Student Academic Grievance Policy

Student Grievance

General Definition: Grievance is generally defined as "a cause for distress affording reason for complaint or resistance." The complaint may be the result of an alleged action or omission by the University acting through its faculty. Thus, act or omission perceived by the student as unfair, inappropriate, or which adversely affects the student's academic standing may serve as a basis for grievance.

Guidelines:

The student generally must initiate a grievance no later than the end of the semester following the semester in which the alleged grievance occurred. This policy considers two summer terms as a semester.

If conditions beyond the student's control prohibit filing a grievance during the time indicated above, the student should file as soon as reasonably possible in order to be eligible for the grievance process. The burden of persuasion to allow for the filing of a late grievance is upon the student.

The student should initially address the grievance to the faculty member involved unless that person is unavailable or the student believes in good faith that such individual will not deal with the grievance fairly or may respond by retaliating. In such cases the student may initiate the grievance process with the dean of the college in which the faculty member is assigned.

Every reasonable effort should be made to resolve any alleged grievance at the lowest organizational level possible. In the event that it cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the parties involved, the student may seek resolution at a higher level according to the Grievance Form procedure.

Procedure for Resolution of Grievance:

Obtain a Grievance Form from the academic dean. Read and carefully follow the outlined procedure on the back of the form.

Explain the nature of the grievance, giving specific information-dates, time, witnesses, etc. Also, indicate the desired outcome. Any additional information and/or supporting documentation should be attached to the form.

Begin at the appropriate organizational level and if the grievant is satisfied, she/he should sign the form in the place showing that resolution was achieved and return it to the college dean's office.

If the grievant is not satisfied, she/he may take their grievance to the next administrative for review with the final review being the dean of the college.

In the case the affected student or faculty is not satisfied with the resolution of the grievance at the college dean level, a different dean, selected by the Academic Council, shall convene an impartial Grievance Review Committee to make a final determination. The Grievance Review Committee shall consist of the designated dean, serving as committee chair, a faculty member from the area subject of the grievance, a representative from the Faculty Association and two students from the Honor Code Council. All members of the committee should be impartial and without prior substantial knowledge of the facts and circumstances of the matter.

After a fair opportunity to be heard is provided the parties, the grievant and the person subject of the grievance are excused and the grievance is discussed by the committee. The decision will be by majority vote.

All pertinent evidence or material collected during any previous review of the matter shall be given to the committee chair. The committee may invite the parties involved in the grievance to make oral or written statements to the committee. The student making a complaint and the person being grieved will be permitted to be present during verbal presentations or discussions between any of the parties involved in the grievance and members of the committee prior to the committee deliberation.

Sources

"Student Academic Grievance Policy," draft copy of June 17, 1998 policy under consideration by Brigham Young University-Provo.

"Student Academic Grievance Policy," Brigham Young University-Provo web page.

"Student Grievance Statement," Cal State L.A. - Student Handbook/Eagle guide - part 4, page 50, taken from Cal State L.A. web site at

http://www.calstatela.edu/univ/handbook/p50.html.

"Academic Grievance Procedures," University of Michigan, Horace W. Rackham Graduate School Handbook, Appendix C, taken from University of Michigan web site at http://www.manc.edu/stulife/grievance.html.

"Student Grievance Process," MidAmerican Nazarene University, web site

http://www.manc.edu/stulife/grievance.html.