3231 - OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES OF STAFF

Cedar Springs Public School District

Bylaws & Policies

3231 - OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES OF STAFF

It is the policy of the Board of Education that professional staff members avoid situations in which their personal interests, activities, and associations may conflict with the interests of the District. If such situations occur, the Superintendent shall evaluate the impact of such activity or association upon the professional staff member’s responsibilities and take appropriate action as necessary.

	A.	Staff members should not give work time to an outside interest, activity, or association without valid reason to be excused from assigned duties.

	B.	Staff members shall not use school property or school time to solicit or accept customers for private enterprises without written administrative permission.

	C.	Staff members shall not engage in business transactions on behalf of personal or private enterprise in which s/he may profit by virtue of his/her official position or authority or benefit financially from confidential information which the employee has obtained or may obtain by reason of his/her position or authority.

	D.	Staff members shall not campaign on school property during duty hours on behalf of any political issue or candidate for local, State, or National office.

	E.	Staff members may not accept fees for tutoring when such tutoring is conducted during the normal work day.

	F.	Staff members may not accept fees for tutoring, private lessons, or other activities related to their professional duties for students currently enrolled in one (1) or more of their classes or on their case load without prior written administrative permission.

Research and Publishing

A.	Professional staff members are encouraged to contribute articles to professional publications and to engage in approved professional research.

B.	Materials which might be considered for publication and/or production, which identify the District in any manner, shall be cleared with the Superintendent prior to publication and/or production.

C.	Publications and productions shall be subject to the following copyright provisions:

	1.	Rights to copyrights or patents of books, materials, devices, etc. developed by professional staff members on their own time will be relinquished by the Board upon request of the staff member provided that:

		a.	the books, materials, devices, etc. were prepared without the use of District data, facilities, and/or equipment;

		b.	the District is granted the privilege of purchasing the materials or products free of any copyright or royalty charges;

		c.	the staff member does not become involved in any way in the selling of the product to the District.

		The final decision regarding whether materials were produced independently of any work assignment, and/or without using school equipment, facilities, data, or equipment rests with the Superintendent who shall submit such decisions to the Board.


			Professional staff members who desire to publish or produce materials on their own time should make such action known to the Superintendent prior to the time such work is started in order that proper procedures can be established to assure that District interests and the interests of the staff member are protected.

		2.	All books, materials, devices, or products which result from the paid work time and/or prescribed duties of professional staff members shall remain the property of the District. The District shall retain all rights and privileges pertaining to the ownership thereof.

In the event that any of these products have commercial possibilities, the Superintendent is authorized to secure copyrights, patents, etc. which will ensure the ownership of the product by the District.

The Superintendent is authorized to negotiate with appropriate agencies for the production and distribution of products with commercial appeal. Such negotiations shall ensure fair and appropriate compensation, including sharing of royalties, for the staff member(s) who developed the products.

M.C.L. 15.321 et seq., 15.401 et seq., 380.1805 (1)