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