Chipola College recognizes that sometimes a student would like clarification of a rule or policy.  Students are encouraged to request clarification or resolve concerns by contacting the college personnel responsible for the area relevant to the complaint.  Students should initially refer to the contact person listed below to request clarification or discuss the complaint.  If the appropriate Chipola contact listed below is not immediately available, students should make an appointment and speak to that contact rather than continuing to the next level.  If the issue or complaint is not resolved, students should contact the Associate Vice president of Student Affairs located in Building A – Room 107C or through email at smithb@chipola.edu. 

Refer to the Student Complaint Procedure on page 63 of the college catalog. 

Per Florida Statute 1006.51, Chipola College provides a Student Ombudsman for students to confidentially discuss complaints, concerns, or problems.  The ombudsman will act as an impartial campus resource by providing a safe environment for a student to pursue either an academic, non-academic complaint or grade grievance.  The Associate Vice President of Student Affairs serves as the student ombudsman mand may be contacted in Building A – Room 107C, email smithb@chipola.edu, or 850-718-2451. 

In the event the student feels the grievance was not managed properly by the institution, the student may visit the Florida College System Complaint Procedure Information, website for information on how to file a complaint if it is believed that the complaint warrants additional investigation.

Chipola College Distance Learning students who have complete the internal institutional complaint process or the applicable state grievance process may appeal non-instructional complaints to the FL-SARA PRDEC Council.  For additional information on the complaint process, please visit FL-SARA Complaint process page.

Information about filing a complaint with the College’s accrediting agency, the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), can be found on its website at https://sacscoc.org/app/uploads/2020/01/ComplaintPolicy-1.pdf 

*Please Note: All complaints of harassment of a student by an employee must be forwarded to the Associate Vice President of Human Resources. These complaints may or may not be presented in writing, as the Office of Human Resources will formally document all such complaints.