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Return to: College Regulations and Policies
Introduction
The purpose of the Formal Complaint Process for Students is to provide a method of recourse to both credit and Continuing Education students who think that a particular action on the part of a College staff or faculty member has violated accepted or stated institutional practices and standards. Resolution should first be attempted through informal discussion among the parties involved.
Student concerns appropriate to this process include, but are not necessarily limited to: contesting of grades assigned for exams, written assignments or other projects; any disagreement relative to a student’s academic progress; concerns regarding ethical and professional behaviors of staff or faculty; arbitrary application of current College policies by staff or faculty members; and perceived violations by staff or faculty members of accepted rights of students in institutions of higher learning such as the right to free expression, the right to assemble, etc. This process is intended to be investigative rather than adversarial and is not to be used when the complaint involves an alleged violation of the student Code of Integrity for Academic and Behavioral Standards (refer to College Regulations and Policies: Code of Integrity for Academic and Behavioral Standards ) or an alleged violation of gender-based or sexual misconduct (refer to College Regulations and Policies : Gender-Based and Sexual Misconduct Policy and Sexual Misconduct Reporting, Investigation, Decision, Sanctions, and Appeals Policy Procedures). A supervisor may be a coordinator, department or division chair, director, or vice president.
Procedures
Preceding any discussion, it may be helpful for the student to consult with the Director of Student Care and Integrity or designee to clarify the issues involved. Students are asked to adhere to the following procedures as outlined below:
Step 1: The student and staff or faculty member involved in the complaint should try to resolve the dispute through discussion.
Step 2: If resolution is not reached at the Step 1 level, the student must complete a “Complaint Form” (supplied by immediate supervisor) and submit it to the staff or faculty member’s immediate supervisor within five (5) working days of the complaint. The supervisor will acknowledge the complaint within three (3) working days. The supervisor and student will then meet to discuss the complaint.
Step 3. After discussion with the immediate supervisor, if the complaint is not resolved within five (5) working days, the student may have his/her complaint heard by the immediate supervisor’s supervisor. It will be the immediate supervisor’s responsibility to forward the complaint file to his/her supervisor. The supervisor will acknowledge the complaint within three (3) working days. The supervisor will then review the matter and make a final decision regarding the complaint. Resolution of the complaint will be attained within ten (10) working days of the appeal.
Step 4. All records of student complaints, evidence of processes completed to resolve student complaints, and student complaint resolutions should be sent to the Director of Student Care and Integrity to be kept on file.
Complaints about the College
Complaints to the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) may be filed at https://mhec.maryland.gov/institutions_training/Documents/acadaff/a1-MHEC%20Complaint%20Process%20%208-9-2018.pdf
Complaints may be filed with our accreditor, Middle States Commission on Higher Education: https://www.msche.org/complaints/
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