Formal Process for Non-Grade Grievances

Please Note: There is a formal and informal process for student grievances. Please review this page and/or the document carefully before submitting any grievance form. For complete details on the grade grievance process, please see:

Please Note: For grade grievances, see "Grade Grievances" section of this catalog. For parking citation appeals, see "Appealing a Parking Citation" section of this catalog.

Step 1. Filing a Grievance

Any student who believes, after the informal process, that he or she continues to have a grievance shall file a Statement of Grievance available on the college website or from the Office of the Vice President, Student Services or Vice President, Instruction. The form shall be filed with the Grievance Officer (Vice President, Student Services for all matters except academic and grade grievances or Vice President, Instruction for academic and grade grievances) within one year of the incident on which the grievance is based. In presenting a grievance, the student shall submit a written statement to include, where appropriate, the following information:  

  • A statement describing the nature of the problem and the action which the student desires taken.
  • A statement of the steps initiated by the student to resolve the problem by informal means.
  • A description of the general and specific grounds on which the grievance is based.
  • A listing, if relevant, of the names of all persons involved in the matter at issue and the times, places, and events in which each person so named was involved.

The Statement of Grievance must be filed whether or not the student has already initiated efforts at informal resolution, if the student wishes the grievance to become official.

Step 2. Review of Grievance

Within five days following receipt of the Statement of Grievance Form, the Vice President, Student Services (Vice President, Instruction for academic and grade grievances) shall advise the student of his or her rights and responsibilities under these procedures. In general, the requirements for the Statement of Grievance to present sufficient grounds for a hearing shall be based on the following:

  • The statement contains facts which, if true, would constitute a grievance under these procedures.
  • The grievant is a student which includes applicants and former students.
  • The grievant is personally and directly affected by the alleged grievance.
  • The grievance was filed in a timely manner. The grievance is not clearly frivolous, clearly without foundation, or clearly filed for purposes of harassment.
  • For a grade grievance, the grade given to a student shall be the grade determined by the instructor. In the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith or incompetency (according to Education Code 76224) the grade issued by the instructor may not be changed. The appropriate Division Dean and Vice President, Instruction will assist in determining if the student’s grievance meets the criteria established by the Education Code. For the specific steps for filing grade grievances, see Grade Grievances.

If at the end of 10 days following the student's first formal meeting, there is no informal resolution of the complaint which is satisfactory to the student, the student shall have the right to request a grievance hearing. The hearing will be scheduled within 14 days following the decision to grant a Grievance Hearing. All parties to the grievance shall be given not less than 4 days notice of the date, time and place of the hearing.

Step 3. Grievance Hearing Process

Grievance Committee

Membership: The Grievance Committee shall consist of one faculty member, one staff member and one student. Faculty members for the pool will be identified by the Academic Senate, students will be identified by the Associated Students and staff members will be identified by CSEA and the Management Group. No person shall serve as a member of a Grievance Committee if that person has been personally involved in any matter giving rise to the grievance, has made any statement on the matters at issue, or could otherwise not act in a neutral manner. Any party to the grievance may challenge for cause any member of the hearing committee prior to the beginning of the hearing by addressing a challenge to the Vice President, Student Services.

Grievance Officer: The Vice President, Student Services (Vice President, Instruction for academic and grade grievances) shall appoint a staff member to serve as the Grievance Officer for the Grievance Committee. This individual shall not serve as a member nor vote. The Grievance Officer shall serve to assist all parties and the Grievance Committee to facilitate a full, fair and efficient resolution of the grievance.

Hearing Process

  1. Prior to the scheduled Grievance Hearing, the Grievance Committee shall meet in private and without the parties present to select a chair and review the grounds for a hearing.
  2. The grievant, respondent, and members of the Grievance Committee shall be provided with a copy of the grievance, any written response provided by the respondent, and any other pertinent materials or documents before the hearing begins.
  3. Each party to the grievance may call witnesses and introduce oral and written testimony relevant to the issues of the matter.
  4. Any relevant information shall be admitted. Formal rules of evidence shall not apply.
  5. Participants: Each party to the grievance represents himself or herself, and may also be accompanied by a person of his or her choice who is an observer only. Each person present will be asked to identify themselves by name.
  6. Parties are not allowed to be represented by legal counsel. Faculty or staff may request to be accompanied by a union representative.
  7. Hearings shall be closed and confidential.
  8. Witnesses: In a closed hearing, witnesses shall be present at the hearing only when testifying.
  9. Recording: The hearing may be recorded by the college and shall be the only recording made. If recorded, no witness who refuses to be recorded may be permitted to give testimony.
  10. Attendance: If the individual filing the grievance fails to appear at the hearing, only the written information will be used to make a recommendation.
  11. Committee Recommendation: Within 5 days* following the close of the hearing, the Grievance Committee shall prepare and send to the Vice President, Student Services (Vice President, Instruction for academic and grade grievances) a written decision. The decision shall include specific factual findings regarding the grievance, and shall include specific conclusions regarding whether a grievance has been established as defined above. The decision shall also include a specific recommendation regarding the relief to be afforded the grievant, if any. The decision shall be based only on the record of the hearing, and not on matter outside of that record. The record consists of the original grievance, any written response, and the oral and written evidence produced at the hearing.
  12. Within 10 days following receipt of the Grievance Committee's decision and recommendation(s), the Vice President, Student Services (Vice President, Instruction for academic and grade grievances) shall send to all parties his or her written decision.
  13. The student may choose to appeal if he/she meets the criteria in Step 4.

Step 4. Appeal to the College President

  • The student may appeal to the College President within five days after receipt of the decision by the Vice President, Student Services/Vice President, Instruction.
  • The College President shall provide the student with a hearing, if requested, and shall review the appeal. The appeal shall be limited to a review of supporting documents and based only on the following:
    • Due Process: To determine whether the Grievance Committee was conducted fairly in light of the charges and information presented, and in conformity with prescribed procedures giving the complaining party a reasonable opportunity to prepare and to present information and that all parties were given a reasonable opportunity to prepare and to present a response to those allegations. Deviations from designated procedures will not be a basis for sustaining an appeal unless significant prejudice results.
    • New Information: To consider new information, sufficient to alter a decision, or other relevant facts not brought out in the original hearing, because such information and/or facts were not known to the person appealing at the time of the original Grievance Committee.
  • A written notice of the College President’s decision shall be provided to the student within ten days of the hearing.

Step 5. Appeal to the Chancellor

The student may appeal, in writing, to the Chancellor within five days after receipt of the decision of the College President. The Chancellor, or his/ her designee, shall provide the student with a hearing, if requested, and shall review the appeal. A written notice of the decision of the Chancellor shall be provided to the student within five days of the review of the student’s written appeal.

Step 6. Appeal to the Board of Trustees

The student may appeal, in writing, to the Board of Trustees, or its designee, within five days after receipt of the decision of the Chancellor. The Board of Trustees shall provide the student with a hearing, if requested, and shall review the appeal. A written notice of the decision of the Board of Trustees shall be mailed to the student and to appropriate staff members, within twenty days following the review. The decision of the Board of Trustees is final.