Volunteers support UW-Stevens Point's mission and value for local and global communities. Volunteers may be community members, alumni, retirees, or current employees (for specific/limited programs).
The resources and guidelines below are available to support volunteer success.
Prior to Having a Volunteer Start:
Ensure the responsibilities for volunteers are appropriate to the overall intent of volunteerism. A department should not rely on volunteers to perform duties that should be performed by employees on a regular basis. Volunteers should be supplementing the work done by employees or assisting campus with outreach efforts and involvement, not replacing the overall need for compensated employees.
Volunteers are not compensated. Consult with
UWSP HR to determine employment status.
- Authorized expense reimbursements may be allowed for volunteers following financial policies and procedures. Also, if an individual is being compensated but not considered a UWSP employee, then a vendor/contractor relationship may exist and applicable requirements may then need to be met.
An agency relationship with a volunteer will exist when there is a benefit to UW-Stevens Point and direction/control of the volunteer by UW-Stevens Point. The volunteer situation must support the UW-Stevens Point mission.
Volunteers must be approved by the applicable authorizing College, Department/Unit. Prior to offering a volunteer agreement, the approver must consult with their supervisor and the department's Vice Chancellor. Approval requires one or more of the following - Department Director/Chair, Dean, Associate Vice Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, or Chancellor. Individual departments may determine their own approval process as long as the minimum approval level is met. If multiple approvals are needed, please use email or DocuSign to document the approvals.
Student Organizations seeking to arrange volunteers must have Advisor and
CASE approval.
The
Volunteer Agreement shall be completed by the authorizing department for all UW-Stevens Point volunteers. Details of the volunteer duties, responsibilities, expectations, and other parameters may be included in this agreement. Once completed, signed, and approved, maintain the original in the authorizing department, and send copies to the volunteer and Human Resources.
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Individuals volunteering for activities not related to the campus mission or those not specifically under UWSP control, but still associated with campus shall complete a
Program Waiver instead of the written Volunteer agreement. These individuals are not considered UWSP volunteers and are therefore not afforded liability protection. Contact Human Resources for consultation in determining proper classification and waiver. - Current UWSP employees may volunteer for limited services. Examples include service in governance, large university programs such as STEAM or College Days for Kids, etc. Current UWSP employees who are active on payroll/contract for work do not need to complete either form as their volunteerism is covered under university liability as an employee. Individuals who are not active/on contract for the time during a volunteer activity (Example: a Faculty member not teaching in summer, volunteers for a program held in summer) do need to complete aVolunteer Agreement.
- Depending on the volunteer opportunity, a current employee may be subject to a background check in accordance with theUWSP Criminal Background Check Policy to volunteer. Use the
Background Check Request to request the check.
If
minors are involved additional steps may be needed such as parent/guardian permissions, background checks for those entrusted with minor’s care (contact us for guidance), work limitations (no hazardous work allowed), etc. Having a minor be a volunteer should be limited.
Additional Considerations When Thinking About Having a Volunteer:
Volunteers cannot be given access to keys or cash.
Volunteers must be properly supervised by the authorizing department.
This means that a volunteer should not be present at a location when the supervisor is not available at the location. Additionally, each day the volunteer volunteers there should be a check-in/discussion with the direct supervisor.
When a volunteer will be a Position of Trust with access to Vulnerable Populations, the reference checks described in UWS Recruitment Policies must be completed. Reference checks are encouraged for all volunteers who are not current UWS or UWSP employees. Ensure you build reference checks into your timeline prior to offering a volunteer agreement.
Once a Volunteer is Approved
Training and orientation (including all necessary safety training) shall be completed for the volunteer by the authorizing department upon acceptance of the volunteer. Document key issues/concerns as necessary.
Volunteers are expected to comply with all applicable UWS and UWSP policies related to conduct, compliance, and safety. Policies are located via the Human Resources Policies page. If a volunteer or supervisor has questions about a particular policy applying to a volunteer, contact hr@uwsp.edu or 715-346-2606.
Volunteers are not covered by worker’s compensation or generally any other UWSP accident, health, or disability program. Also, the State of WI/UW-Stevens Point carries no premise medical or accident payment insurance. Therefore it is important for all volunteers to have their own personal insurances in effect while volunteering at UW-Stevens Point.
No property insurance is provided by UWSP/State to volunteer’s personal property.
Vehicle Use
Authorized volunteers acting within the scope of the agency may operate a UW-Stevens Point fleet vehicle if they meet all driver authorization requirements and follow all requirements. See
Transportation Services for details. They must be an authorized volunteer and operating within the scope of their agency when driving the vehicle. Authorized volunteers may also ride in UW-Stevens Point fleet vehicles upon authorization by Principal Human Resources Officer or designee.
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