This complaint policy was developed in order to protect the rights of Chipola College students. Every effort will be made to resolve complaints through the informal route. If the informal route is not sufficient, then the formal route will be taken. If a student complaint is to be considered a “formal complaint,” it must be submitted in writing, signed and dated by the student, and presented to the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs. If the complaint involves a grade received in a course, the student should follow the Student Grade Grievance Procedure. If the complaint involves a possible equal opportunity issue issue, the matter will be referred to the Equal Opportunity Officer. The Equal Opportunity Officer will meet with the student group within 10 work days of the referral. The Equal Opportunity Officer will investigate the complaint and notify the student/group of the findings and any action to be taken within 10 work days.

Informal – It is understood that the informal route outlined below will be without the use of a secretary, minutes or any recording device. In the event that a student or group of students believes there is a basis for a complaint the following should apply:

1. Informally discuss the complaint with respondent concerned within ten (10) working days.
2. If the complaint is unresolved, within ten (10) working days the student should informally discuss the complaint with the College administrator who directly supervises the respondent.
3. If the complaint is still unresolved, within ten (10) working days, the student should carry the matter, still on an informal basis, to the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs. If the complaint involves a possible equal opportunity issue, the matter will be referred to the EA/EO Officer.

Formal – If, as a result of informal discussion, the complaint is still unresolved, the student or group of students may invoke a formal complaint procedure by outlining the complaint in writing as prescribed above. Two copies of the complaint, signed and dated by the student, shall be filed with the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs within ten (10) working days of “Step 1C” outlined in the informal complaint process.

The respondent will be given a copy of the complaint and may respond in writing or by personally appearing at the hearing. If the complaint involves an equal opportunity issue, the written documents must be filed with the EA/EO officer.

Within ten (10) working days of the receipt of the formal complaint not involving an equal opportunity issue, the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs will transmit the complaint to the Student Appeals/Grievance Committee; formal complaints involving equal opportunity issues will follow the timelines established by the EA/EO Officer. The Student Appeals/Grievance Committee shall, within ten (10) working days of receipt of the complaint, hold a hearing on the complaint. The student will receive notification as to time, date, place, and manner at least five (5) days in advance of the complaint hearing, and should appear at the hearing to present information. The student has the right to be assisted by an advisor of his/her choice, at his/her own expense. The student is responsible for presenting his/her own case, and therefore, advisors are not permitted to speak or participate directly in the complaint hearing.

Within ten (10) working days of the end of the formal hearing, the Student Appeals/Grievance Committee shall indicate its decision with regard to the disposition of the complaint. The decision of the Student Appeals/Grievance Committee is final.

There shall be a single, verbatim record, such as a tape recording, of all hearings before the Student Appeals/Grievance Committee. The committee’s discussion of the evidence prior to its rendering a decision is not required to be recorded. The record shall be the property of Chipola College. Accidental recording losses due to technical problems shall in no way invalidate the committee’s decision.

The Associate Vice President of Student Affairs shall administer the decision of the Committee, including communication of the decision to the college President, the aggrieved and the respondent.

Furthermore, as each student appeal/complaint has unique characteristics which are often unforeseeable and thus cannot be adequately planned for, the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, at his/her discretion and in keeping with the spirit of fairness and due process, may, without prior written notice, alter any of the policies and procedures contained in the Student Code of Conduct, Rights and Responsibilities, in order to best expedite the handling of any particular case.

No reprisals of any kind shall be taken against any student for participating in any complaint. Any student under expulsion or suspension who files a complaint related to the expulsion or suspension and whose complaint is resolved in favor of the student shall be restored to the former student status. A complaint may be withdrawn at any level by the student filing the complaint.

All documents, forms, communications, and records dealing with a complaint shall be filed separately from the permanent record files of the participants. A copy of the formal complaint and its final disposition will be filed in the office of the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs.

Student Grade Grievance Procedure

Only a student may request a review of his/her grade. A student has ten (10) working days from the time an assignment grade is posted on Canvas to appeal. After the ten day period has passed, no other administrative remedy or option is available.

To appeal a grade, a student should initially pursue the following Informal Student Grievance Process:

1. Within ten (10) working days of when the student’s grade is posted on Canvas, the student shall meet with the faculty member and present written data to support his/her assertion. In the event that the faculty member is temporarily away from campus for longer than ten (10) working days, the student should contact the department head. Within ten (10) working days the department head will contact the faculty member and arrange for a meeting.
2. Within ten (10) working days, the faculty member must give fair hearing to the student’s claim and consider the data in an attempt to resolve the issue. In the event that the resolution is not satisfactory to the student, the student may proceed to Step 3.
3. The student shall meet with the department head and present written data to support his/her assertion in the dispute. The department head must then meet and discuss the dispute with the faculty member. The department head must then attempt to resolve the dispute within ten (10) working days. In the event that this resolution is not satisfactory to the student, the student may proceed to Step 4.
4. The student may meet with the Vice President of Instructional Affairs to present written data to support his/her assertion in the dispute. The Vice President of Instructional Affairs must then meet and discuss the dispute with the faculty member. The Vice President of Instructional Affairs must attempt to resolve the dispute within ten (10) working days.

In the event that a resolution cannot be reached via the Informal Student Grievance Process, the student may proceed to the following Formal Student Grievance Process:

1. Within ten (10) working days the Vice President of Instructional Affairs will appoint a one-time Student Grade Grievance Panel to include a chairperson, three student members, and three faculty members, none of whom shall have any direct connection with the parties involved. At least one of the student members and at least one of the faculty members must be from a related discipline in which the grade is being disputed. In the event that there is not a related discipline, at least one student member and at least one faculty member shall possess demonstrated knowledge of or experience with the discipline area involved in the grade dispute.
2. The chairperson will schedule a formal meeting within ten (10) working days after the panel is appointed. The student will receive notification at least five (5) days in advance of the hearing date outlining the date, time, place, and manner of the hearing. The student should appear to present information to the panel. The student has the right to be assisted by an advisor of his/her choice, at his/her own expense. The student is responsible for presenting his/her own case, and therefore, advisors are not permitted to speak or participate directly in the hearing. The panel will hear from all parties; information and testimony in the hearing are limited to the scope of the petition presented to the Vice President of Instructional Affairs. After reviewing all information and hearing all testimony, the panel will then meet in a closed session; a decision will be reached via secret ballot.
3. The panel chairperson will communicate the panel’s decision, in writing, to the Vice President of Instructional Affairs within ten (10) working days.
4. The Vice President of Instructional Affairs will review the process followed and the recommendation(s) made. Within ten (10) working days of receipt of the panel’s recommendation(s), the Vice President of Instructional Affairs will notify the student and the faculty member, in writing, of the panel’s decision; copies will also be forwarded to the department chairperson.
5. If the committee finds that no violation has occurred, or that a violation has occurred but recommends that no redress is warranted, these findings will be reported to the Registrar to become a part of the student’s permanent record file.
6. If the committee finds that a violation has occurred and recommends any form of redress for the student, the faculty member will be expected to inform the panel chairperson of his/her compliance or non-compliance with the decision within ten (10) working days after written notification has been sent to the faculty member. Failure to respond within ten (10) working days will indicate non-compliance.
   1. If the faculty member complies with the panel’s recommendation(s), the student will be informed, in writing, by the panel chairperson, with copies to the department chair, the Vice President of Instructional Affairs.
   2. If the faculty member indicates non-compliance with the panel’s recommendation(s), copies of the recommendation(s) and of the faculty member’s reply will be sent to the student, the department chair, and the Vice President of Instructional Affairs.

Additionally, the Registrar will receive a copy to place in the student’s permanent record file; Human Resources will receive a copy to place in the faculty member’s personnel file.