The role of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia in making higher education policy and recommendations that affect VCU and other state colleges and universities is described in the faculty handbook. The VCU Faculty Handbook contains information related to faculty appointment and status, annual performance assessment, and a description of major university policies that affect faculty and other employees. The majority of both instructional and administrative faculty members who responded to the Self-Study survey felt that the VCU Faculty Handbook contains all important policies related to faculty. Most major policies are referenced but not reprinted in the handbook, and not all policies referenced in the handbook are readily available. The assistant to the president and board of visitors should work with the provost to conduct a review of all policies to ensure they have been approved by the board.
Individual units handle orientation for new faculty, including adjunct faculty.
Faculty appointment letters have been revised to alert new and continuing faculty of their responsibility to be aware of major policies that affect them including the university's statement on promotion and tenure, conflict of interests, outside professional activity, and intellectual policies. Classified and hourly employees are required to attend an orientation session conducted by the Human Resources Division. More than an hour of this session is devoted to describing major policies and procedures that affect VCU's employees. The state's employee grievance procedure, applicable to all employees covered under the Virginia Personnel Act, is also included in the orientation package. A member of our committee attended new employee orientation and rated the session very good.