The objective of the Grievance Procedure is to create and sustain an academic environment that permits students to freely express concerns or reveal complaints about their education and the educational process and to have their concerns and complaints addressed swiftly and forthrightly. Students enrolled at Jackson State University may register a concern or complaint about any academic regulation, the instructional program, delivery of the program, grades received, the academic advisement system, or any other matter related to academic affairs, without any adverse action for expressing the concern or filing the complaint. Concerns and complaints will be received, explored or investigated, and responded to in a fair and timely fashion, though students should understand that the final response by the University may not always be the response that they prefer.

Procedures

Classroom Concerns or Complaints (e.g., grades received; improper dismissals; unprofessional behavior):

• Student documents the concern or complaint in writing to the instructor.
• Instructor provides a written response to student's concern or complaint (allowing up to five days if investigation is required).
• Complaints unresolved by the instructor or for which the response is unacceptable must be described in writing by the student and submitted to the department chair.
• The chair properly logs and investigates the matter and provides a written response to the student within ten days.
• Issues that are still unresolved must be submitted by the student to the college dean.
• The dean provides the final written response within ten days, which may be done with committee input and/or in consultation with the Ombudsperson for Academic Affairs.

Other Academic Concerns or Complaints (e.g., academic advisement or academic regulations):

• Student documents the concern or complaint in writing with the academic advisor.
• The advisor provides a written response (allow up to five days if an investigation is needed), or refers it to the appropriate official/body, e.g., Department Chair or Academic Standards Committee, for response within 20 days. The appropriate official/body returns the response to the advisor and the advisor returns it to the student.
• Unresolved concerns or complaints must be submitted in writing by the student to the Dean.
• Dean provides a written response within ten days, which may be done with committee input and/or in consultation with the Ombudsperson for Academic Affairs.
• If the complaint remains, the student will submit it to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for a final response.