UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH POLICY 02-03-01A

CATEGORY:               ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
SECTION:                   Academic Integrity
SUBJECT:                  Faculty Grievances/Alternative Policy
EFFECTIVE DATE:    August 2, 2004
PAGE(S):                    2

I.     SCOPE

      This policy establishes an alternative method to seek redress of grievances through an

      expedited procedure.

II.    POLICY

      Any member of the faculty may invoke this alternative method to seek redress for a

      grievance against certain actions by an administrator not covered by other University

      policies. See Procedure 02-03-01A, Faculty Grievances/Alternative Procedure.

      Selection of the procedure under this policy shall be exclusive and, except as provided

      for in the limited circumstances in the paragraphs below, once the procedure is selected

      by the eligible faculty member, that faculty member shall not be permitted to seek redress

      under Policy 02-03-01 for the same grievances.

      Following efforts at resolution at the department, school or campus level, the eligible

      faculty member may file an election under this policy which includes a written formal

      complaint of the grievance with the Provost. The Provost, after review, may decline to

      accept the election and if the Provost does so decline, the faculty member shall be

      notified of such declination within fourteen (14) days of the Provost’s receipt of the faculty

      election. Should the Provost decline the election, the faculty member shall have the right

      to seek redress of grievances under Policy 02-03-01.

      If the Provost accepts the election, the Provost shall appoint a single Hearing Officer who,

      in accordance with Procedure 02-03-01A, shall be substituted for the Grievance Panel

      usually constituted in faculty grievances pursuant to Policy 02-03-01.  Prior to appointing

      the Hearing Officer, the Provost shall consult with the President of the Senate and, in

      cases arising from the Schools of the Health Sciences, the Senior Vice Chancellor for the

      Health Sciences. However, the Provost’s choice of a Hearing Officer shall not be limited in

      any way by such consultation. The faculty member shall have five (5) days after receipt of

      the appointment notification from the Provost to decline, in writing, to continue under this

      Alternative Policy, and if he/she chooses, to invoke the procedures under Policy 02- 03-01.

      If the faculty member does not decline to utilize this Alternative Policy, the Hearing Officer

      shall promptly investigate and make recommendations for resolution. The action taken

      by the Provost after receipt of the recommendations on the matter completes the process

      and shall be final.

      Excluded from this policy are grievances which include:

      -     Sexual harassment, discrimination based on race, sex, ethnic origin, religion, age, or

            handicap; violations of academic freedom or of proper procedures associated with

            appointment, tenure or promotion decisions, all of which are subjects of separate

            University policies.

      -     Dissatisfaction with existing University policies (only misapplications of policy as to

            specific individuals are grievances within this policy).

      -     Negative evaluations of an individual faculty member’s professional work (negative

            evaluations that constitute violations of academic freedom are within the jurisdiction

            of TAFC).

      -     Dissatisfaction with a salary decision, except where a salary decision or set of salary

            decisions is part of a pattern of conduct that, taken as a whole, may constitute the

            basis for a grievance.

III.  REFERENCES

      Procedure 02-03-01A, Faculty Grievances/Alternative Procedure

      Policy 02-03-01, Faculty Grievances

      Procedure 02-03-01, Faculty Grievances