Student Academic Grievance Procedure

Grievable Issues

Students have the right to present a grievance following this procedure on an academic question if they believe that they have been unfairly treated in the grading of a didactic course or clinical course. The problem will be resolved in a timely manner.

Grievance Committee

The chair of the Committee on Admission (COA), in collaboration with the Vice Dean of Education, yearly appoints a Committee on Grievance, consisting of faculty representing levels of educational programs and specializations and students, also representing levels of programs and specializations who are willing to serve on grievance committees as necessary. The chair of COA serves as the non-voting chair of the Grievance Committee and will convene the committee. When necessary to convene a Grievance Panel, three (3) faculty and one (1) student will be chosen from the Committee on Grievance. No members will serve on a grievance panel in which they have direct involvement.

Grievance Process

1. Students who believe they have a grievable academic issue must meet with the involved faculty member within ten (10) working days after the student is informed of the grade in question. The faculty member is expected to respond to the student’s concern in writing within ten (10) working days of the meeting. Written communication will be sent via email to the student.

2. If the student’s concern is not resolved by Step 1, the student will meet with the Vice Dean of Education within ten (10) working days of receipt of the faculty response in Step 1. If the Vice Dean of Education determines that the matter warrants a Grievance Panel, the Vice Dean will notify the chair of COA of the need for a grievance panel. The student will be referred to the Dean of Students for advisement on the procedure.

3. The chair of COA will notify the grievance panel within ten (10) working days of receipt of need for the grievance hearing. A date for the grievance hearing will be scheduled not to exceed forty-five (45) days from notification of the grievance. COA chair will also assure that all members of the panel receive a copy of the written academic grievance, response from the faculty and all supporting documentation two (2) weeks prior to the hearing.  This is not a legal proceeding and therefore no lawyers are to be present. The Dean of Students will attend with the grievant as the  student advisor,  the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs will attend with the faculty as the faculty advisor; and the Vice Dean of Education will attend the grievance procedure as the ex-officio of the COA.   

Procedure:

The grievant and the faculty member each have a maximum of 20 minutes to present the highlights of their grievance to the panel, separately and confidentially. 

The grievance panel deliberates and renders a decision.  Only panel members vote; in the instance of a split decision, the chair of COA will cast a deciding vote.

4. The chair of COA will inform the Vice Dean of Education of the panel’s decision immediately after the grievance.   Upon reviewing the decision, the Vice Dean of Education will inform the Dean of Students and the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs of the panel’s decision in writing.  The Vice Dean of Education, on behalf of the COA Grievance Panel and the Dean of Students, will inform the grievant of the panel’s decision within twenty-four (24) hours of the meeting.

The student has the right to direct an appeal to the Dean of School of Nursing regarding a decision that results from the Grievance Panel. The three grounds for appeal are:

  1. A procedural error affecting the findings or determinations
  2. New information that was not available at the time of the hearing that may change the determination
  3. Excessiveness of the sanction

The appeal must be made in writing within seven (7) working days of the time they are notified of the decision, and it must clearly state the grounds for appeal. Such appeals should be sent to the Dean of the School of Nursing/School of Nursing Building Room 400B.

Normally, in considering such an appeal, the Dean of the School relies solely upon the written record and does not conduct a new factual investigation. Moreover, the Dean focuses upon whether, in the Dean’s view, the decision made is reasonable under all of the circumstances of the case. There is no further appeal within the University.