Student Rights and Grievances

Students who believe their rights were violated by an instructor or staff member should follow the grievance procedure described in AP 5530 – Student Rights and Grievances. The order of the grievance procedure is as follows:

1. The student shall first attempt to resolve their grievance by consulting the following persons in sequence:

Accused faculty/staff member(s) or administrator.
Department Chairperson of accused faculty member, or direct supervisor of the staff member or administrator.
The area dean for an academic grievance issue.

2. If the student wishes the grievance to become official, the student must file a Statement of Grievance form with the Grievance Officer within 30 days of the incident. The Grievance Officer is the President/Superintendent or their designee. Within three days following receipt of the Statement of the Grievance form, the Grievance Officer shall meet with the student about the grievance process.

3. If there is no informal resolution of the grievance within 30 days of the meeting with the Grievance Officer, the student may request a grievance hearing. The student must file a Request for Grievance Hearing Form.

4. Within 15 days following receipt of the Request for Grievance Hearing form, the Grievance Hearing Committee shall meet in private to select a chairperson and determine whether there are sufficient grounds for a hearing. The Grievance Hearing Committee is made up of two students appointed by the Associated Student Government, two faculty members appointed by the Academic Senate, and one manager appointed by the Chief Student Services Officer or designee. For more information about the makeup of the Committee and the sufficiency determination, please see AP 5530 – Student Rights and Grievances.

5. If the Grievance Hearing Committee determines that the Statement of Grievance states sufficient grounds for a hearing based on the factors described in AP 5530, then a hearing will be scheduled within 10 days of the decision to grant the hearing.

If the Grievance Hearing Committee determines that there are not sufficient grounds to hold the hearing, then the grievant will be notified of this result within 10 days. This decision is appealable in writing within five days to the Superintendent/President. The Superintendent/President’s decision regarding the appeal is final.

6. Grievance Hearings will be conducted based on the procedures described in AP 5530. Each party may call witnesses and introduce oral and written testimony. Hearings shall be closed and confidential unless all parties request that they be open to the public. Within five days of the hearing, the Grievance Hearing Committee shall send the Superintendent/President a written decision and recommendation regarding any relief.

7. The Superintendent/President may accept or reject the findings, decisions, and recommendations of the Grievance Hearing Committee. Within 10 days of receipt of its decision and recommendations, the Superintendent/President shall notify all parties of their written decision, along with the Grievance Hearing Committee’s decision and recommendations. The Superintendent/President’s decision is final and not subject to appeal.

This procedure shall include, but not be limited to, grievances regarding sex discrimination in education programs and activities as prohibited by Title IX (see AP 3435 Discrimination and Harassment Complaints and Investigations), Financial Aid (see AP 5130 Financial Aid), course grades (see BP/AP 4231 Grade Changes), and the exercise of rights of free expression. This procedure does not apply to student disciplinary actions addressed in BP/AP 5500 Standards of Conduct.

For support and advice on the complaint/grievance process, a student may consult Dean Johnson. Dr. Johnson is located on the Cliff Campus (Campus Center Building room 222) or by phone at: (805)965-0581 x4078.

Student appeals relating to Financial Aid decisions, rules and regulations should contact Maureen Goldberg, Financial Aid Director, in order to initiate the Financial Aid appeal process which follows established guidelines. The phone number is (805) 730-5157.