Volunteering

Recognizing that a significant number of individuals wish to volunteer their time, energy, and talents to the University and that the University will benefit from the services of volunteers, the University established the following policy on the use of all volunteers (adults, students, and minors):

  • Volunteers may not be used in lieu of or to replace regular employees.
  • University employees may not volunteer in the same department in which they are employed at Miami University or perform, as a volunteer, essentially the same duties the individual is employed to perform for Miami University.
  • Departments desiring to utilize the services of volunteers should engage in a review process that is appropriate given the nature of services to be performed (e.g. process may include face-to-face conversations, references, criminal history, fingerprints, and/or background checks).
  • Departments may not use volunteers to assist an employee with his or her assigned employment responsibilities.
  • All volunteer services must be provided on a purely voluntary basis. In addition, volunteering does not entitle the volunteer to any preference for hiring at Miami University. Miami may decline an individual's volunteer services at any time and for any reason.
  • For limitations on hours of students volunteering during times that school is not in session, see Work Hours and Breaks.  

Anyone serving as a volunteer must sign a Volunteer form, and the hiring department must keep this form on file for however long the volunteer remains active plus 3 years. All faculty and staff must ensure that they are complying with any applicable portions of the Minors on Campus policy, including the completion of a permission/authorization form for all University Programs (as such term is defined in the Minors on Campus policy).  Completion of the minor volunteer form below is not a suitable substitute for the permission/authorization form required by the Minors on Campus policy.

Volunteer Guest Speaker 

Anyone serving as a volunteer guest speaker must sign the Volunteer Guest Speaker Agreement, and this agreement must be retained by Academic Personnel for however long the volunteer remains active plus 3 years.

Minors Who Volunteer

Individuals under the age of 16 may not serve as a volunteer without the express written consent of their parent or guardian. (Consent form may be obtained from the personnel offices.) 

When school is in session, minors may not volunteer for:

  • More than 3 hours in any school day.
  • More than 18 hours in any week that school is in session.
  • After 7 p.m. during the school year.

When school is not in session, minors may not volunteer:

  • Before 6 a.m. if the person was employed after 8 p.m. the previous night.
  • After 11 p.m. on any night preceding a day that school is in session.
  • More than 40 hours per week during summer and semester breaks.

Any minor that serves as a volunteer must sign the Minor Volunteer Form and the hiring department must keep this form on file however long the volunteer remains active plus 3 years.