APPENDIX E

Student Grievance System

General Policy

While the university endeavors to maintain a congenial and responsive atmosphere for its students conducive with the educational purposes of the university, it recognizes that, from time to time, misunderstandings and disagreements may arise during the course of a student's enrollment.

In response to this situation, Northern Arizona University has established several boards, committees, and procedures to resolve problems and ensure fair adjudication of students rights in the following functional areas: Code of Conduct and other discipline matters; Grade Appeal Procedures; Policy on Inspection and Review of Student Records.

A policy to provide students with a procedure to deal with Title IX and Section 504 problems has been established. Copies of the policy are available in the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, the Counseling Center, the Coordinator of Disabled Student Services and the Office of Student Life.

Informal Procedures
Initially, disagreements, complaints, misunderstandings and grievances can be resolved by the university by using informal discussion, exchanges, counseling, persuasion, and other informal procedures through the successive levels of university administrative organization. It is the intent of this policy to maximize these informal procedures so long as such measures prove effective.

The formal procedural provisions of this policy should be set in motion only when the informal procedures prove to be or manifestly will be ineffective. It is expected that the great majority of cases will continue to be handled in accordance with informal procedures.

Formal Procedures
In the administration of formal grievance procedures, the following shall be observed:

Complaint
The student may file a complaint, on the appropriate form provided for that purpose, with the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Title IX Coordinator or the 504 Coordinator. Such complaint shall state the name and address of the complainant, the names, times, places of persons and/or events surrounding the subject of the complaint, and the substantial nature of the problem, so as to fairly apprise the hearing officer and the hearing panel of the facts and/or parties incident to the complaint.

Hearing Officer
The Associate Vice President for Student Affairs or designee, shall serve as Hearing Officer for matters upon which complaints have been appropriately filed. The Hearing Officer shall, in order and as appropriate (1) consult with the student complainant concerning the complaint (2) determine that informal activity denoted above has indeed been exhausted, (3) prepare a statement of facts incident to the complaint for use by the hearing panel, (4) afford the student complainant notice of the date, place and time at least five days in advance of the hearing, (5) call, preside over, but not vote at the hearing panel meeting, (6) render the findings and/or recommendations of the hearing panel in writing within twenty days following the conclusion of the hearing.

Hearing Panel
The President shall appoint a five-person panel to hear student complaints appropriately forwarded by the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. The panel shall consist of two members of the faculty, two members of the administrative staff, and one student. Meetings of the Hearing Panel shall be presided over by the Hearing Officer, who shall not vote.

The student shall be afforded a full and fair opportunity to present evidence relevant to the issues pertinent to their complaint. The student may be assisted but not represented by individuals of his or her choice.

The findings and/or recommendations of the Hearing Panel shall be based solely upon the evidence adduced at the hearing, and shall be communicated in writing by the Hearing Officer to the student, to the President of the University, and to the file maintained for audit of this grievance procedure.

Appeals
Either the student or the Hearing Officer may appeal the findings and/or recommendations of the Hearing Panel to the President of the University. Failure to file written appeal with the Office of the President within seven days of the written communication of findings and/or recommendations shall be construed to be acquiescence to the right of appeal.

Restrictions
The grievance procedures are available only for those matters for which the university has the ability to provide a remedy to the student. Any procedures previously promulgated by the university which are in conflict with the above mentioned procedures regarding specific grievances of a student shall not be deemed to have been eliminated nor modified by this procedure. In the event that such a different procedure does exist, it shall be the responsibility of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs to advise the student of such a different procedure and to assist them fully in presenting his grievance thereunder.