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STUDENT COMPLAINT RESOLUTION PROCEDURES
(Procedure 6.220P; adopted 6-30-97 as part of Procedure 6.210P; revised 5-20-02)
Complaint resolution procedures include both informal and formal processes. Students
are required to resolve complaints informally and use the formal complaint procedure
only as a last resort. (Exceptions to this will be determined by the appropriate
College official). Clatsop Community College provides procedures for students to
use to address concerns or initiate complaints regarding: alleged
violations of college policies or procedures, the denial of
a refund petition, grade disputes, disqualification
from financial aid, another student(s)
conduct which violates the College's Student Code of Conduct, allegations
of discrimination or sexual harassment, or charges
of faculty or staff misconduct.
COMPLAINTS ALLEGING VIOLATIONS
OF A COLLEGE POLICY OR PROCEDURE
Step 1: Initiate the informal process
The goal of the informal process is to establish communication between the student
and the appropriate staff member for the purpose of providing a forum in which the
student's questions or concerns can be addressed. It is hoped that this communication
will result in a resolution agreeable to both the student and the staff member.
The student must meet with the appropriate instructor or staff member and discuss
his/her concerns about the alleged policy or procedure violation. If resolution cannot
be reached by talking to the appropriate staff member or when contact with the staff
member would be unduly distressful or embarrassing, the student may discuss alternatives
with the staff member's immediate supervisor or a department chair. Students can
receive assistance in locating the appropriate supervisor or department chair by
contacting the office of the Dean of Student Services or the office of the Vice-President
of Instruction/Student Services.
The student must discuss the concern with the faculty or staff member directly involved
(or, when necessary, the immediate supervisor or department chair) within 20 working
days of the alleged policy or procedure violation or the student will lose the opportunity
to make a formal complaint.
Step 2: File a Formal Complaint Form with the Dean of Student
Service's Office:
If the attempt to resolve the situation informally is not successful, the student
may file a formal written complaint. Clatsop Community College's Formal Complaint
Form is available in Student Services, the Registrar's Office, the Human Resources
Office, Learning Resource Center (Library), Community Education Office, South County
Center and MERTS. Forms should be returned to the office of the Dean of Student Services.
The Dean will be responsible for ensuring that the complaint is forwarded to the
Student Issues Committee or College manager, as appropriate.
The student has ten (10) working days from the date of the last meeting with the
appropriate staff member or his/her immediate supervisor or department chair to file
a written formal complaint form with the Dean of Student Services Office. If the
time period exceeds ten (10) working days, an explanation of the reason for the delay
must be attached to the complaint form along with a request for an extension of the
time. The Student Issues Committee or the College manager considering the complaint
and the student must agree, in writing, upon an extension of the time period for
extenuating circumstances. If the time period exceeds ten (10) working days and the
student does not have a written extension agreement, the request for an investigation
may be denied.
A. Outcome of Formal Complaint
Procedure:
The Student Issues Committee or College manager will conduct an investigation of
the student's complaint. A written response to the student's formal complaint will
be mailed directly to the address that the student listed on the complaint form no
later than fourteen (14) working days from the date the complaint form was received
in the Office of the Dean of Student Services.
B. Appeals:
All decisions of the Student Issues Committee may be appealed to the Vice-President
of Instruction/Student Services except in the case of an appeal for sanctions invoked
as a result of a violation(s) of the Student Code of Conduct. Appeals of sanctions
are subject to the guidelines established under the Student Discipline Procedure
(6.215P). The request for an appeal to the Vice-President of Instruction/Student
Services must be received, in writing, within (10) ten working days of the student
receiving the decision of the Committee. The following will be considered grounds
for appeal: (A) A procedural error or irregularity which materially affected the
decision. (B) New evidence of a substantive nature not previously available at the
time of the hearing that would have materially affected the decision. (C) Demonstrated
bias on the part of the Committee or College manager or administrator that materially
affected the decision. Evidence of bias must be included with the appeal.
Appeals of decisions made by a College manager should be made to the Dean of Student
Services. The request for an appeal of the decision of a College manager must be
received, in writing, within (10) ten working days of the student receiving the decision.
Appeals of management decisions are subject to the same criteria as those outlined
for appeals of decisions made by the Student Issues Committee. The Dean of Student
Services will forward the appeal to the appropriate administrator who will determine
whether or not the criteria for an appeal has been met.
If the criteria for an appeal is met, a written response from the Vice-President
of Instruction/Student Services or the appointed administrator will be mailed to
the student no later than fourteen (14) working days from the date the petition was
received. The decisions of the Vice-President of Instruction/Student Services or
the appointed administrator will be final.
GRADE DISPUTES--Students with extenuating
circumstances affecting grades posted to their transcripts as a result of the college
enforcing its policies or procedures should report their concerns to the Registrar's
Office. If the Registrar's office is unable to make the requested change, the student
may submit a Formal Complaint Form to Student Services.* (See Step 2 of this
procedure…”File a Formal Complaint Form with the Dean of Student Service's Office”).
REFUND PETITIONS:
The Director of Accounting processes petitions for refunds of a student's tuition
and fees. The student may request a refund by completing the College's Petition
for Refund form. These forms are available in both the Registrar's Office
and the Business Office. Refunds will be considered when medical or other emergencies
affect a student's ability to complete a course or follow the College procedures
for withdrawing from a course. Appeals of the decision of the Director of Accounting
may be made by completing a College Formal Complaint Form. * Forms are available
in Student Services, Registrar's Office, Human Resources Office, Learning Resource
Center (Library), Community Education Office, South County Center, and MERTS. (See
Step 2 of this procedure..”File a Formal Complaint with the Dean of Student Service's
Office”).
FINANCIAL AID DISQUALIFICATION:
tudents who have been disqualified from financial aid should first discuss their
situation with the Financial Aid Director. If not satisfied with the outcome of the
informal process, a student may complete a Financial Aid Petition for consideration
by the Student Issues Committee. Forms can be picked up in the Financial Aid Office
and must be complete and submitted to the Financial Aid Office by 5:00 p.m. the first
day of classes. Any petitions received after that day would be considered for reinstatement
of aid the following term. An appeal of the decision of the Student Issues Committee
may be made to the Vice-President of Instruction/Student Services subject to the
same criteria and procedures as outlined above in Step 2-(B) “Appeals.”
Note: Any time limit noted in this procedure may be extended by the College
for five (5) working days with notice to the complainant. Timelines may be further
modified, if necessary, by mutual agreement.
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COMPLAINTS REGARDING ANOTHER
STUDENT(S) CONDUCT (6215/6.215P)
The procedures for complaints regarding the conduct of another student(s) are outlined
in the College's Student Discipline procedures
(6.215P) published in the Student Handbook.
DISCRIMINATION/SEXUAL HARRASSMENT (1.001/1.001P)
Students with complaints of possible harassment or discrimination may seek immediate
assistance from the College's Affirmative Action Officer in accordance with the College's
Discrimination Complaint Policy/Procedure (including sexual harassment discrimination
(1.001/1.001P)). Copies of this procedure are available in the Human Resources Office.
CHARGES OF FACULTY OR STAFF MISCONDUCT (4.505/4.505P)
Faculty and staff members are subject to collective bargaining agreements and formal
disciplinary rules that cannot be superseded by these procedures. By law, certain
procedures must be followed before discipline can be imposed. Prior to submitting
a formal complaint, students will be required to discuss their concerns with the
faculty or staff member involved in an effort to reach an informal resolution. If
not successful, or when contact with the staff member would be unduly distressful
or embarrassing, the student may discuss alternatives with the staff member's immediate
supervisor or a department chair. Students can receive assistance in locating the
appropriate supervisor or department chair by contacting the office of the Dean of
Student Services or the office of the Vice-President of Instruction/Student Services.
The student must discuss the concern with the faculty or staff member directly involved
(or, when necessary, the immediate supervisor or department chair) within 20 working
days of the incident precipitating the complaint or the student will lose the opportunity
to make a formal complaint.
If the outcome of the informal process is not successful, students may file a formal
complaint. Formal complaints may be made by completing the College's Formal Complaint
Form. * The student has ten (10) working days from the date of the last meeting
with the appropriate staff member or his/her immediate supervisor or department chair
to file the complaint form with the Dean of Student Services Office. ** Formal complaints
regarding the misconduct of a faculty or staff member will be forwarded to the appropriate
supervisor or his/her designee and shall be subject to resolution procedures as detailed
in the College's Discipline and Dismissal policy and procedures (4.505/4.505P).
*Formal Complaint Forms are available in Student Services, Registrar's Office,
Human Resources Office, Learning Resource Center (Library), Community Education Office,
South County Center, and MERTS.
** If the time period exceeds ten (10) working days, an explanation of the reason
for the delay must be attached to the complaint form along with a request for an
extension of the time. The supervisor considering the complaint and the student must
agree, in writing, upon an extension of the time period for extenuating circumstances.
If the time period exceeds ten (10) working days and the student does not have a
written extension agreement, the request for an investigation may be denied.
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| Students' Rights & Responsibilities | Student Code of Conduct | Student
Code of Conduct Sanctions | Student Discipline
Procedure | Student Complaint Resolution
updated 9/24/01
updated 5/28/02
updated 10/22/03
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