Student Grievances and Appeals Procedure

(Not applicable to course grade review)

In accordance with College policy, the following procedures will be used:

I. Definitions:

• A “complaint” is a statement of dissatisfaction with a decision, action or inaction by LLCC or someone acting on behalf of LLCC. A complaint only seeks to notify and does not require any further action. A complaint form is available online.
• A “complainant” can be anyone who is dissatisfied with a decision, action or inaction by LLCC or someone acting on behalf of LLCC.
• A “grievance” is when a student believes their rights have been abridged through any of the allegations listed in Policy 5.40. A grievance seeks a remedy.
• A “grievant” must be a student of the College and is the person making the complaint, except in the case of a prospective or former student grieving admission, re-admission, or suspension decisions.
• “Other party” is the college person(s) or condition against whom the complaint or grievance is filed.
• “Person directly involved” means the complainant(s) or grievant(s), the other party, and those who make the decision regarding the grievance.
• “The committee” refers in this section to the Student Grievances and Appeals Committee.
• “Business days” shall exclude Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays and official college closures approved by the LLCC cabinet.
• “Student Grievance Officer” refers to the individual facilitating the grievance procedures. The Student Grievance Officer will assist the student in identifying their next steps, providing feedback on what information to include in their grievance statements, and respond to any questions or concerns of any party involved in the grievance process. The Student Grievance Officer is not involved in the decision-making functions of these procedures.

II. Due Process Rights

LLCC takes seriously the right of students to voice and have heard their concerns and encourages students to exercise this right when necessary. All students shall be afforded the following due process rights:
1. All complaints should be resolved as quickly as feasible, while ensuring due deliberation.
2. All conferences or hearings conducted as a part of the process should be held at a time and place that will afford all involved a fair and equitable opportunity for representation.
3. All relevant records and pertinent information will be made available to all parties, with due regard for legal constraints on disclosure of personal records of parties not directly involved in the case. Any request for records and information must allow time for processing.
4. All proceedings will be confidential.
5. A grievance may be withdrawn at any time by the grievant.
6. No reprisals shall be taken by trustees or college employees against any student participating in the grievance process.
7. Participants in a conference or hearing shall be limited to involved parties.
8. The student shall have the opportunity to present witnesses who are knowledgeable of the situation in question. The Grievance and Appeal Committee shall determine the appropriateness of the witness. Witness participation must be requested two business days in advance of any procedural step.
9. The student has the right to have a personal advisor present during the hearing. The student may confer with the advisor; however, the advisor shall not be permitted to speak or ask questions during the hearing.

III. Steps for Complaints and Grievances

Step 1: Informal
Where possible, it is expected that a complainant or grievant attempt to resolve their grievance informally through one-on-one conversation with the other party. The complainant or grievant should address the incident leading to the complaint/grievance as soon as possible after the incident occurred but no later than the end of the following semester. This step should only be skipped if the
other party is unavailable or unwilling to meet or due to extenuating circumstances.

Step 2: Document
If satisfactory resolution cannot be reached through one-on-one conversation with the other party and if the complainant or grievant wishes to pursue the matter further, the complainant or grievant will document the complaint/grievance in writing by completing the online complaint/grievance form or by meeting with the Student Grievance Officer.

Documented complaints will be reviewed by the Student Grievance Officer or designee and, when appropriate, shared with the appropriate supervisor or College employee for review. The complainant may be contacted if further information is sought. This is the last step for a complainant since they are not seeking further action.

Step 3: Response
Within 3 business days of a grievant documenting their grievance, the Student Grievance Officer, or designee, will send a copy of the grievance to the other party, copying the other party’s supervisor, for the other party’s review.

Within 5 business days of receiving the grievance, the other party will provide a written statement in response to the grievance to their supervisor and the Student Grievance Officer. The Student Grievance Officer will share the written statement with the grievant.

Step 4: Supervisor
Within 3 business days, the other party’s supervisor will contact the student to schedule a meeting to discuss the grievance. This step is skipped if the supervisor of the other party is a Vice President.

The supervisor will document in writing their decision and rationale and send to the student within 5 business days of the meeting.

Step 5: Vice President
If the grievant is dissatisfied with the supervisor’s decision, they may then discuss the grievance with the appropriate Vice President. The grievant shall contact the appropriate Vice President’s office and Student Grievance Officer within 5 business days of the supervisor’s decision to notify them of the grievant’s decision to continue.

The Vice President will review documentation and meet with the persons directly involved, i.e., grievant, other party, and supervisor, if needed. After meeting with the persons directly involved, the Vice President will notify the student of their decision within 10 business days.

Step 6: Grievance Committee
If the grievant is not satisfied with the Vice President’s decision, they may request a hearing before the Student Grievance and Appeal Committee. Such request must be submitted in writing to the Student Grievance Officer, or designee. The request must be submitted within ten business days of receipt of the Vice President’s decision.

The Student Grievance Officer shall convene the Student Grievance and Appeal Committee as soon as possible, but with due consideration for making the time as convenient as possible for the parties involved. The committee shall review the case, meet with involved parties, and issue a decision to the other party and their supervisor. The student will be notified of the committee’s decision.

The decision of the Student Grievance and Appeal Committee is final.

Student Grievance and Appeal Committee Structure:
The Student Grievance and Appeal Committee shall be drawn from a pool constituted as described below and appointed on an as needed basis by the AVP-Student Success. Prospective student members shall be recommended by the Student Government Association, instructional faculty members by the Academic Senate, and administrators by the Vice Presidents of Academic,
Administrative, and Student Services. For any given hearing, members of the committee shall be drawn from the pool so as to achieve the following representation:

• 2 students;
• 1 full-time instructional faculty member;
• 1 full-time staff member; and
• 1 administrator

None of the voting committee members shall be part of the chain of command involved in the grievance/appeal. The Vice President from Step 4 will serve in an advisory role but shall not have a vote. The Student Grievance Officer, or designee, shall serve as the nonvoting chair/facilitator of the committee. The Student Grievance Officer will schedule and facilitate the hearing, as well as document and communicate the committee’s decision to the grievant, and the other party and their supervisor.