CHARGES COMMITTEE
Committee Duties
The Committee on Charges conducts investigations regarding complaints made against members of the faculty charging violation of the Faculty Code of Conduct including Sexual Harassment, the Research Misconduct Policy or other University policy regulating individual conduct, in order to determine whether there is probable cause to warrant a disciplinary proceeding before the Committee on Privilege and Tenure. The Charges Committee normally schedules four two-hour meetings per quarter and at least three meetings in the summer. Meeting times for the year are set based on member schedules. The Charges Committee schedule is posted on the Senate Data Management System.
Charges Process
The Charges Committee procedures are to be conducted in accordance with the UCLA Bylaw "Campus Procedures for Implementation of Policies on Faculty Conduct and the Administration of Discipline" (Appendix XII). See also the Web page Charges Process.
Briefly, to initiate a complaint against a faculty member, the complainant must file a written charge with the Charges Committee. The Chair of the Committee may opt to discuss the charge with the complainant in order to determine whether all other administrative remedies have been exhausted and that no satisfactory resolution can be implemented at the departmental or college level.
The Charges Committee will deliver the written charge (with any evidence supplied) to the faculty member. The faculty member will have an opportunity to respond in writing and submit evidence. The "respondent" (the accused faculty member) may request to appear before the Committee, but the Committee may decline if it determines further response is not needed.
The Charges Committee may propose negotiation or mediation if both parties agree. Otherwise, the Committee will forward its determination of probable cause or no probable cause to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Personnel, who will then transmit it to the Committee on Privilege and Tenure, noting the specific provisions of the Faculty Code of Conduct which are alleged to have been violated. The Committee on Privilege and Tenure is responsible for the formal disciplinary hearing process.
Settlements
If a case is under review by Charges, the Committee approves any settlements negotiated by the Vice Chancellor. See Appendix XII§8 "Rules Governing Settlements"
Membership
Interactions with Administration
Committee Analyst: Marian McKenna Olivas, (310) 206-2469, molivas@senate.ucla.edu
