STUDENT GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

Formal Grievance Hearing Committee Composition

The College President shall establish annually a standing panel from which one or more Formal Grievance Hearing Committees may be appointed. The panel shall consist of a minimum of:

• Five (5) students recommended by the Associated Student Government


• Five (5) faculty members recommended by the Academic Senate


• Five (5) administrators, supervisors, or staff selected by the College President.

The College President shall appoint a Formal Grievance Hearing Committee from the standing panel. The College President shall ensure that these Committee members have no possible conflict of interest in hearing the grievance. The Committee shall include two (2) students, two (2) faculty members, and one (1) College administrator, supervisor, or staff member selected from the panel described above.

The Formal Grievance Hearing Committee shall select a chairperson from among its members.

Once a Formal Grievance Hearing has commenced, only those Committee members present throughout the hearing may vote on the recommendation.

No person shall serve as a member of the Formal Grievance Hearing Committee if that person has been personally involved in any matter giving rise to the grievance, has made any public statement on the matters at issue, or could otherwise not act in a neutral manner. The grievant(s) or the respondent(s) may challenge for cause any member of the Formal Grievance Hearing Committee prior to the beginning of the Hearing by addressing a challenge, in writing, to the College President, who shall determine whether cause for disqualification has been shown. If the College President believes that sufficient grounds for removal of a member of the Formal Grievance Hearing Committee have been presented, the College President shall remove the challenged member or members and replace them with another member or members from the standing panel.

Within ten (10) days following receipt of the Formal Grievance Hearing Request Form, the Formal Grievance Hearing Committee shall meet to select a chairperson and to determine whether the Formal Grievance Hearing Request fulfills all of the following requirements:

• The request contains facts/documentation, which, if true, would constitute a grievance;


• The grievant is a student as defined in these procedures, which includes applicants and former students;


• The grievant is personally and directly affected by the alleged grievance;


• The grievant conformed with the grievance procedures and the grievance was filed in a timely manner;


• The grievance is not clearly frivolous or without foundation, or not clearly filed for purposes of harassment.

If the Formal Grievance Hearing Committee rejects the request of a Formal Grievance Hearing, the grievant and the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs shall be notified in writing, within five (5) days, by the Committee's Chairperson. The specific reason(s) for rejection and the appeal process outlined in this document shall be included in this notification.

If the grievant(s) is dissatisfied with the decision of the Formal Grievance Hearing Committee not to grant a Formal Grievance Hearing, a written appeal may be filed with the Grievance Council within five (5) days after receipt of the Formal Grievance Hearing Committee's decision. The Grievance Council's decision on the appeal is final.

If the request for a Formal Grievance Hearing satisfies all of the requirements listed above, the Committee Chairperson shall notify the grievant and the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, in writing, within five (5) days.

The Assistant Dean of Student Affairs shall schedule a Formal Grievance Hearing which shall commence within ten (10) days following the decision to grant a Formal Grievance Hearing. All parties to the grievance shall be given no less than five (5) days notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing.

The student may represent him or herself or may be assisted by another person except that an attorney shall not represent him or her.