Student Rights and Responsibilities
Student Grievance Procedures (Non-Academic)
Informal Grievance Procedure
Student Affairs staff want to provide an atmosphere and a forum through which a non-academically related complaint or grievance can be pursued by any currently enrolled UHV student. Students may meet informally with the Senior Director of Student Services & Judicial Affairs regarding a non-academic grievance or complaint. It is hoped that most grievances will be resolved at this level. However, if after exhausting the informal options for resolving a grievance, a student still believes that a satisfactory resolution has not been reached, the student may file a formal non-academic grievance under the guidelines listed below.
Complaints or grievances regarding student organizations should proceed through the appropriate student organization, appeals/grievance process. Each student organization’s bylaws describe appropriate processes/procedures for that organization. If students have issues with student organization processes/procedures, they may appeal them in writing to the Senior Director of Student Services & Judicial Affairs.
Formal Grievance Procedure
Formal grievances can be made on-line. Submissions will be forwarded to the appropriate area. If the student and the area involved can reach a mutually agreeable resolution, the grievance will not be forwarded to the grievance committee.
Non-academic appeals in which a mutually agreeable resolution is not met will be forwarded to the Vice President of Student Affairs. Academic appeals will be forwarded to the appropriate Dean; however, grade appeals must follow the procedures outlined later in this handbook.
Grievances must: (1) involve palpable issues and evidence capable of sustaining rational argument and (2) be filed within one term (fall, summer, or spring) of the alleged occurrence leading to initiation of the formal grievance.
If the two conditions noted above are met, the student should petition the Vice President of Student Affairs in writing, specifying the action requested and explaining the basis for the request. Any documents or materials considered relevant should be cited or submitted. The Vice President of Student Affairs will respond within ten (10) working days of receipt of the written grievance.
Upon notification of the relevant parties, the process will unfold as follows:
The Student Grievance Committee appointed by the Vice President of Student Affairs (comprised of the President of Student Government Association, a faculty senate representative, the Staff Council Chair, and two students) will examine the grievance and supporting evidence and will establish a meeting time when the relevant parties can attend. The committee will follow applicable procedures as outlined in the Student Grievance Procedure section.
The student and others may be asked to appear separately or together, at the committee’s discretion.
The student may bring one person to witness the hearing, but the person is not to participate unless called upon. (If the person is to be an attorney, the Vice President of Student Affairs must be informed at least two days in advance of the hearing).
The student may have others submit testimony in person or in writing.
A person(s) named in the grievance may also have others submit testimony.
Following the hearing of the grievance, the committee will deliberate and reach a judgment advisory to the Vice President of Student Affairs. As convener of the committee, the Vice President of Student Affairs will be a non-voting member.
Within ten working days of the committee decision, the Vice President of Student Affairs will send a written notice of the decision to the student, person(s) named in the grievance and the Provost.
Findings of the Student Grievance Committee may be appealed to the President of UHV whose decision will be final.