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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> 'oF LOUi'- DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> d ' 161/4e LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> ui h �, c P.O. BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> '""^ o° (225)219-5600 <br /> FAX (225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> wwwethicsla.goy <br /> December 21, 2016 <br /> Philip C. Williams <br /> President, McNeese State University <br /> P.O. Box 93300 <br /> Lake Charles, Louisiana 70609 <br /> Re: Ethics Board Docket No. 2016-679 <br /> Dear Mr. Williams: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its December 16, 2016 Board meeting, considered your request <br /> for an advisory opinion regarding the application of the provisions contained in La.R.S.42:1111A, <br /> La. R.S. 42:1123(6) and La. R.S. 42:1123(41) to complimentary admissions, travel, lodging and <br /> reimbursement by organizations to McNeese State University(McNeese) and/or its employees. In <br /> order to accomplish its mission as a state university, McNeese encourages its faculty and key <br /> administrators to participate in a wide variety of nonprofit educational organizations.You stated that <br /> these organizations are typically membership organizations created by and for the universities they <br /> serve, including McNeese. You also stated that participation in these organizations is desirable for <br /> purposes of maintaining an appropriate level of competence for your professional employees,many <br /> of whom require up-to-date training to stay abreast of critical changes. <br /> You stated that McNeese's "faculty workload policy" regarding reassigned time complies with <br /> Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Comprehensive Standards <br /> and the University of Louisiana System Board Bylaws. The policy provides reassigned time for <br /> duties other than instruction or other exceptions to teach and/or research time must have prior <br /> approval and must be for special documented accreditation requirements, specific administrative <br /> duties,or other extraordinary special assignments as clearly defined by the department and approved <br /> by the Dean and Vice-President for Academic and Student Affairs. <br /> You submitted the following examples and questions for the Board's consideration: <br /> McNeese State University has an institutional membership to the Louisiana Student Financial Aid <br /> Administrators (LASFAA), Southwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators <br /> (SWASFAA), and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators(NASFAA). <br /> These organizations are all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations designed to assist financial aid <br /> administrators in staying current on changing federal and state regulations.The organizations do not <br /> have a contractual or business relationship with the University.In all instances below,the McNeese <br /> employees are on University time, continue to receive their salary, and do not take annual leave to <br /> attend these meetings or conferences.Further,as an employee of the university,they are required to <br /> 1 <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />