Opinion ID: 1931375
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Grounds for the Appeal

Text: [¶ 14] Millien asserts that Colby violated the handbook's provisions regarding the circumstances under which an appeal may be taken. The handbook provides that cases may be appealed on the basis of new information which could not have been presented at the original hearing or when there is reason to believe that a violation of procedure occurred which could have affected the outcome. The procedures also state that the Board's decision whether to hear an appeal is based on the content of the written appeal and on discussion at a meeting with the appellant and other appropriate parties. Millien contends that the subcommittee's actions were fundamentally unfair because there were insufficient grounds for an appeal and the subcommittee failed to meet with the claimant, as well as with him as an other appropriate part[y]. [¶ 15] The claimant's written notice of appeal set forth eight grounds, one asserting new information and the others asserting procedural errors. A subcommittee of the Appeals Board considered the notice of appeal and determined that the appeal should be permitted on some, but not all, of the eight grounds. Although the court found that the appeal did not result in a breach of contract, it did not make findings as to whether the appeal was justified on the basis of new information or a violation of procedure. Because Millien did not request additional findings of fact or conclusions of law on the issue pursuant to M.R. Civ. P. 52(a), we will infer that the court made all the necessary findings of fact to support the judgment, if those findings are supported by evidence in the record. Lyons v. Baptist Sch. of Christian Training, 2002 ME 137, ¶ 13, 804 A.2d 364, 369. [¶ 16] Competent evidence in the record supports a finding that an appeal was justified either on the basis of new information or a procedural violation. The victim's advocate testified that she did not believe that a tape recording of a telephone conversation was available during the Dean's hearing, and Christine Wentzel, the faculty member on the subcommittee, testified that the tape was new evidence which [she] believed [was not] admitted the first time the hearing was done. In addition, Wentzel testified that the subcommittee felt that it was a procedural irregularity for [Dean Serdjenian,] who was fact-finding [for the Dean's Hearing Board,] to then move into the position of ... mediation or trying to offer ... a solution to both parties and then ... going back to the board and actually forcing a decision. Despite stating in her deposition that she did not think that the claimant was prejudiced by her refusal to agree to Serdjenian's proposal, Wentzel also testified that the mediation could have affected the outcome of the hearing. [¶ 17] Because the record supports a finding that there were grounds for an appeal that satisfied the required criteria, we cannot conclude that the Appeals Board's decision to grant the appeal was fundamentally unfair or resulted in a breach of contract. Moreover, the Appeals Board's failure to meet with Millien or the claimant before it decided to permit the appeal did not result in a breach of contract. The Board's procedures do not require it to meet with the student accused of wrongdoing before it decides whether to permit an appeal if that student is not the appellant. As written, the procedures commit to the Board's discretion the decision as to with which other appropriate parties it will meet before it decides whether an appeal should proceed. Although the Appeals Board's failure to meet with the claimant before deciding to allow the appeal contravened Colby's appeals procedures, this procedural default was insubstantial and does not compel a finding of fundamental unfairness because the subcommittee received and considered the claimant's detailed statement of her grounds for appeal.