval.
• These policies and procedures apply retroactively to faculty who retired from Winston-Salem State University before their adoption. Such faculty members should contact their former departments to begin the conferral process. Also, colleagues and department chairs can recommend emeritus/emerita status for those retired faculty with their approval.

In the case of eligible administrators who retire with faculty rank, the procedure begins with the administrator’s supervisor. The Board of Trustees may designate a retiring chancellor as Chancellor Emeritus or Emerita.

Privileges

Rights and privileges of emeritus/emerita faculty include

• A university ID card, designated as Emeritus Faculty;
• The same access to electronic resources as the active faculty;
• A university e-mail account, if requested, subject to periodic renewal;
• Use of library facilities and library electronic resources under the same conditions as the active faculty;
• A free parking permit for the shuttle lot, with the option of purchasing a permit for another lot if space is available (The cost for the second lot is the difference between its price and the price for the shuttle lot. Parking permits must be renewed each );
• Receipt of the university and alumni publications that are sent to active faculty;
• The same rights to campus facilities as the active faculty;
• Opportunity to purchase tickets to university athletic, cultural and entertainment events at faculty rates;
• Invitation to general faculty events;
• Office and laboratory space, office resources and secretarial services, on request and subject to availability, if the faculty member’s professional activities fall within the current mission of the university;
• Listing in university catalogs and the campus directory; and
• Continuance of eligibility to march in formal convocations, wearing appropriate regalia.

The university’s Lyceum Program offers a variety of cultural activities that include a Performing Arts Series, an Academic Series, and the Joseph N. Patterson Lecture and Assembly Series. The Performing Arts Series brings in professional musicians, dancers, and theatrical groups to showcase their talents. Most performances are free to WSSU students, while ticket prices vary for non-WSSU students, faculty, staff, and members of the community. The Academic Series invites individual performing artists, chamber groups, or small ensembles to do presentations and conduct workshops, master classes, and/or lecture- demonstrations for students. The Joseph N. Patterson Lecture and Assembly Series also invites guest speakers to lecture on a variety of topics designed to stimulate the cultural and academic atmosphere on campus and to provide motivation and inspiration to students. Faculty members are strongly encouraged to attend all Lyceum events and to encourage students to do so as well. Tickets may be purchased at the University Ticket Office.

The James A. Gray lecture series invites speakers on religion and ethics. Diggs Gallery, home to one of the South’s leading showcases dedicated to African and African-American art, hosts exhibitions, publications, and programs. Faculty can also attend events sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs. In addition, faculty are strongly encouraged to support other cultural activities sponsored by various campus clubs, organizations, and departments, particularly student performances.

Sports Activities

Season and single tickets for university football and basketball games may be purchased from the University Ticket Office and other venues. The Athletics Department web site has details about ticketing and game schedules. The university also participates in a number of other men’s and women’s sports activities, to which admission is free.

Appendices

• Phased Retirement Notification Center Phased Retirement Program Summary Phased Retirement Application and Reemployment Agreement
• Phased Retirement General Release Form Phased Retirement Benefits
• Nomination Form for Professor Emerita/Emeritus
• Advance Prepayment Form and Travel Reimbursement Form (an Excel File)