/Institutions/University-of-Dubai/json/2024-2025/Policy-and-Procedure-Manual-local.json

/Institutions/University-of-Dubai/json/2024-2025/Policy-and-Procedure-Manual.json

Policy and Procedure Manual 2024-25 > Faculty and Professional Staff > Faculty and Professional Staff Grievance Policy and Procedures

Faculty and Professional Staff Grievance Policy and Procedures

Policy

The Faculty Grievance Procedures (“Procedures”) are for faculty and staff members who wish to address problems, or complaints. However, no complaint shall be reviewed under these procedures if the complaint pertains to an official policy, regulation, or procedure of the UD or a decision or action by the Board of Trustees, or the President; or any matter the remedy for which would contravene or interfere with any such official policy, regulation, procedure, decision, or action. 

In the procedures outlined below, the burden rests upon the faculty/staff member filing a grievance to provide clear and convincing evidence. Faculty/staff who wish to bring a grievance under these procedures must first request a meeting with the Dean/Unit Head and attempt to resolve the matter informally within 20 working days of reasonable knowledge of the alleged act or omission.

If a satisfactory resolution is not reached, the Grievant may file a grievance in writing to the VPAA or DOA (depending on reporting line) within 40 working days of reasonable knowledge of the alleged act or omission. The grievance shall include: 

1. A concise description of the act or omission, 

2. All facts relevant to the grievance, 

3. The resolution sought, 

4. Evidence of attempted informal resolution, 

5. All arguments in support of the desired solution, and 

6. Relevant supporting documentation.

Within 5 working days of receipt of the grievance, the VPAA or DOA, in coordination with the President shall convene a Grievance Committee consisting of three faculty/staff members, and he/she shall designate one member of the Grievance Committee as “Chair”. No member of the Grievance Committee may be personally or professionally associated with the Grievant’ s allegation. Once the Grievance Committee is convened, the VPAA or DOA shall immediately inform the Respondent (the faculty or staff member against whom the grievance is filed), and the appropriate Grievance Committee in writing of the alleged act or omission. All material reviewed shall be considered confidential and shared only with those with a need to know. The VPAA or DOA shall forward the contents of the pertaining grievance to the Respondent. 

Within 30 working days of being convened, the Grievance Committee shall complete an investigation. The Grievance Committee shall communicate with the Grievant and the Respondent and give the Respondent the opportunity to present a reply or any relevant evidence. Within 5 working days of completing its investigation, the Grievance Committee shall deliberate and issue a brief written opinion containing its findings and any recommendations to the VPAA or DOA. The opinion and recommendations must be supported by a majority vote of the Grievance Committee members.

Within 5 working days of receiving the Grievance Committee’s opinion, the VPAA or DOA in coordination with the President shall review the recommendation and render one of the following decisions: 

1. A ruling in favor of the Grievant that grants the Grievant’ s proposed resolution; 

2. A ruling in favor of the Grievant that provides a different resolution; or 

3. A ruling in favor of the Respondent.

In addition, the VPAA or DOA shall notify the Grievant, the Respondent, the Dean/Unit Head and the Grievance Committee of the decision in writing.