12.4 Student Complaints

The institution (a) publishes appropriate and clear procedures for addressing written student complaints, (b) demonstrates that it follows the procedures when resolving them, and (c) maintains a record of student complaints that can be accessed upon request by SACSCOC.

Judgment

x Compliance o Non-Compliance o Partial Compliance

Narrative

A. Publishes appropriate and clear procedures for addressing written student complaints

UL Lafayette publishes appropriate and clear procedures for addressing written student complaints.

The primary procedures for addressing general undergraduate and graduate student complaints are through the Student Government Association, the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, and the Ombudsman. The University also provides free legal assistance to students. All complaint policies apply equally to face-to-face and online students, and all complaint procedures include the ability to file complaints by telephone or electronically from any location.

The Student Code of Conduct spells out the procedures for addressing general student complaints. Clear policies and procedures for specific kinds of student complaints are also published by many departments on campus. These written procedures are tailored for specific purposes and are meant to offer students a voice and platform to raise concerns or issues in a responsible and evidence-based manner, in a variety of different circumstances. Table 12.4 – 1 lists information on grievance procedures for students.

Table 12.4 – 1: Appeals, Complaints, and Grievance Procedures for Students

Area of Complaint, Grievance, or Appeal	Area of Responsibility	Link
General Student Complaints	Student Affairs or SGA	Grievance Form
Prospective Student Complaints	Enrollment Management	Prospective Student Complaints
Undergraduate Admissions	Enrollment Management	Admission by Committee
Graduate School Admissions/Ineligibility to Continue	Graduate Council Appeals Standing Committee	Graduate School Appeals
Grade Appeals	Ombudsman	Grade Appeal webpage Grade Appeal Procedure
Financial Aid Appeals	Financial Aid	Financial Aid Appeals
Academic Suspension Appeals	Registrar’s Office	Academic Suspension Appeals
Student Conduct Appeals	Ombudsman	Student Conduct Appeals
Sexual Harassment or Discrimination	Title IX	Title IX- Sexual Harassment/Discrimination Title IX-Sexual Misconduct Policy
Tuition and Fee Appeals	Registrar	Tuition and Fee Appeals
Disability Grievance & Appeals	Vice President for Student Affairs	Disability Grievance & Appeals
Housing Exemptions and Contract Release	Housing Appeals Committee	Housing Exemptions Contract Release
Student Athletes	Associate Director of Athletics	Student Athletes Handbook
Immunization Appeals	Student Health Services	Immunization Appeals
Parking Citations	Office of Transportation Services	Parking Citations Appeals

B. The University demonstrates that it follows the procedures when resolving them

When the University receives a complaint via online submission or another of the processes stated above, the appropriate procedure is followed, as the following examples demonstrate:

· A graduate student contacted the Dean of the Graduate School about problems with the parking pass purchasing process. The Dean of the Graduate School contacted the Dean of Students and Director of Transportation. The Director of Transportation then emailed all parties with information about a glitch that occurred with the purchasing system. A few days later a meeting occurred with the Dean of Graduate School, Dean of Students, and Director of Transportation, and other concerns were raised from phone complaints received by SGA from students about a lack of parking for graduate assistants. This meeting led to discussion about additional options that could be explored to address the shortage of parking. The solution to this issue was to create parking at an additional location and to add a shuttle service.

· A student filed a student discipline appeal in response to a responsible finding for a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. Specifically, the student was found responsible for academic dishonesty, and was issued a zero for the assignment and disciplinary probation. The student contacted the Chair of the Student Discipline Appeals Committee and subsequently met with the Chair. The student then met with the Ombudsman to prepare for a hearing before the committee, which was completed a few weeks later. The hearing occurred, and the committee voted to grant an appeal in this case.

· Residential Life staff provided the Title IX Office with a report from a student’s father, which alleged that his son was sexually assaulted on campus by his roommate. Upon receipt of the report, the Title IX Coordinator met with the Complainant to discuss the Title IX Complainant Preliminary Meeting Information. During the meeting, the Title IX Coordinator received the student’s allegations through a written statement. The Title IX Coordinator also addressed safety concerns, resources available to the student, and a path for resolution. Here, the student chose to resolve the issue through a Voluntary Resolution, in lieu of a formal investigation, with a request that he no longer share a room with the Respondent and that the Respondent agree to a Temporary No Contact Order. Following the meeting with the Complainant, the Respondent met with the Title IX Coordinator. The Respondent provided an account of the incident. Additionally, the Respondent was advised of his rights and resources. The Respondent was provided the procedural option selected by the Complainant, and the request for a modification of their current on-campus living arrangements. The Respondent advised that the Voluntary Resolution Agreement would be the best option for him; he requested the transfer into another dorm and agreed to a Temporary No-Contact Order. The Title IX Coordinator worked with the housing staff for the student’s transfer. The Title IX Coordinator communicated the procedural resolution to the Dean of Students and University Police.

C. The University maintains a record of student complaints that can be accessed upon request by SACSCOC.

UL Lafayette maintains records of student complaints that can be accessed upon request by SACSCOC:

· The Vice President for Student Affairs maintains a log of non-academic student complaints received through the Dean of Students office and SGA.

· Title IX complaints are logged in the Title IX Office.

· Each office with an appeal process keeps record of complaints, processes, and outcomes of these processes. For example, University Housing has a housing exemption process for students who should reside on campus, but do not wish to for several reasons. Students may appeal their denied exemption through the appeals process. All records for these processes are kept in STARREZ, the University’s housing software program. Sample complaints from other offices are available upon request.