Academic Grievance
Policy and Process
The University of Missouri System’s academic grievance process outlined in Collected Rules and Regulations (CRR) 370.010, is the process available to members of the faculty as defined in CRR 310.020.A, including faculty who hold an administrative title or function for grievances relating to their status or activities as faculty members.
According to CRR 370.010, a grievance is defined as an allegation that one or more of the following has occurred:
- There has been a violation, misinterpretation, or arbitrary 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.
- There has been an infringement on the academic freedom of the faculty member.
Exceptions
- Former faculty members may only use this process to grieve the non-renewal of their employment.
- This grievance procedure should not be used in connection with a matter relating to any administrative title or function which the faculty member currently holds or may also have had.
- The grievance procedure should not be used in connection with a matter relating to a complaint of discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment. Such complaints should be addressed in accordance with the applicable Title IX or Equity Resolution Process. Please contact UMKC’s Office of Equity and Title IX for more information.
Policy and Procedures: CRR 370.010
Review the Academic Grievance policy (CRR 370.010) in its entirety prior to filing your grievance. If you have questions regarding the process or policy, email Faculty Affairs attn: Alex Holsinger.
Attempt to resolve
Prior to filing a grievance, you must attempt to resolve your complaint with the parties involved. You must also provide documented evidence of your attempts at resolving the complaint with the appropriate administrators at all appropriate levels of your academic unit. This documented evidence is required in all grievance submissions. You may also contact the UMKC Faculty Ombudsperson for assistance in resolving your complaint.
Submit grievance
If, in your opinion, the complaint remains unresolved, download and complete the Grievance Filing form (doc) and email the Grievance Resolution Panel (GRP) within 180 days of the grievable offense. This form must be completed in its entirety, including policy references as required, or it will be rejected by the GRP and returned to the grievant for completion and re-filing. All documentation relative to the grievance must be filed electronically via email to the GRP (please utilize Box if the file size exceeds your email capacity).
Documentation and evidence provided to the GRP must be:
- Related directly to the complaints made in original grievance filing
- Organized
- Clearly identified
- Limited to relevant materials only
Documentation and evidence is shared with both parties at the discretion of the GRP, to allow for transparency of process while avoiding unnecessary escalation of the situation.
Maintain confidentiality
Once the grievance is filed, strict confidentiality is required of all parties and closely monitored by the GRP. Refer to CRR 370.010 Section C.12.
Review
The GRP will take actions including:
- Review the grievance form and accompanying documentation to ensure all required components are present, and determine if the complaint is a grievable offense and appropriate for GRP involvement (on the UMKC campus the Affirmative Action Office investigates discrimination claims).
- Begin its investigation of the complaint when all filing requirements have been met by the grievant.
- Notify the respondent that a grievance has been filed against them, provide the respondent with the grievance filing form and accompanying documentation, and request a formal written response from the respondent to be submitted to the GRP within 15 days of notification. The response will be shared with the grievant.
- Bring both the grievant and respondent together early in the process to attempt an informal resolution of the grievance.
- Continue to collect evidence and interview relevant witnesses as needed to prepare their findings and recommendations to the chancellor.
New or additional complaints
Should new offenses relative to the original complaint occur during the course of the investigation, the grievant must provide a written amendment to the GRP in compliance with all grievance filing requirements. Additional complaints may lengthen the investigation period beyond 90 days.
New accusations or complaints involving either party, which are unrelated to the originally filed complaints, will not be entertained by the GRP during the course of an active investigation. Such unrelated complaints must be submitted by the complainant as a new grievance and will prompt a separate GRP case file and investigation if all filing requirements are met as described above.
Preliminary findings
Within 90 days of the original grievance filing date, the GRP will provide a draft of preliminary findings to the grievant and respondent for review and comment prior to submitting the final report to the chancellor.
Report to chancellor
The GRP will submit their final report to the chancellor and to all parties. The grievant and respondent have 15 days to appeal the GRP’s findings and recommendations to the chancellor, downloading and using the Grievance Appeal form (doc).
The chancellor will inform all parties (grievant, respondent, GRP and OC representative) of the final decision within 30 days of receiving the GRP’s report, or within 30 days of receiving the most recent appeal, whichever date is later. The chancellor’s decision is final.
The grievant has 15 days to provide the chancellor with written acceptance of the final decision by downloading and using the Grievance Acceptance form (doc).
Forms
Download and review the following forms: