Committee Composition : Committees shall be composed as follows: • University Faculty: from the list of nine (9) nominees established for such purposes by the Faculty Senate at the beginning of each academic year. • Staff: from among members of the university staff including recommendations from Staff Senate. Committee Selection : Toward assuring a full and impartial hearing strictly on the merits of the case, due regard shall be given to appointment to committees of persons with appropriate expertise and without bias or direct interest in the outcome, to provision for peer representation where relevant, and to adherence to hearing procedures. Persons appointed to grievance committees who deem themselves disqualified by reasons of bias or interest may be excused. The grievant or accused shall have the right of challenge of committee appointments for cause and if in the judgment of the President a challenge is supported by adequate grounds, the member so challenged shall be excused. The President shall appoint replacements for members excused until a proper committee is established. The President shall designate one member of the committee to act as chair or may appoint an additional ex officio nonvoting member to act as chair. The committees may adopt supplemental rules and regulations for their governance and operation which are not in conflict with this resolution. Functions of the Grievance Committee : The Committee or Committee Chair may confer with the grievant prior to the hearing to schedule witnesses, provide for the exchange of documents, and achieve other appropriate objectives to make the procedures fair, effective, and expeditious. In the hearing, the Committee may question the grievant and the witnesses presented by the grievant, may call such witnesses and examine such documents as it considers necessary, and shall keep a record of the hearing such as a recording or transcript from a court reporter. The Committee's role is to investigate the complaint as presented to the Committee by the grievant, to obtain all the facts in the dispute, and to come to a conclusion as to whether or not the grievant has just cause for complaint. In grievances which are contractual in nature, the Committee's role is to determine whether or not the grievant has had all the benefits of the procedures afforded by the grievant's contract and the rules and regulations of the University, school, and department, and whether or not the decision which forms the basis for the complaint was the result of adequate consideration in terms of the relevant standards of the University, school, and department. It is not within the scope of the Committee to make judgments on the professional qualifications of the grievant, such being the responsibility of the administrators within the concerned department, school, and the University. The Committee shall be guided in its decisions only by the evidence presented at the hearing. Grievance hearing procedures : A grievance hearing is not an administrative due process hearing and therefore does not include all of those procedures provided for in due process hearings; neither do formal rules of evidence apply. The hearing shall be confidential and only those persons concerned should be included in the hearing.
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