5.3.1. Appeal Through the Administrative Channel

Except for the types of grievances for which a faculty member must pursue a formal appeal under a special appeal procedure described under Section 5.4. below, a faculty member may pursue a formal appeal through the administrative channel. The administrative channel through which an appeal may progress includes: the department head of the department to which the faculty member belongs; the dean of the college to which the faculty member belongs; the Provost; and the Chancellor. The Chancellor’s decision is final.

To initiate an appeal through the administrative channel, the faculty member must write a letter to the administrator at the first administrative level at which a contested recommendation or decision was made within sixty (60) calendar days after receipt of notice of the adverse recommendation or decision. The letter should (a) notify the administrator that an appeal is being made, (b) outline the nature of the appeal, and (c) state the desired action.

Before the sixty-day appeal period runs, the faculty member may submit in writing to the administrator a request for an extension of the appeal period beyond the sixty-day deadline. Upon receipt of the faculty member’s request, the administrator, for good cause, may extend the appeal period for a reasonable amount of time as determined by the administrator, and in such case, the administrator shall provide written notice to the faculty member of the granted extension of time to appeal.

If the appeal is not resolved to the faculty member’s satisfaction at the first administrative level at which the contested recommendation or decision was made, the faculty member may pursue the appeal through each succeeding administrative level. Upon receipt of a negative decision by an administrator at one level, the faculty member will have ten (10) calendar days to appeal in writing to the next administrative level. At each level, the administrator ideally should inform the faculty member of his or her decision in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the appeal.

5.3.2. Review by the Faculty Administrative Relations Committee

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, when a faculty member who has initiated a formal appeal through the administrative channel procedure receives a negative decision by the Provost, the faculty member may appeal the Provost’s decision to the Chancellor directly or request review by the Faculty Administrative Relations Committee (“FARC”) prior to the Chancellor’s review as provided under Section 5.5.2. below. The faculty member will have ten (10) calendar days after receipt of the Provost’s decision to request a FARC review.