Academic Grievance Procedure

Should students have grievances against a faculty member relating to any academic matter, they should avail themselves of the procedure outlined below. The goal of the academic grievance procedure is to effect reconciliation between the instructor and the student.
Any student has the right to question a course grade he or she has received, but the student should recognize the difference between questioning a grade and charging an instructor with a violation of the good teaching practices. Such a charge is a serious act and should neither be undertaken lightly nor should the desire to have a grade reviewed and changed be the primary motivation.
If the student wants to contest a grade, the student should first meet with the instructor to voice a complaint and to receive an explanation and possible redress. If the student is not satisfied with the explanation, he or she may confer with the faculty member's Academic Program Director and ask for a review of the grade. The Academic Program Director will consult with the faculty member and review the material. If the decision of the Academic Program Director is not acceptable to the student, they may appeal to the Dean whose decision shall be final.
A student who feels that a faculty member has violated good teaching practices shall first discuss the matter directly with the faculty member, accompanied by their faculty advisor, if applicable. If the student feels that their grievance has not been properly adjudicated, the student should request a conference with the Academic Program Director. If the intervention of the Academic Program Director still has not achieved reconciliation, the student may submit to the Dean a letter formally stating the nature of the grievance with specific reference to teaching responsibilities that have not been fulfilled. The student should also provide any materials supportive of the complaint.
Within ten (10) days after receiving this written complaint from the student, the Dean will request the chairperson of the Faculty to convene a Faculty Grievance Committee that shall be made up of four full- time faculty members and a student representative selected by the student association. The Committee shall consider and investigate the complaint and make its recommendations to the Dean within thirty (30) days after receiving the complaint.
A Faculty Grievance Committee will not review a complaint unless it is lodged within 10 weeks of the alleged violation. For students attending ZSJNM, DeLeT, or summer session, the tenth week of the fall semester is the deadline. It shall be the responsibility of the Faculty Grievance Committee to determine, prior to considering any case, whether frank and full discussions among the student, instructor, Academic Program Director, and Dean have been exhausted as a means of resolving the grievance. If not, the case shall be referred back to the Dean as appropriate.
If the Faculty Grievance Committee decides to consider the case, the chairperson shall inform the student that the burden of proof rests with the student and that he or she may attend the hearing, excluding executive sessions. The chair shall also inform the instructor, when the committee decides to consider a case, that a grievance has been received by the Committee and provide the instructor with a full bill of particulars regarding the grievance and its supporting evidence. The chair shall request from the instructor in writing information germane to the case, inform the instructor that he or she may attend the hearings, excluding executive sessions.
If the Committee finds that no violation of the good teaching practices has occurred or that a violation has occurred but recommends that no redress is warranted, these findings will be reported by the Committee chairperson, in writing, to the student and the instructor, with copies sent to the Academic Program Director and Dean.
If the Committee finds that a violation has occurred and recommends any form of redress for the student, these recommendations should be reported by the chairperson of the Committee, in writing, to the Academic Program and Dean, with a copy sent to the student and to the instructor. A copy of this letter will be added to the faculty member’s file. The instructor will be expected to inform the Academic Program Director of his or her compliance or noncompliance with the recommendations within ten days after the letter of notification has been sent to the instructor. Failure to respond within ten days will be taken to indicate noncompliance.
If the instructor complies with the recommendations, the student will be informed, in writing, by the Academic Program Director, with copies to the committee chair. If the instructor indicates noncompliance with the recommendations, copies of the recommendations and of the instructor's reply will be sent to the student, Provost, and President, and will be placed in the instructor's file. In addition, a notation of this finding may be made in the student's permanent record file.
If the instructor does not accept the recommendations, they may appeal the decision of the Faculty Grievance Committee to the Provost. Written notice of the desire for a review by the Provost should be made within ten (10) days of receiving the copy of the Committee's findings. If an appeal is made, a copy of the written report of the Committee and all pertinent information and material will be forwarded to the Provost. The Provost will meet with the student and instructor and review the case. The Provost then will affirm, reject, or modify the recommendations of the Committee.
If the instructor does not accept the recommendations of the Provost, then they may appeal directly to the President. The President shall review all materials and meet with the student and instructor. The President's decision will be final.
If the student has not resolved the concern/complaint to their satisfaction after exhausting the aforementioned process, they can utilize the appropriate state’s complaint process.