MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY
HUMAN RESOURCE POLICIES AND PROCEDURE MANUAL
(STAFF HANDBOOK)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
ORGANISATIONAL OVERVIEW
RECURITMENT AND SELECTION POLICY AND PROCEDURE
APPOINTMENTS AND GRADING POLICY AND PROCEDURE
INDUCTION POLICY AND PROCEDURE
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE
PROMOTION POLICY AND PROCEDURE
TENURE POLICY AND PROCEDURE
HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY AND PROCEDURE
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
LEAVE ADMINISTRATION
UNIVERSITY STAFF BENEFITS
INTRODUCTION
In order to guide the University in managing it’s most valued resource; the human one, it is important to spell out a clear set of polices and procedures that seek to achieve this end.
These policies and procedures will form the road map for the activities in the Personnel section and will draw from the University’s vision, mission and core values. In this light, the University will strive to attract, select, train and retain a unique cohort of employees who are development oriented and pace setting. In a nutshell, employees who are well equipped and positioned to deliver the University’s vision, mission and goals.
This delivery should also anchor upon the University’s core values of honesty, integrity, hard work and passion for excellence tempered by self discipline and care for others also driven by sensitivity to gender parity, needs for the disadvantaged, African culture and devotion to self sufficiency and professionalism.
The Personnel Section of the Registry division shall take custody of the manual, while also accepting that the role of ministering to employee needs falls squarely on the hands of both top management and heads of Faculties and departments.
As much as possible the manual will draw its policy and procedure from the following documents,
(1) The Constitution of Zimbabwe
(2) The labour Act (Chapter 28:01)
(3) The Midlands State University Act (25:21)
(4) The Midlands State University General Information and Regulations Yearbook
(5) The Midlands State University Code of Conduct
The Human Resource Policy and Procedure will usually be disseminated through the following documents.
1) The employment contract and terms and conditions of service
2) Memorandums
3) Administrative circulars
From time to time the University holds the prerogative to revise all policy documents and appreciates any comments from employees that aim to improve on the Policy and Procedure for the betterment of the University.
The Personnel section will strive to ensure that the University lives up to its vision, mission and core values through ministering to the needs of employees and advising heads of departments and supervisors on human resource best practice.
This manual will enunciate the following Polices and Procedures:
Ø Recruitment and Selection
Ø Appointments and Grading
Ø Induction
Ø Training and Development
Ø Promotion
Ø Tenure
Ø Health, Safety and Clothing
Ø Disciplinary
Ø Grievance
ORGANISATIONAL OVERVIEW
VISION
To be a unique development oriented and pace setting University, producing innovative and enterprising graduates,
MISSION
Continuously work towards the achievement of academic excellence through work related learning and flexible packaging approaches;
Continue to develop research programmes that seek to respond to the needs and interests of the community;
Facilities the development of entrepreneurial skills among members of the community by providing relevant extension services; and
Promote sustainable utilization of resources by focusing on participatory developmental strategies.
CORE VALUES
Driven by honesty, integrity, hard work and striving for excellence by self-discipline and care for others.
Create a University that is sensitive to gender equity, needs of the disadvantaged, African culture and that strives for self-sufficiency and promotes professionalism.
UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE
The University is governed and administered through the committee system. This is a democratic form of management that fosters the participation and involvement of all citizens of the University community in their own governance.
It is necessary to reinforce this democratic dispensation by putting in place an HR policies and procedures manual that seeks to improve communication links between policy makers and the users at the functional levels.
ORGANOGRAM OF THE MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY (see attached appendix
42
THE CHANCELLOR
The President of Zimbabwe is the Chancellor of The Midlands State University
THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
v Is similar to a Board of Directors of the company
v Employs everybody in the University
v Is the supreme authority of the University
v Is headed by a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of Council
v Runs the University through a series of Committees.
These are Committees of Council:
Ø Senate
Ø The Executive Committee of Council
Ø The Finance Committee
Ø Budget committee
Ø Appointments and Promotions Boards
Ø Selection Boards
Ø And a number of other sub-committees;
Senate is the Supreme Academic Authority of the University:
The Senate Sub-Committees include:
Ø Academic Board
Ø Equivalence Committee
Ø Admissions Committee
THE VICE-CHANCELLOR
Is the operational head of the University and runs the institution on a day-to-day basis and reports to the University Council and the Chancellor.
THE PRO-VICE-CHANCELLOR
Assists the Vice-Chancellor in University management.
THE REGISTRAR
Is the chief administrator of the University.
THE LIBRARIAN
Is in charge of all the University libraries and all documentation.
THE BURSAR
Is the chief financial officer of the University.
THE REGISTRY OR ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
The Chief Administrative officer of the University is the Registrar and is the Head of the Registry section.
FOCUS
This manual will pay particular attention to the processes, functions and systems of the Personnel/Human Resource sub-system of the Registry Division.
THE PERSONNEL /HUMAN RESOURCE SECTION (REGISTRY DIVISION)
The Personnel Registry section is a pivotal department of the University’s management as it is charged with the responsibility of ministering to the whole gamut of employee needs and wants.
The section coordinates and manages staff recruitment, selection, training and development, performance management, employee relations, welfare, discipline, rewards, terminations and a host of other functions which ultimately seek to provide for an environment that allows for the efficient and effective utilisation of resources to achieve the University’s vision, mission and purpose.
The Personnel section is headed by a Deputy Registrar
For the purpose of administrative efficiency the section is generally divided into the Teaching staff section and the Non-Teaching Staff section.
Apart from the head of section, the personnel department also has the following officers who all assist in executing the functions outlined above;
(a) Senior/Assistant Registrar(s)
(b) Administrative Assistant(s)
(C) Chief Secretary
(d) Chief Personnel Assistant/Clerk (s)
(e) Personnel Assistant/ Data Capture Clerk (s)
It is important that all employees and heads of Sections consistently liaise with the officers in the Personnel section in order that their day-to-day needs are expeditiously acted upon.
RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION POLICY AND PROCEDURE
INTRODUCTION
The recruitment of high quality staff is crucial to the objectives and continued success of the University as a major teaching and research institution. This policy seeks to facilitate the attraction and selection of the most suitably qualified and experienced person, in a fair and consistent manner. The successful candidate must seek to achieve the University’s vision, mission and core values.
SCOPE
This policy outlines the guidelines to the recruitment, selection and appointment of all employees to the University.
POLICY
v All vacancies will be advertised locally, regionally and internationally to ensure the widest possible pool of applicants. This includes advertisement on the university’s notice board and web page. In the event that the University is unable to attract applicants through advertisement, headhunting will be done in critical shortage departments.
v Ideally a post should be filled in within a period of six weeks to ensure that posts are filled in timeously.
v No post shall be advertised unless it is budgeted for.
v All requisitions for new posts should be submitted before the Planning Committee.
v Ideally six copies of applications must be submitted.
v The selection process shall be conducted by means of an interview through a prescribed committee see Section 24(1) of the Midlands State University Act. Where appropriate selection shall include aptitude tests.
v Ideally, three candidates should be short listed for a post.
v Regret letters should be issued out to all short listed candidates who were unsuccessful. This should be done soon after the successful candidate has accepted the offer.
PROCEDURES
RECRUITMENT PROCEDURE
v Departments should declare that there is a vacant post by filling a staff requisition form (AP 15) and submitting it to the Personnel department.
v Personnel department shall ascertain whether the post is budgeted for. This should be in liaison with the planning office.
v All adverts should be scrutinized to check whether they contain and comply with the University grading system. However, care will be taken to ensure that no distortion occurs to the advertisement.
v Ideally an advertisement should contain the following:
o M S U logo.
o Job title of position.
o Brief summary of the job description.
o Key details of person specification.
o Where application should be directed and closing date for receipt of applications.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
v The personnel office shall receive all applications, record them and compile summary tables. These shall be forwarded to the respective departments for preliminary short listing.
v Departments will conduct their preliminary short-listing meeting and return both the tables and applications to the Personnel department within three working days.
v The Personnel department shall compile a summary table for the final short-listing meeting. It normally should be done within a period of three days.
v The Personnel department should cause the short-listing committee to meet for the purpose of ratifying the final pool of candidates who will be invited for interviews.
v The Personnel department will cause the Appointments Board to meet for the purpose of interviewing short-listed candidates. Interviews shall be conducted and the most qualified and skilled candidate shall be selected for the vacant post. This should be done within a period of five working days.
v Within a period of five working days the interview minutes shall be produced.
v Appointment letters shall be issued out to the successful candidate after the chairperson has signed the minutes.
APPOINTMENTS AND GRADING PROCEDURE
v After the appropriate appointments board has convened the Personnel section shall generate appointment letters to successful candidates with particular attention to:
a) The nature of appointment, Job title, grading and salary
b) For Staff Development Fellows and contract posts with peculiar conditions, such as bonding, these should be clearly spelt out.
c) Transference of bonding where applicable.
d) Making copies to all relevant offices
e) Delays in notifying candidates should be avoided and effort should be made to inform applicants of the state of their applications
v All unsuccessful applicants should be advised as soon as the successful candidates assume duty.
GRADING AND NOTCHING ON INITIAL APPOINTMENT (TEACHING STAFF)
On initial appointment to the University’s Teaching staff, successful candidate shall be graded and notched according to his or her qualifications, experience and published research, and in so doing, the following criteria will apply:
QUALIFICATIONS
The basic qualification for appointment to the University’s Teaching Staff is normally a post-graduate Master’s degree but a good first degree may be considered.
v An appointee with a good first degree or an approved equivalent in the appropriate discipline, but without any relevant post-graduate experience, shall only be placed at the first notch of the Lecturer/Research Fellow scale.
An appointee with approved research or non-research post-graduate qualifications which have been the subject of an examination process, shall be granted additional notches within a grade according to the following guidelines:
v A post-graduate Diploma or Post-graduate Master’s degree extending over less than 2 years of study or equivalent (1 notch)
v A post-graduate Master’s Degree Extending over 2 years of study or equivalent (2 notches)
v A DPhil or PhD Degree or Equivalent (3 notches)
The qualifications which are accepted by the University as approved equivalents to the three basic levels recognised are set out in the First Schedule of the Academic Staff Grading, Tenure and Promotions Ordinance No 3.
A serving member of the University’ s Teaching Staff who obtains a further qualification as described above, shall be awarded the appropriate additional notches with effect from the 1st of the month after the additional qualification is finally awarded, provided that such additional notches do not result in the member of the staff being effectively promoted to a higher grade.
EXPERIENCE
New appointees to the University’s Teaching Staff will be awarded, on initial appointment, one notch on the salary for each year of relevant post graduate experience, provided that such recognition of experience does not result in the appointee being appointed at a grade higher than that of Lecturer/Research Fellow, unless the appointee also satisfies the criteria for promotion to such higher grade as specified in Section7.5 of the Promotions Ordinance (see MSU Yearbook)
In granting recognition to relevant post-graduate experience the University shall:
v make no distinction between professional and non-professional experience:
v recognise in full, the time spent as a full-time member of the academic (teaching and /or research) staff of a reputable university:
v not grant credit in notching on the salary scales for the time an appointee has spent in full-time study for a post-graduate qualification.
In all disciplines, any post-graduate experience in the appropriate discipline will be recognised as relevant, and in particular the internship year following graduation as an MBchB or BPharm or equivalent will be recognised as post-graduate experience.
In general, the University will not provide any credit in notching an appointee for pre-graduate experience.
PUBLISHED RESEARCH
The University recognises published research, other than that forming part of a post-graduate qualification, for the purposes of determining the grade on initial appointment. The University does not prescribe specific mechanism or guidelines for such recognition, and relies on the appropriate Appointment Board to make recommendations in each appointee’s case. In making such recommendations, Appointments Boards shall take cognisance of the quality of the published work and whether it had been refereed by person’s expert in the particular field. Appointments Boards shall ensure that the assessment and weighting of published research is consistent with standards implemented by the Promotions Committee.