UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH POLICY 02-02-07

CATEGORY:              ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

SECTION:                  Faculty Appointment and Tenure

SUBJECT:                 Termination of Appointment for Cause

EFFECTIVE DATE:   July 5, 1988

PAGE(S):                   1

I.    SCOPE

      This policy affirms the rights of the University and the faculty member regarding the

      termination of appointment for cause.  The following is excerpted from the University of

      Pittsburgh BYLAWS.  (See Appendix A.)

II.   POLICY

      Termination of any appointment, other than by expiration of term, may be made for cause.

      The University recognizes the right of the individual concerned to be informed of the

      reasons for the termination of his or her appointment.

      Prior to such termination of tenured appointments, the President shall seek the advice of a

      hearing board. See Procedure 02-02-10, Faculty Reviews and Appeals.

      -     The hearing board shall be composed of five members of the faculty, selected from

            the elected faculty on Senate Council, and a chairperson appointed by the President,

            who may, but need not, be a member of the faculty.  The chairperson may not vote on

            the outcome, but otherwise may participate fully in the proceedings.

      -     When a hearing board is needed, the President shall ask the President of the Senate

            to select twelve nominees from among the elected faculty on Senate Council.  The

            faculty member and the senior administrator involved shall each have three

            peremptory challenges against any of the twelve persons selected, and the Clerk of

            the Senate shall reduce the list by lot to five names.

      -     The hearing board shall transmit its findings and recommendations to resolve the

            matter to the President and to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, for consideration

            and action by the President after review of the process by a committee of the Board

            of Trustees.

      A hearing may also be arranged at the discretion of the President when a faculty member

      makes a specific claim within thirty days following completion of prescribed administrative

      procedures that there has been unfair practice with reference to the terms and condition

      of appointment, such as failure to reappoint and award tenure.

III.  REFERENCES

      University of Pittsburgh of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education -BYLAWS,

      Chapter II, Article II, Section III, Paragraph D, "Termination of Appointment for Cause." 

      Adopted by the Board of Trustees, January 14, 1969, and as amended thereafter.

      Procedure 02-02-10, Faculty Reviews and Appeals