UTRGV Volunteers

UTRGV Volunteers

This process applies to students, staff, faculty, job applicants and applicants for admissions, retirees, external community members, and any other potential beneficiary of the programs, services or activities of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). This process does not apply to individuals who seek employment at UTRGV. This process does not apply to paid or unpaid internships.

A volunteers is defined as: individuals who volunteer or donate their services for public service or humanitarian objectives, usually on a part-time and temporary basis. An individual meets the criteria of a volunteer under the following circumstances:

  1. The individual provides services for humanitarian, a public service purpose, for the benefit of education, or other personal motive, without promise or expectation of compensation or employment.
  2. The services of the volunteers do not replace or disturb regular employees in the performance of their normal duties.

 

Prohibited Activities:

  1. Volunteers cannot replace or be substituted for current employees or perform work that would otherwise require payment of a wage. Volunteer services are generally limited to humanitarian, charitable or public service purposes and normally are rendered on a parttime and temporary basis.
  2. Non-exempt employees may not volunteer to do the same work for which they are employed.
  3. Volunteers are also prohibited from performing the following activities:
  4. Operating heavy equipment, including vehicles
  5. Working with stored energy (e.g. steam, electricity, hydraulics)
  6. Entering into any contract on behalf of UTRGV
  7. Working in direct patient care areas or with Protected Health Information (PHI),except in accordance with UT Rio Grande Valley policies and procedures, or UT Rio Grande Valley Health System policies and procedures, as applicable.

 

Procedure:

  1. Each potential volunteer must complete the UT Rio Grande Valley Volunteer Application that includes processes, procedures, forms, and expectations specific to the assignment.
  2. Volunteers must satisfactorily complete all applicable training and orientation prior to commencing activities.
  3. Acceptance of a volunteer is subject to a satisfactory reference check by the Sponsoring Manager hosting the volunteer and a criminal background check prior to the assignment. The background checks must be coordinated through the Office of Human Resources, but may also include alternate background check sources for current UT Rio Grande Valley and non-UT Rio Grande Valley students.
  4. Volunteers are subject to, and must abide by, all applicable UTRGV policies, procedures and rules, including but not limited to those relating to health and safety, confidentiality, intellectual property, protected health information, non-discrimination, computer use, ethics, conflicts of interest, criminal background checks, alcohol and drug free campus and non-violence policies.

Application can be found here.