Minutes of a Regular Meeting, June 22-23, 2004 - Digital Collections

REGENTS’ POLICY MANUALSECTION 2—ACADEMICS(k) Policy MaintenanceThe Rights Assurance Committee will meet annually to review the grievances that have transpired. Thecommittee--composed of the University Ombudsperson; University Equal Opportunity Officer; FABChair, Chair-elect, and former Chair; University Legal Counsel; Faculty Senate Chair; and Senior VicePresident and Provost or their designated representatives--will formulate recommendations to revise theseprocedures, as necessary. The FAB Chair will chair the committee and report recommended changes tothe Faculty Senate for consideration.(The text below appears in the Health Sciences Center Faculty Handbook.)APPEALS AND GRIEVANCESAll faculty, whether tenured or not, are entitled to academic freedom as set forth in Section 3.1 andacademic due process.The following procedures cover alleged prohibited discrimination, including sexual, racial, or ethnicharassment, and alleged violations of academic freedom, academic due process, and University policy.The faculty member may seek redress through the appropriate grievance procedures if such violationsoccur in the course of performing professional duties or in the process of being considered or evaluatedfor recommendations regarding reappointment, salary increase, promotion, or tenure. Grounds for appealmay also include other personnel decisions in which a faculty member has reason to believe there hasbeen discrimination, sexual, racial, or ethnic harassment, violation of due process or academic freedom,or if there are other grievances which have not been resolved administratively.Faculty members serving as chairs, directors, deans, or other administrative positions, who arerelieved of their administrative responsibilities, may not file a grievance or appeal when the grievance orappeal is based upon actions related to their administrative performance.There are two appeal processes; the Faculty Appeals Board (Section 3.14) and the Committee onDiscrimination and Harassment (Section 3.17).(a) Faculty Appeals Board - The Faculty Appeals Board is the appropriate appeal process for allegedviolations of due process, academic freedom, or other grievances other than alleged prohibiteddiscrimination which have not been resolved administratively. It is also the appropriate appealprocess for abrogation of tenure, dismissal of tenure-track or consecutive term appointment, orsevere sanctions (Section 3.14).(b) Committee on Discrimination and Harassment - The Committee on Discrimination andHarassment is the appropriate appeal process for complaints involving harassment based on race,ethnicity, or sex, or discrimination because of race, national origin, sex, color, age, religion,disability, or status as a veteran. Such appeals must be filed with the University Equal OpportunityOfficer (Section 3.17).(RM, 1-26-99, p. 26204; 12-3-02, p. 28355)THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 62