Grievance Policy
Chicago Booth is committed to maintaining a climate that supports robust education and research, allowing every student to maximize learning. Respect, civility, and professionalism are essential to the university’s mission and are crucial to ensuring the university’s commitment to free expression principles and academic freedom.
Abuse of authority is the arbitrary or capricious exercise of authority for purposes inconsistent with the university’s educational and research mission. Expression occurring in an academic, educational, or research context is considered a special case and is broadly protected by academic freedom. Such expression will not constitute abuse of authority unless (in addition to satisfying the above definition) it is targeted at a specific person or persons and serves no bona fide academic purpose. Such behavior is unacceptable and counters the principles expressed in the Booth Standards of Scholarship and Professionalism.
Current students and those on approved leaves of absence are eligible to file formal grievances alleging abuse of authority against faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers, or other academic appointees. Formal grievances will be reviewed and resolved by a small committee of faculty, staff, and students per the procedures below. However, an informal resolution should be the primary method for addressing complaints and concerns. Those options are detailed in this policy, and Booth expects students to attempt informal resolution before filing a formal grievance.
Disputes about grades or other performance metrics should adhere to Booth’s Grade Appeal Procedures unless the concern involves a question of abuse of authority. An example of the potential abuse of authority and grading is outlined below.
- Not an Abuse of Authority:
- A student receives a lower-than-expected score on an exam.
- An instructor disagrees with a claim made by a student during class and corrects the student in front of the entire class.
- Potential Abuse of Authority:
- A student has been assisting one of their instructors by grading in another course the faculty member teaches. During this time, they have received high grades and positive feedback on coursework. After informing the instructor that they can no longer assist with grading, the student receives an atypically low score on an exam.
- An instructor negatively responds to a student’s comment in class, berates the student publicly, and suggests they will contact potential employers to warn them against hiring the student.
In extraordinary circumstances, students may request that a grievance case be handled by the Office of the Provost. If a student wishes to submit a grievance case to be handled by the Provost’s Office, they must provide a supporting rationale for why their case cannot be fairly heard within Booth. Please consult the University Grievance Policy for Graduate Students for more information.
Allegation of sexual harassment, misconduct and unlawful discrimination are addressed exclusively under the university’s Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct and Policy on Title IX Sexual Harassment. More information about these policies and options for reporting and support are available through the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs.
Complaints about student conduct involving possible violation of university policies and regulations and other breaches of standards of behavior should always be brought to the attention of the Chicago Booth dean of students. For more information, please see University Disciplinary Systems and Disciplinary System for Disruptive Conduct.
Allegations of academic fraud (e.g., plagiarism; fabrication or falsification of evidence, data, or results; the suppression of relevant evidence or data; the conscious misrepresentation of sources; the theft of ideas; or the intentional misappropriation of the research work or data of others) should also be brought forward in accordance with procedures established in the university’s Policy on Academic Fraud.
Issues related to the conduct of members of the University of Chicago Police Department should always be directed to the university’s Safety & Security Complaint Process.
All members of the community should be able to bring forward conflicts, concerns, and possible grievances in a respectful environment and are expected to do so in good faith. The university prohibits retaliation against any person who exercises any rights or responsibilities under this policy. Any act of retaliation may be a separate violation of this policy.
Recognizing that all situations are unique, Chicago Booth seeks to present students with a number of options and approaches toward addressing conflict and reporting concerns. While formal grievance resolution is only applicable to cases involving an allegation of abuse of authority, the options presented in this section are available to all students regardless of the specific nature of their complaint or concern.
As appropriate, students can raise a concern with the associate dean of faculty and academic services or the dean of students. These individuals are able to provide assistance in finding possible informal resolutions. Potential approaches to informal resolutions are outlined below.
- Shuttle Diplomacy: The associate dean will speak with the individual or individuals with whom there is conflict, convey concerns on the student’s behalf, and report back about the conversation to the student.
- Facilitated Conversation: Students experiencing conflict or any challenging interpersonal situation may benefit from requesting a facilitated conversation. The associate dean or designee can arrange a meeting to be attended by both the student and the individual or individuals with whom there is conflict in order to discuss the source of the conflict and collectively address possible solutions.
- Reports for Informational Purposes: A student may find themselves in a situation where they want to report a complaint or concern but do not wish to have their individual case acted upon. Students have the option to report concerns or potential abuses of authority for informational purposes. This would be an option for students who are not seeking individual redress for their situation, but who wish to inform the administration of troubling behavior for the purposes of addressing systemic issues.
Complaints or concerns not related to a grade change may be brought in an email to or a meeting with the associate dean of faculty and academic services. Students can also report concerns or possible abuses of authority to an academic advisor, dean of students, or another staff person who will share the report with the associate dean of faculty and academic services.
Students should be aware that information about these reports may be shared with other university officials without prior consent in the following situations:
- There is a concern about abuse or other possible misconduct that rises to the level of requiring immediate action.
- There is a concern about the student’s or another person’s health and safety.
Anonymous reports may be made directly to the Office of the Provost through this form. Anonymous reports will be reviewed by the Office of the Provost and shared with academic units and other university officials as appropriate.
- The Student Ombuds Office serves as a peer resource to assist students in the resolution of conflicts, concerns, and other problems that they may encounter through the course of university life. Ombuds staff provide individual consultation and write reports to the campus community identifying recurring student concerns.
- The associate director for Graduate Student Affairs in UChicagoGRAD is an administrator who serves as a campus-wide resource for students on issues around graduate student grievance policy and procedures. The associate director can meet with students to discuss individual situations and provide information about options for resolution. Email gradgrievance@uchicago.edu for assistance.
While the informal resolution is available for students to address many conflicts and complaints, the formal resolution process is applicable to instances where there is an allegation of abuse of authority and where attempts at informal resolution have been ineffective.
Timelines are specified for all stages in the formal grievance process. If necessary, specific deadlines may be extended with notice to the student and respondent(s).
Both the student and respondent(s) may bring a support person of their choice to any meeting conducted as part of the formal grievance process. However, they must notify the individual or individuals with whom they are meeting of the identity of their support person in advance. If the support person is a lawyer, a representative of the university’s Office of Legal Counsel may also attend the meeting. The support person does not function as an advocate or participate directly in any way during the meeting. Both the student and respondent(s) are expected to speak for themselves and submit their own written statements.
Students wishing to file a formal grievance are required to submit a complaint using this online form.
The form and any provided written documentation will be reviewed by the associate dean of faculty and academic services or the designee will determine if:
- The case is appropriate for formal resolution pursuant to the grievance policy (i.e., it alleges abuse of authority as defined above and is not covered by another policy); and
- The case cannot be resolved by informal means.
The associate dean or designee will receive and review the complaint to determine if it meets the above-stated criteria for formal resolution. As part of this initial review, the associate dean or designee may request a meeting with the student to discuss the complaint. At this meeting, there will be discussion of any supportive resources that the student may find helpful.
The student will receive written notification of whether the case meets the criteria for formal resolution within 30 calendar days of submitting the formal grievance complaint.
If the associate dean or designee decides the complaint is appropriate for resolution, the respondent(s) will be provided with written notice and a copy of the complaint within seven calendar days of the notice to the student.
The deputy dean of faculty will convene a grievance committee to consider the case. The committee is charged with reviewing all information about the case and making a recommendation to the deputy dean.
The committee will generally be composed of three faculty members, one student, associate dean of faculty and academic services, and the dean of students.
All members of the committee are expected to maintain independent judgment and open-mindedness about the alleged grievance, free from material bias and conflicts of interest, or they should recuse themselves.
The student and respondent(s) will be notified of the composition of the committee as soon as practicable before the committee begins their review. Either party may request a substitution if the participation of any individual on the committee poses a conflict of interest. Such requests must be made to the associate dean within two business days of receiving notice of the members of the committee. Requests must identify with specificity the alleged nature of the conflict of interest. Using reasoned judgment, the associate dean will decide whether the alleged conflict is genuine and material and, if so, whether it compels the committee member’s replacement.
The committee will designate a member or members to:
- Interview, as necessary, individuals who may have relevant knowledge;
- Collect materials, as necessary, including relevant documents.
The complainant and respondent(s) will be given the opportunity to provide relevant documentation, provide names of relevant individuals, and meet with the committee or a designated representative of the committee.
The committee will apply a preponderance of evidence standard in making its recommendation to the deputy dean. Namely, the committee will decide whether, in consideration of all the information before it, it is more likely than not that an abuse of authority occurred.
Grievance processes and outcomes are intended to create a more respectful and inclusive university environment in which every student has the opportunity to maximize their potential, to provide remedies for students in need of support, and to facilitate productive conversations about challenging issues. In considering appropriate resolutions to grievance cases, Chicago Booth will be guided by the principle that outcomes should focus on addressing harm to the student and preventing its recurrence.
The range of possible outcomes will vary according to the role of the individual found responsible for violating the policy and the severity of the violation. If any individual is found to have abused their authority as defined in this policy, at minimum the dean and/or other supervisor will meet with the respondent to discuss the finding and expectations regarding future conduct, and a notation regarding the finding and expectations may be made in the personnel record.
Other possible outcomes include, but are not limited to, required training, amendments to teaching and advising assignments, removal from leadership positions or committee assignments, ineligibility for annual pay increases, and referral to applicable processes if further action is recommended. Outcomes will be based on the specific nature of the conduct, the particulars of the situation, and a pattern of violations if such exists.
The student and the respondent(s) shall be notified formally, in writing, of the deputy dean’s decision no more than 90 calendar days after the case was initially submitted.
Notifications will also provide both parties with information about how to request a review of the outcome by the Office of the Provost under the Graduate Student Grievance Review Process.