Broward College Policy 5.23

General Statement

A prospective or enrolled student may file a complaint, which is a claim raised by a student, a group of students, or the student government, alleging improper, unfair, arbitrary, or discriminatory action by an employee involving the application of a specific provision of College rule/regulation or a Board policy or procedure.

A prospective or enrolled student has the right to seek a remedy for a dispute or a disagreement through a designated complaint procedure. Students should use available informal means to have a decision reconsidered before filing a complaint. No retaliation of any kind shall be taken against a student for participation in a complaint.

The Policy and the Student

This policy ensures students that their complaints will be received, heard, and addressed with consideration of fairness by the appropriate administrator/manager/supervisor of the College with oversight of a department or division. Students are encouraged to communicate their complaints informally first through the incremental levels within the organization, as indicated in the procedure for this policy. If no resolution is achieved from levels one through three within the organizational structure, then students can file formal complaints with the appropriate final appellate authority indicated in the procedure. Complaints may be made verbally or in writing, and the student is entitled to an appropriate response at each level within the College structure. After exhausting all internal complaint processes, students may file a complaint with the Florida Department of Education Division of Florida Colleges, and/or with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the College’s regional accrediting agency, or the academic program specific accrediting body, if applicable.

The Policy and the Staff

Staff will address student complaints at their level of authority in the complaint process as outlined in the procedure.

Implementation and Oversight

The President has the authority to establish procedures to implement this policy. The College Ombudsperson, under the direction of the Vice Provost for Student Services has the responsibility for the development of this policy; however, the supervisor of the department where the alleged infraction occurred has responsibility for direct implementation of this policy at their level in the complaint process.

Violations of Policy

Students are expected to present and communicate their complaints using a professional standard of behavior in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct Policy and Procedure 6Hx2-5.02. Students are not exempt from sanctions themselves when they violate any standard of the Code of Conduct while communicating their complaint to any level of the complaint process.

Staff and non-represented faculty who violate this policy will be subject to discipline up to and including termination.

Full-time Faculty who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination, as outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Board of Trustees of Broward College and the United Faculty of Florida, Broward College Chapter.

Definitions

Complaint – for purposes of this Policy, a dispute or disagreement raised by a student, group of students, or the student government, concerning the application of the specific provision of a policy, rule or regulation, the application of a policy, rule or regulation in other than a uniform manner, or the application of a rule or regulation other than in accordance with the provisions of the policy, rule or regulation. Students with a concern regarding Sexual Harassment/Misconduct by any member of the College community (including by students, faculty or staff) should refer to Policy 6Hx2-5.39. Students with concerns regarding any other form of discrimination, harassment or retaliation by faculty or a staff member of the College should refer to Policy 6Hx2-3.34.