Published March 18, 2002
Interim provost responds to Daily's coverage of AAUP grievance policy
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To the Daily:
In a recent viewpoint (Faculty grievance procedure 'stacked deck,' 3/14/02), representatives of the American Association of University Professors criticized the University's grievance process. I write to add some additional facts and perspectives to the discussion.
The current grievance procedures for University faculty were developed as a joint effort between SACUA and the Provost's Office. These recommended procedures were approved by Senate Assembly on May 18, 1998 and were subsequently adopted by the schools and colleges with only minor unit-specific changes. A tenured member of the faculty, who is appointed annually by SACUA, monitors the process. Since 1998, faculty members have filed 15 grievances. In all of those cases, the Grievance Review Board, which is made up of a panel of three faculty members, either found the issue not covered by the grievance policy or found against the faculty member on the issue or issues raised.
The AAUP representatives choose to interpret this recent history as indicative of an unfair system. They argue that the system is flawed because the GRB has only advisory power to the dean. This criticism might support a call for review of the current policy if there were instances in which the dean did not accept the recommendation of the GRB. Instead, the GRB itself has each time substantially rejected the grievant's claim.
The AAUP viewpoint also suggests that the faculty peers who comprise the GRB feel inhibited from recommending in favor of the grievant because of fear of reprisals by the dean. However, the minutes of the SACUA meeting on Feb. 11, 2002, (which were approved on March 4, 2002, but unfortunately are not yet available on the SACUA website) show otherwise. One member of SACUA pointed out that in the two cases in which he served on Grievance Review Boards, he personally did not feel pressured by the administration. Another member of SACUA said that he has chaired two GRBs, and that he was given freedom to conduct the proceeding.
Even when a grievance is denied, the school or college or central administration often takes remedial action. There have been a number of recent examples in which specific adjustments were made by the dean or provost to assist the faculty member in response to the recommendations of the GRB.
Finally, the AAUP editorial failed to mention that many faculty complaints are brought to the University's informal conflict resolution process, allowing resolution of conflicts without employing the formal grievance process at all. During calendar year 2001, the Mediation Services for Faculty and Staff office assisted 55 faculty members in 33 separate cases. The formal grievance process is but one of many ways in which faculty can seek to resolve conflicts.
Paul Courant Courant is the University's interim provost.
