3 - Appeals, Grievances, and Reporting Concerns

Students at the College may express concerns, whether verbally or in writing, regarding any area of academic or student life without fear of coercion, harassment, intimidation, or reprisal from the College or its employees. Students also may expect a timely response to any complaint. Defamatory or baseless charges may cause a student to be held responsible for violations of College policies through the college conduct process.

Student concerns should be resolved as quickly as possible at the lowest possible College unit that has the authority to act. Because no single process can serve the wide range of possible concerns, the College provides specific processes for responding to certain kinds of student concerns. Where College policy provides a specific concern or grievance procedure, an aggrieved student should use the specified procedure. 

Students are also asked to report concerning behavior of any member of the College community. This includes reporting violations of College Policy and Respectful Community standards.  

Appeal, grievance, or reporting process  Types of issues appealed or reported  Links to forms and more information
Academic Misconduct Appeal 
  • Appeal of determination of misconduct
  • Appeal of sanction

Academic Misconduct Appeal Form
Student Conduct/Non-Academic Conduct Appeal 
  • Appeal of determination of misconduct
  • Appeal of sanction

Student Conduct Appeal form
Academic Records Appeal 
  • Academic Standing
  • Drop for Non-attendance or Non-Payment
  • Financial Aid (Other than SAP Appeals)
  • Idaho Residency

Student Handbook Policy 3.5
Academic Records Appeal form
Academic Grade Appeal 
  • Improper grading as a result of:
    • Procedural Irregularity
    • New Evidence
    • Bias or Conflict of Interest

Student Handbook Policy 3.2
Academic Grade Appeal form
Title IX/Respectful Community Reports 
  • Discrimination
  • Harassment
  • Sexual Harassment (Including Sexual Assault,
    Dating or Domestic Violence, and Stalking)

Title IX/Respectful Community Reports Form
Title IX/Respectful Community Appeals 
  • Appeal of findings
  • Appeal of sanctions

Title IX/Respectful Community Appeal Request Form
Academic Grievance 
  • Concerns regarding fairness or professionalism of instructors
  • Concerns regarding course policies or procedures

Student Handbook Policy 3.1
Student Complaints form 
CARE Report 
  • Student behavior is concerning
  • Student is in distress, needs resources, or needs support

CARE Report form
Student Misconduct Report 
  • Alleges student has violated a policy

Reporting Student Misconduct form
Ethics Hotline 
  • Potential or apparent unethical, illegal or otherwise inappropriate behavior

1.844.310.3447 (toll free)
Ethics Hotline form
Financial Aid
  • Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal

SAP Appeal Form

 

3.1 General Complaint Procedures for Students

Students may use the following procedures to formally question the application of any College regulation, rule, policy, requirement, or procedure not otherwise covered by a more specific policy or procedure as outlined above. 

3.2 Grade Appeals

The grade appeal policy and procedure is designed to provide all students at the College of Western Idaho with a clearly defined avenue for appealing the assignment of a course grade, following the posting of final grades. 

3.3 Grade Appeal Procedure and Time Schedules

This section describes the three-step process for students who wish to appeal a final grade which they believe was improperly assigned at the end of a course.

3.4 Retention of Records

As part of the College’s grade appeal procedure, instructors are required to keep grade-related materials until the appeal time frame has elapsed. Material that applies to an ongoing grade appeal process must be retained for six months following completion of the grade appeal process....

3.5 Academic Record Appeal Procedure

The Academic Record Appeal policy and procedure is designed to provide all students at the College of Western Idaho with a clearly defined avenue for appealing academic policies, academic deadlines, and the content of the student’s official record. 

3.6 Appeal Proceedings

Regardless of the nature of the appeal, neither formal rules of process and procedure nor rules of evidence, such as those applied in court, are used in proceedings under this section.