Student Complaint Appeal—Graduate

(For complaints/appeals not involving discrimination or sexual harassment. Also see Major Policies Section-Policy Against Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policy for procedures in cases of discrimination or sexual harassment.)

I. Each department in Arts & Sciences and Education may establish its own complaint procedure and committee, preferably with graduate student members.  Appeals to the School of Business and Nursing shall go directly to their respective school committee.

II. The Dean of Graduate Studies shall establish a procedure and a committee for appeal of complaints, and a procedure for selecting faculty and students for an appeals panel, following these guidelines:

A. At least six faculty members, including at least one from each school offering graduate programs, shall be elected to the panel for a term of 2 academic years. Three of these members are to be drawn by lot for each appeal. For each appeal, one faculty member from the department involved shall sit on the committee. If one member of the panel is already from the department, no additional members need to be involved. A faculty member involved in the appeal shall not sit on the committee hearing that appeal.

B. The Dean of Graduate Studies shall choose at least six graduate students for the graduate panel for a term of one year. Three of these students are to be drawn by lot for each appeal. For each appeal, if possible, one student from the department involved shall also sit on the committee hearing that appeal. If one member of the panel is already from that department, no additional member need be involved. A student involved in the appeal shall not sit on the committee hearing that appeal.

C.  The procedure for appeals shall be posted on bulletin boards in each school and department and on relevant Web pages accessible to students and faculty members. Copies shall be sent to: the Student Affairs and Faculty Affairs Councils of the Faculty Senate, the bargaining unit, the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean of Student Life, the SGA Executive Board, and the Dean of Graduate Studies

II. The order of steps to be taken by a student having a complaint against a faculty member shall be as follows. If either party is not satisfied with the decision at any step, appeal may be made to the next step.

A. Discussion with the faculty member.
B. Discussion with the chairperson of the department and the graduate coordinator.
C. Appeal to the departmental complaint committee, if any.
D. Appeal to the graduate school complaint committee.
E. Appeal to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
F. Appeal to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.
G. Appeal to the President of the College.

III. The complaint and the proposed solution from step B onward shall be provided in writing to all parties involved, to the chairperson, and to the next group or person appealed to. Minutes shall be kept at each step and signed by all present. Hearings at each step shall be held within 30 days after the request for hearing. In steps B through G, both parties to the complaint shall have the right to be present, to present testimony, and to respond to testimony by the other party.

IV .The statute of limitations on filing student appeals shall be one semester following the end of the semester in which the incident occurred.

Recommended by Committee on Graduate Programs, Practices, and Standards:  April 28, 1999
Approved by Council of Deans:  June 3, 1999

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