Student Complaint Policy

Randolph College is dedicated to providing a quality educational experience to all students.
If a student in an online course believes that a faculty member has treated him or her unfairly, the student should initially consult the faculty member and then, if the issue is not resolved, the chair of the department or the division head.
If the issue remains unresolved, the student will consult the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost of the College. The details of this process for individual student grievances policy is laid out in the student handbook.
If the grievance is still not resolved after completion of the institutional policy, the student may file a complaint with the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia (SCHEV) or contact SCHEV directly at (804) 371-2285. SCHEV provides oversight of the College’s online offerings under the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

Individual Student Grievances (Academic)

Individual academic grievances will be handled in accordance with the general principles of the AAUP guidelines (AAUP, Policy Documents and Reports, 11th ed. (Washington, D.C., 2015), 429- 30). In those cases in which a student  believes that a faculty member has treated them unfairly, the first recourse should always be a conference between the student and the faculty member. If the student is not satisfied with the result of this conference, they must consult, in succession, the chair of the department (or the division head, if the faculty member involved is also the department chair) and then the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College. This process is designed to allow for every opportunity to resolve the grievance informally.
If a student believes a grievance is still unresolved after meeting with the faculty member, they may appeal to the chair of the department (or to the division head, if the faculty member involved is also the department chair) by providing this individual a written summary of the grievance, the reason(s) it remains unresolved, and any documentation for their case. This individual will meet with the student and attempt to resolve the appeal informally. If this is unsuccessful, this individual will provide the Dean a written account of the substance and result of that meeting, including any conversations or actions involving the faculty member in question.
If a student believes a grievance is still unresolved after meeting with the department chair (or division head, if the faculty member involved is also the department chair), they may appeal to Dean of the College. The Dean will review information about the grievance and meet with the student. The Dean may contact the faculty member or department chair (or division head, if the faculty member is also the department chair), ask for additional information, or take other appropriate actions in a further attempt to resolve the appeal informally. At this stage, based on all the information provided, the Dean may decide to uphold the position of the faculty member or department and advise the student about the merits of the case.
If the student is still not satisfied with the results of these previous conferences, they may choose to appeal to the Academic Personnel Committee (APC). In this case, the Dean will provide the APC a written account of the substance and result of their attempt to resolve the appeal, including reference to any conversations, solicitation of additional information, or actions involved in this attempt. The student will make a written request for the appeal to the chair of the APC and may provide any additional information believed to bolster their case.
The chair of the sub-committee on student grievances will review the evidence of the complainant, may collect any additional information deemed necessary to understand the appeal, or discuss with the faculty member their response to the student’s complaint. The chair of the subcommittee will then present all of the available information to other faculty appointed to the subcommittee; together they will decide whether there are sufficient grounds for calling a full hearing. If they deem that there are not sufficient grounds to carry the appeal further, the subcommittee chair will provide a written account of that decision to the Dean of the College, who will then inform the student. If the  subcommittee faculty decide instead that the student appeal has sufficient merit to proceed, or if the student still wishes to continue their appeal, the chair of the APC will then convene the subcommittee on student grievances (three faculty and two student members) for a formal hearing.
At this stage, the subcommittee chair will be responsible for making information relevant to the case available, confidentially, to all members of the subcommittee and for arranging a suitable time and place for the hearing. The subcommittee will first hear the opinions of its student members before its faculty members go into executive session. Upon completion of the hearing, the subcommittee will make a recommendation to the full APC as to how the grievance shall be resolved, making every effort to complete its work within 20 class days after receipt of the request for the formal hearing. After discussion with the APC, the chair shall then relay the committee’s recommendation to the Dean of the College, making every effort to do so within five class days after completion of the recommendation.
The Dean of the College will provide a copy of the recommendation to the instructor and, if a change in a grade or policy has been recommended, ask that it be implemented. If the instructor does not comply, the Dean, on notifying the instructor and the student, may take appropriate action. Only the Dean of the College, upon the written recommendation of the APC, has the authority to change a grade over the objection of the instructor. Written notice of the final disposition of the grievance will be provided by the Dean of the College to the APC, the faculty member, and the student, normally within two weeks of the Dean’s receipt of the APC recommendation.
[Approved: Faculty, 4/2/02; Trustees, 5/4/02]
[Amended: Faculty, 12/13/16; Trustees, 5/5/17]

Individual Student Grievances (Non-Academic)

A student who has a complaint or grievance regarding non-academic elements of their experience, or the conduct of non-academic personnel at the college, may present that complaint in writing to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students who will consider the complaint and involve the proper personnel at the College in resolving the matter. Any complaint that may arise against the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students should be directed to the Director of Human Resources for resolution. If the student’s complaint involves an allegation of Sexual Harassment, please see the Sexual Misconduct Policy as described elsewhere in this Handbook.
The Residence Hall Staff may be helpful in resolving minor differences between students that may arise in the residential setting. We encourage students to attempt positive resolution of minor interpersonal matters by communicating clearly and constructively with the other party involved, using the Residence Hall Staff as mediators, as needed.