(1) Is a student currently registered in an undergraduate, graduate, or professional program on campus; and

(2) Has no other employee grievance procedure available for use.

c. The initiation period for a grievance must be within 21 calendar days of the date of discovery, by the employee, of the grievance, and within one year of the actual incident.

d. The employee shall have the right to be accompanied by two representatives throughout the proceedings.

e. The employee shall be allowed a reasonable time, not to exceed four hours, off from duties without loss of pay to investigate a grievance. Such time is to be scheduled with the supervisor's permission. What is a reasonable time shall be determined by mutual consent of the parties involved. If the parties are unable to agree, the time reasonably necessary to investigate the grievance should be determined by the Vice President for Student Services and Dean of Students or designee.

f. All levels of supervisory personnel involved shall be directed to consider grievances as soon as is reasonably possible.

g. An extension of the time limits specified in the grievance procedure may be made when mutually agreed upon by the employee and the administrator to whom the grievance is being addressed.

h. The mechanism for handling grievance proceedings is as follows:

(1) Step 1. A grievance proceeding shall be commenced by the employee presenting the grievance orally to her or his immediate supervisor. Such supervisor shall make an immediate response to the grievance.

(2) Step 2. If the oral response of the immediate supervisor fails to satisfy the employee, within four working days of receipt of the immediate supervisor's oral response, the employee shall file a written grievance with the immediate supervisor. If no oral response is made, a similar writing shall be filed with the immediate supervisor within four working days of presenting the oral grievance. In either case, the writing shall set forth with reasonable particularity:

(a) The events concerning which the employee feels aggrieved;

(b) The date or dates on which the events occurred;

(c) The date of the presentation of the oral grievance to the immediate supervisor;

(d) The date of the immediate supervisor's oral response, if one was made; and

(e) The employee's understanding of the immediate supervisor's oral response, if one was made.

(f) Within four working days of receiving the written grievance, the immediate supervisor shall respond to the employee in writing stating with reasonable particularity the supervisor's understanding of the facts and of his or her oral response, if either or both differ from that of the employee. If not resolved:

(3) Step 3. The written grievance shall be sent by the employee within five working days of receipt of the supervisor's response to the department head and an administrator designated by the Vice President for Student Services and Dean of Students. A meeting called by the administrator will then be held, if possible within five working days of receipt of the grievance or as soon thereafter as is feasible among the administrator, the department head or his/her designee, the employee and the employee's representatives, if any. A written response is required within five working days following the meeting. The response must be written by the department head in consultation with the administrator. If not resolved:

(4) Step 4. The written grievance should be forwarded by the employee within five working days of receipt of the department head's response to the Office of the Vice President for Human Resources. Within five working days of the receipt of the written grievance, or as soon thereafter as feasible, a meeting should be called by the Vice President for Human Resources or his or her designee of appropriate parties necessary to review the issues related to the complaint, at which the employing department and the grievant may present arguments and/or witnesses in support of their position. The final administrative determination should be made by the Vice President for Human Resources, or designee, in consultation where appropriate with the Vice President for Student Services and Dean of Students, to be communicated to the parties in writing within three working days of the meeting.