Student Grievance Committee

The grievance procedure shall provide for a standing Student Grievance Committee to be composed as follows: The Committee shall have one professional staff and one alternate elected by professional staff, one classified staff and one alternate elected by classified staff, one faculty member elected from faculty at- large and one alternate, and two students and two alternates elected by the Student Senate. The chair of the five-member committee shall vote only in the event of a tie. The Committee reserves the right to appoint a substitute member, if a committee member and the alternate is unavailable to serve or is determined to have a conflict of interest. The Committee Chair and three Committee members shall constitute a quorum.

The Student Grievance Committee shall provide a prompt, fair, and equitable hearing for each grievance filed and submits its written findings and recommendation to the Vice President for rendering a final decision. In some cases, the Committee may determine, based on written evidence, that the grievance does not meet the definition of a grievance and shall forward a recommendation to the Vice President without convening an internal hearing.

It must clearly be understood that neither the Grievant, the Respondent, any member of the Committee, nor any other party to the grievance shall suffer any retribution for his/her part in the action, but shall have access to a new grievance should retribution be evident.

The Student Senate shall review the grievance procedure annually and recommend changes to the Dean of Students, to be approved by the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Student Grievance Hearing Guidelines

The following guidelines will govern the Student Grievance Hearing. The Hearing will be conducted in a closed session, shall be kept confidential, and is not electronically recorded.

1. The Student Grievance Hearing is not a “court hearing” and is not meant to substitute for any external legal proceedings. Hence, the rules are flexible and follow the standards of internal procedures, as agreed upon by the members of the Student Grievance Committee.
2. Either party who wishes to bring in witnesses must submit the list of witnesses to the Student Grievance Committee Chair at least two (2) days prior to the hearing.
3. Throughout the hearing the following members may be present: the grievant, the respondent, the Student Grievance Committee members, the advocates of the grievant and the respondent, and the witness(es). All witnesses shall be excluded from the hearing except when called for giving testimony.
4. Each party to the grievance will be allowed time for making a presentation.
5. The Grievant will present the case first; the Respondent will present his/her case after the Grievant’s presentation.
6. A brief time will be allotted to each party to offer any arguments in rebuttal.
7. The only persons allowed to present the case or argue will be the Grievant and the Respondent. The person making the presentation may only address the Committee.
8. The Committee reserves the right to question, cross examine, or to recall any party, in order to gather additional information.
9. The student advocate will be allowed to witness the presentations and advise the student. He/she may not communicate directly with the Committee.
10. After deliberations, the Committee will prepare its written findings and recommendation concerning approval or denial of the grievance.
11. Procedural decisions not addressed in this document shall be the responsibility of the Student Grievance Committee (duly recorded in writing and signed by all members of the committee and provided to all parties to the grievance).
12. All records of the grievance shall be retained in the Office of the Vice President, along with other pertinent files, for seven years. This file will be separate from student academic records and shall only be available to the grievant, respondent, President, Board of Trustees attorney, or others as authorized by the President.