1.0 POLICY & PURPOSE

Laramie County Community College will have an informal and formal process whereby student complaints may be heard and resolved. The College encourages issues to be resolved informally by way of discussion between the student and the appropriate LCCC staff member first. However, for those situations that cannot be resolved at the informal level, a formal procedure for student complaints will be provided.

Items of concern that are not addressed through the Student Complaint Policy/Procedure are as follows:

  1. Grades (concerns regarding grades are subject to the Contested Grade Policy/Procedure No. 6415)
  2. Harassment (concerns regarding harassment are subject to the Harassment Policy/Procedure No. 4132)

2.0 REVISION HISTORY

3.0 PERSONS AFFECTED

4.0 DEFINITIONS

  1. Student – Any person enrolled in credit, non-credit continuing education, or community service courses offered by Laramie County Community College, either full time or part time. Persons who are not officially enrolled for a particular term, but who have a continuing relationship with the college are considered “students” for the purposes of this policy/procedure.
  2. Staff – Any individual that is employed at Laramie County Community College in a full time, part time, interim or temporary contracted services capacity at the time of the complaint.

5.0 PROCEDURES

  1. Informal Complaint – Students will be encouraged to pursue the informal complaint procedure prior to initiating the formal complaint procedure.
    1. The student will bring the issue to the appropriate staff member (for example, the instructor, support services staff, Director or Dean) in an effort to resolve the issue informally.
    2. If no resolution is reached, the student will present the concern in writing to the appropriate Vice President for appropriate resolution.
      1. For complaints involving instructional matters, the concern will be presented to the Vice President of Instruction.
      2. For complaints involving support services matters, the concern will be presented to the Vice President of Student Services.
      3. Formal Complaints about a Vice President are to be directed to the President.

  2. Formal Complaint – Formal complaints must be submitted in writing to the appropriate Vice President within 45 days of the incident or event that led to the concern.
    1. The student will submit his/her complaint in written form and include the following:
      1. The act, omission, or matter which is the subject of the concern
      2. All facts the student believes are relevant to the concern
      3. Steps previously taken to resolve the matter informally
      4. The resolution sought
      5. All arguments in support of the desired solution

    2. A student who wishes assistance with preparation of a formal complaint may contact the Dean of Campus Living and Learning, who will provide such assistance upon request.
    3. Upon receipt of the written complaint, the Vice President will log the documentation in Maxient and determine whether to:
      1. Dismiss the concern as having no grounds for further review, or
      2. Initiate an investigation.

    4. A complaint may be dismissed (either prior to or following an investigation) if the Vice President concludes the concern is:
      1. Outside of the 45 day window for submission
      2. Based upon a non-grievable matter
      3. Being concurrently reviewed in another forum
      4. Previously resolved

      Note: Complaints that are dismissed by the Vice President will be responded to within two weeks of when the complaint was submitted. The response will include an explanation of why the complaint was dismissed.


    5. All parties involved with the formal complaint will be given a copy of the written concern and asked to respond in writing to the appropriate Vice President.
    6. The investigation will normally be concluded within two weeks. The Vice President will provide all parties to the complaint a written report of the results of the investigation and may provide a recommendation for resolution (or dismissal of the concern).
    7. The Vice President’s (or President in the case of a formal complaint being about a Vice President) decision with regard to the complaint is final.