Policies

Volunteer Policy

Policy Purpose

This policy was created in compliance with SUNY Volunteer Policy and serve as guidance for the college.

Persons Affected

Faculty, Staff, Students, Third-Parties

Policy Statement

It is the policy of Farmingdale State College to appoint volunteers for the occasional use in conducting its normal operations and for college-sponsored programs and activities. All volunteer appointments must be reviewed and approved by the area Vice president and the Office of Human Resources.

College volunteers will not perform responsibilities generally assigned to employees represented by collective bargaining agreements. Examples of volunteer duties, as stated in the SUNY Volunteer Policy “include supervising of field experiences for students; assisting in museums, libraries, theaters, and laboratories; assisting in activities relating to fund raising and campus improvement projects; and serving as guides. Volunteers may also include the spouses of campus presidents who may be appointed as SUNY Associates. An employee of a state or local government may not volunteer to his/her own agency services of the same type the employee is employed to perform.”

Properly appointed and recorded volunteers are covered under the Worker’s Compensation Law should they be injured while performing their volunteer duties. Such appointments require that the volunteers complete an oath of office.

Section 17 of the Public Officers Law provides that the NYS Attorney General will defend these volunteers should they become involved in litigation that pertains to an incident involving their volunteer duties as long as the volunteers did not intentionally engage in wrong doing. Properly appointed volunteers may also be granted permission to operate State vehicles and operate State equipment as required for fulfilling their volunteer duties. Volunteers are not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Procedures

Department Directors or Deans wishing to utilize volunteers must submit a signed Application for Volunteer Services form which describes the following: nature of the work to be performed, qualifications of the proposed volunteer, duration of assignment, and person responsible for supervising the volunteer.

The Department or center supervisor making the request is responsible for reviewing the applications for completeness, authorizing the request, and submitting it to the appropriate vice president, provost or vice provost for approval. Upon approval, this individual will also be responsible for completing applicable references.

The Application for Volunteer Services must be reviewed by the divisional vice president, provost, vice provost or designee, for reasonableness and need, prior to any volunteer work commencing.

Following receipt of the completed Application, the Office of Human Resources will work with the supervisor to provide the volunteer with applicable College policies and procedures.

A volunteer appointment may be terminated at any time with no explanation and without prior warning.

Definitions

Volunteer - A volunteer is an individual appointed at the college in a non-compensated capacity.

Related Documents

SUNY Volunteer Guidelines
NYS Public Officers Law
Oath of Office

Responsible Office

Human Resources