Note: This article is for Department Chairs and Deans who need to process a grievance.
A grievance is a formal complaint made by a student. It usually happens when someone feels they’ve been treated unfairly and wants the issue to be reviewed or resolved.
This guide will walk you through the steps to handle a grievance properly and fairly.
Follow these steps
Have you received an email that looks like the image below? This is the standard notification you’ll receive when a grievance is assigned to you.
To access the details of this Grievance, click on the first link in the email."View Ticket"
Step 1: Review key details
- In the top right-hand corner, you’ll see who the “Requestor” is. The requestor is the person who submitted the grievance. You can also find their contact information here
Step 2: Reviewing the Description
At the bottom of the ticket, on the left-hand side, you’ll find the "Description." This is where the Requestor explains what happened and why they are submitting a grievance. If the description is long, you’ll see a “More” button, click it to read the full message.
Step 3: Complete Task 1 "Review"
This work is part of your first task called "Review" you can find these tasks on the right hand side of your ticket under "Current Activities"
Once you’ve reviewed the key information, follow these steps to start the process:
1. Review the Policy see the grievance policy here: Policy Library
a. Start by looking up the issue in the policy handbook for guidance. This will help you understand the rules and expectations.
2. Investigate the Situation
a. Contact the student, faculty members, and anyone else involved to get more information.
⚠️ Please do this within 2 days of receiving the grievance.
3. Add a Comment
a. Use the Comment function in the bottom right-hand corner of the ticket to share any important findings or updates. This helps keep a clear record of your work.
Step 4: Close the Task
To close the ticket task and move on to the next task click " Mark Complete" under "1. Review"
Once you have done this refresh the ticket and you will can now move on to the next task
Step 5: Complete Task 2 "Communicate"
1. To communicate with the requestor, go to the ticket's comment section.
2. Click on "Notify", then select the requestor.
3. Type your message to provide updates or request additional information.
4. If applicable, communicate with other parties involved to ensure all aspects of the issue are addressed.
5. Once a resolution has been reached, use the comment feature to post your findings and actions taken.
Step 6: Close the Task
click " Mark Complete" under "2. Communicate"
Once you have done this refresh the ticket and you can move on to the final task
Step 7: Resolve
The final step will be to resolve the ticket. You do this by clicking resolved under "3. Resolved"
Congratulations, once you save, the ticket is complete!
Further questions contact Abigayle Ludlow [email protected] or call us at (208) 496-2910.