Faculty grievance

The purpose of this policy is to provide the full-time faculty of Lynn University with a means for the prompt and efficient handling of grievances.

All full-time members of the faculty may use the faculty grievance procedures outlined below for grievances only within the academic affairs area. A faculty grievance is a complaint by a faculty member about unfair treatment in his or her work (i.e., alleged violation of a faculty member’s academic freedom, course scheduling issues, etc.) by a person exercising academic authority, such as a College Dean, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, or other academic officer. On those occasions when a faculty member believes that he or she has been treated unfairly by persons exercising authority in some other area of the university, the faculty member is encouraged to use the employee open door and shared values policy. For formal action to occur; however, the faculty member must submit a formal written complaint in accordance with the appropriate grievance procedures below.

Determination or content of a policy, procedure, rule or regulation appropriately promulgated by the university or the university governance system may not be the object of a grievance. Nor may normal actions taken or recommendations made by university officials or committee members acting in an official capacity in the grievance process be grieved. Finally, the failure to satisfy the grievant after the grievance process has been completed is not grievable.

Grievance— a faculty grievance is a complaint by a faculty member about unfair treatment in their work (i.e., alleged violation of a faculty member’s academic freedom, course scheduling issues, etc.) by a person exercising academic authority, such as a College Dean, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, or other academic officer.

All grievances must be pursued by using the existing lines of authority. For formal action to occur; the faculty member must submit a formal written complaint. All responses must be in written format. The first step is for the grievant to take the matter to the faculty member’s College Dean, who shall in turn inform Employee Services of the grievance, within fifteen days of the action(s) serving as a basis for the grievance. The faculty member’s College Dean shall review the matter and offer a proposed resolution, in writing, within fifteen days of receipt of the grievance. If no resolution occurs at this level, the grievant next takes the matter, within fifteen days of receipt of the College Dean’s decision, to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. If the Vice President for Academic Affairs is the subject of the grievance, the President may designate an appropriate individual to attempt resolution of the grievance.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs shall review the record and respond, in writing, within fifteen days. If the Vice President for Academic Affairs is unable to resolve the matter to the satisfaction of the grievant, the grievant next takes the matter to the President of the university. The appeal to the President must be filed by the grievant within fifteen days of receipt of the Vice President for Academic Affairs’ proposed resolution.

The President of the university shall review the record and respond, in writing, within fifteen days as to the final disposition of the grievance within the university. At the discretion of the President, an ad hoc hearing committee may be established to hear the matter and offer a recommendation to the President. The decision of the President of the university is final, except as provided below.

President as party to the action

If the President of the university is a direct party to the grievance in the first instance, the grievant(s) may file an appeal, beyond that provided above, within fifteen calendar days of the receipt of the President of the university’s decision. Such an appeal is filed with the Chair of the Board of Trustees. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees will then review the record of the case at its next meeting and will render a final decision on the grievance, in writing, within fifteen days of that meeting to all parties. In case of any discussion over Presidential involvement, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees shall be the sole judge of such involvement. The decision of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees is final.

To learn more about this policy or the supporting procedures, please contact Academic Affairs.