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Welfare & Adjudication Council

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Faculty Grievance

The Faculty Grievance Committee is responsible for administering the Faculty Grievance Policy, receiving and reviewing all complaints received by the Provost, and serving as members of a hearing panel.  The committee consists of 22 elected members.  All units have representation proportionate to the representation on the Faculty Senate.  Members serve a term of three years, and no member may serve successive terms.  The Chair, Chair-Elect, and Secretary are elected by the Faculty Grievance Committee and serve one-year terms.

Faculty Grievance Committee Membership, 2021-2022

Alternates

Faculty Grievance Committee Operating Papers

I. Rules of Procedure and Operating Papers

These operating papers are intended as a secondary resource to the Faculty Grievance Procedure. If these operating papers appear to conflict or be at variance with the Faculty Grievance Procedure in any way, the Faculty Grievance Procedure shall take precedence.

II. Definition of Faculty

Throughout this document, the term "faculty" is defined according to the definition provided in the Faculty Grievance Procedure.

III. Membership

A. Composition and Size

  1. The Faculty Grievance Committee consists of eight members elected from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville academic units: the School of Pharmacy; the School of Dental Medicine; the School of Nursing; the School of Business; the School of Engineering; the College of Arts and Sciences; the School of Education, Health, and Human Behavior; and the Library and Information Services (LIS).

  2. Each Member shall be elected by faculty from their respective academic units.

  3. Alternates

    1. In addition to electing eight regular members to the FGC, each academic unit shall also elect an Alternate who serves on the FGC only if his or her faculty unit member is unable to attend a meeting of the FGC.

    2. Each academic unit shall have one alternate.

    3. Alternates can serve as a temporary substitute for a member during regular meetings of the FGC.  Alternates cannot serve as a temporary substitute for a member when that member is serving on a Hearing Panel regarding a grievance matter, as this is disruptive of the grievance hearing process.

B. Term of Office

  1. The Members and Alternates shall serve for a term of two years.  Members and Alternates can serve no more than two successive terms.

  2. The fiscal year is the basis of the terms of Members and Alternates of the FGC. Elections for Members and Alternates shall be called for by the Rules and Procedures Council during the Spring semester.

  3. Staggered terms will be used, including when initially setting up the committee.

    1. To establish the committee initially, one of the Members from each unit will be chosen by lot to serve a 1-year term; the other Member from each unit will serve a 2-year term.

C. Nomination and Election of Members and Alternates of the FGC

  1. Each academic unit will hold elections for the representative Member and Alternate from its unit.

    1. Each academic unit is responsible for completely filling its representation.

    2. The Chair of the Rules and Procedures Council of the Faculty Senate will notify each academic unit of the need to hold an election, the procedures to be followed, and the number of vacancies (Members and Alternates) each unit is responsible for filling.

  2. Removal of Faculty Grievance Committee Members

    1. A member of the FGC may be removed by a majority vote of the FGC for cause.  Majority is defined as five votes or greater.

    2. Circumstances that meet the definition of "for cause" include, but are not limited to:

      1. When a member is unable or refuses to abide by the required rules and ethical obligations consistent with the Faculty Code of Ethics and Conduct necessary to implement the SIUE Faculty Grievance Procedure, or

      2. When a member was absent from a majority of meetings (i.e., more than 50% of FGC meetings) during the prior fiscal year.

    3. In the event of a removal of a member who was serving on a Hearing Panel, the current Grievant may elect to ask that an entirely new Hearing Panel be chosen.
IV. Powers and Functions

A. The Faculty Grievance Committee is responsible for:

  1. Administering the Faculty Grievance Policy.

  2. Receiving and reviewing all complaints received by the Provost from current or former faculty to resolve disputes involving an alleged violation of the SIU Board of Trustees or Southern Illinois University Edwardsville policies, which are not covered by an applicable collective bargaining agreement.  The Faculty Grievance Committee, pursuant to the rules and standards in the Procedure, determines the following:

    1. Whether a complaint falls within the definition of a grievance,

    2. Whether the complaint is a grievable matter,

    3. Whether a grievable dispute exists,

    4. Whether a Board of Trustees or University policy cited within the Statement of Grievance is applicable to the issue(s) presented in the grievance,

    5. Whether other avenues of resolution are appropriate,

    6. Whether the complaint has met the time requirements,

    7. Whether sufficient evidence exists to move forward to a formal hearing,

    8. Whether the proper respondent(s) has/have been named, and

    9. Whether any other circumstance exists to warrant a conclusion that the complaint is not subject to the Faculty Grievance Policy.

  3. Serving as members of a Hearing Panel, if selected, in accordance with the procedure for selection stated in the Faculty Grievance document.

  4. The Faculty Grievance Committee shall receive training and advice from the Office of General Counsel.
V. Chair

A. The Faculty Grievance Committee Chair shall call the first meeting of the FGC by no later than September 15. This meeting is for the express purpose for:

  1. The FGC to elect a Chair-Elect for the current fiscal year,

  2. The FGC Chair to discuss the purpose and processes related to the FGC,

  3. The Office of General Counsel to provide training.  If necessary, this can be done during a separate meeting.

B. Notification of the election of the Chair and Chair-Elect of the Faculty Grievance Committee shall be provided to the Chair of the Faculty Senate Welfare and Governance Council and the Provost.

C. The duties and responsibilities of the Chair of the Faculty Grievance Committee (including the selection of members to a Hearing Panel) are stated in the Faculty Grievance Procedure document.

D. The Chair and Chair-Elect shall serve one-year terms, except as provided below.

  1. If the Chair resigns from this position, or is separated from the employment by the university, then the Chair-Elect immediately becomes the new Chair.

  2. The new Chair shall serve as the Chair of the FGC for the remainder of the fiscal year.

  3. The new Chair is required to notify the Chair of the Faculty Senate Welfare and Governance Council and the Provost within five business days of being notified that the previous Chair is no longer able to serve in this capacity.

  4. Upon being notified, the Faculty Senate Welfare and Governance Council Chair shall convene a meeting of the FGC as soon as possible. The only purpose of this meeting is to elect a Chair-Elect. The Chair-Elect shall serve in this capacity for the remainder of the current fiscal year. The Welfare and Governance Council Chair shall not vote in the election of the FGC Chair-Elect.

  5. The Chair shall serve as the confidential channel of communication between each grievant and the corresponding Hearing Panel.  The Chair may, at his or her discretion, designate one of the committee members to serve as a committee Secretary to assist in recording the minutes of meetings or in assisting the Chair with matters of communication regarding the activities of the committee regarding grievance matters.

 

VI. Chair-Elect

A. When and as charged by the Chair of the FGC, the Chair-Elect will assist the Chair in managing grievances in cases where there are multiple grievances going on simultaneously.

B. Upon conclusion of the Chair's term of office, the Chair-Elect shall become the new Chair of the FGC.

 

VII. Meetings

A. Calling of Meetings

  1. After the initial meeting of the Faculty Grievance Committee in the Fall semester, the Chair of the committee shall call the meetings as needed.

B. The Conduct of Meetings

  1. The Chair of the Faculty Grievance Committee shall preside.

  2. In the absence of the Chair of the FGC, the Chair-Elect shall preside.

  3. The Faculty Grievance Committee shall adopt its own rules of order.

  4. At least five of the Faculty Grievance Committee membership shall constitute a quorum.

  5. In accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the public is allowed to comment at meetings of the Faculty Grievance Committee for a maximum of three minutes per person. A maximum of 20 minutes per meeting will be allotted for public comment.

  6. Upon a majority vote of a quorum present, the Faculty Grievance Committee may vote to go into closed session. All meetings, however, must be conducted in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Final action can be taken only in open meetings.

 

IX. Amendment and Reapportionment

A. Amendment of Operating Papers

  1. Any amendment of the policy-making or administrative structure of these operating papers is subject to approval by the Faculty Senate, in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Faculty Senate, and by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

    1. Such a proposed amendment may be initiated by the Faculty Grievance Committee or the Welfare and Governance Council of the Faculty Senate. Once a proposed amendment is initiated, it shall follow the routine channels of review by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and then consideration by the Faculty Senate.

 

B. Reapportionment: The apportionment of membership on the Faculty Grievance Committee shall be subject to changes by amendment of this document and by appropriate Faculty Senate action.

 

Approved by the Welfare and Governance Council 3/18/2021
Approved by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee 4/8/2021
Approved by the Faculty Senate 5/6/2021
Approved by the Chancellor 7/8/2021

Approved by the Welfare Council: January 23, 2014
Approved by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee: January 23, 2014
Approved by the Chancellor 1/29/2014

WC#02-12/13 Approved by the Faculty Senate 4/4/2013 
Approved by the Chancellor 5/1/2013

Approved by the Welfare Council: 3/15/2012
 Approved by the Faculty Senate: 5/3/2012
 Approved by the Chancellor: 6/14/2012

Approved by the Welfare Council: 9/15/2009
 Approved by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee: 9/24/2009
 Approved by the Chancellor: 10/26/2009

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