TIMELINE FOR GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

Section 5.06 – Polices and Procedures

1. Grievance complaint must be filed within 3 months from the date the grievance occurred or from the date it became known.

2. Rules Committee will decide within 5 class days whether the grievance should be processed. )

3. If the Rules Committee denies the request, the grievant can appeal to the Faculty Senate President who will decide within 3 class days of receiving the appeal whether to overrule the decision.

4. The Chairperson of the Rules Committee will assign a Convener with 10 class days after the decision to process the grievance.

5. Convener will send a copy of the complaint to all parties, the dean, and the appropriate VP within 3 days of receiving it.

6. Within 10 class days after the Convener is appointed, a Review Committee will be chosen.

7. Convener will establish a deadline for parties to provide materials for the hearing no later than 5 class days before the formal hearing. (§VII,A,7)

8. “These activities” (preparing for the hearing) must be completed within 15 class days after the appointment of the Convener.

9. The first meeting of the Review Committee will be no later than 10 days after the appointment of the Review Committee.

10. The first hearing meeting will be no later than 15 class days after the appointment of the Review Committee.

11. The Review Committee must submit a written report no later than 10 class days after the close of the hearing.

12. Final statements of the parties must be submitted no later than 5 class days after the receipt of the Review Committee's recommendations.

13. The Provost and Senior Vice President will act on the matter within 10 class days after the deadline of the receipt of final statements.

14. Within 10 class days from the receipt of the Provost and Senior Vice President's decision, an appeal must be sent to the President.

15. Comments from the parties and the Review Committee must be submitted to the President no later than 5 class days after receipt of the notice of appeal.

16. President shall notify the Provost and Senior Vice President, the parties, and the Convener of his or her decision within 10 class days of receipt of the material.

Checklist for Rules Committee

[The following is a summary of the duties of the Rules Committee for a faculty grievance, taken from Section 5.06, Resolution of Internal Disputes, WSU Policies and Procedures.]

1. The grievance complaint form must be filed with the Chair of the Rules Committee within three months from the date the grievance occurred on the date on which it became known.
2. The Rules Committee must decide whether the faculty member has made a bona fide effort to resolve the problem before filing the complaint.
3. The Rules Committee will decide within 5 class days whether the grievance should be processed and a Review Committee formed.
A decision not to process the grievance may be appealed to the Faculty Senate President who will decide within 3 days of receiving the appeal whether to overrule the decision.
The Convener will send a copy of the grievance complaint to the other parties to the grievance, the Dean, and the Provost and Senior Vice President within 3 class days of its receipt.
4. The Chair of the Rules Committee will appoint a Convener within 10 class days after the decision to process the grievance has been made.
5. Within 10 class days after the Convener has been appointed, the Rules Committee will appoint a Review Committee of five persons from the faculty Grievance Pool.


Checklist for Convener

[The following is a summary of the duties of a Convener for a Grievance Review Committee, taken from Section 5.06, Resolution of Internal Disputes, WSU Policies and Procedures.]

General Duties
1. Schedule and chair all meetings of the Review Committee.
2. Keep all parties informed.
3. Ensure that fair and proper procedures are followed.
4. File the final report of the Review Committee with the Provost and Senior Vice President's office.
5. Act as secretary for all appeals of the grievance.
6. The Convener has the discretion to reasonably extend deadlines under unusual or extenuating circumstances.
7. Establish a time for the grievance hearing.

Timeline
1. The Chair of the Rules Committee will assign a Convener to a grievance within 10 class days after the decision to process the grievance has been made by the Rules Committee.
The Convener is not a voting member of the Review Committee.
. Within 3 days of receiving the grievance complaint, the Convener shall send a copy of the complaint to all parties to the complaint, the Dean, and the Provost and Senior Vice President .
3. Within 10 days after being appointed, the Convener will call the first meeting of the Review Committee, to review the procedures and responsibilities of the Review Committee,
and to schedule the first hearing meeting which shall be held no later than 15 class days after the appointment of the Review Committee.
4. Within 15 class days after being appointed, the Convener will meet with the parties to
a. Clarify and simply the issues
b. Indicate what must be proved
c. Establish the facts, if possible
d. Arrange for the exchange of documents and other information between the parties, to be exchanged no later than 5 class days before the formal hearing
e. Arrange for the use of witnesses and advisors
f. Direct and/or implement such other reasonable actions by the parties to make processing the case fair, effective, and expeditious
g. Notify the parties of specific material/information requested by the Review Committee
5. After the Review Committee is satisfied that all reasonably available pertinent information has been presented at the hearing, the Convener shall declare the hearing closed.
6. The Convener will send the report of the Review Committee to the parties to the dispute, the Dean, and the Provost and Senior Vice President .
7. Notice of final action will be sent by the Provost and Senior Vice President to the Convener, and the Convener shall notify the parties to the dispute, the Dean, and the Review Committee of the action taken by the Provost and Senior Vice President..
8. If the faculty member appeals the decision of the Provost and Senior Vice President to the University President, the Convener will be sent a copy of the appeal, and the Convener shall notify the other party, the Dean, the Provost and Senior Vice President, and the Review Committee.

Checklist for Review Committee

[The following is a summary of the duties of the grievance Review Committee, taken from Section 5.06, Resolution of Internal Disputes, WSU Policies and Procedures.]

General Duties
1. A faculty member appointed to a grievance Review Committee may recuse himself or herself for “bias or conflict of interest.”
2. If any member of the Review Committee is unable to continue because of illness or for “other good and sufficient reasons,”, a replacement will be named by the Chair of the Rules Committee.
3. The members of the Review Committee shall
a. Attend all meetings called by the Convener
b. Ensure that fair and proper procedures are followed
c. Consider all pertinent and relevant evidence in the case
d. Decide whether the allegations have been sustained by the evidence, determine whether a wrong has occurred, and to make recommendations concerning possible relief
4. Determine if one of the parties to the grievance is not cooperating, report this fact to the Rules Committee, and adjourn.

Timeline
1. At the first meeting of the Review Committee, which will be called by the Convener, the Review Committee will review the procedures and responsibilities of the Review Committee,
and schedule its first hearing meeting, which shall take place no later than 15 class days after the appointment of the Review Committee.
2. No later than 10 class days after the close of the hearing, the Review Committee must submit a written report of proceedings, conclusions, and recommendations.
This report should restate the charges, present the facts, indicate whether a wrong occurred, and recommend what should be done
d. Arrange for the exchange of documents and other information between the parties, to be exchanged no later than 5 class days before the formal hearing
e. Arrange for the use of witnesses and advisors
f. Direct and/or implement such other reasonable actions by the parties to make processing the case fair, effective, and expeditious
g. Notify the parties of specific material/information requested by the Review Committee
5. After the Review Committee is satisfied that all reasonably available pertinent information has been presented at the hearing, the Convener shall declare the hearing closed.
6. The Convener will send the report of the Review Committee to the parties to the dispute, the Dean, and the Provost and Senior Vice President..
7. Notice of final action will be sent by the Provost and Senior Vice President to the Convener, and the Convener shall notify the parties to the dispute, the Dean, and the Review Committee of the action taken by the Provost and Senior Vice President.
8. If the faculty member appeals the decision of the Provost and Senior Vice President to the University President, the Convener will be sent a copy of the appeal, and the Convener shall notify the other party, the Dean, the Provost and Senior Vice President, and the Review Committee.