Review of Dismissals for Cause

A Faculty member who believes that he or she has been improperly dismissed for cause or that the decision to dismiss for cause constitutes a violation of academic freedom may request a hearing before the Review Board. Such a request shall be submitted in writing to the Chair of the Review Board within thirty days of notice of dismissal and shall explain the reasons for the request. The Board may grant additional time if the complainant can demonstrate in writing that he or she could not reasonably have filed the request within this period. Within fourteen days after the request is filed, the Board shall decide whether the request raises issues that it is constituted to review. If the Board decides to hear the complaint, it shall notify the President of the College and request written information from all appropriate sources. If the Review Board decides not to hear the complaint, it shall notify the complainant, the President of the College, and the Dean of the College within one week of its decision.

The administration shall cooperate with the review panel by providing access to the evidence upon which its decision was based. All parties to the case have the right to appear in person before the review panel. The Faculty member may have an adviser present when appearing before the panel. The adviser must be chosen from the Faculty or the administration of the College. The review panel may admit any evidence it determines to be useful and relevant, and its recommendations shall be based solely on that evidence.

Each party may call a reasonable number of individuals to speak on his or her behalf. The review panel in its sole discretion may limit the number of people to be called if the number requested is deemed excessive and if, in the judgment of the review panel, the information to be presented is likely to be redundant. It may ask either party to explain why a specific individual should be called. If the review panel declines the request of either party for the panel to hear testimony by other persons, it shall convey its response in writing with an indication of the reason or reasons, with the understanding that confidential aspects of the proceeding will not be included in the explanation.

If both parties appear before the panel at the same time, each party may question any person called to speak. Whether or not any parties appear before the panel, either together or separately, the panel, at an appropriate time, shall inform each party in writing of the substance of relevant information submitted by the other party or parties with the understanding that confidential aspects of the proceeding will not be included therein. All parties shall have the opportunity to respond to or rebut such information before the panel issues its recommendations. A taped record of the proceeding shall be made available to all parties by the Chair of the Review Board.

The Review Board shall send its written recommendations and all records pertinent to the proceeding to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees within sixty days of receipt of the complaint by the Review Board, unless unusual circumstances arise that require additional time. Copies of the recommendations shall be sent at the same time to the complainant, the President of the College, and the Dean of the College. The Academic Affairs Committee shall then draw its conclusions, submitting them in writing to the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall make the final decision in the case, notifying the complainant, the President of the College, and the Dean of the College of its decision.