The grievance policy of the College of Education follows the procedures set forth in University policy STAF 6.30 [pdf] as well as those applicable guidelines found in the Faculty Manual [pdf].

The basis of a student academic grievance shall be an alleged violation of the teaching responsibility policies as contained in the Faculty Manual [pdf] or an alleged violation of rights described in STAF 6.28 [pdf]. A student academic grievance is not considered to extend to matters of grading student work where the substance of the complaint is simply the student's disagreement with the mark or grade placed on his or her work. Such matters are to be discussed by a student and the teacher; final authority shall remain with the teacher.

A student who wishes to bring an academic grievance within the college should first seek resolution with the faculty member in question. The student should discuss the matter with the instructor during the semester in which the course was taken or no later than 20 business days after completion of the course. If no satisfactory resolution is achieved, the student may pursue the matter further with the Department Chair. The student must submit a written grievance to the Department Chair within 20 business days of meeting with the faculty member in question. The grievance should be submitted on the College of Education Grievance Form [pdf] and must include a description of the way(s) in which the student was aggrieved, the outcome(s) the student is seeking, and documentation that provides evidence to substantiate the claim(s). The Department Chair will provide a response within 10 business days of receiving the grievance. If not satisfied after review by the Department Chair, the student may seek resolution with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the designated person in the Dean's office to hear such concerns. If the student decides to pursue the matter with the Associate Dean, the student must submit the written grievance to the Associate Dean within 20 business days of receiving a response from the Department Chair. The Associate Dean will provide a response within 10 business days of receiving the grievance.

The College Student Affairs Committee serves as the student grievance committee for the College of Education and will hear a complaint only after the administrative procedures outlined in paragraph three have been exhausted and upon request from the student or faculty member concerned. The request to have the grievance reviewed by the committee should be submitted in writing to the committee through the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The make-up of the College Student Affairs Committee is outlined in the College of Education by-laws and includes faculty and two students. If both students are not available for the hearing, at least one must be present when the committee is hearing a student grievance. An undergraduate student committee member will be present when hearing a grievance brought by an undergraduate student and a graduate student committee member will be present when hearing a grievance brought by a graduate student. In cases when the full committee is not available during the fall/spring of the academic year, the committee to hear a grievance will be comprised of at least three members of the College Student Affairs Committee and must include at least one undergraduate or graduate student depending on the level of the student bringing the grievance. When decisions are required outside the fall-spring academic year and members of the committee are not available, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may appoint a committee that includes representatives outside the student's department to review the petition.

If a student wishes to bring an academic grievance to the Department Chair or the Associate Dean after the 20 business days as described above have passed, they must first seek permission from the College of Education Student Affairs Committee. The student must submit to the Student Affairs Committee a written petition asking that the 20-day rule be waived. The petition should address the reasons the student was unable to meet the deadline and provide any supporting documentation.

In accordance with University policy STAF 6.30 [pdf], the Dean of the college will not serve on the grievance committee.

The Committee will follow specific procedures for the hearing that have been approved by the College of Education Student Affairs Committee.

A faculty member who feels that he or she has been aggrieved as a result of the student grievance proceeding has the right to appear before a Faculty Grievance committee to present his or her case.