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DOCUMENT TYPE:
Procedure
PURPOSE:
To define procedures for the grievance process in the School of Music.
APPLIES TO:
The School of Music grievance procedure applies to faculty members and to students, including those wishing to appeal a grade.
CAMPUS:
Lawrence
PROCEDURES STATEMENT:
Pursuant to Article XII of the University Senate Code and Articles V and VI of the University Senate Rules and Regulations of the University of Kansas, Lawrence, the School of Music establishes the following procedure to hear grievances arising within the jurisdiction of the School. This procedure shall not be used to hear disputes assigned to other hearing bodies under USRR Article VI, Section 4. The document “Jurisdiction of Various Disputes” describes which issues should be pursued within the School and which should be referred to other campus offices.
Except as provided in the University Senate Rules & Regulations no person shall be disciplined for using the grievance procedure or assisting another in using the grievance procedure.
The School of Music shall provide a copy of this procedure to anyone who requests it.
Grievances arising within the School of Music must be heard under the School’s Grievance Procedure unless exceptional circumstances, as set forth in the University Senate Rules and Regulations make it more appropriate for those grievances to be appealed to the Judicial Board.
The following policy is for student academic grievances. For non-academic concerns a variety of resources are available to students including, but not limited to, the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX, KU OMBUDS Office, Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. Hearings concerning disputes involving alleged violations by a student of the code of Student Rights and Responsibilities (academic misconduct) will be handled in accordance with (USRR).
Grade Appeal
A student may utilize the form, linked below, to initiate a Grade Appeal for a final course grade, after the student has made an effort to resolve the problem by appealing directly to their instructor, if the student believes that there has been an improper application of the grading procedure announced for the course by the instructor (as explained in the course syllabus). The appeal form must be completed within the 90 calendar days following the date the final grade is posted as the basis of this complaint. More information about the Grade Appeal process can be found in the University Senate Rules & Regulations (USRR).
Academic Misconduct
Disputes involving alleged academic misconduct or alleged violations of student rights will be heard at the School of Music in accordance to University Senate Rules & Regulations (USRR).
Grievance Procedure
To start the grievance process, the complainant(s) must submit a written grievance to the School of Music Associate Dean of Student Affairs within 90 days of the action or event that forms the basis of the complaint. The 90 day time period shall be calculated using calendar days (including weekends and days during which classes are not in session). The complaint shall contain a statement of the facts underlying the complaint and specify the provision(s) of the Faculty Code of Conduct, University Senate Code, the University Senate Rules and Regulations, the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, or other applicable rule, policy, regulation, or law allegedly violated. The complaint shall also indicate the witnesses or other evidence and copies of any documents relevant to the complaint shall be attached to the complaint.
Report of Faculty Academic Misconduct - School of Music
Use this form to report an instance of academic misconduct that you believe has been committed by a student within a course or in the process of research. More information about Academic Misconduct can be found in the University Senate Rules & Regulations.
Report of Faculty Academic Misconduct - School of Music
Use this form to report an instance of academic misconduct that you believe has been committed by a faculty member, instructor of record, or GTA for the course or in the process of research. More information about Academic Misconduct can be found in the University Senate Rules & Regulations.
1. Upon receipt of the complaint, the appropriate Associate Dean, depending on the type of complaint, shall provide the respondent a copy of the complaint with a copy of these procedures.
2. Pursuant to University Senate Rules & Regulations, a respondent has the privilege of remaining silent and refusing to give evidence in response to the complaint. The respondent also has the right to respond and give evidence in response to the complaint.
If the respondent chooses to respond to the complaint, they shall submit a written response to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs typically, within 14 calendar days of receiving the complaint. The response shall contain the respondent’s statement of the facts underlying the dispute as well as any other defenses to the allegations in the complaint. The response shall also identify the witnesses or other evidence relied upon by the respondent. The complaining party will receive a copy of the response.
3. If a hearing is necessary, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or their designee shall appoint a 5-member hearing panel to consider the case and to make a recommendation to the Dean.
The Hearing Panel shall be composed of three faculty and two students. Members should be from departments different from that of the charged party. The Chair of the panel shall be designated by the appointing authority.
Members of the panel should be told the identity of the charged party so that a member can recuse themselves if there is a conflict of interest. Before the first meeting, the charged party shall be informed of the membership and given the opportunity to object to any of the panel members. If, in the opinion of the appointing authority, any of the panel members should be dismissed for cause, vacancies shall be filled as necessary.
4. The sharing of information to other judicial bodies at the university level is permitted under USRR.
5. Prior to scheduling a hearing, the parties shall participate in mediation of the dispute unless either party waives mediation. Mediation shall be governed by the USRR.
If mediation is successful, the mediator will forward a recommendation letter describing the outcome of the mediation and the terms upon which the parties have agreed to resolve this dispute to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, the judicial committee chair, and all parties. The Associate Dean of Student Affairs will notify the mediator, the committee chair, and the parties that the recommendation has been accepted, modified, or rejected.
6. If mediation is successful, the mediator will forward to the appropriate Associate Dean, depending on the type of complaint, the judicial committee chair, and all parties a letter describing the outcome of the mediation and the terms upon which the parties have agreed to resolve this dispute. This letter shall be a recommendation to the appropriate Associate Dean, depending on the type of complaint, of the School of Music. The appropriate Associate Dean, depending on the type of complaint, will notify the mediator, the committee chair, and the parties that the recommendation has been accepted, modified, or rejected.
If mediation is not successful, the mediator will notify the appropriate Associate Dean of Student Affairs, the committee chair, and the parties that mediation has terminated. If mediation is not successful, or is waived by either party, the judicial committee will schedule a hearing no later than 30 calendar days from the written submission of the complaint. The 30-day period may be extended for good cause as determined by the chair of the judicial committee. The 30-day period shall be suspended during the mediation process. The hearing will be closed unless all parties agree that it shall be public.
7. Hearings will be held in accordance to USRR.
The result of a Music school judicial committee hearing may be appealed to the University Judicial Board on the grounds listed in USRR. (See “Jurisdiction of Various Disputes.”)
CONTACT:
Dean, School of Music
Paul Popiel
785-864-3421
ppopiel@ku.edu
APPROVED BY:
Dean, School of Music
APPROVED ON:
2013-09-25
EFFECTIVE ON:
2013-09-25
REVIEW CYCLE:
Annual (As Needed)
RELATED FORMS:
Academic Grade Appeal - School of Music
Report of Faculty Academic Misconduct - School of Music
Report of Student Academic Misconduct - School of Music
Charge of Academic Misconduct Acknowledgement - School of Music
CHANGE HISTORY:
06/16/2025: Updated policy.
04/02/2025: Migration to TeamDynamix from Drupal.
05/13/2024: Policy formatting cleanup; updated title; clarified recipient of complaints.
10/27/2021: Converted from PDF to live web page.
01/19/2018: Updated to reflect new staff grievance procedure.
07/21/2016: Policy formatting cleanup (moved Review, Approval, Change History into reverse chronological order).
07/21/2016: Corrected University Code section.
09/25/2015: Approved by the Faculty of the School of Music and reviewed and approved by the Office of the University General Counsel.
04/13/2015: Added contact information, approved on/effective on dates, approved by information, and categories. Published to Policy Library.