Grievance Procedures

On occasion, students enrolled in education courses for undergraduate credit and students pursuing undergraduate degrees in the College of Education might consider that they have been treated unjustly by a faculty/staff member of the College. The following procedures specify ways in which a student might register a grievance and delineate the process for handling grievances, which are filed. Since the campus has procedures for handling allegations of capricious grading, cheating, and discrimination (see the Student Code), the procedures described below apply to all other grievances related to teaching, advising, and administrative affairs.

Grievance Procedures

1. The student shall promptly seek informal resolution of the issue with the faculty or staff member directly involved and the immediate supervisor of the faculty or staff member. If after reasonable efforts a satisfactory solution is not reached, the student may file a grievance.
2. To file a grievance, the student shall submit a letter to the Dean of the College of Education stating the reasons for the grievance and the remedy that is sought.
3. Upon receiving the grievance and determining that it represents an issue of substance, the Dean shall appoint a hearing officer not affiliated with the unit of the person against whom the grievance is filed. The hearing officer shall attempt to mediate the dispute by working with both the student and the faculty/staff person involved in an effort to find a mutually satisfactory solution. If the Dean decides that the grievance does not represent an issue of substance, she/he shall so inform the student and the remainder of this procedure shall not apply.
4. If efforts at mediation are unsuccessful, the hearing officer shall ask the faculty/staff member involved to submit a written response to the student's grievance. It is expected that the response shall be received by the hearing officer within 10 days of the request.
5. The hearing officer shall convene the Undergraduate Grievance Committee so that a hearing on the issue can be held as soon as possible.
6. The hearing shall be conducted by the hearing officer under the following guidelines:
   1. The responsibility of establishing the validity of the grievance and the appropriateness of the suggested remedy shall be upon the student.
   2. The student and/or the faculty/staff member may be accompanied by an adviser of his/her choice.
   3. The hearing shall be closed to the public except when both parties agree that it should be open.
   4. The hearing officer shall keep a record of the hearing, which shall include:
      1. The names of those present,
      2. A copy of any physical evidence (records, written testimony, duplicated materials, etc.) that is introduced, and
      3. A record of the final decision of the committee and its rationale.
   5. The hearing shall be conducted so that all parties to the dispute have an opportunity to present their views and to rebut those of other.
   6. No final action shall be taken by the Committee and no testimony heard unless all voting members are present. All actions shall require the agreement of at least two voting members.
   7. The decision of the Undergraduate Grievance committee shall include a judgment concerning the validity of the alleged grievance and, if it is declared valid, a recommendation of a remedy for the harm done.
7. The decision of the Undergraduate Grievance Committee concerning both the finding relevant to the dispute and the suggested remedy shall be submitted to the Dean. The Dean may affirm, reverse, or ask the Committee to reconsider its actions. The Dean may also request additional information from the principals in the dispute in rendering a decision. The decision of the Dean represents the final action of the College. The student must find avenues outside of the College of Education to pursue a redress of his/her grievance.