Nepotism and Academic Appointments

Scope

All academic appointees.

Back to top

Policy Statement

1. General Provisions
   1. No person shall be recommended for employment on an appointment basis who is related by blood or marriage to a member of the State Board of Education, or to a member of the Board of Trustees of Indiana University.
   2. It is contrary to University policy that any full-time, part-time, or temporary employee be employed in or transferred to a position which establishes an immediate supervisor/employee relationship between two individuals who are related by blood or marriage.
   3. The degrees of relationship included in the above restrictions are as follows. By blood: Parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin. By marriage: Husband, wife, stepparent, stepchild, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, half-sister, half-brother, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece.
   4. Determination of “immediate supervision” in each instance is made by the appropriate Vice President or Chancellor/Provost, who takes into account the day-to-day functions of supervision and whether or not the supervisor is the sole person competent to judge such issues as hiring, retention, promotion, and salary. The Vice President or Chancellor/Provost brings to the attention of the Board of Trustees, before appointment or transfer, instances in which two members of the same family will be employed in the same unit; the Vice President or Chancellor/Provost will demonstrate that immediate supervision is not involved.
2. In the event of marriage between University appointees creating a relationship not in accord with the provisions of paragraph 1.b., one of the persons affected must give up that position by end of the fiscal year or within six months from the date the relationship was established, whichever is the greater period, but may be re-employed in another position compatible with the provisions of paragraph 1.b.
3. In the recruitment of new academic appointees, the University adheres strictly to its current anti-nepotism policy. Because the implementation of this policy may work a severe hardship on current employees and may tend to cause more of an adverse impact upon one sex than another, the administration is authorized to institute alternative procedures on a trial basis to cover situations of potential nepotism involving current employees. These procedures are to be carefully monitored and evaluated.
4. Stipends to students as scholarships, fellowships, or assistantships shall not constitute employment within the provisions of this regulation.

(Board of Trustees, May 31, 1940; March 26, 1960; June 29, 1974)

5. Whenever a person recommending, or considering the acceptance of, an appointment to a staff, faculty, or other position has reason to believe that a relationship by blood or marriage of the kind described exists or may exist, he should report the facts to the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel and campus Chancellor/Provost or Vice President of the unit so that a determination may be made prior to the actual appointment.

(Administrative Practice)

Back to top