Student Complaints
An INFORMAL Complaint
An informal complaint covers a wide variety of circumstances. A complaint is considered either a concern that a policy or procedure has been incorrectly applied to a student’s particular case or a complaint about a staff, faculty, or administrator’s actions. Most complaints can be resolved by following the informal process, which involves discussing the matter with the staff, faculty, or the department in which the issue originated. Students may also feel free to speak with the Executive Director of Student Development at any point about concerns or questions that arise.
If the issue is not resolved by the means above, the student will then contact the Executive Director of Student Development using the Formal Complaint process listed below. Unresolved academic complaints, such as course grades, status in programs, and academic dishonesty can be resolved by following the “Academic Grievance Procedure” found in the Student Handbook.
A FORMAL Complaint: Officially Documented
If a complaint is unresolved after following the informal complaint procedures, the student may choose to follow the Formal Complaint process and have the issue officially documented.
Formal complaints can be submitted by the students themselves, and a student may remain anonymous if they wish by indicating so on the form. Any complaint brought up to a staff/faculty member may be submitted through the Formal Complaint process. A Formal Complaint may be submitted in one of the following ways:
- A web form
- An e-mail sent to the Executive Director of Student Development
- In written form to the Student Life Office
The Executive Director of Student Development will then submit the complaint to the appropriate department or staff/faculty member. The complaint must demonstrate that the student has already attempted to resolve the issue through the informal process. The complaint must be submitted in writing, and must include the name and contact information of the person filing the complaint, as well as a brief description of the circumstances, including all those who have been involved. These complaints will remain private and only involve the necessary parties. The Executive Director of Student Development will contact the student within two weeks of when the complaint was submitted or more quickly if circumstances necessitate. This response will update the student on the current status of the complaint. If the student would like to appeal the action taken, they can follow the Appeals process listed below.
APPEALS
If a student is not satisfied with the resolution offered, he or she may appeal to the Vice President of Student Development. In accordance with the “Appeals Process” found under the Community Life section of the Student Handbook, complaint appeals need to be submitted in writing within 24 hours of the complaint response. Written appeals can be brought to the Student Life Office on the first floor of Miller Hall.
Additional information
If a student cannot get their complaint resolved through North Central’s complaint process, they may contact the Minnesota Office of Higher Education at 651-642-0567 or 800-657-3866 or you may file a complaint on their website.