(1) Employee: Any individual who receives payment for services rendered to the college district, other than an outside vendor or contractor.

(2) Family member or relative: An employee's or employee's spouse's mother, father, child (including foster and adopted children), sibling, grandparent, cousin, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, in-law, or the employee's spouse.

(3) Nepotism: The practice of showing favoritism to relatives in hiring and employment practices.

This policy is intended to provide guidelines for the employment of all individuals by the district, except as modified by applicable policies of the state board for community and technical colleges, policies of the higher education personnel board, collective bargaining agreements, or state statute.

In the appointment of its faculty and staff members, the college district seeks those persons best qualified to fulfill the institution's teaching and service obligations. Accordingly, members of the same family may be appointed to faculty and staff positions when it has been determined that they are the most qualified candidates for the positions. However, a person may not be hired into a position that would result in a relationship where an employee is involved in the recruitment, screening, appointment, termination of appointment, promotion, demotion, approval of salary increase or decrease, supervision, or evaluation of a member of the employee's family or of a person with whom the employee shares a substantial economic interest. Otherwise, family relationships shall not be used as a basis for granting or denying employment rights, privileges, or benefits.