Student/Complaint Appeal Procedure--Undergraduate

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

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

II. Each school shall establish a procedure and committee for appeal of complaints, and a procedure for selecting faculty for an appeals panel, following these guidelines:

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

B. The SGA Executive Board shall choose at least six students for each of the school panels.  From each panel, three are to be drawn by lot each appeal. For each appeal, if possible, one student from the department involved also shall 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 or Chief Academic Officer, the Dean of Student Life, the SGA Executive Board, and the appropriate Dean.

III. 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.

C. Appeal to the departmental complaint committee, if any.

D. Appeal to the school complaint committee.

E. Appeal to the Dean of the school.

F. Appeal to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs or Chief Academic Officer.

G. Appeal to the President of the College.

IV. 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 thirty 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.

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

Passed by CUPPS:  June, 1999

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