Terms of Employment

Section 3.E. 1 – Faculty and Grant-Funded Positions

All exempt appointments to positions within the College shall be for a probationary period of nine (9) working months. All non-exempt appointments to positions within the College shall be for a probationary period of six (6) months. An employee may be dismissed at any time during the probationary period without cause and without following progressive disciplinary steps that might otherwise be applicable. At the end of the period of probation, the appropriate Vice President will recommend to the President whether an employee will be retained, dismissed or offered an extension of probation.

An employee may be dismissed without cause at any time during the probationary period. At the end of the period of probation, the appropriate Vice President will recommend to the President whether an employee will be retained, dismissed or offered an extension of probation. Upon recommendation of the appropriate Vice President to retain an employee, the President may elect to issue a contract for up to twelve months.

All faculty and grant-funded employment will be subject to a contract. No employment contract of the College extends beyond one year and not beyond June 30 of any given fiscal year. No faculty or employee in a grant-funded position shall have an expectation of continued employment beyond the date(s) stated in the employment contract or grant. If a faculty employee or employee in a grant-funded position continues to work beyond the terms of any the applicable contract or grant, and the employee and College have not executed a new or extended contract (or the grant funding has not been extended), the employee shall become an employee at will and the College or employee may terminate the employment relationship at any time and for any reason that is not unlawful. The general statutes of North Carolina do not provide for tenure for faculty members of community colleges and technical colleges. Neither the North Carolina Community College System nor Vance-Granville Community College recognizes tenure. Therefore, no tenure or the expectation of continued employment is granted to employees beyond these stipulations. At least thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the employee’s regular contract of employment or grant funding, those employees who will not be tendered a new contract will be so notified by certified letter, mailed to his/her residence address on record at the College, or delivered in person. In the event of a loss of grant funding for the position, the College will attempt to provide 30 days’ notice but may be required to terminate employment with less than 30 days’ notice.

Section 3.E.2 – All Other Positions

For all other positions, the probationary period is six (6) months. During the probationary period, employment can be terminated without cause and without following progressive discipline that might otherwise be applicable.

After the probationary period ends, the College will follow its progressive disciplinary policies before terminating an employee for cause but retains sole discretion to skip steps or to go straight to termination based on the circumstances.

Section 3.E.3 – All Positions (Faculty, Grant-Funded, Other)

Any employee, contract or “at-will,” is subject to termination based on “financial exigencies,” regardless of position held, and regardless of whether the employee’s status is probationary.

(approved July 21, 2025)