Opinion ID: 2997825
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The University’s Grievance Procedure

Text: Provost Hoffman passed along Dean Moss’s recommendation to Chancellor David Broski, who then passed it to President James Stukel, Ph.D. On August 31, 1998, the Board of Trustees accepted Dr. Prabhakar’s recommendation and issued a terminal contract ending Dr. Nanda’s employment with the University on August 31, 1999. Pursuant to the University’s Grievance Procedures, Dr. Nanda filed a formal grievance demand with Dean Moss on September 11, 1998 challenging the terminal contract. In the grievance, Dr. Nanda argued that Dr. Prabhakar failed to follow the required departmental process before issuing his recommendation, and that the recommendation was based on her gender and ethnicity. On October 2, 1998, pursuant to the University’s Grievance Procedures, Dean Moss appointed Rochelle Cohen, Ph.D., then Professor and Interim Head of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, to investigate Dr. Nanda’s grievance. On October 26, 1998, Dr. Cohen issued her report to Dean Moss stating that she found no evidence of gender or ethnic discrimination by Dr. Prabhakar with respect to the terminal contract recommendation. On October 29, 1998, Dean Moss denied Dr. Nanda’s grievance, and on November 11, 1998, Dr. Nanda appealed No. 04-1641 7 Dean Moss’s decision to Provost Hoffman. Five days later, Provost Hoffman appointed Kathleen Knafl, Ph.D., Executive Associate Dean of the College of Nursing Administration, as the Hearing Officer to conduct a formal investigation into Dr. Nanda’s grievance. Dr. Knafl ultimately concluded that although Dr. Prabhakar’s failure to obtain advice from the Faculty Advisory Committee before recommending a terminal contract was “counter to the spirit” of the University statutes, the termination process was in keeping with the usual practice within the College of Medicine, and there was no compelling evidence to support Dr. Nanda’s allegations of gender or ethnic discrimination. On April 29, 1999, Provost Hoffman informed Dr. Nanda of her decision to deny the grievance appeal. Dr. Nanda appealed Provost Hoffman’s decision to Chancellor Broski, which was denied June 9. Chancellor Broski reaffirmed Provost Hoffman’s conclusion that Dr. Prabhakar’s recommendation of a terminal contract was neither procedurally flawed nor discriminatory. Dr. Nanda then appealed Chancellor Broski’s decision to President Stukel. In accordance with University statutes, President Stukel’s review was limited to determining whether procedural requirements had been met and was not a review of the merits of the terminal contract recommendation. President Stukel informed Dr. Nanda that the grievance proceedings had been conducted in accordance with the University’s established procedures, and that her appeal was denied. President Stukel nevertheless chose to extend Dr. Nanda’s contract for one year until August 31, 2000. After her termination, Dr. Nanda filed this case alleging her termination was in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e et seq., and also alleging that Provost Hoffman, Chancellor Broski, President Stukel, Dean Moss, and Dr. Prabhakar in their individual capacities violated her equal protection rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Defendants moved for summary 8 No. 04-1641 judgment, and the district court concluded that there was sufficient evidence in the pretrial record to create a genuine issue of material fact that Dr. Prabhakar violated Dr. Nanda’s Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection. The district court, therefore, denied summary judgment as to the University and Dr. Prabhakar, but granted summary judgment on qualified immunity grounds to Provost Elizabeth Hoffman, Ph.D., Chancellor David Broski, and President James Stukel, Ph.D. The district court also denied qualified immunity to Dean Moss and he now appeals the district court’s ruling.