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appeal a termination for cause, which has a separate and distinct procedure.
III.B.5.b. Initiation of a Grievance
If the faculty member concerned believes that a procedural irregularity occurred in the
process of the College’s reaching a decision with regard to his or her tenure, promotion,
or non-reappointment, then he or she has the right to request that a special College
Grievance Committee be appointed to hear the complaint and to make a formal
recommendation to the President. Under no circumstances, however, shall this committee
have any jurisdiction with regard to substantive issues or concerns regarding such
decision. If the faculty member concerned wishes the appointment of a special College
Grievance Committee, he or she notifies the President within fifteen days of receipt of the
written notice of the President's decision. Upon receipt of the request for a special
College Grievance Committee, the President, or the Provost at the President's request,
asks the Faculty Advisory Committee to provide, within seven days, the names of seven
tenured faculty members who are able to serve on such a committee. From the list of
seven, the faculty member concerned and the President, or the President's representative,
strike two names each to form the special College Grievance Committee consisting of
three faculty members. The Committee elects its own chair and determines its own rules
and procedures. Its jurisdiction is limited to that stated above and does not extend to other
matters.
III.B.5.c. Role of the Grievance Committee
Upon the request of an aggrieved faculty member as described above, the Committee
may inquire into the procedural aspects of that particular decision-making process. The
Grievance Committee shall serve as an advisory committee to the Provost and the
President. The Committee has the privilege of access to an
evaluation file, kept in the
Provost’s Office, on the faculty member concerned. The Committee may also discuss the
procedural aspects of the faculty member's case with the appropriate Department Chair,
the Area Chair, the Promotion and Tenure Committee, and the Provost. The Committee
does not, however, conduct a formal hearing.
After the Committee inquires into the procedural aspects of the case, it reports its
opinions and recommendations, in writing, to the President and to the candidate. If the
Committee expresses the opinion that no procedural irregularity occurred, and if the
President agrees, the President declares the matter closed; that decision is final. If the
Committee expresses the opinion that a procedural irregularity occurred, the President
makes a determination regarding the matter. If the President determines that a procedural
irregularity occurred, he or she may direct that the process begin anew at any such step as
the President may direct, or the President may direct other action such as he or she deems
appropriate. If the President disagrees with the opinion of the Committee, the Committee
is so informed, and the matter is closed. In any event, the decision of the President is
final, and further appeals are not available.