Grievance Procedure

Academic Grievances

Academic appeals include those appeals related to grades and academic programs or degree requirements. Specific instructions are provided below for each type of academic appeal. In all instances, the School of Health Professions requires that every attempt be made to resolve such disputes informally though discussion among all relevant parties prior to initiating formal procedures.

Grade Appeals

All appeals relating to specific course grades require that students first seek a satisfactory solution with their primary course instructor(s). The student should request a conference with the program director within 14 days after the posting of grades. If this is not possible or the program director cannot be reached, the student must send a written statement to the dean of the School of Health Professions detailing the grounds for the appeal. The dean must receive this written request within 21 days from the calendar date that the grade was posted.

If the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student after meeting with the program director, he or she may submit a written appeal to the dean within seven calendar days of the conference. The dean will then initiate the appropriate procedures to review the appeal. The appeal process will include collection and review of all course grades, advising notes, explanation of extenuating circumstances, etc. The student will be notified in writing of the decision.

Within five working days of the student’s receipt of the decision of the dean, the student may appeal the dean’s decision to the CETO. If no decision is rendered by the dean within 14 working days from the delivery of the written grievance to the dean, the written grievance and grievance record may be sent by the student to the CETO. The CETO may take whatever action is deemed appropriate

Appeals of Academic Program or Degree Requirements

All appeals relating to a specific program require that students first seek a satisfactory solution with their program director. In the event that a satisfactory solution cannot be reached with the program director, the student may submit a written petition to the dean of the School of Health Professions detailing the grounds for the appeal. Following are examples of student appeals:

• Petitions pertaining to the general education requirements and/or general university requirements.
• Petitions requesting that transferred elective credit be accepted for degree requirements. These petitions must be accompanied by a catalog copy of the course descriptions.
  

Non-Academic Grievances

This procedure is intended to provide students with an opportunity to formally grieve any perceived act, omission or issue of a nonacademic nature which adversely affects the grieving student and for which no other grievance or appeals procedure is provided in the UT System or in the policies or procedures of the School of Health Professions (19 TAC, §1.112).

• The formal written grievance should be initiated as soon as possible.
  • If the student chooses not to attempt informal resolution of a grievance, he or she must file a formal written grievance not more than 30 calendar days from the date that he or she knew or should have known of the offensive act or issue.
  • If the student attempts informal resolution and then chooses to file a formal written grievance, he or she must file the written grievance within five working days from the last informal attempt at resolution.
  • If the student does not use the informal resolution, then the formal written grievance must be filed not more than 30 calendar days from the date the student knew or should have known of the offensive act or issue.
• The student may file the written grievance, setting out a complete description of the grievance and the proposed remedy.
  • If the accused individual is a School of Health Professions employee, the employee’s immediate supervisor receives the written grievance. The dean can assist students in identifying the accused individual’s supervisor so that the written grievance may be filed with the appropriate person.
  • If the accused individual is a student, the written grievance is given to the appropriate program director of the student.
  • Where the grievance does not involve an individual, the grievance may be filed with the administrator responsible for the program issue or issues involved. Copies of the grievance will be made available to the student who has filed the grievance, the director of his or her program, the individual accused of the act or omission that is the subject of the grievance, and the accused individual’s supervisor and the administrator to whom the grievance is presented.
• The administrator hearing the grievance may, at his or her discretion, hold discussions with or without the accused to hear and resolve the grievance, schedule a meeting between the student and the party accused, and/or involve other parties in facilitating a resolution of the grievance.
• If the decision of the grievance officer is to affirm the grievance, any resulting directive to the accused must be presented in writing and must be pursuant to a meeting between the accused and his or her supervisor. Denial of the grievance must also be in presented in writing.
• Within five working days of the student’s receipt of the decision of the dean, the student may appeal the dean’s decision to the CETO. If no decision is rendered by the dean within 14 working days from the delivery of the written grievance to the dean, the written grievance and grievance record may be sent by the student to the CETO. The VPE may take whatever action is deemed appropriate.
• Within five working days of the student’s receipt of the decision of the CETO, the student may appeal the CETO decision to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) of MD Anderson. The CAO may take whatever action is deemed appropriate.

The decision of the CAO of MD Anderson is final.