Due Process and Appeals Procedures

Each faculty member who is past the probationary period is entitled to due process and must be advised that he/she has the following rights:

1. he/she must be advised of the charges against him/her,
2. he/she has the right to have a witness present,
3. he/she has the right to have a prompt hearing,
4. he/she has the right to face his/her accusers and to question them,
5. he/she has the right to produce witnesses for himself/herself,
6. he/she must be advised of the appeals process.

The initial route of appeal is through the Department Chairperson, the Dean of School, the Provost, and the President. If agreement is not reached, a written appeal must be submitted to the Coordinating Committee within six (6) weeks of the faculty member’s receipt of notification of termination. Upon receipt of a written request to the Coordinating Committee, said committee shall appoint an appeals committee of four full-time faculty members (exclusive of anyone involved in the initial decision). The appellant will select one additional faculty member to represent him/her on the committee with one vote. The appellant and the administration will each have the right to challenge and remove one member of the Appeals Committee. Vacancies resulting from such challenges will be filled by the procedures stated above. The final recommendation will be made by simple majority.

Procedure: The appointed committee shall review all materials pertinent to the appeal. This committee may call any persons they see fit, including the appellant himself/herself.

1. A simple majority vote may terminate the review.
2. Upon completion of the deliberations the chair of the Coordinating Committee shall be notified, in writing, of the results and reasons therefore,
3. The same report shall be delivered to the Provost, the President, and the appellant.
4. A precise and specific record of the review shall be kept and placed in the file of the Faculty Development Committee.
5. This process shall be completed within ten (10) working days from the time of receipts of the request for review.
6. The decision of the Appeals Committee, with its justification, is made to the Provost, who in turn provides the President with a statement of his/her support or non-support of the Committee’s decision with justification(s).
7. The President of the University will make the final administrative decision.
8. The aggrieved individual has the right to appeal the President’s decision to the Personnel Committee of the Board of Trustees.