ATOC GRIEVANCE POLICY

Student Ethics

Students are expected to adhere to the highest codes of personal and professional ethics. Students who do not adhere to written guidelines regarding academic honesty, academic or research ethics, may be dealt with according to the policies for academic dishonesty, academic ethics, or research misconduct as published in the appropriate policy documents available in the Graduate School. Students found guilty of misconduct in any of these areas may have sanctions imposed, or may be dismissed from CU-Boulder.

Grievances

The designation academic grievance covers those problems related to academic issues. Such issues are distinguished from academic ethics cases and disciplinary cases for which separate procedures exist. Included within academic grievance cases are faculty, departmental, college or Graduate School policies affecting individual student prerogatives, deviations from stated grading procedures (excluding individual grade challenges), unfair treatment and related issues.  Students who feel they have been treated unfairly or outside of normal departmental policies may file a grievance with the department in accordance with published grievance procedures.

Allegations of discrimination must be filed with the Department of Equal Opportunity and sexual harassment claims must be filed with the Office of Discrimination and Harassment.

Grievance Procedures

The department naturally hopes that students will proceed through the program without undue difficulty, but problems may arise and procedures exist for resolving them. Questions or grievances of course may be directed in the first instance to the other student(s), faculty and/or staff member(s) involved.  It is recognized that for certain grievances--e.g. sexual harassment or discrimination--informal resolution may not be appropriate. 

If an informal resolution proves unsatisfactory, the student may then direct his or her concerns to the Graduate Advisor.   If the situation remains unresolved after consultation with the Graduate Advisor, the student may then submit a written grievance to the Department Chair for formal departmental deliberation and decision. The grievant is expected to consult with the Graduate Advisor within 30 days of the event precipitating the grievance, and, if the situation remains unresolved, the student must submit a written complaint to the Department Chair within 45 days of the event precipitating the grievance.  The complaint should detail the nature of the grievance, and the requested action to remediate the grievance.  The complaint is expected to include any documentation or other evidence related to the event precipitating the grievance.

Upon receipt of the grievance the department chair will ask the other student(s), faculty, and/or staff member(s) involved for a response to the grievance.  The response should be received within ten (10) business days to the request unless extenuating circumstances exist.

The Department Chair at this point may rule on the grievance in writing to the grievant within 28 days of the complaint.  Alternatively, within 28 days of receiving a complaint, the Chair may appoint a departmental ad hoc grievance committee to review the complaint. This committee shall consist of three members not directly involved with the grievance.  Typically, the three members include the department chair, the graduate advisor, and an additional faculty member or student.  If the Chair has ruled directly on the grievance and the grievant is not satisfied with the Chair's ruling, he/she may request the formation of a departmental ad hoc grievance committee to review the complaint. 

In the event that the grievance is with the Chair, the written complaint should be submitted to the Associate Chair.  In the event that both the Chair and the Associate Chair are deemed inappropriate by the grievant, the written complaint may be submitted to either the Graduate Advisor, or another faculty member who must then direct it to the faculty.  At the discretion of the Chair, or the Associate Chair, an ad hoc grievance committee may be appointed to review and act on the grievance.