If you feel that you have been disciplined unfairly or wish to appeal some other decision which you consider to be unjustified, unfair, or a violation of your rights, then you should appeal that decision. In order to appeal the decision, you should use the Student Appeal Policy which is summarized below. A complete copy is available from the Vice President of Student Services in the Azalea Building.
The intention of the Student Appeal Policy is that the faculty member or other employee who has been responsible for the act which you consider to be unfair will attempt, in good faith, to resolve the dispute. You are encouraged to discuss the matter with him or her in an attempt to resolve it. If it is not possible to resolve the matter at this level, then the student should bring the matter to the attention of the Vice President of Student Services.
The Vice President will hold an informal session to which you and the employee concerned are invited. Every attempt will be made to resolve the matter at that level, even if multiple sessions are required. If the problem is not resolved, then the Vice President of Student Services will inform you of the formal appeals procedure and provide you with an appeal form.
The appeal form must be filled out and returned to the Vice President of Student Services within five days. The appeal form must be signed by the student and the employee involved. It should also be signed by the supervisor or supervisors of the employee involved up the chain of command through the appropriate Vice President. Each of these supervisors may propose solutions to the problem. Failure to reach agreement at any level in the appeal process will require that the matter be taken up to the next higher level.
Particular attention will be made to ensuring that night students can have access to supervisors who are otherwise available during the day hours only.
If the matter remains unresolved through the level of the appropriate Vice President, then you should return to the Vice President of Student Services who will then turn the matter over to the Student Appeals Committee. This Committee, which is composed of two students, two faculty members, a Student Services employee, and a non-teaching professional who will serve as chairperson, is called together by the Vice President of Student Services. The chairperson will conduct the meeting and render a decision which reflects the popular opinion of the Committee. If further appeal is necessary, then the matter is referred to the President. When this policy is used to appeal a disciplinary action taken by the Vice President of Student Services in his or her capacity as the College discipline officer, the appeal will go directly to the President whose decision is final.
As stated earlier, a complete copy of this policy is available from the Vice President of Student Services, and you are encouraged to see him or her if you feel that an appeal is necessary.