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Complaints and Grievances

Complaints and Grievances

Appeal Procedures for Students

The Northeast Mississippi Community College complaint/grievance appeal procedure is designed to assure a systematic method for resolving complaints involving students. A complaint/grievance is defined as a claim by a student that there has been a violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication of an established practice, policy, or procedure. A complaint/grievance may be initiated as a result of claims of discrimination, faculty/staff misconduct, grade appeals, or other issues between students and faculty/staff members. Complaints involving sexual harassment are covered under a separate policy which can be found in the Northeast Procedures Manual and the Northeast Student Handbook/Planner.

The Northeast Mississippi Community College and its Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and staff shall continue its policy of nondiscrimination as related to the acts of discrimination (Title VI), or violation of the rights of the disabled (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973). Students, faculty, and staff all have the right to file a grievance against fellow students, faculty, or staff without the fear of retaliation from any person external or internal to Northeast.

Students who have reason to believe that their rights under law or campus policy have been denied in such areas as admission, financial assistance, employment, residence hall assignment, disciplinary actions, or any other campus matters may seek to resolve them as outlined below.

Non-Academic Matters

The student should first contact the faculty/staff member involved and attempt to resolve the complaint/grievance individually. If the student is unable to resolve the issue satisfactorily, then the following appeal procedure should be followed. Students, faculty, and staff all have the right to file a grievance against fellow students, faculty, or staff without the fear of retaliation from any person external or internal to Northeast.

The Appeal Procedure

  • The student will submit a written appeal of the complaint/grievance to the immediate supervisor of the college employee within ten (10) workdays of his or her awareness of the “failure to reach resolution”.
  • The immediate supervisor must respond in writing within ten (10) workdays rendering a decision and justification.
  • If the student is not satisfied with the immediate supervisor’s decision, the student may file a written grievance with the immediate supervisor’s supervisor within ten (10) workdays of the receipt of the supervisor’s response.
  • The secondary supervisor must render a decision in writing with justification within ten (10) workdays of receipt of the appeal.
  • If the student is not satisfied with the second appeal, he or she may, within ten (10) workdays of the response, request an appellant hearing before the Student Appeal Committee.

The Student Appeal Committee

  • The Student Appeal Committee is composed of the Vice President of Student Services or Vice President of Instruction(Co-Chair), two faculty members (one male, one female), two staff members (one male, one female), one academic division head, and one student services director.
  • The appeal must be written and must be submitted to the chair of the Student Appeal Committee.
  • The Vice-President chairing the committee will notify the student of the time, date, and location of the Student Appeal Committee hearing.
  • The student must be present when the grievance is heard. The student may have an advisor present during the hearing.
  • The responsibility of the committee shall be limited to a review of the case to determine if established Northeast policies, procedures, or practices were followed or interpreted correctly or to determine if discrimination and/or sexual harassment occurred.
  • The Student Appeal Committee will respond in writing to the grievance within ten (10) business days by certified mail. (Note: In the event a grievance is filed against the both Vice-President co-chairs, the President of the College will name a replacement/chairman.)
  • If the student remains unsatisfied he/she may appeal through a signed, written statement to the President of the College and the members of the Board of Trustees’ Grievance Committee. In an attempt to resolve the grievance, the committee will meet with the student and his/her representative within thirty (30) business days of the receipt of the appeal. A copy of the response of the Board’s Grievance Committee will be mailed by certified mail to the student within ten (10) business days following the meeting.
  • If the student has not been satisfied by the above procedures, the student may contact the regional office of the Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education.

Academic Matters

The student should first contact the instructor involved and attempt to resolve the complaint/grievance at the instructor level. If the student is unable to resolve the issue at the instructor level, the student should contact the academic division head for the instructor involved and attempt to resolve the complaint/grievance.

The Appeal Procedure

  • If the student is unable to resolve the issue at the division head level, the student should seek resolution with the Vice President of Instruction.
  • If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Vice President of Instruction, he or she may, within ten (10) workdays of the response, request in writing an appellant hearing before the Student Appeal Committee.

The Student Appeal Committee

  • The Student Appeal Committee is composed of the Vice President of Student Services or Vice President of Instruction(Co-Chair), two faculty members (one male, one female), two staff members (one male, one female), one academic division head, and one student services director.
  • The appeal must be written and must be submitted to the chair of the Student Appeal Committee.
  • The Vice-President chairing the committee will notify the student of the time, date, and location of the Student Appeal Committee hearing.
  • The student must be present when the grievance is heard. The student may have an advisor present during the hearing.
  • The responsibility of the committee shall be limited to a review of the case to determine if established Northeast policies, procedures, or practices were followed or interpreted correctly or to determine if discrimination and/or sexual harassment occurred.
  • The Student Appeal Committee will respond in writing to the grievance within ten (10) business days by certified mail. (Note: In the event a grievance is filed against the both Vice-President co-chairs, the President of the College will name a replacement/chairman.)
  • If the student remains unsatisfied he/she may appeal through a signed, written statement to the President of the College.  The decision of the President will be final.