Appeals & Other Grievance Procedures

Grievance procedures pertaining to situations not covered in the policies above have been established at Manhattanville College for students who feel they have received biased or unfair treatment by a faculty member in a class. The following grievance procedures do not apply to issues relating to academic dishonesty, academic dismissal and misconduct. Students should consult the Student Handbook or other sections of the catalog, as they apply to these situations. Meant to protect students’ rights, these grievance procedures are as follows:

Students with complaints should first attempt to resolve the issue by discussing their problem with the faculty member involved. This must happen within one semester of the claimed instance of unfair treatment. If the student cannot locate the instructor, he/she should contact the appropriate dean.

In the event that the discussion with the faculty member does not resolve the matter to the student’s satisfaction, the student should go to the head of the department or division and explain his/her grievance, submitting a summary of that grievance in writing. (If the department/division chair is one and the same as the faculty member identified in the grievance, the student should go to the appropriate dean). This must occur within 5 business days of the discussion with the faculty member. The department or division chair will investigate the matter, consulting with the faculty member identified in the grievance, as well as with other members of the program, and going over pertinent records and documents, in an effort to achieve a fair resolution of the grievance. The resolution will be given in writing to the student and a copy sent to the Academic Advising Office.

In the event that the grievance cannot be resolved to the student’s satisfaction within the program, within 5 business days after the receipt of the chair’s letter the student should make a formal complaint to the Grievance Committee, attaching all pertinent documents and evidence. The Grievance Committee is chaired by the appropriate dean, and the Chairperson of the Faculty. In cases where any one of these members must be excused due to their involvement in the grievance or his/her inability to attend, the chair of the Academic Integrity Committee, or another member of this committee, will stand in for that position. Once the grievance is received in writing, the Grievance Committee reviews the available materials, consults with the student and the faculty member, as well as with the faculty in the program. After consultation and review of the materials, the Grievance Committee votes and the decision is conveyed by letter to the concerned parties.

The decision of the Grievance Committee may be appealed to the Provost only on the basis of procedural unfairness or new evidence that might result in a different decision. Such an appeal must be made in writing within 5 business days after receipt of the letter from the Grievance Committee.

For grievances regarding charges of academic dishonesty or for misconduct in the residence halls, please see the Manhattanville Student Handbook and Code of Community Conduct. For grievances regarding academic dismissal, please see the section in the catalog on Academic Probation and Dismissal. For grievances regarding grades received as a result of academic dishonesty, follow the grievance procedure above.