Following her firing in June, Mary Easley has filed a grievance with the University disputing her termination, according to Chancellor Woodward.

“For any employee here at the University, there is the option to file a grievance,” Woodward said.

According to Woodward, the first step in the grievance process is to have a one-on-one meeting with the Provost, her immediate supervisor. The meeting took place a couple of weeks ago, but the Chancellor could not remember the exact date. Despite the fact that the meeting was supposed to be one-on-one, Woodward said Easley brought a lawyer with her. The meeting then had to be delayed until a University lawyer could be present.

Woodward said the purpose of the meeting was to negotiate a settlement. However, he said Easley was demanding a full reinstatement and that was not an option. Now her grievance will go in front of a panel of faculty. “The panel acts in concert to well-established procedures,” Woodward explained. After the hearing, the Chancellor said, the panel will release its recommendation to one member of the Board of Trustees not present at the June meeting where Easley’s termination was discussed.

According to PJ Teal, the secretary of the University, there are currently four members on the Board that were not at the June meeting, hence able to hear the panel’s recommendation. The four are Jack Cozort, Ben Jenkins, Jim Owens, and Randy Ramsey. As Woodward described it, one of those four will be responsible for making the ultimate descision on the Easley grievance as he sees fit.

Woodward said he was disapointed with Easely’s actions.

“In my opinion she is continuing to damage this institution and I am disappointed she has decided to file this grievance,” Woodward said. “This will keep this matter in front of the public until its conclusion, and I cannot guess why she is doing this.”

Marvin Schiller, Easley’s lawyer, could not be reached for a comment.

Jim Ceresnak, student body president, said it was expected for Easley to file a grievance, but he does not understand who’s best interest she is acting in.

Chancellor Woodward said Easley’s decision to file a grievance is not in the best interest of the University, as until the item is put to rest, the University cannot move on.

“[Easley’s grievance] is not in the interest in the University or the people of N.C. It keeps this issue in the media,” Woodward said. Speaking of the importance of N.C. State to the state of North Carolina, Woodward said “anything that harms this institution harms this state as N.C. State is very valueble to this state.”

The Chancellor also said he isn’t going to become consumed in the issue. “The things I am concerned with impact students,” Woodward said. “What she does does not impact is what happens in the classrooms, research labs, ect.”

Ceresnak, a senior in political science, said he supports the Chancellor’s decision to terminate Easley’s position as it was not fiscally possible to retain her.

The Chancellor also said he does not want faculty, staff, and students to be involved more than necessary. “Let folks like me devote whatever time I need to to work on this issue,” Woodward said. “If this issue begins to impact in the classroom it will hurt this institution.”