12.14 Faculty Grievance Committee
12.14.1 Function
The Faculty Grievance Committee (Committee) is a standing committee from which panels will be chosen to hear faculty grievances.
12.14.2 Membership
The Committee will consist of twelve (12) faculty members and a Chair. Selected faculty are expected to be available to serve on a Grievance Hearing Panel, unless excused by the Chair for extended absence from campus, medical reasons or a conflict of interest (e.g., participation in the actions or decisions that led up to the grievance, close professional or personal relationships with the Grievant or Respondent, direct or indirect supervision of the Grievant or Respondent, or factors of a similar nature).
The Human Resources Leader (HRL) shall serve as Chair in an ex officio capacity and will coordinate training, schedule committee meetings, make determinations regarding whether matters contained in formal grievance filings fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee, participate in the selection process of initial grievance panels, and handle other matters that may arise.
12.14.3 Committee Member Appointment
The President will make appointments in a manner that ensures a diverse membership with respect to gender, ethnicity, age, departmental representation, tenure/tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty, and other factors. Appointments to the Committee will be recommended to the President as follows:
- Faculty Senate shall recommend eight academic faculty appointees (potentially including Department Heads). No more than two appointees may be from the same department.
- Administrative Faculty Council shall nominate four administrative faculty appointees. No more than two appointees may be from the same department.
- No Vice President, Vice Provost, Associate Provost, Associate Vice President or employees of the General Counsel's Office may be appointed to the Committee.
12.14.4 Terms of Appointment
Committee members will serve staggered three-year terms with roughly one-third of the committee members being replaced each year. Committee members may serve consecutive terms if recommended and appointed.
12.14.5 Method of Operation
The Committee shall meet and receive training in the grievance procedures, process, and concepts as needed.
12.14.6 Grievance Hearing Panel
Whenever there is a need to hold a formal grievance hearing under the Grievance Procedure, Section 11.3 of the Faculty Handbook, a Grievance Hearing Panel (panel) will be chosen at random from the Committee membership according to Section 11.3.4.