CON Professional Graduate Nursing Program Grievance Procedure

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Appendices

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE OF NURSING
Professional Graduate Nursing Program Grievance Procedure	Subsection: Appendix W2
Section 5.0 - Appendices	Originating Date: May 2013
Responsible Reviewing Agency: Professional Graduate Nursing Affairs Committee Related documents: 5.3.12 Professional Graduate Nursing Student Academic Appeal and Grievance Policy Graduate Student Grievance Resolution Procedure Chapter 5 Bylaws of the Board of Regents UNMC Code of Conduct	Revised: October 2014 Revised: May 2015 Revised: May 2016 Revised: March 2018 Revised: March 2023

Purpose

Under the provision of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents, UNMC and College of Nursing (CON) students may report a grievance. This appendix details the procedure to report a grievance against a faculty or staff member.

Scope

This applies to professional graduate students. The guidelines for grievances shown below do not apply to CON PhD students. The appropriate procedures are contained in the Graduate Student Grievance Resolution Procedure.

Definitions

University Day: The term “University Day” means a weekday on which the campus offices are open. Check the academic calendar on the campus website to determine the days on which the campus offices are closed.

Email Address of Record: The term “Email Address of Record” means the student’s University assigned email address. Because important notices may be sent to students by email, it is extremely important that students make sure they check that email regularly.

Grievance Resolution Procedure

Informal Grievance Resolution

1. Student believes they have grounds to file a grievance against faculty or staff for violations of the UNMC Code of Conduct, other relevant policies, or conditions that adversely impact the student’s ability to successfully complete the professional graduate program.
2. Determine if the grievance involves sexual harassment, UNMC or Nebraska Medicine staff, issues regarding research integrity and research misconduct, violations of federal, state, or local laws, or campus security and safety issues.
   1. All allegations of sexual harassment, including sexual violence, for which the student wishes the University to officially acknowledge and investigate should be reported to the Title IX Coordinator or the Chief Student Affairs Officer.
   2. Grievances against UNMC or Nebraska Medicine staff are managed through the relevant policy/procedures by the UNMC human resources.
   3. Issues regarding research integrity and research misconduct are managed through the relevant policy/procedures by the Research Integrity Officer.
   4. Violations of federal, state, or local laws may be managed through the relevant policies and procedures by the Office of Compliance and/or departments having oversight over the applicable law/regulation. Contact the UNMC Chief Compliance Officer.
   5. Campus security and safety issues are managed by the UNMC Campus Security or the Omaha Police Department.
3. It is recommended that the first course of action involve a discussion between the student and the faculty member involved to resolve the issue. Faculty and student reserve the right to record any meeting that discusses these topics or have a third-party present to take notes regarding the meeting, with both parties having given consent and are aware of the recording. If discussion with the involved faculty member is not possible or is not effective, the student should discuss the issue with their faculty advisor or specialty coordinator.
4. If no resolution is reached, the student will be referred to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs (ADAP), whose role is one of neutral objective information sharing and consultation.
5. If no resolution is reached in the meeting with the ADAP, the student will be counseled on the formal resolution procedure and may choose to file a formal grievance.

Formal Grievance Resolution

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Grievance Resolution Appeal

1. The student and the persons involved under question have the right to file a written appeal to the CON dean within 10 university days of receiving the ad-hoc committee’s decision.
2. Students who are not satisfied with the dean’s decision have the right to file a written appeal to the UNMC Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs within 10 university days of receiving the dean’s determination. The student must show:
   • there is evidence that the grievance processes were not followed, and the failure to follow processes resulted in a decision adverse to the student, or
   • there is evidence that their decision was based on an obvious error in interpreting the evidence or applying law and policy, and the error was material to the outcome of the grievance.
3. The Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs will determine if additional steps are needed to ensure resolution. The determination of the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs is final.