Protecting Minors

The university is committed to promoting the safety and wellbeing of students and others who are entrusted to our care or visit our campuses, especially those who are particularly vulnerable, including patients, volunteer subjects of research, and the children in our daycare and community outreach programs.

Bank Accounts

No individual, school, department, institute, center, subunit, group or organization associated with or affiliated with the university (including associated alumni or student organization) is authorized to open a commercial or retail bank account in or using the university’s name, identification or tax information.

Training Requirements and Opportunities

To ensure compliance with federal, state or local regulatory requirements as well as university policy and procedures, faculty and staff employees may be required to complete specific training requirements as a condition of employment.

Recruitment and Relocation Expenditures

This policy is to ensure that university funds allocated toward recruitment and relocation are appropriately approved by the hiring department and processed in compliance with university policies and local, state, and federal requirements.

Investigation of Non-Protected Class Conduct in Violation of University Policy

The Office of Conduct, Accountability, and Professionalism (OCAP) investigates violations of university policy that have not been investigated by the Office of Equity and Diversity, the Office of Compliance, the Office of Internal Audit or an office investigating research misconduct.

Vehicle/Driver Requirements

This policy covers requirements for the use of university vehicles. USC reserves the right, at its discretion, to prohibit any individual from driving a university vehicle, or to prohibit an employee from driving a personal vehicle for university business.

Travel Cards

USC staff and faculty are eligible for a Travel Card provided they meet the following criteria: Have active employment status, in good standing.

Procurement Cards

The Procurement Card (P-Card) is a corporate card issued on behalf of USC by a bank (Issuing Bank). The P-Card is used for buying goods and services for the university.

Signage

All university signs, both permanent and temporary (i.e. banners), for interior and/or exterior installation, are subject to administrative review and approval by representatives from the Office of the Provost, University Communications and Capital Construction.

Tailgating

Tailgating before a football game is part of the rich heritage that makes Trojan Game Day special. This policy provides guidelines to help ensure a safe, family-friendly game day environment, and applies only to USC’s University Park Campus – not the Coliseum or other facilities. However, both tailgating, and open containers, are strictly prohibited at USC Village.

University Committee on Appointments, Promotions, Tenure

The University Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure (UCAPT) serves as the ultimate advisory body to the Provost, who retains final authority on behalf of the President.

International Collaborations and Export Controls

USC engages in a variety of activities related to research, instruction, healthcare, student outreach, and other strategic partnerships and affiliations that may create obligations under United States export control regulations, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and economic and trade sanctions regulations.

Disaster Leave

Disaster leave provides employees with job protection and, when applicable, continued pay and benefits over a designated period of time in concert with a “declaration of emergency” issued by the President or President’s designee.

Protection of Social Security Numbers and Other Restricted Information

USC receives and collects Restricted Information, as defined below, from and about students, faculty and staff employees, patients, and business partners, among others, in order to provide academic and clinical services and/or to conduct business operations. USC will use, store and transmit “Restricted Information” responsibly and in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.

Smoke Free Policy

The university is committed to promoting a healthy, safe and comfortable environment for all students, faculty, staff and visitors. Smoking is prohibited in all indoor and outdoor facilities on university owned and leased property with no exception, including within vehicles parked on those properties.

University Sponsored Advertising and Sponsorships

To protect and present an appropriate and consistent image, the university restricts the advertising of, or sponsorship agreements involving, certain products and services.

HIPAA PAT-608 Breach Notification

USC shall comply with breach notification requirements under federal and state laws, including the HIPAA privacy and security regulations and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (“HITECH”) Regulations.

HIPAA PAT-601 Access to Protected Health Information

This policy describes when it is appropriate to permit a patient to access his or her Protected Health Information and the procedures to follow when approving or denying a patient request to access his or her Protected Health Information.

HIPAA Privacy Rule: Education of Covered Workforce

It is USC’s policy to provide education to its faculty, staff, students and other employees or volunteers who use, disclose or access Protected Health Information as part of their job responsibilities at USC.

Employee Email

When using email to conduct official university business, employees must use USC email exclusively.

Emergency Management

The university recognizes the need to prepare for unexpected events such as natural or human-caused disasters, as well as the need to return the university as quickly as possible to its normal operations should such events occur.

Cooperation with Compliance Investigations

Every USC employee shares the university’s responsibility to comply with laws and regulations governing a variety of activities, including but not limited to research, healthcare, privacy and security, employment practices, environmental health and safety, financial aid, athletics and conflict of interest.

Paid Sick Time

In the event of a discrepancy between this policy and a collective bargaining agreement, the terms of the collective bargaining agreement will govern.

Unpaid Religious Holidays

An employee wishing to take time off to observe a religious holiday must notify his/her manager at least 30 days prior to the holiday.

California Military Spouse Leave

California law requires that employees who work an average of at least 20 hours per week may take up to ten days of unpaid leave while their spouse is on leave from military deployment.

School Activities Leave

USC is committed to providing time-off for employees to participate in their children’s school activities in kindergarten through grade twelve (12), in licensed daycare facilities, and in activities conducted by a licensed childcare provider.

HIPAA CLIN-207 Security Risk Analysis and Management

In accordance with the HIPAA Security Rule, USC maintains a HIPAA security risk analysis and management program to assess and prioritize risks to the confidentiality,
integrity and availability of Protected Health Information (PHI) and to respond, accept or remediate as appropriate.

Unmanned Aerial Systems (drones)

Due to potential risks to safety, security and privacy, USC generally prohibits operations of an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS; commonly known as a drone) on or above USC property or in connection with a USC-sanctioned or affiliated event or activity, including commercial, recreational, hobbyist, or other uses.

Disability Accommodations

The university is committed to the full accessibility of our campus, programs and activities to individuals with disabilities.

Class Scheduling

Each school and department must distribute its course offerings over all five days of the week and over the full day from 8am through 5pm.

Sponsored Project Funded Expense Provisions (Expenditures)

The purpose of this policy is to ensure controls for sponsored project funded expense provisions. When expenses are to be charged to a sponsored project account, the terms of the applicable contract or grant will take precedence over university expenditure policies.

Membership Expense and Restrictions (Expenditures)

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for payments and reimbursements for memberships.