4.10 Nepotism

Board Policies
Chapter 4 - Human Resources

Part 1. Merit
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is committed to making hiring and other personnel decisions on the basis of merit, consistent with all applicable collective bargaining agreements, compensations plans, and the policy goals of the Board of Trustees. This commitment extends to avoiding even the appearance of decision making in personnel matters for reasons other than merit where applicable.

Part 2. Definitions

Employee
As used in this policy and its related procedure and/or operating instructions. An individual who performs services of whatever nature for Minnesota State through any of its constituent colleges, universities, or the system office, in return for compensation. The term “employee” does not include independent contractors.

Family member
As used in the policy and its related procedure and/or operating instructions, if any. Individuals in one or more of the following relationships with the employee:

  1. a current spouse or domestic partner or former spouse, or domestic partner or any other person with whom the employee is or was engaged within the past five years in a romantic or sexual relationship whether or not the individual was married to the employee, a domestic partner, or lived in the employee’s household;
  2. a child, including a biological child, adopted child, foster child, stepchild, child of a domestic partner, or child to whom the applicant stands in loco parentis, is a legal guardian, or is a de facto custodian;
  3. a parent or legal guardian or the parent or legal guardian of a spouse or domestic partner;
  4. a sibling, stepsibling, or the child of a sibling or stepsibling;
  5. a grandchild;
  6. a grandparent or spouse's grandparent;
  7. the sibling of a parent or legal guardian;
  8. a current or former son-in-law or daughter-in-law;
  9. a first cousin; and
  10. other individuals with whom the employee maintains a close personal relationship such that a reasonable person would question the employee’s ability to make merit based decisions with respect to such individuals.

Part 3. Prohibition
Except as expressly permitted in a procedure adopted by the chancellor, employees of Minnesota State shall not participate in the selection, hiring, supervision, performance review of, investigation of, or decisions regarding compensation, personnel advancement, discipline, or staff complement for, any person who is a family member of the employee as defined in this policy, except as expressly authorized by an applicable collective bargaining agreement, compensation plan, or procedures or operating instructions adopted by the chancellor.

The chancellor will adopt procedures addressing current employees who are family members as well as employees who become family members of an employee after commencing employment.

Related Documents:

Policy History:

Date of Adoption: 10/19/05
Date of Implementation: 10/19/05
Date of Last Review: 05/20/26

Date & Subject of Amendments:

05/20/26 – Full five-year review. New Part 1. Merit. New Part 2. Definitions. Language from existing Part 1 was moved and amended to become Part 3. Prohibition.

There is no additional HISTORY.

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