Grievance and Complaint Protocol for Students
This protocol respects open communication channels between students and educators, allowing for frank discussions on matters of interest. It is crucial for students to strive for resolution first with the instructor before formalizing a grievance.
This procedure respects students’ rights and academic freedoms. As a student, you bear the onus of providing evidence for your grievance at each stage. Please note, a poor grade, the difficulty of a course or test, or particular test elements do not constitute grounds for appeals.
The academic liberty of the instructor prevails, including their right to equitably assess students and assign grades. Only authorized university instructors or the Student Advocacy Committee, should they recommend a grade change following the grievance procedure, can assign grades.
A written summary documenting the reasons for any action or resolution undertaken will be compiled at each formal stage. This will be done by the relevant faculty member, Dean, Vice President for Academic Affairs, or Chairman of the Student Advocacy Committee if involved.
Maintaining the privacy of both students and faculty members is of utmost importance. All concerned parties will have access to the summaries until the dispute is resolved. Copies will only be kept by parties against whom a grievance is raised. These records will not be included in anyone’s permanent record.
Student Complaint Protocol
We recommend students and professors communicate directly to resolve any classroom issues. If the problem escalates or resolution becomes unlikely, various channels exist for lodging a formal complaint. Students can reach out to any university personnel via email. A directory of email addresses and associated reasons for contact is readily available in all Resource Classrooms.
The Executive Vice President of Student Services (info@northamptonuni.ac) handles complaints received from various departments, categorizing them into:
- Textbooks and Course Materials
- Library Services
- Teacher Performance
- Grading Consistency
- Administrative Efficiency
- Website Issues/Technical Problems
- Program Quality/Program Expectations
- Course Content and Precision
The Executive VP of Student Services takes necessary steps for investigation, coordinating with involved departments, services, or individuals. The objective is to collaboratively resolve the issue. For personal matters involving student and faculty, or if a resolution is not possible, the Student Advocacy Committee steps in. They hold a meeting, make suggestions, and execute the recommended course of action.
The Executive VP’s office keeps a “Student Complaint File”, recording the complaint, its date, and the resolution steps. They also compile an “End of Action Report” to ensure academic excellence and the ongoin