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Dispute Resolution

Academic Staff Grievances

For information on the Staff Grievance process, please consult the following regulations:

Regulations Relating to Academic Staff Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures Version française

Grounds for Initiating a Complaint

Staff Members who believe that they:

a) have been unfairly treated by the University in regard to the interpretation or application of University or Faculty policy insofar as it relates to the Staff Member’s academic career and working conditions; or

b) have been subjected to arbitrary, discriminatory, or unreasonable actions by the University, either by act or omission;

may initiate a Complaint.

Preliminary Procedures

Before filing a grievance with the Secretary-General, the staff member must first complete Stages 1 and 2, as described in Sections 6.3 and 6.4 of the Regulations.

Stage 1

Within 20 days from the date on which the act or omission that gives rise to the Complaint occurs or becomes known to the Staff Member, the Staff Member must submit the Complaint in writing to their Department Chair and request a Stage 1 meeting. The Department Chair and Staff Member then:

  • Meet within 10 days of submission of the Complaint, after informing each other (via the Secretary-General) of the names of any Advisors who will be present.
  • Make every attempt to resolve the Complaint within 10 days of this meeting.

If there is no resolution by the 10th day following the Stage 1 meeting, the Complaint is deemed unresolved, and the Staff member may proceed to Stage 2.

Stage 2

Within 10 days of the Complaint being deemed unresolved at Stage 1, the Staff Member submits a written copy of the Complaint to their Dean and requests a Stage 2 meeting. The Dean and Staff Member then:

  • Meet within 10 days of the submission of the Complaint, after informing each other (via Secretary-General) of the names of any Advisors who will be present.
  • Make every attempt to resolve the Complaint within 10 days of this meeting.

If there is no resolution by the 10th day following the Stage 2 meeting, the Complaint is deemed unresolved.

The Staff Member may submit a Grievance to the Secretary-General within 10 days of the Complaint being deemed unresolved at Stage 2.

Exceptions

In certain circumstances, it is only necessary for the Staff Member to conclude Stage 1 of the process before submitting the Grievance to the Secretary-General:

  1. Where the object of the Staff Member's complaint is a dean, the Stage 1 Complaint shall be addressed to the Provost.
  2. Where the object of the Staff Member's complaint is the Provost, the Stage 1 Complaint shall be addressed to the President.
  3. Where the object of the Staff Member's complaint is the President, the Stage 1 Complaint shall be addressed to the Chair of the Board of Governors.
  4. Where the Staff Member making the Complaint is from a Faculty without departments, the Stage 1 complaint shall be addressed to the Dean.

In such cases, the Staff member may file the Grievance with the Secretary-General if there is no resolution on the 10th day following the Stage 1 meeting.

Filing a Grievance with the Secretary-General

 

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