Policy Manual

1. Definition. The Administrative Review provides to all University staff a forum for review of and response to concerns/conflicts related to conditions of employment, except for those reserved for an alternate forum or procedure. Examples of where Administrative Review may be applicable include: reporting ethics policy violations, dismissal during a probationary period, denial of career status, salary administration, or other forms of action or inaction related to University policy application and/or interpretation by a supervisor. Examples of issues reserved for alternate forums or procedures would include sexual harassment and research misconduct.
2. Procedure.
   1.  When a staff member identifies a concern or conflict, they initiate administrative review by requesting a face-to-face conference to discuss the issues with either the immediate supervisor or unit Human Resource representative. The staff member must identify the request for a conference as their request to initiate administrative review under this procedure. In order to preserve any rights to a formal grievance process, absent extenuating circumstances, the individual must have initiated the administrative review within 15 calendar days of the discovery of the event giving rise to the conflict, but not later than one year from the occurrence of the event that gave rise to the conflict. At the initial conference, the participants will agree upon a time frame for a response from the immediate supervisor or unit Human Resource representative regarding the identified concern/conflict. The supervisor or unit Human Resource representative will consult with other departmental administrative staff, as appropriate and available, and respond to the employee.
   2. If the conflict is not resolved at the unit level, the staff member may proceed to the college/division level. The individual will need to fill out an Administrative Review (AR) form within 10 days following the response to paragraph (1) above to proceed to the next level. The staff member will complete the top portion of the Administrative Review form and share with the collegiate/division administrator or Human Resource representative.
   3. Review and discussions at the college/division level will involve the Dean/VP/Director or designee and may include input from University Human Resources to resolve the concern/conflict. If a face-to-face conference is determined by the collegiate area to be helpful in the resolution of the issue due to the nature of the review, this will be scheduled. The participants will agree upon a time frame for a response not to exceed 30 calendar days.
   4. Upon completion of the review the collegiate/division administrator or Human Resource representative will complete the Administrative Review form and send a copy with the decision/rationale and/or resolution to University Human Resources, to Employee and Labor Relations, and to the employee. The collegiate level review/response is considered a final position and end to the administrative review process.
   5. In the event that the employee is a covered staff member within the meaning of the Grievance Procedures for Professional and Scientific Personnel (see III-28.4 below) and the issue is within the scope of those procedures, the individual can request to proceed to Step 3 of the grievance process within 7 calendar days of the response at the collegiate/division level. However, absent extenuating circumstances, the individual must have initiated the administrative review within 15 calendar days of the discovery of the event giving rise to the conflict, but not later than 1 year from the occurrence of the event that gave rise to the conflict.
   6. The UI staff member utilizing the Administrative Review process will be provided a reasonable amount of release time from work duties without a loss of pay to attend meetings under the Administrative Review procedure. Release time must be scheduled with the approval of the appropriate supervisor and shall not interfere with the employee's work responsibilities.
   7. A UI staff person can bring another employee as a witness observer or support person to meetings as scheduled under this procedure. If a witness observer or support person is a university staff member, and if such meetings occur during their normal duty hours, the witness observer or support person will be provided a reasonable amount of release time from work duties without loss of pay. Release time for this purpose must be scheduled with the approval of the appropriate supervisor and shall not interfere with the employee's work responsibilities. Legal counsel is not appropriate for this process.
   8. The confidentiality of individual specific employment information will be maintained at all times.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in all University of Iowa–sponsored programs. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact your department Human Resources representative in advance.