Filing a Complaint

INTRODUCTION

A complaint is an allegation by persons other than the academic staff member’s supervisor(s), (including administrators, students, other academic staff, faculty, university staff, or member of the public) concerning the conduct of an academic staff member that is not serious enough to warrant dismissal proceedings.

For purposes of the steps below, subject means the person against whom the complaint is being filed.

Chapter 111 of the UWM Academic Staff Personnel Policies and Procedures (ASPPP) contains the full text of the complaint policy.

Other relevant policy is found in the Wisconsin Administrative Code UWS 13.

INITIATING THE COMPLAINT PROCESS

The complaint process begins by completing the Complaint Intake Form.

COMPLAINT INITIAL REVIEW

  1. ASHAC will inform the complainant of the date of the initial review within ten working days of receipt of a completed intake form.
  2. During the initial review, ASHAC will determine if the subject’s actions are a violation of University rules and polices OR adversely affect the subject’s performance and obligations to the University. If not, ASHAC may reject the complaint.
  3. ASHAC will then determine whether all or part of the complaint would be handled more appropriately by another department or an individual at UWM.
  4. ASHAC will inform the complainant of the results within ten working days of the initial review.

INVESTIGATION AND HEARING OF COMPLAINTS

  1. If ASHAC does not otherwise refer or reject a complaint, ASHAC will inform the subject that the complaint has been accepted and again encourage both parties to seek to resolve the complaint informally, including through UWM’s Office of Conflict Resolution. NOTE: At any point in the process, informal resolution of the complaint is still possible.
  2. If informal resolution cannot be achieved, ASHAC will proceed to initial information gathering, a prehearing and hearing consistent with ASHAC’s Process and Procedures for Appeals/Grievances/Complaints.
  3. ASHAC will propose a resolution/decision in writing to the complainant and the subject within ten working days of the conclusion of the formal hearing process.
    • If both parties agree with the proposed resolution, the process is concluded.
    • If either party disagrees with the suggested resolution and/or does not believe that the complaint has been resolved, they must indicate this to the ASHAC in writing within ten working days of receipt of ASHAC’s proposed resolution.  In such case, ASHAC will forward its recommendations to the Chancellor. The Chancellor’s decision on the complaint is final and not appealable.