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Grievance Commission Annual Report 
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September 8, 2009, Volume 56, No. 02

July 2009

The Grievance Commission of the University of Pennsylvania is an independent committee consisting of three faculty members appointed by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee. The Grievance Commission is available to members of the Penn faculty and academic support staff who allege that they have been subject to actions contrary to University procedures, policies, and/or regulations.  In AY 2008-2009, the commission was composed of Joan Goodman (Education, Past Chair), Barry Cooperman (Chemistry, Chair) and Vivian Seltzer (Emeritus, Social Policy & Practice, Chair-elect). The Chair-elect for 2009-2010 is David Brownlee (History of Art).

In AY 2008-2009, the Commission was approached by four members of the faculty, three of whom were either tenured or tenure track (one each from the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Engineering and Applied Science) and one adjunct faculty member (School of Arts and Sciences). Following initial discussions with the Commission, three of these faculty members chose not to submit a formal Grievance Statement to the Commission. The fourth did submit such a Statement. After lengthy deliberation, the Commission concluded that complaint contained in the Statement did not meet the requirements of applicability set forth in the Faculty Grievance Procedure. Accordingly, none of the four cases resulted in a hearing before a panel nominated by the Faculty Senate.

—Barry S. Cooperman, Grievance Commission Chair, 2008-2009

 

Almanac - September 8, 2009, Volume 56, No. 02