Kenyon is one of the nation's finest liberal arts colleges, a small school where academic excellence goes hand in hand with a strong sense of community. We bring together 1,600 young men and women to study with nearly 200 professors on an exceptionally beautiful hilltop campus in central Ohio. Our curriculum is rooted in the traditional liberal arts and sciences, and enriched by interdisciplinary programs. We set high academic standards and look for talented students who love learning. Small classes, dedicated teachers, and friendly give-and-take set the tone. Kenyon welcomes curiosity, creativity, intellectual ambition, and an openness to new ideas. We see learning as a challenging, deeply rewarding, and profoundly important activity, to be shared in a spirit of collaboration.
Our greatest strength is our faculty, outstanding scholars who place the highest value on teaching. Close interaction with students is the rule here: professors become mentors and friends. Requirements are flexible enough to allow for a good deal of exploration. Other notable strengths include our distinguished literary tradition, many opportunities for research in the sciences, and programs connecting students to our rural surroundings. The Kenyon experience fosters connections of all kinds-to classmates and teachers and friends, to the life of the mind, to global perspectives, to our own unique traditions and history, and to a place of inspiration.
Kenyon College's established employee relations policy is to:
1. Operate an economically viable institute of higher learning so that a consistent level of steady work is available.
2. Select people on the basis of skill, training, ability, attitude, and character without discrimination with regard to age, ancestry, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, political belief, or disability that does not prohibit performance of essential job functions.
3. Pay all employees according to their effort and contribution to the success of our educational mission.
4. Review wages, employee benefits and working conditions periodically with the objective of providing maximum benefits in these areas, consistent with sound business practices.
5. Provide paid vacations and holidays to all eligible employees.
6. Provide eligible employees with medical, disability, retirement and other benefits.
7. Dedicate ourselves to Kenyon's overall achievement and success.
8. Develop competent people who understand and meet our objectives, and who accept with open minds the ideas, suggestions, and constructive criticisms of fellow employees.
9. Assure employees, after talking with their supervisor, an opportunity to discuss any problem with the appropriate senior level division head.
10. Make prompt and fair adjustment of any complaints which may arise in the everyday conduct of our business, to the extent that is practicable.
11. Respect individual rights, and treat all employees with courtesy and consideration.
12. Maintain mutual respect in our working relationship.
13. Provide buildings and offices that are attractive, comfortable, orderly, and safe.
14. Promote employees on the basis of their ability and merit.
15. Make promotions or fill vacancies from within Kenyon College whenever possible.
16. Keep all employees informed of the progress of Kenyon College, as well as our continuing overall aims and objectives.
17. Do all these things in a spirit of friendliness and cooperation so that Kenyon College will continue to be known as "a great place to work!"
Your first responsibility is to know your own duties and how to do them promptly, correctly, and pleasantly. Secondly, you are expected to cooperate with management and your fellow employees and maintain a good team attitude. How you interact with fellow employees and those whom Kenyon College serves, and how you accept direction, can affect the success of your department. In turn, the performance of one department can impact the entire educational experience offered by Kenyon. Consequently, whatever your position, you have an important assignment: perform every task to the very best of your ability. The result will be better performance for Kenyon overall, and personal satisfaction for you.
You are encouraged to grasp opportunities for personal development that are offered to you. This Handbook offers insight on how you can positively perform to the best of your ability to meet and exceed Kenyon College's expectations.
We strongly believe you should have the right to make your own choices in matters that concern and control your life. We believe in direct access to management. We are dedicated to making Kenyon a place where you can approach your supervisor, or any member of management, to discuss any problem or question. We expect you to voice your opinions and contribute your suggestions to improve the quality of Kenyon College. (Please take a look at the section describing the submission of suggestions.) We're all human, so please communicate with each other and with management.
Remember, you help create the healthful, pleasant and safe working conditions that Kenyon College intends for you. Your dignity and that of fellow employees, as well as that of whom we serve, is important.
Kenyon College needs your help in making each working day enjoyable and rewarding.