Student Grievances

The purpose of MCC’s Student Grievance Policy is to assure students that their grievances will be considered in a fair and rapid manner and in a non-threatening atmosphere. Students have the right to grieve when they have reason to believe that a condition, situation, or an action affecting them is unjust, inequitable, and/or a hindrance to effective performance. A grievable action is an action that is in violation of written campus policies or procedures or constitutes arbitrary, capricious, or unequal application of written campus policies and procedures.

Procedures

The procedure is not intended to initiate disciplinary action against a member of the faculty, staff, or administration, or to alter college policy. Students dissatisfied with a financial aid decision must see the Financial Aid Director.

The following outlines the grievance procedure to be followed:

1. Students with concerns should first discuss their problem with the faculty or staff member(s) who are involved. Both parties should attempt to resolve the issue in discussion.
2. If the complaint is not resolved, the student must talk with the faculty/staff member’s immediate supervisor who will attempt to resolve the complaint.
3. In the event that the grievance cannot be resolved within the department, students should submit a signed grievance form to the Executive Vice President within five (5) school days after completion of step 2. (Forms are available in the Registrar’s Office.) Copies of the complaint will be forwarded to the appropriate dean of the area involved. The complaint should fully specify the time, place, and nature of the incident which resulted in the complaint.
4. Within five (5) school days after receiving a signed grievance form, the Executive Vice President will schedule a meeting of the Hearing Committee to establish facts and recommend action. The student or staff member may have persons appear on his/her behalf provided a list of names is given to the Executive Vice President one (1) calendar day prior to the hearing. If the grievance is related to a clinical issue, a representative with clinical knowledge must serve on the Hearing Committee.
5. Within ten (10) school days, the Hearing Committee shall submit its findings of facts and recommendations to the Executive Vice President with copies going to each party of the grievance and to the college President. The Hearing Committee’s facts and recommendations, with any revisions by the Executive Vice President, shall serve as a final decision unless changed through the appeal process.
6. The accused, or the grievant, may request in writing an appeal to the President within three (3) school days of receipt of a decision. The President will render a decision within ten (10) school days and transmit it in writing to both concerned parties and to the Hearing Committee. In all cases, the President’s decision shall serve as the final governing authority of the College.

Grade Appeal Policy and Procedures

The Grade Appeal Policy and Procedure is intended to provide an orderly and equitable process for resolving differences between students and faculty relating to final course grades. A course grade assigned in a manner consistent with Martin Community College policy can be changed only by the instructor. College administrators can direct a grade to be changed only when it is determined through the procedure established by this policy that the faculty member assigned the course grade impermissibly or arbitrarily as define below.

For purposes of this policy, a course grade is deemed to have been assigned arbitrarily or impermissibly if a student establishes that:

1. The course grade was assigned in a manner not consistent with the standards and procedures for evaluation established by the instructor, at the beginning of the course in the course syllabus but supplemented on occasion during the semester in other clearly documented communication directed to the class: or

2. The course grade was based upon the student’s race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, disabling condition, or other personal characteristics, or for some other arbitrary or personal reason unrelated to the instructor’s exercise of his or her professional academic judgment in the evaluation of the academic performance of the student; or

3. The course grade assigned by the instructor was the result of a clear and material mistake in calculating or recording grades. Individual elements (e.g., assignments, tests, activities, projects) which contribute to a course grade are generally NOT subject to appeal or subsequent review during a grade appeal procedure. However, individual elements may be appealed under these procedures providing all the following conditions are met:

4. The student presents evidence that one or more individual elements were graded on arbitrary or impermissible grounds (defined in 1 – 3 above in this section);

5. Grounds can be established for determining a professionally sound grade for the appealed element(s); and

6. The ensuing grade for each appealed element would have resulted in a different course grade than that assigned by the faculty member.

Faculty Responsibility

It is a fundamental principle of higher education that faculty members are expected to exercise their professional judgment in evaluating student performance. At the first class meeting, regardless of delivery modality, faculty members have the responsibility to specify in each of their courses:

• Course requirements and expectations for academic performance
• Procedures for evaluating performance (method(s) of evaluation and grading scales).

Faculty members must clearly document to all students and subsequent additions to or changes in these requirements, standards, and procedures. Finally, faculty members have the responsibility to apply the specified grading criteria equitably to the academic performance of all students in the course regardless of their race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, disabling condition, or other personal characteristics.

Student Responsibility

Students have the responsibility to know and adhere to college policies and standards pertaining to them. As students willingly accept the benefits of membership in the Martin Community College academic community, they are obligated to uphold and observe the principles and standards articulated in the Martin Community College Catalog, Student Handbook and course syllabi.

Grade Appeal Procedure

Within the first two (2) weeks of the following term, a student who believes his/her final grade in a course has been incorrectly assigned may seek corrective action through the following procedure.

Informal Grade Appeal Process

Every reasonable effort should be made to resolve the matter at the informal level and through the following steps:

Step 1: Consultation with the faculty member:nThe student should first request a meeting with the instructor to explain why he/she considers the grade to be incorrect. If the instructor is not available, the student should contact the Division Chair to schedule an appointment with the instructor. This meeting must occur within the first two (2) weeks of the following semester. The instructor should document the result of the meeting and maintain this record in the event the appeal proceeds further.

Step 2: Consultation with the department chair:nIf the student and the instructor fail to reach a mutual agreement, the student may submit a written appeal to the Division Chair of the area with five(5) business days following the meeting with the instructor.

Formal Grade Appeal Process

Step 3: If the dispute over the course grade cannot be resolved through the informal process outlined above, the student may submit a Grade Appeal Form, available from Student Services/Registrar’s office or on MCC website (Student Help, Student Forms), to the Chief Academic Officer within five (5) business days of the consultation with the division chair.

Step 4: Appeal to the Chief Academic Office:

1. Once the formal grade appeal is received, the Chief Academic Officer will appoint a grade appeal committee to hear the appeal within ten (10) business days of the receipt of the appeal.
2. The grade appeal committee will be chaired by the Chief Academic Officer, or a designee, who will be a non-voting member except in the case of a tie. Voting members will consist of at least three (3) and no more than five (5) faculty members not associated with the appeal, one (1) member of the curriculum committee or off-site facility (if student is from another site), a student representative with a minimum GPA of 2.5 or greater, if student requests such representation, and a Division Chair of another instructional area.
3. The grade appeal hearing will be conducted in closed session in accordance with the Open Meetings Law unless otherwise requested in writing by the student. Neither the college nor the student will be permitted to have legal representation during the grade appeal hearing.
4. The committee will hear all parties involved and render a written decision within five (5) business days. The decision of the committee will be reviewed by the Chief Academic Office, who will support the findings of the committee and/or make further recommendations.
5. The student will receive a certified letter from the Chief Academic Officer regarding the grade appeal decision within ten (10) business days of the hearing.

Step 5: Appeal to the President:

If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the committee and the recommendations (if any) from the Chief Academic Officer, he/she may appeal in writing within five (5) business days from receiving the committee response, to the President (or designee) who will review all documents and renderings to make a final decision.