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Business and Operating Policies and Procedures
Policy: 4.7 Communication Device Notifications Service, Usage, Provision and Fees
Adoption Date: March 27, 2017 Revised
NOTIFICATION SERVICE
The College has partnered with Rave Mobile Safety to provide an emergency alert system capable of delivering messages via HC Alert for faculty, staff, and students. It can send the message to an employee’s Howard College email address, as well as cell phone and other email address provided. Additionally, the system is used to do automatic posts on college social media sites. This system is used to notify of closures and weather-related issues but also will be used for crisis/emergency notifications (fire, tornado, active shooter, etc.) for drills and real-life situations.
Employees are pre-enrolled in the program at no additional expense using Howard College email and cell phone number if on file. Employees are encouraged to login to the HC Alert (see link below) site to confirm contact information and choose notification preferences. (Note that cellular phone providers may charge a per-text message fee for the delivery of emergency notifications). Please note: While logged in, you are also given the option to remove your contact information if you do not wish to receive any emergency alerts from Howard College.
To manage your account, please visit HC Alert System. These instructions will help you complete the verification process HC Alert Instructions. If you have any concerns regarding the legitimacy of this email or have questions regarding sign in or out, please contact Howard College IT department at helpdesk@howardcollege.edu.
HC Alert is a safety tool used to promote timely notification of critical information to students, faculty and staff. As HC Alert is activated, Howard College sends an alert message using this system to the cell phone carrier. The cell phone carrier then provides the mechanism to get the message to the individual. Once the message is sent the college no longer has any control over how long it takes the message to reach the individual. Delivery times can range depending upon cell phone service carrier and/or email system. By choosing to remain in the HC Alert system the employee is acknowledging that he/she understand this disclaimer and choose to proceed with enrollment in the HC Alert system and waive and release any right and claims against Howard College, its sponsors, organizers, supervisors, and employees for damages and/or injuries which may be sustained while participating in the program.
Office Telephones
Employees may use college telephones for personal matters when usage does not interfere with the work environment. Employees may not charge personal long-distance calls to the college (personal long-distance calls made from college telephones should be charged to personal credit cards or calling cards). Employees must attest their compliance with this policy by certifying and affixing their signature to monthly long-distance telephone invoice logs.
Cellular Phones
The College may provide cell phones to employees for on-call, emergency or critical access. Employees carrying these phones should be available to respond at all times. College issued cell phones may not be used for personal gain.
The College may provide a monthly stipend to employees for their personal cell phone plans when it is beneficial to the college for employee’s accessibility. Employees who receive stipends must provide their monthly, personal cell phone bill upon request. Normally, a monthly $40 stipend will be granted. In some cases—when it is more economical to the college—a greater cell phone stipend will be granted in lieu of an employee incurring campus, long-distance charges. This larger stipend will not exceed $100 and will be calculated on documented work-related needs. In rare and/or exceptional circumstances, this stated limit may be exceeded. All stipends will be considered and approved on an individual basis by the President or the president’s designee and added to an employee’s monthly paycheck. Effective 8/16/16 there will be no cell phone stipends allotted to newly hired employees. Employees receiving a cell phone stipend as of 8/16/16 will be grandfathered and will continue to receive the cell phone stipend until the base on their respective salary schedule increases. The cell phone stipend will be absorbed at that time. Failure to abide by this policy may result in loss of either the college-issued cell phone and/or the monthly stipend.
Facsimile Equipment
Employees may receive personal facsimile transmissions on college fax equipment; however, employees who send personal facsimiles on college equipment must pay for the facsimile transmission at the public records rate (see Charges for Public Record in Appendix.) It is the responsibility of the employee to ensure that these charges are paid to the college. Employees may not use college facsimile equipment for personal gain.
Copiers and Scanning Equipment
Employees may use copiers or scanning equipment for personal use when the employee reimburses the college at the rate elaborated in Charges for Public Record in Appendix.
Other Communication Equipment
Employees must pay for other items and charges listed in Charges for Public Record in the Appendix.
Refer to Policy 4.8/Acceptable Use for related information.
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