For Faculty For information regarding grievance procedures for instructional ranks, contact the Dean of the Faculty. For Academic Professionals Appeal Procedures for Academic Professionals (Appealing Disciplinary Action Imposed by Supervisor) These appeal procedures for disciplinary action apply to all professional librarians, professional researchers, and professional specialists.1 Only the following disciplinary actions may be appealed: Unpaid suspension Suspension or termination of employment for poor performance Suspension or termination of employment for failure to comply with University policy (misconduct or cause) (These are referred to collectively as "Appealable Disciplinary Action"). Other disciplinary actions may not be appealed. Procedures involving allegations of sexual harassment are addressed in separate policy and procedure: Addressing Concerns | Inclusive Princeton Appeal Procedure The deadline for filing an appeal is ten working days from the date the academic professional is notified of the Appealable Disciplinary Action. The Appealable Disciplinary Action will remain in effect unless/until modified by the appropriate University authority. To file an appeal, the academic professional must send a written request to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Office of the Dean of the Faculty, specifying the grounds for appeal. Grounds for Appeal: The academic professional may file a written appeal on one or more of the following grounds: (1) there is substantial relevant information that was not presented, and reasonably could not have been presented, earlier in the process; (2) the imposed penalty does not fall within the range of penalties imposed for similar misconduct; and (3) there was procedural unfairness during the course of the disciplinary process. The appealing party may seek the assistance of a member of the University community to serve as an adviser during the appeal process. Within fifteen working days of receipt of the appeal request, the Office of the Dean of the Faculty will assemble a three-member Appeal Committee from the voting members of the Library Promotion, Continuing Appointment, and Review Committee (PCARC) and/or the Committee on Appointments and Advancements for Professional Researchers and Specialists (C/7). Faculty members serving on the C/7 are excluded from serving on an Appeal Committee. The Associate Dean of the Faculty is responsible for notifying the Respondent, and others who have directly participated in the case, of the Appeal. Appeal Committee meetings are confidential. The Appeal Committee will meet privately to deliberate and make its decision. The Governance Administrator from the Office of the Dean of the Faculty will convene the first meeting of the Appeal Committee and will attend the Appeal Committee meetings as a resource to the committee, but not as a voting member. Recording of these meetings is not permitted. The Appeal Committee is advisory to the Dean of the Faculty; the Dean of the Faculty makes the final decision regarding the appeal. The Appeal Committee will: Read the appeal documents to determine whether they identify one or more of the grounds for appeal outlined above. (If the Appeal Committee determine that the appeal documents do not meet the grounds for appeal or are in any other way deficient, it will notify the appealing party in writing and give that party three business days following the notification to address those deficiencies and resubmit the appeal documents.) Meet with the appealing party (if the submission meets the grounds for appeal), ordinarily no more than two weeks from the date of the first meeting of the Appeal Committee. Meet with the supervisor and other individuals, as it deems necessary. Review the matter and issue a written recommendation to the Dean of the Faculty, ordinarily no more than two weeks following the meeting with the employee. The panel will prepare a written recommendation report, which will be presented to the appealing party and the respondent. This report will include: A brief chronology of the proceeding from the receipt of the appeal through the issuance of its recommendation; An explanation of its recommendation, citing the information relied upon in reaching its recommendation; Any other information it deems pertinent; A recommendation regarding the employment action. The Dean of the Faculty will review the Appeal Committee's recommendation regarding the Appealable Disciplinary Action. The Dean's final decision will be binding; no further appeal is available under this policy. 1 These procedures apply to the following ranks: Associate Research Scholar, Research Scholar, Senior Research Scholar, Senior Academic Research Manager, Academic Research Manager, Associate Librarian, Librarian, Librarian III, Senior Librarian, Associate Professional Specialist, Professional Specialist, Senior Professional Specialist, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Senior Research Assistant, Postgraduate Research Associate, as well as any rank not specified below. These procedures do not apply to the following ranks: Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, University Lecturers, Professors of the Practice, Senior Lecturers, Lecturers, Instructors, Lecturers with the Rank f Professor, and Lecturers with the Rank of Associate Professor.
