Policies & Procedures

Policy 3.12: Student Complaint Process

STUDENT INFORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESS

This process is in place so that a student can voice their issue or concern to the college, without the expectation of a specific formal action. All complaints should be filed by an individual student. 

If the complaint involves any of the following, the Informal Student Complaint Procedure should not be used. Refer to the appropriate policies and procedures:

• Academic Grade Appeal
• Minnesota State Board Policy 1B.1 Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination in Employment and Education

Support

Assistance with the informal report and resolution process is available in the Counseling office.

Part 1. Complaints

Subpart A. Student Complaint Process

1)  A student is encouraged to discuss a complaint with the involved employee prior to submitting a complaint.

2) A student may submit a written complaint using the  Informal Student Complaint Form to the Dean of Student Affairs in order to share his/her concern with the college. The Dean of Student Affairs will provide a copy of the complaint to the supervisor of the employee involved in the complaint, which will be shared with the employee.

3) The student should retain a copy of any submitted Informal Student Complaint Forms and all related documentation for his/her records. A copy of this form and all related documentation will be retained by the Dean of Student Affairs. 

Subpart B. Student Complaint Time Frames

A student may submit a student complaint form at any time. The student is asked to state any date(s) related to the complaint on the Informal Student Complaint Form to ensure a better understanding of the student’s concern.

Retaliation Prohibited

No retaliation of any kind shall be taken against a student for participating in or refusing to participate, in a complaint process. Retaliation may be subject to action under appropriate student or employee policies.

Part C. Recordkeeping

The designated Student Affairs staff member shall keep copies of all submitted forms and related documentation for recordkeeping. These records shall be periodically reviewed to determine trends or patterns that would be addressed as part of a quality improvement process.

NOTE: This policy does not inhibit students from discussing their experiences at Anoka Technical College with Administration.

STUDENT FORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESS

Any student who believes he/she has a valid complaint regarding an employee of the college will be afforded due process and must follow the established procedure.  All complaints must be filed within 30 days of the day the incident occurred.

When a student believes a valid complaint should be registered against any employee of the college, the following steps should be taken in the order indicated:

1. The student is advised to make an appointment with the employee and explain the nature of the complaint and the reason for this belief.
   
   a. The employee involved and the student should make every effort to resolve the issue. It is expected that most, if not all, misunderstandings will be resolved at this level.  
   
   
2. If the student and employee are not able to reach a satisfactory agreement, the student may, no later than ten (10) school days after the meeting with the employee, request that a counselor arrange a meeting with the student, the employee and the counselor to attempt to resolve the issue. The student shall complete a Student Formal Complaint Form, outlining the nature of the complaint, and submit copies to the counselor and the employee prior to the meeting. The counselor will schedule the meeting within an appropriate timeframe after receiving the student request.
   
   
3. Should the issue be unresolved or no agreement be reached, the student may appeal, in writing to the appropriate administrator, no later than five school days after the meeting with the counselor and employee. The appropriate administrator will then call a meeting of the employee, the student, and the counselor to attempt to resolve the problem within an acceptable timeframe after receiving the student appeal request.
   
   
4. Should the issue still be unresolved or no agreement be reached, the student may appeal, in writing, no later than five school days after the meeting to the appropriate Vice President. The appropriate Vice President shall notify the student of his/her decision, in writing, within ten (10) days after receiving the student appeal request. The decision of the appropriate Vice President is final.

NOTE: In this policy, all parties involved shall keep written records of the time, date, and other pertinent facts relating to the nature of conferences in which they are involved.

To Make/Resolve a Complaint

The college encourages informal resolution of complaints through the student discussing the complaint with the employee(s) and/or administrators with whom the complaint exists. If not resolved through this informal discussion, a formal written complaint may be filed. Exceptions to this may include Discrimination and Harassment (1.B.1) or Sexual Violence (1.B.3) allegations. If a complaint cannot be resolved at the college level, you may contact the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.