1. Filing an Academic Grievance
These slides describe the academic grievance filing and resolution procedures,
based on CRR (Academic Grievance Procedure):
This document is intended as basic guidance to the Missouri S&T faculty regarding academic grievance proceedings and neither supersedes nor is intended to represent the entirety of the CRR.
This is a Faculty Senate document.
Last revised on 11/30/2016 by Tom Schuman, President

2. Entities Involved in a Formal Grievance
The person who files a grievance (i.e., the Grievant or Aggrieved)
The Faculty Senate (FS) President
Receives your grievance
Starts the process and has a limited oversight responsibility
The Grievance Resolution Panel (GRP)
Two primary and two alternate faculty members
All four faculty members are a committee elected by Faculty Senate
Two faculty members are assigned to each grievance case by the FS President
One senior administrator member, either the Chancellor or a Chancellor’s designee
One representative from the oversight committee (OC)
Three elected faculty members serve on the OC
One member is assigned to each grievance case by the FS President
A “University Respondent” provides rebuttal to the grievance
The Chancellor

3. Grievance Where one or more of the following has occurred:
There has been a violation, a misinterpretation, an arbitrary or discriminatory application of written University rule, policy, regulation, or procedure which applies personally to the faculty member, notwithstanding that it may apply to others within or without the grievant's unit, relating to the privileges, responsibilities, or terms and conditions of employment as a member of the faculty.
The faculty member has been discriminated against in violation of the Equal Employment/Educational Opportunity Policy in Section , and Sections , and are not applicable.
There has been an infringement on the academic freedom of the faculty member.
Version 11/30/2016

4. Informal Resolution of Grievances
All grievances should be settled through informal discussions at the lowest administrative level.
Disputed matters should be processed as formal grievances only when either party feels that a fair and equitable solution has not been reached in the informal discussions.

5. Requirements for Filing a Formal Grievance
The grieved act listed on the GFF must meet the definitional criteria in CRR A
The grievant:
Is a current or former faculty member (including administrators)
As a former member of the faculty can only grieve non-renewal of employment
Must demonstrate that s/he attempted to informally resolve the complaint before filing the grievance
The grievance should relate specifically to her/his status or activities as a faculty member
Grievance must be filed within one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days after a grievant knew, or reasonably should have known, of the occurrence of the aggrieved occurrence or omission
Where the grievance arose out of a series of occurrences or omissions, the filing period shall be measured from the last event or omission in the series

6. Pertinent Resources/Links
CRR Academic Grievance Procedure:
Grievance form:
Submit completed grievance form to:

7. Filing an Academic Grievance
Complete the grievance form
Follow the CRR regarding if and what to file
Form may be downloaded at:
Submit the form and supporting information to the Faculty Senate President
You should receive a receipt confirmation by
A time clock starts upon receipt of a correctly completed grievance form
The GRP has 120 days after receiving a correctly filed grievance to conclude resolution of a grievance

8. Beginning the Grievance Process
Faculty Senate (FS) President will notify the Grievance Resolution Panel (GRP) of the grievance
GRP is provided the filed grievance and supporting information
GRP members will notify the FS Pres. of conflicts of interest
FS Pres. will assign a GRP alternate in event of conflict
FS Pres. assigns a member of the grievance oversight committee to grievances on a rotating basis
FS President will schedule an initial formation hearing
Attendees: Grievant, FS Pres., Chancellor’s designee, GRP, and Oversight
The FS Pres., Chancellor’s designee, GRP, and Oversight members will select the “University Respondent” to the grievance
Initial hearing may include other individuals with direct knowledge pertaining to the content of the grievance
Initial hearing is to “discuss the complaint and gain a greater understanding of the issues” and select the Respondent
It is important that an appropriate respondent be selected: either whom the grievance is against or a University administrator capable of ‘solving’ the grievance

9. Grievance Process Note: The Chancellor will have the ultimate say
GRP may hold one face-to-face meeting
Both grievant and the person against whom the grievance is directed
The person against whom the grievance is filed may be the respondent, or an appropriate administrator
Grievance may require more than one Respondent
The Respondent(s) will provide a written rebuttal to the grievance
GRP will investigate: gather evidence, meet individually or jointly with either or both parties, as well as other relevant individuals
GRP may consult with University Legal Counsel

10. Grievance Process
Grievant(s) and Respondent(s) shall be promptly provided with a copy of all evidence collected by the GRP, or a summary
GRP will inform the parties in writing of their tentative findings and the basis for these findings
Parties shall meet jointly with the GRP and each will have the opportunity to provide their perspective on tentative findings
GRP will have three months from the date of a correctly filed grievance (see CRR C.3.a) to conduct an investigation and render findings and recommendations, or may request an extension
Oversight member and FS President provide timeline oversight
GRP will file a findings and recommendations report

11. Appeal of GRP Finding You may appeal the GRP findings
Appeals must be filed within 15 calendar days of findings report
Use the grievance appeal form:
Chancellor has 15 days to approve or deny appeal
The Chancellor has 45 calendar days from date of GRP findings report to accept or reject, in part or wholly, the GRP findings

12. End of the Grievance Process
Chancellor decides to accept or reject, in part or wholly, the GRP findings
Chancellor’s decision is final
Grievant then has 15 calendar days to provide written acceptance or rejection of decision
Grievance Acceptance Form:
If decision is rejected, the grievant suffers the loss of all remedies favorable to the grievant from GRP report