Though all departments at Southern strive to maintain environments in which conflict is minimized, it is still an inevitable aspect of team dynamics. Sometimes those conflicts grow into major grievances. The process used among believers for resolving such grievances, large or small, is founded on the scriptural principle found in Matthew 18:15-17. Based on this principle, discussion should begin between the two parties concerned. Other parties become involved only after attempts between the primary parties fail. Southern prefers to resolve grievances within the community of faith, using only non-litigious means.
Any non-student Southern employee may initiate a request to resolve a grievance that relates to his/her rights, academic freedom, benefits, working conditions, appointment, reappointment, or promotion. An employee who has received from administration a major sanction, such as a suspension from work, or a minor sanction, such as a reprimand, and believes he or she has been unfairly or incorrectly sanctioned, may also file a grievance. This procedure is also one of the methods by which concerns of harassment, e.g. race, sex, age, ethnicity, are adjudicated. Cases that involve alleged sexual misconduct may be handled by Southern’s Title IX Coordinator as per Policy 2340 in the Employee Handbook (Decisions as to which procedure will be used are made in consultation with the aggrieved party).
Southern has created the following steps to resolve employee grievances:
Step One: Resolution through Informal Discussion
As the first step in the process, an aggrieved party must seek to resolve the grievance through an informal discussion with the appropriate dean/chair or other person whose action led to the grievance unless this meeting could result in renewed victimization.
Step Two: Written Grievance to Immediate Supervisor
If Step One does not bring resolution, employees must then discuss the grievance with their immediate supervisor. The supervisor and employee then have three (3) business days in which to resolve the problem. In cases of termination, the employee may waive the conference with the supervisor and submit a written grievance (Step Three) within ten (10) business days of notification of termination. If the grievance is with the supervisor, the employee may begin at Step 3.
Step Three: Written Grievance to Human Resources
If the problem is still not resolved after discussing the matter with the immediate supervisor, the employee then has ten (10) business days in which to record the grievance in writing and to present it to both the director of Human Resources and the senior vice president for Financial Administration. Both these parties may deem it necessary to consult with other parties—e.g., the senior vice president for Academic Administration for an hourly employee working in an academic department-—as they seek resolution in the case. The senior vice president for Financial Administration then has five (5) business days from the time he or she receives the grievance to respond with a written answer.
Step Four: Written Appeal to President
If the grievance is not resolved under Step 3, the grievant may appeal to the president within ten (10) business days after the employee receives the written answer. The president must render his decision within ten (10) business days. The president has the right to present the issue to Administrative Council—or the Board of Trustees if he/she deems it necessary—in which case the time period for response to the grievance may be extended. The decision of the president, the Administrative Council or Board of Trustees is final.
If warranted by the situation, the senior vice president for Financial Administration or the president may choose to extend the time limits in the above steps.
Storage of Grievance Minutes and Notes
At the end of the grievance process, all pertinent materials, including the written grievance, written responses to the grievance, and administrative notes shall be kept in the grievant’s personnel file in the Human Resources office for no less than three years after the conclusion of the grievance process or for the duration of employment, whichever is greater.