Contents
Catalog Links

Student Complaint and Grievance

Student Complaint and Grievance Procedure

Students are encouraged to file feedback, both positive and negative, regarding any policy or practice at the college. The purpose of the procedure is to ensure students the opportunity to express their concerns regarding their relationship, as a student with members of the College’s administration, faculty, or staff and to comply with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504, of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. These procedures are designed to cover complaints and grievances, as well as any alleged discrimination by reason of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, and membership in any other protected class, with respect to the conduct of the College’s administration, faculty, and/or staff. (Please refer to the Reporting Procedure in the Code of Student Conduct for complaints about the conduct of students.)

Applicability

These procedures apply to all registered MC students, regardless of academic program. Former students, who are no longer enrolled at the college, but who are within the 30 college-business day reporting allowance may also use this complaint and grievance procedure.

MC encourages open dialogue and requests that students first attempt to address their concerns with the personnel specifically involved in the situation. When this approach is not feasible, the following formal complaint procedures are the requisite method to filing a complaint, grievance, and appeal.

A student who is not satisfied with the results of his/her Academic Grade Appeals to the respective faculty member may advance his/her appeal to either the Dean of Arts and Sciences or the Dean of Career and Technical Education.

The following complaints, grievances or feedback are to be submitted to Director of Human Resources who serves as the college’s Title IX Coordinator/Section 504 Coordinator:

  1. Sexual Harassment/Hostile Environment on the basis of sex;
  2. Americans with Disabilities Act compliance; and
  3. Affirmative Action compliance

The following complaints, grievances or feedback are to be submitted to the Dean of Student Services:

  1. Code of Conduct Complaints, including plagiarism;
  2. Non-academic Complaints regarding unprofessional behavior;
  3. Requests for 100% refunds.

Students who are uncertain as to whom to address their complaints may direct them to the Dean of Student Services.

Procedures

Students will not suffer any retaliation from filing a complaint against any area of the institution. All students should feel confident in that all concerns will be taken seriously and researched to determine all the facts of the situation. All complaints should be in writing, contain the date and approximate time, and location of the offenses, identify any witnesses to the offense, describe the offense in sufficient detail for the reviewer to launch his/her investigation, identify the redress sought by the student, filed within a reasonable amount of time of the event giving rise to the complaint, and directed to the persons identified above who are responsible for receiving and investigating certain categories of complaints.

All complaints will cycle through the following process:

  1. A student wishing to file a complaint must complete the Student Feedback form and requisite summary of complaint statement.
  2. The student must then attach the summary to the completed Student Feedback form and submit to the Dean of Student Services via the Academic Advising office located on the 1st floor of B building.
  3. The Dean of Student Services will then initiate an investigation into the situation, unless the complaint involves an allegation of Sexual Harassment/Hostile Environment on the basis of sex involving a member of the faculty or staff as the alleged harasser.
  4. In cases involving an allegation of Sexual Harassment/Hostile Environment on the basis of sex involving a member of the faculty or staff as the alleged harasser, the Director of Human Resources or his/ her designee shall investigate the matter as set forth in the applicable Board Policies and consistent with relevant Collective Bargaining Agreements and institutional HR practices and assess the complaint as being (i) sustained (facts support a finding that the allegation is true), (ii) unfounded (facts support a finding that the allegation is not true), or (iii) not sustained (it cannot be determined whether the allegation is true, as there is insufficient and/or conflicting facts, thus the benefit of the doubt must be given to the wrong-doer), and issue a written decision regarding the complaint.
  5. With respect to complaints investigated by the Dean of Student Services, once the investigation is complete, the complaint along with the Dean of Student Services assessment of the complaint as being (i) sustained (facts support a finding that the allegation is true), (ii) unfounded (facts support a finding that the allegation is not true), or (iii) not sustained (it cannot be determined whether the allegation is true, as there is insufficient and/or conflicting facts, thus the benefit of the doubt must be given to the wrongdoer), will be for warded to an ad hoc committee selected by the Dean of Student Services for review and recommend-ed action.
  6. The committee will review the Dean of Student Services assessment of the com-plaint and recommend action on the complaint in writing to the Dean of Student Services.
  7. The Dean of Student Services will consider the committee’s recommendations and issue a decision on the complaint in writing to the student.
  8. In matters investigated by the Dean of Student Services, the student should expect to receive a written response sent via the U.S. mails within 30 college-business days from the date the complaint was made and received, unless applicable law requires a shorter response time.

If the student seeks to appeal the decision of the committee, the student must submit, in writing, his/her desire to appeal and the basis of the appeal within ten (10) college business days of the mailing of the college’s written response. Any appeal will be forwarded to the Provost, who will consider the same and render a final decision regarding the complaint.