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applicable law. The board shall hear the complaint and may request that the
administration provide an explanation for the decisions at the preceding levels. It
may give notice of its decision orally or in writing at any time up to and including
the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. If for any reason the Board fails to
reach a decision regarding the complaint by the end of the next regularly scheduled
meeting, the lack of a response by the board upholds the administrative decision at
level three.
The following grievance process is designated for students who want to appeal
an academic decision that involves a grade:
GRADE APPEAL ACADEMIC GRIEVANCE – LEVEL ONE
A student who wishes to file a formal complaint must do so in writing within 15
College business days of the decision or action giving rise to the complaint or
grievance. The complaint should be presented to the division chairperson/associate
vice president and/or the appropriate campus provost who will schedule a
conference with the student within 10 days after the receipt of the written
complaint. Copies of any documents that support the complaint should be attached
to the written complaint.
After the initial conference with the level one administrator, no new documents may
be submitted unless the student did not know the documents existed before the
initial conference occurred. The administrator with whom the conference was held
will have ten days following the conference to provide the student with a written
response of the decision.
GRADE APPEAL ACADEMIC GRIEVANCE – LEVEL TWO
If the outcome of the conference with the level one appeal is not to the student’s
satisfaction or if the time for a response has expired, the student has through the
last regular class day of the next long semester after receiving the grade to request a
hearing with the Academic Appeals Committee in accordance to the process
outlined below. This written appeal should be directed to the vice president of
instruction.
ACADEMIC APPEALS COMMITTEE
The purpose of the Academic Appeals Committee is to provide an opportunity for a
student to have a hearing when he/she believes a credit course grade adversely
affected his/her academic standing or was unfairly imposed. This process applies to
all students, including those enrolled in dual credit and distance learning courses.
