Introduction

(1) The University, with the assistance and advice of students, employees and other members of the University community, has developed procedures for handling a variety of situations involving student and employee rights and privileges. Examples of these procedures, including opportunities for a hearing, are included in the student handbook, faculty handbook and personnel policy and procedure manual. The University believes that these procedures serve well the interests of student and employees in obtaining full and fair hearings, with a minimum of expense, complexity, and inconvenience. (2) An alternative to these procedures is described in the “Contested Cases” provisions of the “Uniform Administrative Procedures Act”, T.C.A. §4-5-301, et seq. The Act provides that any party whose legal rights, duties or privileges are required by any statute or constitutional provision to be determined after an opportunity for a hearing shall be afforded that opportunity for hearing in accordance with the “Contested Cases” provisions of the Act.