Student Grievance Procedures

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General Rules
A grievance must be initiated within 45 regular semester days of the date of origin of the grievance. The grievance procedure must be completed within 60 regular semester days of the receipt of the written complaint by the Student Affairs Committee.

Complaints are required to proceed through the Grievance Procedure in order beginning with Step 1. Complainants must represent themselves (i. e., be present) at any and all levels of grievance resolution. All results at any level must be put in writing with a copy to the Associate Director for Student Services and the Student Affairs Committee. All infractions of local, state or federal statutes will be handled by the appropriate government authorities, but may also fall within the University grievance category.

The composition of the Student Affairs Committee may vary from branch to branch but must comprise representatives of the student, faculty and staff population.A. Student vs. Faculty or Staff

Step 1. The student or complainant should first attempt direct resolution of a grievance in person with the party with whom there is a grievance. It is expected that in a university community, both parties should be able to resolve the grievance in a manner satisfactory to each at this level. The complainant shall be given the right to due process with impartiality. It the grievance is not resolved, the procedure detailed below should be followed.
Step 2. The student or complainant must register the complaint in writing with the party against whom he/she has the grievance specifying a time period (at least seven calendar days) within which a reply is expected in writing. The complainant must show proof of a dispute by filing a copy of the correspondence with the Student Affairs Committee. If the involved parties do not resolve the grievance at this level they should proceed to Step 3.
Step 3. If the dispute is not resolved in Step 2, the student shall state the complaint in writing to the appropriate department or division chairperson, with a copy to the Student Affairs Committee, for disposition of the dispute.
Step 4. If the dispute is not resolved in Step 3, the student shall state the complaint in writing to the Associate Director for Instruction and Student Affairs Committee, if the dispute is against faculty. If the dispute is against staff, the complaint should be forwarded to the Associate Director for Student Services and the Student Affairs Committee.
Step 5. If the dispute is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, a formal hearing will be held before the Student Affairs Committee with the instructor/staff and student each presenting his/her case. The hearing shall be conducted as a rudimentary adversarial process in that both parties shall have the right to present their case, present evidence (both written and oral) and/or witnesses, and the opportunity to object to or rebut any evidence presented. The Student Affairs Committee will present its recommendation in writing to the student, the instructor or staff member, the chairperson of the department (division and the Associate Director for Instruction within seven calendar days following the hearing.
Step 6. The student or faculty/staff member may accept the Student Affairs committee's recommendation or may appeal to the Campus Director in writing within seven calendar days after the receipt of the Committee's recommendation. The Director will present a recommendation in writing within seven calendar days. (However, if the grievance is against the Director, the appeal should be made to the Vice President for Academic Affairs who must review and rule on the appeal within seven calendar days.)
Step 7. The final avenue for appeal and resolution of a grievance should the Director or Vice President's recommendation, be unacceptable, is the Ad Hoc Grievance Committee at the UNM Main Campus. The composition of this committee shall be as follows. The Vice President for Student Affairs (or designee), the Coordinator of Academic Programs and a branch director (however, not the director of the branch producing the grievance).

The Ad Hoc Committee will determine whether or not the appeal should be heard based on the merits of the case. Should the Committee choose not to hear the case, the findings of the Director or Vice President shall be final. Should the Committee choose to hear the case, their findings shall be final.

B. Student vs. Student

Step 1. The complainant should first attempt direct resolution of a grievance in person with the party with whom there is a grievance. It is expected that in a university community, both parties should be able to resolve the grievance in a manner satisfactory to each at this level. If the grievance is not resolved, the complainant shall be given the right due process without prejudice.
Step 2. The complainant must register the complaint in writing with the party against whom he/she has the grievance specifying a time period (at least one calendar week) within which a reply is expected in writing. The complainant must show proof of a dispute by filing a copy of the correspondence with the Student Affairs Committee for impartial evaluation. If the involved parties do not resolve their grievance at this level they should proceed to Step 3.
Step 3. If the dispute is not resolved in Step 2, the student shall state the complaint in writing to the Associate Director for Student Services and the Student Affairs Committee who will attempt to mediate a solution.
Step 4. If the dispute is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, a formal hearing will be held before the Student Affairs Committee with each student presenting his/her case. The hearing shall be conducted as a rudimentary adversarial process in that both parties shall have the right to present their case, have evidence presented (both written and oral) and/or witnesses and the opportunity to object to or rebut any evidence presented. The Student Affairs Committee will present its recommendation to the student within seven calendar days.
Step 5. The students may accept the Student Affairs Committee's recommendation or may appeal to the Campus Director in writing within seven calendar days after the receipt of the Committee's recommendation. The Director will present a recommendation in writing within seven calendar days.
Step 6. The final avenue for appeal and resolution of a grievance, should the Director's recommendation be unacceptable, is the Ad Hoc Grievance Committee at the Main Campus. The composition of this committee shall be as follows: the Vice President for Student Affairs (or designee), the Coordinator of Academic Programs and a branch director (however, not the director of the branch producing the grievance).
Step 7. The Ad Hoc Committee will determine whether or not the appeal should be heard based on the merits of the case.
Should the Committee choose to hear the case, their findings shall be final.

Last updated August 30, 2007