Step Three: Initial Meeting of the Grievance Committee

The initial meeting of the Grievance Committee as convened by the Dean of Students is a closed meeting. This meeting will generally take place within thirty (30) working days. During the meeting the members will elect, by a simple majority vote, a Chair of the Committee. The Committee will then determine whether the issue(s) presented by the Grievant are grievable under this Policy, including whether the grievance is valid or is a frivolous complaint.

At least five days prior to the initial meeting of the Committee, the Dean of Students will provide members of the Committee with a copy of the Grievant’s written complaint, and any other documents that are part of the grievance. At that time, members of the Grievance Committee may ask the Dean of Students to obtain additional documents that it believes to have relevance to the meeting.

The Committee’s decision will be based on a simple majority vote of its members. If the Grievance Committee decides the issue is not grievable under this Policy, then the Chair will prepare a written report of the committee’s findings and forward it to the Dean of Students. The report will generally be issued within ten (10) working days of the Initial Meeting. The Dean of Students will then forward the report to the appropriate parties involved. At the same time, the Dean of Students will inform the Grievant of their right to appeal this determination, as described below.

If the members determine the issue is grievable under this policy, then the Chair will notify the Dean of Students of this decision in writing. The Dean of Students will notify the involved parties in writing of this decision and a separate meeting will be scheduled by the Grievance Committee for the purpose of hearing the grievance and issuing a report.