Complaints, Grievances, and Appeals Policy

Complaints Policy

Complaint: The subject of a complaint is normally an action, decision or omission within the control or responsibility of the University’s faculty or staff that causes a student to feel that policies have been incorrectly interpreted. A complaint is often resolved informally or through mediation.

Overview of Procedures

The name of the complainant and all details regarding the complaint and its resolution will be maintained in a confidential file. All such information will be kept confidential, provided however that such information may be disclosed when administratively required, required to complete the investigation, and/or required by legal compulsion, or when the University believes it is obligated to report the matter to employers or potential employers, educational institutions or agencies seeking information as to the complainant or to otherwise take independent formal action. In cases of academic dishonesty (see Section III - Violations of the Student Code of Conduct Handbook) discussing violations of the student code of conduct), the Dean or Program Director/Lead may consult with the instructor in finalizing the academic actions that may be taken. The University may post or describe specific conduct complaints and their resolutions, provided that individuals’ names are redacted from any such posting or communication.

Procedures for Resolution

Students with complaints should first strive to resolve the issue informally. An informal resolution should begin no later than 20 business days after the incident or service. For example, students with complaints relating to classroom issues should follow these steps:

1. Discuss the issue with their instructor. Both the student and the instructor work to resolve the issue at this level.
2. If resolution does not occur at the instructor level, unresolved issues should be submitted in writing to the Program Director for the program of enrollment.
3. If resolution does not occur at the director level, a student should submit the Complaint Form, which the College Dean will review.
4. If the complaint is not resolved at the Dean level, it may be submitted as a grievance. Follow the Grievance Procedure.

Likewise, students with complaints regarding the unequal application of a University policy should strive to resolve the issue informally as described above, first bringing the matter to the attention of their Enrollment Advisore of Admissions policies, and their Academic Advisor once enrolled. Unresolved complaints should then be submitted to the Assistant Director of Advising, and if unresolved at that level, the complaint becomes a grievance, and the grievance process will be followed. 

Grievances Policy

Grievance: A grievance is normally an allegation, based on specific facts, that a misinterpretation, discriminatory application, or violation of a University Policy or Procedure has occurred, and may result in disciplinary action against a faculty member, staff member, or student. It may also be a complaint that failed to reach a resolution after informal processes have been attempted. Admissions decisions, graduation appeals and similar academic decisions are not grievable issues, unless they are complaints of a civil rights nature, including complaints related to age, sex, race, religion, creed, color, ethnic/national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic background, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or other personal characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law. 

Overview of Procedures

The name of a grievant and all details with respect to the complaint and its resolution will be maintained in a confidential file. All such information will be kept confidential, provided however that such information may be disclosed when administratively required, required to complete the investigation, and/or required by legal compulsion, or when the University believes it is obligated to report the matter to employers or potential employers, educational institution or agencies seeking information as to the complainant or to otherwise take independent formal action. In cases of academic dishonesty (see Section III - Violations of the Student Code of Conduct Handbook), the Dean or Program Director/Lead may consult with the instructor in finalizing the academic actions that may be taken. The University may post or describe specific conduct complaints and their resolutions, provided that individuals’ names are redacted from any such posting or communication.

Procedures for Resolution

The intent of the grievance procedure is to resolve a dispute over significant issues, not minor disagreements. Examples include but are not limited to alleged violations of academic freedom; a repeated pattern of harassment or other inappropriate behavior; and legally prohibited unequal treatment including but not limited to discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, sex, race, religion, creed, color, ethnic/national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic background, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or other personal characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law only if such discrimination or harassment falls outside the scope of Title IX. If the issue involves Title IX prohibited conduct, the grievance will be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, who will follow the Title IX Grievance Process. The Title IX Coordinator may refer issues that fall outside the scope of Title IX to the Provost to determine if it should follow the Grievance Procedure.

1. A student must submit the grievance in writing in detail to the Office of the Provost and include all pertinent information within 45 business days after attempting to follow the Complaint Procedure. Such information must include the informal steps taken to resolve the issue, with all steps fully documented as to the person(s) with whom the student met, date, results of the meeting(s), and materials presented during the informal resolution stage. The student must be specific as to the issue being grieved, citing the example(s) of treatment leading to the grievance. Grievance Form
2. The Office of the Provost will review the grievance within five (5) working days and, if necessary, request additional information from the grievant. The Provost (a) may decide to be a single decision maker or may (b) form a Grievance Committee which shall include at a minimum two faculty members not from the student’s program of enrollment and one administrator, not to include the Program Director/Dean of the student’s program of enrollment, the Provost, or the President.
3. The Grievance Committee will have a minimum of 30 business days from receipt of the grievance from the Provost to review the grievance, obtain further information from members of the University who may have knowledge of the situation and the grievant, and make a determination as to grievance resolution, providing its recommendation to the Provost.
4. The Provost will have five (5) business days to provide the University’s response to the grievance.

University decisions regarding grievance resolution are final. Should a student feel that the Provost’s Decision on behalf of the University has not adequately addressed a grievance, the student may consider contacting external agencies such as:

WASC, Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100

Alameda, CA 94501

510-748-9001

www.wascsenior.org

 

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements

in its entirety and submit it electronically to GA-SARA.“GA-SARA Online Student Complaint Form”. To file a formal complaint, fill out the SARA Student Complaint Procedure Policy (click for link)Distance Learning Education Student may file a complaint with GA-SARA by following the 

Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education

Arizona Students: If the complaint cannot be resolved after exhausting the institution's grievance procedure, the student may file a complaint with the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education. The student must contact the State Board for further details. The State Board address is 1740 W. Adams, Ste. 3008, Phoenix, AZ 85007, phone 602-542-5709, website address: www.ppse.az.gov.

California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) (for students enrolled under and residents of California)

A student or any member of the public may file a complaint about this institution with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education by calling 888-370-7589 or by completing a complaint form, which can be obtained on the bureau's Web site www.bppe.ca.gov.

California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) (for students enrolled under and residents of California)

If a nursing student does not feel that the University has adequately addressed a complaint or concern, the student may consider contacting the following respective agency:

1747 North Market Boulevard, Suite 150
Sacramento, CA 95834
916-322-3350
www.rn.ca.gov.

Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNEP) - Available option for all students

Student in the State of Georgia may appeal any final decisions made by the University to:

Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission

East Exchange Place, Suite 220

Tucker, GA 30084-5305

770-414-3300

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-resources/complaints-against-institution.

 

Iowa Department of Education's Bureau of Iowa College Aid

400 E. 14th Street

De Moines, IA 50319

Student Complaint Page: https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/student-complaints

 

Kansas Board of Regents

1000 SW Jackson, Ste. 520

Topeka, KS 6612

785-430-4240

https://www.kansasregents.org/academic_affairs/private_out_of_state/complaint_process

New Mexico Higher Education Department

A student in the State of New Mexico may file a complaint by contacting the New Mexico Higher Education Department. Pursuant to New Mexico Code 5.99.1.15.A, no adverse action shall be taken against the complainant for registering the complaint.

New Mexico Higher Education Department

2044 Galisteo Street, Suite 4

Santa Fe, NM 87505

505-476-8400

Email: private.schools@state.nm.us

Web Site: www.hed.state.nm.us

The Licensure Division of the University of North Carolina System Office

A student in the State of North Carolina may file a complaint with the System Office:

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints

c/o Student Complaints

University of North Carolina System Office

223 S. West Street, Suite 1800

Chapel Hill, NC 27603

919-962-4550

Email: studentcomplaints@northcarolina.edu

Web Site: http://www.northcarolina.edu/complaints

 

Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission

Students should attempt to resolve any grievances they may have with their school first. Should attempts to resolve these problems with appropriate school officials fail, or should the student be dissatisfied with the final outcome of the college complaint process, then the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), can respond to a formal complaint. Students may contact the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, 3225 25th St. SE, Salem, OR 97302 or by sending an email to complaints@hecc.oregon.gov. Students may also access our complaints web page.

Appeals Policy

Students may submit an appeal when facing circumstances that impact their academic standing, financial aid eligibility, or program enrollment.

Appeal Definitions

• Grade Appeals: Appeals for students who believe a final course grade was assigned in error or unfairly.
• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeals: Appeals for students who did not meet academic progress standards due to extenuating circumstances.
• Programmatic Dismissal Appeals: Appeals for students dismissed from an academic program for not meeting specific academic or program requirements.
• Grievance Appeal: Appeal to the Grievance Committee Decision made to the Provost.

Grade Appeal

USU recognizes the right of every student to challenge and/or appeal a final course grade if they believe an error in calculating the grade or inconsistent application of grading criteria has occurred.

Overview of Procedures

Faculty members are vested with the authority to establish course requirements and standards of performance; they are expected to articulate and communicate these at the beginning of each course and apply all grading criteria uniformly and in a timely manner. Final grades submitted by faculty to the Office of the Registrar are presumed to be accurate and final. The University recognizes the right of every student to challenge a final grade. A student who has questions about a grade in a course should first consult the instructor to resolve the issue. If the issue has not been resolved after consultation with the student, the student must follow the procedures for a formal appeal and request for grade change. Grounds for appeal can be made when students can provide documentation for one or more of the following:

• An error in calculating the grade
• Inconsistent application of grading criteria

Procedures for Resolution

When students believe that they have grounds for appealing a grade issued by an instructor because of an occurrence of one or more of the circumstances listed below, the following procedures must be followed:

1. The student must submit an Appeal Form within 30 days of grade submission for the course. The appeal must include supporting documentation that demonstrates the occurrence of one or more of the above-mentioned grounds. Documentation may include e-mail correspondence, graded assignments, proof of timely submission, etc. The Appeal Form and supporting documentation must be submitted to the Program Director.
   • College of Nursing and Health Science Grade Appeal Form
   • College of Business and Technology Grade Appeal Form
   • College of Education Grade Appeal Form
2. If the evidence meets the criteria, the Program Director will request a response from the instructor, due within 5 working days of receipt.
3. The Program Director will render a decision within 10 working days of receiving the grade appeal. Formal notification of the Program Director’s decision will be sent to the student and the Office of the Registrar. The Faculty will be notified in the event of any material changes in the grade. The decision in such cases is final.

SAP Appeals and Programmatic Dismissals

Students who have been academically dismissed for failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards (SAP) or dismissed due to programmatic requirements may file an appeal if they believe University policy or procedures were not followed or if there were extenuating circumstances that impacted their academic performance. Extenuating circumstances may include, but are not limited to, the death of a relative, an injury or illness of the student, or emergency care for an immediate family member.

Appeals that are approved must proceed through the readmissions process. Readmitted students will be subject to the catalog requirements in effect at the time of readmission, which may require completion of additional courses to meet current program requirements and may result in additional tuition costs. Students will also be subject to any changes in tuition, fees, program requirements, and state-specific regulations in effect at the time of readmission. Refer to the Readmission Policy and Transfer Credit Policy for more details.

If a student does not submit an appeal within the 30-day timeframe, they may pursue readmission; however, they must wait a minimum of 365 days from their last date of attendance (LDA) before reapplying. Please note that readmission in these cases is rare.

Students who proceed through the University’s readmission process must comply with the Readmission Policy, which includes, but is not limited to, submitting a new application for admission and providing a detailed letter of explanation outlining the circumstances that led to their dismissal, the changes made during the required waiting period, and the steps taken to ensure future academic success. Students may also be required to repeat coursework upon re-entry. Please refer to the Readmission Policy for detailed information.

Before a student is readmitted, all financial obligations must be met, unless Student Financial Services grants enrollment clearance. The University charges tuition per credit hour and fees. Any course withdrawals, retakes, and/or transfer credits will affect the program's total cost.

Procedures for Resolution

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they have met the terms and conditions for filing an appeal and follow the appeals process in order for the appeal to be reviewed.

1. The student must complete and submit the Appeal Form within 30 Calendar days from the date notification of dismissal was sent to the student. The appeal must include:
   1. an explanation of why the student is submitting an appeal,
   2. explanation of the mitigating circumstances as to why the student failed to meet SAP standards during the warning/probationary period,
   3. documentation supporting the appeal,
   4. a detailed action plan addressing how these circumstances no longer pose an issue to the student’s success and what the student will do to meet SAP standards moving forward.
2. Once received, the Registrar will review the appeal and appoint a committee, including but not limited to the student’s college faculty, the program director, and the Office of Financial Aid, to review and make recommendations. The student will receive a response from the Registrar within 30 business days (excluding holidays).