Review of Adjunct Faculty Administrative Rules

Value Statement

The Austin Community College District Administrative Rules are developed through a shared-governance process and are expected to be followed.

Administrative Rule

Any member of the Adjunct Faculty may request a Procedural Review of the implementation of a rule regarding Adjunct Faculty by taking the following steps:

1. Request an explanation of how the rule in question was implemented from the relevant Department Chair.
2. If not satisfied that the Rule was properly implemented, the member of the Adjunct Faculty may request a written explanation of the departmental decision, which shall be provided to that person and forwarded to the relevant Dean within ten days. In exceptional circumstances, a member of the Adjunct Faculty may take a complaint directly to the Dean, with documentation of the circumstances that warrant initiating the complaint.
3. The Dean must respond in writing to the member of the Adjunct Faculty and Department Chair within ten days.
4. If still not satisfied that the Rule was properly implemented, the member of the Adjunct Faculty may bring the issue to the Procedural Review Panel, whose purpose is to determine whether such rules are properly implemented. The Procedural Review Panel does not supplant the grievance process or any other College administrative review process, nor does bringing a complaint to the Procedural Review Panel negate one’s right to pursue other review or grievance processes.

Procedural Review Panel Internal Process

1. The Procedural Review Panel shall consist of three instructional Department Chairs, two instructional Deans, and two members of the Adjunct Faculty Association. The appointment of all members will be made by the appropriate Vice President following a consultation process with the President of the Adjunct Faculty Association.
2. Matters referred to the Panel must include:
   1. Documentation supporting the allegation that a rule was not properly implemented
   2. Citations of the specific rule in question
   3. Documentation of efforts to address the problem at the departmental and/or division level and the outcome.

3. The Panel is limited to review of the implementation of rules regarding Adjunct Faculty. The Panel will determine whether requests for review fall under the purview of the Panel.  If the Panel determines that a request for review does not fall within its purview, a written explanation will be provided to the person requesting the review and the relevant Department Chair and Dean.
4. Requests that are accepted by the Panel will be reviewed in light of relevant administrative rules and the College and departmental policies and procedures through which the rules are implemented. The Panel may request additional information from the relevant Adjunct Faculty member, Department Chair, or Dean.
5. The Panel will determine whether the rule was properly implemented and will submit a written report to the person requesting the review, the relevant Department Chair, Dean, and Vice President.