Due process in faculty grievance procedures in four-year public colleges and universities

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the existence of due process in faculty level grievance procedures in four-year public colleges and universities. The stratified random sample of 84 institutions from a population of 504 institutions in nine geographic regions yielded 81 usable responses for the study. The documents were evaluated using an instrument designed specifically for this study. Data were analyzed through the use of cross tabulations by factors of research questions, using the SAS computer program. Over 85% of the institutions of the sample had formal faculty grievance procedures. Based on the results of this study, it was concluded that: (1) The region of the country in which the four-year public colleges were located was a factor in availability of due process in faculty grievance procedures. (2) More institutions with enrollments over 20,000 had elements of due process than those with smaller enrollments. (3) Institutions offering doctoral degrees were slightly more likely to have elements of due process in their faculty grievance procedures. (4) Institutions in states with enabling legislation for collective bargaining for higher education more often had the due process in their faculty grievance procedures. (5) Institutions in states with right-to-work laws had lower percentages insuring due process in their faculty grievance procedures than institutions located in states without right-to-work laws. Based on the conclusions of this research, it is recommended that workshops, clinics, seminars, etc. be established to train chief administrators in faculty grievance procedures formulation which would insure due process.