FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
Preamble
Quality graduate education, especially at the doctoral
level, is most effective in an environment of informality,
mutual respect, cooperation, and open communication.
Since there is a unique relationship between graduate
students and faculty, students in graduate programs
must not only satisfy university and departmental
standards for their programs, but also the professional
expectations of faculty members.
Often grievances grow out of misunderstandings or
misperceptions about expectations. Faculty and advisers
have an obligation to ensure that graduate students
are aware of professional and academic expectations.
Graduate students have a concomitant obligation to
diligently pursue and satisfy these standards; they
are bound to observe and respect the policies, rules
and regulations of the University, of their respective
departments and of their professors. Many of these
grievances should be settled through open communications.
Occasionally, a rift develops that cannot be settled
informally. Although graduate students have a right
to seek redress for academic grievances, they often
forgo -their rights so as not to offend the professor.
Students should be aware that bringing a formal grievance
may have the consequence of damaging the working
relationship with the professor, and that any straining
of the relationship with the professor may interfere
with learning. When all means of informal resolution
have been exhausted, the parties must have a forum
in which to seek review and resolution of an academic
grievance.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy and procedure is to provide
a means for graduate students to seek investigation
and possible resolution of academic grievances, as
defined below.
Scope of Policy
This policy and procedure covers graduate academic
grievances which are defined as any complaint or
controversy alleging: 1) unprofessional conduct by
a professor which adversely affects either a student's
ability to satisfy academic expectations, whether
in the classroom, the field, or a lab, or the student's
actual performance; 2) improper admission counseling;
3) improper counseling by an adviser; 4) arbitrary
grading for coursework, comprehensive examination,
thesis or dissertation; and 5) arbitrary non-renewal
of a graduate assistantship or arbitrary dismissal
from a course or program.
This policy does not address issues related to sexual
harassment or discrimination based on age, sex, religion,
race, marital status, national origin or disability.
The Equal Opportunity Programs office is responsible
for handling such issues in accordance with procedures
developed to comply with the Florida Equity Act.
If the graduate student alleges unauthorized utilization
of thesis, dissertation or research materials by
A professor, resolution of the issue must be sought
using the University's policy: Protocols for Investigating
Research Misconduct.
Informal Grievance Procedure
Graduate students must attempt
to informally resolve an academic grievance as soon
as possible; however, a student must initiate informal
resolution by contacting the professor (or administrator
as instructor of record) no later than ten (10) university
days after classes begin in the semester following
that in which the complaint arose or the grievance
will be deemed untimely. The student must first attempt
to resolve the academic grievance through an informal
meeting with the professor. If the matter cannot
be resolved, or if the professor cannot be reached,
the student must meet next with the chair and failing
resolution, with the academic dean. If the student's
grievance is against a committee, the students must
meet with the committee chairperson and the academic
dean to attempt informal resolution. A mutually agreeable
resolution shall be formalized through a notation
in the student's file/record which is initialed by
the student and the professor.
If an informal resolution cannot
be reached within thirty (30) university days after
the initial contact with the professor, then the
student has the right to seek a formal resolution
of the academic grievance.
Formal Academic Grievance Procedure
The formal academic grievance procedure is initiated
by filing a written complaint with the Dean of University
Graduate School. The complaint must be filed within
fifteen (15) university days of the date the informal
resolution process ends, or within twenty (20) university
days after classes begin in the semester following
that in which the complaint arose--whichever is later.
After receipt, the Dean of University Graduate School,
in consultation with the Chairperson of the Graduate
Grievance Committee, will review the complaint to
determine whether it falls within the scope of this
policy and whether a formal hearing is wanted. When
there are disputed issues of material fact which
must be determined, a formal hearing is warranted.
If the complaint does not fall within the scope of
this policy, then the student shall be so notified
in writing by certified mail.
A. Graduate Student Academic Grievance Committee
Where a complaint falls within the scope of this
policy and there are disputed issues of material
fact to be determined, the Dean of University Graduate
School will refer the matter to the Graduate Student
Academic Grievance Committee. The grievance committee
will be composed of five members, two of whom should
be graduate students selected by the Dean of University
Graduate School from a list of names supplied by
the Graduate Student Association (GSA) and/or the
academic deans. The other members of the Committee
shall be three full-time faculty who have experience
with graduate programs. They will be selected from
lists supplied by the academic deans and/or the Faculty
Senate. The faculty members of the committee will
include two faculty from academic units outside of
the school/college where the student is enrolled
and where the grievance has been filed. The chairperson
of the committee will be jointly selected by the
Dean of University Graduate School and the Chairperson
of the Faculty Senate.
B. Procedures
A hearing shall be scheduled as soon as possible
but no later than 45 university days after receipt
of the grievance. The grieving and the professor
shall be notified by the Dean of University Graduate
School by certified mail, of the date and time in
which to appear for the formal hearing. The hearing
shall be conducted with such formality as is necessary
to insure the proceeding is fair and in a manner
that allows both sides of the dispute to be presented.
The hearing shall be recorded. At the conclusion
of the hearing, the members of the committee shall
have the opportunity to deliberate outside the presence
of the parties. A written report including findings
of facts, conclusions and recommendations shall be
prepared and forwarded to the Dean of University
Graduate School. The Dean of University Graduate
School shall issue a written decision within fifteen
(15) university days of receipt of the Committee's
report.The student and the professor will be sent
copies of the Dean's determination by certified mail.
C. Appeals
Any decision of the Dean of University
Graduate School may be appealed by either the grieving
or the professor where there is evidence that a significant
impropriety in the review process occurred. The appeal must be in writing,
specify in detail the alleged procedural impropriety, and must be filed
in the Office of the Provost within ten (10) university
days, of the date of receipt of the Dean's decision.
The Provost or a designee, shall review the appeal
and the record of the formal hearing and issue a
decision within twenty (20) university days. The
decision of the Office of the Provost is final.
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