Mar 19, 2024  
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Student Complaint/Grievance Policy


 

Shaw University is committed to mutual respect among all members of the university community. This commitment includes students, faculty, staff, and administration alike. In all concerns about fair treatment, we seek to work together to understand and address those concerns without having to file a formal grievance. When that is not possible, we are, at all levels, committed to a fair and reasonable resolution of issues through a formal grievance process guided by the information and documentation provided within the process. The regulation described below guides the orderly procedure of grievance and attempts at resolution.

(Excluding Judicial Grievances addressed by a separate Policy) Grievances may entered online at https://bearsnet.shawu.edu/ICS/Grievance_Form/.

Student Compliant Resolution Process 

Shaw University is committed to meeting the needs of all students. That is why the University is an approved institution under the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement - North Carolina (SARA-NC).  The agreement establishes comparable national standards for the interstate offering of post-secondary distance education courses and programs across state lines.

One main objective of the agreement is to make it easier for North Carolina colleges and universities to provide online and distance education options to students in other states. The agreement also provides basic protections for students and requires the University to provide current and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with the institution, its accrediting agency, and with state agencies that handle complaints in the student’s state of residence.

Students residing outside the State of North Carolina while taking online courses from Shaw University who desire to resolve an academic grievance or complaint should follow the Shaw University Complaint Resolution Process below:

Grievance Resolution
Contact Information
Dr. Michael West
118 E. South Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Michael.West@shawu.edu | 919-546-8542

Students are advised to begin the complaint resolution process at the institutional level.  In communicating specific concerns, complaints, and grievances, students are encouraged to follow established policies and procedures outlined in the online Shaw Student Handbook (102-104) and the Shaw University Academic Catalog.  These methods include grievance and appeal procedures for academic concerns or grades, academic suspension and other academic policies; harassment and nondiscrimination policy complaints, reports of sexual misconduct; Honor Code violations, financial aid probation or suspension; disability services and access to educational records.

Academic 

  • Grade issues must have documentation to support your assertions and should follow the grade appeal process.
  • All issues involving quality instruction must have a class syllabus, class notes, test/quiz grades and any other documentation to support your assertion

If a student perceives an injustice that he/she is not receiving quality instruction, or has issue with any part of the learning process; he/she may follow the steps set forth here:

The chain for reporting perceived injustices is:

  1. Faculty Member
  2. Department Head
  3. Dean
  4. Vice President for Academic Affairs

All first year (freshmen) and second year (sophomores) students must consult with the Director of the Student Retention for advice and resolution.  

Resolution to the perceived injustice may happen at any point on the chain of reporting. We will make all efforts to resolve any issue in a timely manner at the lowest report level possible.

Housing

All housing issues must be reported in writing with name, date, room number and contact information. The Vice President will be apprised of the reported issue when it is first reported. If a student has an issue with housing, he/ she may follow the steps set forth here:

The chain for reporting perceived injustices is and shall remain thus

  1. Resident Advisor on your floor
  2. Counselor on duty
  3. Resident Manager
  4. Director of Housing
  5. Vice President of Student Affairs

All student concerns will be addressed within two weeks of notification.

 

For more information about grievances and complaint processes visit https://www.shawu.edu/Student_Complaint_Process/