Student Complaint Process

Student Complaint Procedure

SOWELA Technical Community College (SOWELA) has procedures that provide clear and consistent guidelines for resolving student complaints as described in the SOWELA Complaint and Grievance Policy.

Student Complaint and Grievance Policy (PDF)

If the complaint involves sexual harassment or discrimination on the basis of sex, race, or handicap, the complainant shall contact the coordinators listed below for Title IX and Section 504. For academic complaints, see the Academic Appeals procedure.

How to File an Informal Complaint

Although not required, students may choose to file an informal complaint via the Student Complaint Form. When SOWELA receives a student complaint, a staff member from the Office of Student Services will contact the student to encourage them to follow the procedures below. Students may also choose to follow the informal process on their own accord without submitting the complaint form.

• The student is first encouraged to address the situation directly and informally with the other parties involved.
• If the situation cannot be resolved directly, the student should next reach out to the School Dean or departmental Director most closely related to the area in which the complaint falls. The College employee will review the relevant information, work to bring the complaint to a resolution, and communicate the resolution to the student.

If the student would rather not discuss the matter with the Dean or Director of the area involved, they may choose to email the Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs (VC of EMSA) or the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs (VCAA). The VC of EMSA or the VCAA may assign a designee to review the relevant information, work to bring the complaint to a resolution, and communicate the resolution to the student.

How to File a Formal Complaint

Students may file a formal complaint for any reason. Students who are not satisfied with the resolution of an informal complaint may choose to escalate it to the formal process.

• Formal complaints should be filed by submitting the Student Complaint Form. Students who need assistance filing a complaint via the online form should contact the Office of Accessibility Services by visiting the Sycamore Building or through email at ods@sowela.edu.
• Upon receiving the complaint, the Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs will assign a College representative to investigate the complaint and bring it to a resolution.
• The assigned College representative will review all pertinent information and work to bring the complaint to resolution within the guidelines and constraints of College policies and procedures.
• The College representative will communicate the resolution to the student.

Appealing the Outcome

If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint, an appeal may be filed under certain circumstances. These circumstances include new evidence, contradictory evidence, and evidence that the College did not follow written procedures or did not act in a fair and impartial manner. The full details of the appeals process can be found in the SOWELA Student Complaint and Grievance Policy. If a student has questions or concerns regarding this process, they may email studentservices@sowela.edu.