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The University’s Grievance Procedures provide for an orderly resolution of a dispute claiming a violation by an academic administrator of a faculty member’s Appointment Documents (the appointment letter, current job description(s), the current Faculty Handbook, Honor Code), or published Life University, College, Division or Department policies and/or procedures.
Definitions
The following definitions apply to this Grievance Procedure:
• A grievance is a claim of a violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication of any provision of the faculty member’s Appointment Documents or published Life University, College, Division or Department policies and/or procedures.
• The aggrieved party is the faculty member claiming a violation of the faculty member’s Appointment Documents or published Life University, College, Division or Department policies and/or procedures.
• A day is any day, Monday through Friday, in which the University is open for regular business operations, excluding University holidays and official closings.
Grievance Process
Step One - Notification to the Supervisor
When a faculty member claims violation of any of the Appointment Documents specified above or published Life University, College, Division or Department policies and/or procedures, they should attempt to resolve it informally through a conversation with the person involved. This must occur within 10 days of the date of the incident that precipitated the complaint.
If no resolution is agreed to, the faculty member will immediately document the conversation in writing. That document will be sent to the immediate supervisor with a copy to the Dean.
Step Two – Formal Filing of a Grievance
Failing resolution through informal means, the faculty member may initiate the formal grievance process. The faculty member must submit a written statement of their grievance to the CAO, the President of Faculty Senate, the alleged party, and the Chair of the Committee on Faculty Affairs within 20 days of the date of the incident that precipitated the complaint. The statement shall contain the following information:
1. the name of the faculty member who becomes the aggrieved party upon submission of the written statement
2. a concise statement of the grievance
3. the specific sections of the above-referenced Appointment Documents or published Life University, College, Division or Department policies and/or procedures alleged to be violated
4. the date of the alleged act or omission
5. actions taken to this point
6. the specific remedies sought
7. the date submitted and complainant’s signature
Step Three - Faculty Affairs Committee Consideration
Within 10 days of receiving the grievance file, the Chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee will request written or audio/video-recorded oral statements from both the faculty member and the person alleged in the grievance. Both parties must respond to that request within 10 days from the date of request.
Within 10 days of receiving the written or oral statements, the Chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee will select three faculty members from the committee to serve with the chair to consider the grievance. All panel members must disclose any perceived or potential conflicts of interest, and the Chair of the committee will determine if those conflicts preclude a committee member from serving on the panel.
The panel members will have up to 7 days to gather and review data/information and come to consensus on a recommendation as to whether there is adequate cause for further action and what that action should be. The actions recommended by the panel may be to:
1. uphold the action
2. recommend a different action
3. recommend reversing the action
This recommendation will be given in writing to the faculty member, the alleged party, the President of the Faculty Senate, and the Chief Academic Officer. The recommendation(s) of the Faculty Affairs Committee is not binding upon the CAO.
Step Four - Chief Academic Officer’s Decision
Within seven days of the receipt of the recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee, the Chief Academic Officer will respond in writing with their decision. The decision will be communicated to the aggrieved party, the faculty member, the Faculty Senate President, the Chair of Faculty Affairs, and the Dean.
In making the decision, the CAO is limited to taking one of the following actions:
1. Affirm the finding(s) of fact and accept recommendations by the Faculty Affairs Committee.
2. Affirm the finding(s) of fact but modify the recommendations from the Faculty Affairs Committee.
3. Remand the grievance for a new review by a sub-committee of the Faculty Affairs Committee and meet with the original sub-committee of the FA Committee to explain the reasons for disagreement with the original findings.
a. A new committee of three (3) new/different FA members will be assigned to review.
b. The FA Committee will have 10 days from meeting date with the CAO to submit recommendation(s).
The CAO will then consider all information provided and make a final decision. The CAO will communicate the decision within 7 days from receipt of the finding from the new FA committee The chief academic officer’s decision is final, except in cases where the sanction is dismissal, in which case it may be appealed to the President.
Appeal to the President
Upon notification of a decision of dismissal for cause from the Chief Academic Officer (CAO), the faculty member may appeal in writing to the President of the University. The appeal must be submitted within 10 working days from receipt of notification from the chief academic officer. The President will upon receipt of the appeal review the action taken. The President may:
1. affirm the chief academic officer’s decision
2. modify the action taken
3. reverse the chief academic officer’s decision
The President will communicate his or her decision in writing within 20 working days from receipt of the appeal. The decision will be communicated to the following recipients: the faculty member, the Dean and the Chief Academic Officer. Such action will be the final action of the University. There is no appeal.
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