C25.0 Policy on Mandatory Training

This policy applies to all Employees of RIT as defined below. The training requirements for Employees by role are set out in the Training Schedule located on the Office of Compliance & Ethics website. The training listed in the Training Schedule is not intended to be exhaustive.  Divisions, departments, or academic units may establish their own training requirements that are tailored to the activities of that division, department or academic units.  Applicable employees are also subject to those policies.  The training year starts from the calendar year.

The university’s most valuable resource is its people.  Education and training play a key role in clarifying expectations and responsibilities, while minimizing legal, financial, and physical risks both for Employees and the university.  This policy sets out those training requirements that are mandatory (i.e., training which must be completed by Employees), the employees to whom training applies, the frequency with which training must be undertaken and the responsibilities of those involved.

1. “Employees” are defined in RIT’s Employee Work Classification Policy (E01.0).  

2. “Mandatory Training” means training that is mandated (1) by the President, (2) by a federal, state or local statute, regulation, policy, by an appropriate agency, regulatory or accrediting body, or (3) to address any legal, financial, physical or other risk that could significantly impact the university.

3. “Role Specific Training” means training mandated as a specific component of an Employee’s role(s), responsibilities or duties.

4. “RIT’s Talent Roadmap” means the system that houses RIT’s professional development and training courses, as well as online tutorials.

5. “Supervisors” means any Employee whose primary responsibility is the management of other RIT Employees.  Management shall include, but is not limited to, directing the work of others, hiring, firing, evaluating, advancing, promoting, or otherwise having input into the employment status of other Employees.

The roles and responsibilities for training extend to all levels of the university:

1. The university is responsible for identifying, creating, and providing opportunities for training in support of the university’s goals and objectives.

2. Supervisors are responsible for assessing and communicating the training requirements of Employees in their organization.  Supervisors also share responsibility for ensuring that Employees complete their training requirements within the specified time period.  Supervisors must take appropriate action to ensure compliance among Employees that they supervise.

3. Employees are responsible for understanding their obligations under this policy and ensuring that they are compliant with the policy.

1. Mandatory Training:
   
   The President may designate Mandatory Training courses or programs that all Employees are required to complete.  Mandatory Training courses may also be required by federal, state or local statute or regulations, by an appropriate regulatory body or agency, or to address any legal, financial, physical or other risk that could significantly impact the university. 

2. Role Specific Training:
   
   Role Specific Training may be designated based on an Employees’ roles or position responsibilities.  Unless otherwise stated in the Training Schedule, Supervisors are responsible for identifying any Role Specific Training requirements and for informing Employees of such requirements.  If the training is already accessible through RIT’s Talent Roadmap, then the training may be added to the Employee’s training requirements in the Talent Roadmap.  If not, then the Supervisor may work with Human Resources to identify options for delivering the required training.  Supervisors are responsible for notifying Employees of any Role Specific Training and for ensuring that Employees complete the training.  Examples of required role specific training may include courses pertaining to cash management, privacy, leadership training and time reporting.

3. New Employee Orientation
   
   Unless otherwise indicated in the Training Schedule, newly hired Employees must complete Mandatory Training within sixty (60) calendar days from the date of hire.  Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that newly hired Employees attend a New Employee Orientation session.  Human Resources will add the Mandatory Training courses to the new staff’s learning plan in RIT’s Talent Roadmap.  The Office of the Provost (or the office’s designee) is responsible for ensuring that newly hired faculty complete Mandatory Training.

The time an Employee spends taking either a Mandatory Training, Role Specific Training or any other training required by a Supervisor is considered time worked.

Training requirements and completion of these shall be considered part of an Employee’s performance.  Employees that consistently and willfully fail to follow this policy are subject to a range of disciplinary action, up to and including termination for Regular Staff, the cancellation of contractual obligations for Adjuncts or the initiation of dismissal for cause proceedings for tenured-track and non-tenure track Regular Faculty.  A violation of this policy shall be considered personal conduct that substantially impairs one’s fulfillment of institutional responsibilities and shall be adequate cause as defined in RIT’s Dismissal of a Tenure-Track Faculty Member for Cause (E23.0) and Dismissal of a Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Member for Cause (E23.1).

Any exceptions to this policy must be approved in writing by the Office of Compliance and Ethics for staff and the Office of the Provost for faculty.

Responsible Office(s):
Office of Compliance and Ethics
Human Resources

Approved October 31, 2018

Effective Date:
October 31, 2018

Policy History:

Edits approved by University Council Executive Committee December 4, 2023 (section III.A)