Graduate students are expected to observe all College policies and all local, state, and federal laws, including breach-of-peace offenses. Students who violate College policies or federal, state, or local laws are subject to College conduct action and may be sanctioned to leave the College by the dean of graduate and professional studies and/or the dean of student life. Students are expected to comply with requests of College officials, including public safety officers. Failure to comply with requests will result in conduct action. See the complete Student Conduct Process for more information regarding the student conduct process and “General College Policies” for information regarding College policies.
Grievance Procedures
If a graduate student wishes to make a complaint against a faculty member, staff member, or administrator, the student should meet with the dean of graduate and professional studies. They may also choose to first bring a complaint to their program director.
When the student seeks a formal resolution, they should formulate their complaint in writing, either on their own or in collaboration with their program director and/or the dean of graduate and professional studies. The complaint may be referred to the head of Title IX, the director of Human Resources, and/or the provost. If the complaint is not an issue of Title IX and/or bias, the dean of studies, the Office of the Provost and the dean of the faculty, the dean of graduate and professional studies, and/or the graduate program director and/or their representatives will meet to discuss next steps. In all cases, the likely first step will be a conversation with the faculty member, staff member, or administrator in question. Depending on the outcome of that conversation:
- The provost and dean of the faculty might dismiss the complaint, in which case both the student and the faculty member, staff member, or administrator will be informed of the decision.
- The provost and dean of the faculty might uphold the complaint, in which case:
- They might decide that the conversation with the faculty member in question is sufficient sanction, in which case both student and faculty member will be informed that the matter now rests.
- They might take further steps as appropriate. In order to best accommodate the student who filed the complaint, the provost and dean of the faculty will consult with the dean of graduate and professional studies and the student’s program director as relevant.
- A copy of the original written complaint will be held in the Office of the Provost and dean of the faculty.
When the student seeks an informal resolution, a written complaint is not required. The dean of graduate and professional studies will consult with the student’s program director, the head of Title IX, the director of Human Resources, the dean of studies, and/or the provost. The dean of graduate and professional studies will then discuss possible options with the student. These options might include mediating a meeting with the student or students together with the faculty member in question and/or contacting the faculty member for a conversation. The student’s program director may be engaged in this conversation as deemed relevant by the student and the dean of graduate and professional studies. If the student doesn’t participate in this intervention, they will be informed that it has taken place.
If a graduate student wishes to make a complaint against the dean of graduate and professional studies, the student should begin the resolution process with the provost and dean of the faculty.
If a student is not satisfied with either an informal or formal resolution of a complaint, they may appeal to the Committee on Graduate and Professional Studies, absent the dean of graduate and professional studies and any other committee member who has already participated in resolving the complaint. The student should submit a complaint to the committee by writing to the director of administration, Graduate Studies. The student will receive a written communication detailing the resolution of the committee. The committee’s decision is final.
Committee on Graduate and Professional Studies
The committee shall consist of three members of the faculty (excluding graduate program directors) to be elected by the faculty for terms of three years, one member to be elected each year: the dean of graduate and professional studies; a graduate student; and the provost and dean of the faculty or their designate, who shall serve as an ex-officio member. In addition, the graduate program directors shall appoint three program directors or associate/assistant directors who will serve for two years. The dean of graduate and professional studies shall serve as chair of the committee.
The functions of the committee shall be as follows:
- To review new master’s degree programs and academic credit-bearing initiatives at the level of graduate and professional programs. In conjunction with the graduate program directors, to make recommendations about new programming to the president of the College and the Educational Policies Committee of the Board of Trustees.
- To review curriculum and academic integrity of existing programs in consultation with the graduate program directors.
- To review policies and procedures proposed by the graduate program directors and by the dean of graduate and professional studies.
- To review complaints of a violation of academic integrity.
- To hear final appeals of students contesting a dismissal decision.
- To hear final appeals of either an informal or formal resolution of a complaint filed by a graduate student or students against a faculty member, staff member, or administrator.
- To represent the entire faculty’s interests in the activities of Graduate and Professional Studies and to report on them to both teaching and administrative members of the faculty.