6.8.1 Institutional Services and Live Projects

Policy Tracking	Date
Approved
Revised	November 10, 2003
Reviewed

Automotive Servicing − Laboratory sessions in the automotive curriculum are designed to offer students actual experience on a motor vehicle to reinforce the theory being presented in classroom sessions. To ensure that all service work contributes to the learning experience established by the instructor, the following guidelines will be adhered to in the performance of service work
1. Permission to bring the vehicle to be serviced to the automotive laboratory must be obtained from the instructor in charge.
2. All work is to be done under the supervision of the instructor in charge.
3. Servicing work to be performed must be written up on a standard Blue Ridge Community College Automotive Repair Order Form. All parts of the form are to be completed prior to commencing any work. This order shall list the work to be done and will include the following statement “Blue Ridge Community College does not guarantee any service work performed by students or staff members on vehicles brought in for servicing or other work”. In addition, Blue Ridge Community College will not be responsible for losses due to fire, theft, or vandalism, or losses due to acts of nature to vehicles stored or parked on the school premises for the purpose of having servicing work done in the automotive laboratory." All vehicle owners are to read and sign this form prior to the performance of any service work.
4. All parts are to be supplied by the automobile owner or his or her representative. No parts or materials may be charged to Blue Ridge Community College.
5. No vehicle may remain on the premises of the College beyond six months from date of commencement of work.
Outside Work by Students - Due to the specialized nature of the programs offered at Blue Ridge Community College, staff members will find that they are often approached about having repair, maintenance, and initial installation work performed by their classes. The following guidelines shall govern such requests and performance of work:
1. The instructional staff of the College shall be under no obligation to accept, receive, or promise any outside work of any kind.
2. Outside work may be done providing the instructor can clearly relate it to the total instructional program and can justify the educational value of such work, and provided that such work will create no conflict between the College and local firms offering the same type of service.
3. When public work is arranged to be done outside of the College, the instructor should outline the project to the appropriate administrator at least three days prior to commencing the work. This description is to be provided on a standard Blue Ridge Community College Service Order Form. Prior to commencing the work, proper authorization by both the property owner and either the President, Vice President for Instruction, or the appropriate dean at Blue Ridge Community College must be obtained.
Live Projects − Live Projects are defined as: (1) educational programs in which students as part of their educational experiences repair or remodel equipment not owned by the College; or, (2) educational programs that produce goods that are sold or services for which charges are made, such goods or services being the normal and necessary product of learning activities of students. In the case of (1) above, the owner of the equipment must supply or pay for all parts required. In the case of (2) above, the following regulations apply:
1. Where federal programs are involved, federal regulations do not permit goods to be sold. In such programs goods produced may be used for the benefit of the College or donated to another nonprofit charitable or educational agency or institution.
2. For live projects that involve the purchase of equipment from the state or Federal Surplus Property Agency, the repair of this equipment and its sale as surplus follow the regulations of the State Division of Purchase and Contract. The proceeds of such sales shall be deposited with the State Board of Community Colleges and credited to the equipment budget of the College.
3. In other programs that fall under the above definition of live projects, the following shall apply:
  1. The President shall approve regulations, consistent with state laws and regulations, covering the disposal of goods and services, charges made, etc.
  2. The President shall provide that the receipts be deposited to state funds (unless a "special local" fund account arrangement has been worked out in keeping with regulations of the state Auditor). Receipts deposited to state funds under this provision shall be allotted back to the College for expenditures during the same fiscal year.
  3. Where a "special local" fund arrangement is set up as provided in C-3 above, all costs made necessary because goods and/or services are produced and then sold shall be paid from the "special local" account that receives the income. This includes materials used in producing the goods and services, extra personnel required to serve customers, specialized equipment that would not otherwise be required for instruction alone, and other costs directly related to a live project as distinguished from an instructional program that does not produce income. Detailed records must be maintained on the special local fund account in order that periodic financial statements may be prepared and a complete audit of the account made after the close of the fiscal year.
  4. Where a "special local" fund arrangement is set up as provided above, the president shall adopt regulations setting forth the classes of items or purposes for which funds from this special local fund in excess of those required under item C-3 above, may be used. Such funds shall not be used to supplement regular salaries of permanent employees whose base salaries are paid from state or local appropriations.
  5. The clientele served in providing clinical experience for students by carrying on live projects shall be limited to students and employees in the Community College System so far as possible. Where, however, outside clients become necessary in order to provide enough experience to carry out educational programs, clients should be selected from the general public on the basis of standing criteria adopted and published by the College, not inconsistent with state Board Policies. The above regulations except those under C-2 above do not apply to the disposal of any state owned equipment, which must be declared surplus and sold by the State Board of Community Colleges.
  6. Live projects which are approved by the North Carolina Community College System to be set up as “Special Funds” should be considered to be ongoing and as such will have any accumulated earnings or deficits carried as a fund balance from one fiscal year to another. These “retained earnings” will be used as necessary to finance continued operation of the project and for that purpose only. However, any surplus above and beyond what is necessary to continue operations shall be deposited to state funds using the appropriate revenue code. Likewise, if and when the live project is discontinued, all accumulated earnings shall be deposited to state Funds. All live projects not approved to be included under “special funds” must have all revenues deposited directly to state funds. A request must then be made for the return of these funds in the form of a budget increase.