Academic Student Concerns
Any student who wishes to pursue an instructional concern must exhaust the following options in sequence prior to petitioning the appropriate Academic Vice President (Examples of instructional or course concern are instructor behavior, class policies, and unfair expectations or demands.) Efforts are made by the college to resolve concerns at the lowest possible level.
- The student must meet with the instructor and attempt to resolve the problem. If no resolution:
- The student must state the concern in writing and meet with the Dean or Associate Dean. Departments may require specific documentation that the student will be responsible to obtain. As a result of the meeting with the Dean or Associate Dean, action may or may not be taken.
- The appropriate Dean or Associate Dean will inform the student in writing of the final decision within ten (10) calendar days following the meeting.
If the student contests the Dean or Associate Dean’s action/decision, he/she must submit the request in writing to the appropriate Academic Vice President) within ten (10) calendar days of the notice of the Dean or Associate Dean’s decision. The request should include documentation of everything that the student wants considered in the decision. The Dean or Associate Dean may also submit written documentation and recommendations. The Academic Vice President will notify the student in writing of a decision within ten (10) calendar days.
If no resolution, a student may file a complaint with the President. The complaint must be filed in writing within ten (10) calendar days of the notice of the Academic Vice President’s decision. The written complaint must contain specific details regarding the incident, employee or school regulation, which is being protested. The President will respond to a complaint which has been appropriately filed and provide a time line for official response. The official response will be given to the student in writing.
If a student does not accept the President’s official response, the student has the option of proceeding to the WSU Tech Industry Advisory Board. The complaint must be filed in writing to the Clerk of the Board within 10 days after the official response from the President is first received. The Clerk of the Board will respond to a complaint, which has been appropriately filed, within 10 days of receiving the written complaint. The Clerk of the Board will provide a time line for official response from the Board of Trustees. Board members may choose to invite the student to an executive session in order to gain further information. The official response of the Board of Trustees will be given to the student in writing. The Board’s decision shall be final.
Students may also submit a complaint to the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central
Association in accordance with the accrediting agency’s complaint process which is
described here:
https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/complaints.html
Non Instructional Concerns
A student who feels that he or she has been treated unfairly by any employee with regard to a non-instructional process such as a student services, bookstore, or business office process must exhaust the following options in sequence prior to petitioning the appropriate Vice President or Executive Director. Efforts are made by the college to resolve concerns at the lowest possible level.
Students wishing to pursue an instructional concern (Examples of instructional or course concern are instructor behavior, class policies, and unfair expectations or demands) should follow the Student Concerns process outlined in the Academic Code of Conduct, Policy 5-01.
- The student must meet with the staff member and attempt to resolve the problem. If no resolution:
- The student must state the concern in writing and meet with the appropriate Dean/Director. Departments may require specific documentation that the student will be responsible to obtain. As a result of the meeting with the Dean/Director action may or may not be taken.
- The appropriate Dean/Director will inform the student in writing of the final decision within ten (10) calendar days following the meeting. If the student contests the Dean/Director’s action/decision, he/she must submit the request in writing to the appropriate Vice President or Executive Director within ten (10) days of the notice of the Dean/Director decision. The request should include documentation of everything that the student wants considered in the decision. The Dean/Director may also submit written documentation and recommendations. The Vice President or Executive Director will notify the student in writing of a final decision within ten (10) days. This decision will be final.
If no resolution, a student may file a complaint with the President. The complaint must be filed in writing within ten (10) calendar days of the notice of the Vice President or Executive Director’s decision. The written complaint must contain specific details regarding the incident, employee or school regulation, which is being protested. The President will respond to a complaint which has been appropriately filed and provide a time line for official response. The official response will be given to the student in writing.
If a student does not accept the President’s official response, the student has the option of proceeding to the WSU Tech Industry Advisory Board. The complaint must be filed in writing to the Clerk of the Board within 10 days after the official response from the President is first received. The Clerk of the Board will respond to a complaint, which has been appropriately filed, within 10 days of receiving the written complaint. The Clerk of the Board will provide a time line for official response from the Board of Trustees. Board members may choose to invite the student to an executive session in order to gain further information. The official response of the Board of Trustees will be given to the student in writing. The Board’s decision shall be final.
Students may also submit a complaint to the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central
Association in accordance with the accrediting agency’s complaint process which is
described here:
https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/complaints.html
Out-of-State Online Students
Students enrolled in distance education courses or programs offered by the college who do not reside in Kansas should first follow the identified process outlined above to resolve any complaint arising from the student’s participation in distance education courses or programs. Unresolved student concerns regarding programs authorized through State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) may be directed to the state portal agency using the SARA complaint form. Completed forms and associated documents must then be submitted to complaints@ksbor.org.
Click here for the state portal agency SARA complaint form.
