Staff Information & Policies
Confidentiality
Due to the nature of their position, some staff will have access to confidential or proprietary information such as research, finance, payroll, technical data, etc. Such confidential and/or proprietary information should be kept confidential and not disclosed, used, or copied except as necessary to perform the duties of the position. Confidential information may be disclosed to other employees on a need-to-know basis and/or during the collaboration of assignments. The obligation to maintain confidentiality applies both during and after employment. If unsure as to whether certain information is confidential or proprietary, staff should consult with their supervisor or the ASC Human Resources Office.
Contact Lists
A faculty and staff contact list with names, office locations, and phone numbers is distributed by the Building Administrator each semester. Contact Phil McClelland for the most recent list. In addition, the Annenberg website lists all members of the school community, including current staff, faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students, along with their photos and contact information.
Events
Most school events, such as colloquia and lectures, are open to the entire Annenberg community and staff are welcome to attend, provided that the event does not conflict with the operations or staffing of the staff member's department or work group (in some cases supervisor approval may be required). Invitations are sent via email and/or hardcopy, and most require an RSVP so that attendance can be tracked and the appropriate amount of food can be ordered. Staff attendance is encouraged and expected at convocation and graduation each year.
The Annenberg School websites maintains a calendar of upcoming Annenberg School events.
Inclement Weather
Although the University normally never stops operating, emergencies such as severe weather conditions may sometimes result in the cancellation of classes and/or the full or partial closure of certain areas. The University will announce a closing or other modification of work schedules via text and email (sign up through the UPenn Alert Emergency Notification System). Information is also available through the emergency information number – (215) 898-MELT – the Penn webpage, and/or KYW News Radio (1060 AM). Even when Penn is officially closed due to an emergency, there are some essential services that must still be provided. Staff members in essential positions are still required to work as normally scheduled under these circumstances.
If the university is open or has a delayed start and a staff member does not report for work, the absence must be charged to a full day's PTO, regardless of what time the university began operations.
When schools are closed due to inclement weather but the university is open for business, the Penn Children’s Center provides snow day childcare to the children of university faculty and staff (there is a daily fee). Snow Day Child Care is available for children between 12 weeks and 12 years of age, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Children must be registered in advance in order to participate. To register, complete the online application and return it to the Penn Children’s Center.
Kitchen/Coffee Area
The Main Office includes a kitchen area with coffee set-up for use by faculty, staff, students, and visitors. Coffee and tea are provided free of charge, and filtered hot and cold water is available via a dispenser located under the coffee machine. A full-size refrigerator and microwave are also provided. It is expected that all employees will be respectful of the kitchen area by cleaning up spills, disposing of trash and recycling properly, and not allowing old or expired items to linger in the refrigerator.
Logo
All uses of the Annenberg School logo must be cleared by the school’s Director of Communication. The Annenberg School's logo may never be recreated or reproduced in any form. For more information, visit Penn Branding Standards or contact the school’s Director of Communications.
Most permanent ASC faculty and staff are provided with a mailbox, either individual or shared. Mail is delivered to the school once a day and distributed to the appropriate mailbox. Mailboxes should be checked periodically for new content.
Delivered Packages
When a package arrives for a staff member, an email will be sent to the recipient from a member of the front office staff. If the package is not picked up within one week, recipients will be notified via email again. Due to space constraints, packages should never be left for longer than one week without explanation to a member of the front office staff.
Office Equipment
A photocopier that includes print, scan, and fax capabilities is located in the Main Office and is available for use by ASC staff for business purposes. There are also photocopiers/scanners on the third floor and in the library that are available for staff use. A large capacity shredder is located in the main office copy room for use in shredding all confidential materials. Careful thought should be given before disposing of or recycling documents that may contain the personal information of members of the Annenberg community, and shredding is highly recommended.
Office Supplies
The primary supply closet for commonly used office supplies is located across from the kitchen/coffee area. Pens, pencils, notepads, folders, Post-its, and more can be found in this closet. For items not routinely stocked, staff should consult with the front office Administrative Assistant to submit an item request (some requests will require supervisor approval).
Records Storage
University Records maintains a records retention schedule detailing how long University documents need to be archived. Archive boxes are available from the main office administrative assistant. Prior to requesting a pick-up, call University Storage (215-898-9432) to see what the school’s next sequential box number is so that the box can be labeled. The customer number for the school is 154. Boxes being picked up must be labeled with the customer number and must include a list of the files contained in the box.
Sexual Misconduct Practices & Policies
To create and sustain a campus climate in which members of the University community are able to thrive and achieve their full potential, the University has established a wide range of policies, educational programs, resources, support, and reporting systems to respond to complaints of sexual misconduct made against members of the Penn community. Please review Penn's policies and procedures here.
Telephone & Voicemail
The primary phone number for the School is 898-704. Many ASC staff have a telephone extension assigned to them for business use, including voicemail. Click here for information regarding voicemail features and setting options. To report a telephone problem contact the Building Administrator.
Visitors
All staff should acknowledge guests and visitors to the School and be courteous and helpful as appropriate but should refrain from answering specific questions that are best answered by another staff member. If the appropriate staff member is unavailable, their contact information should be provided to the visitor as needed.
Guests should remain in the main office waiting area and should not be permitted to access other areas of the office unannounced or unsupervised. Visitors should be announced via telephone or direct message and asked to be seated in the waiting area or instructed to proceed to the appropriate office. Staff members expecting a visitor should be in their office and available at the appointment time. As a courtesy, staff who often receive unscheduled visitors should advise front office staff when leaving the office in case visitors arrive during their absence.
Work Schedules
The business hours of the school are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lunch hours are normally scheduled between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., and scheduled lunch hours should be kept as consistent as possible. Working hours in excess of 35 is generally not permitted for non-exempt staff, but approval may be granted on occasion. Approval to work additional hours should be received from the supervisor ahead of time.
Staff are expected to arrive on time or in advance of the start time. When late arrival is unavoidable, staff must communicate with their supervisor prior to the start time either by phone, email, or text (staff should consult with their supervisor to determine the preferred method).
At ASC, most (but not all) staff work a hybrid schedule. During the academic year the schedule is 3 days in the office, 2 days at home. Tuesdays and Thursdays are mandatory days in. In the summer, the hybrid schedule is 2 days in the office, 3 at home, with Tuesday as the mandatory day in. The school reserves the right to change the hybrid schedule at any time, and due to the nature of the work of some positions, not all positions are eligible.