Complaints/Grievances/Academic Petitions

Questions and concerns regarding student concerns, complaints and grievances should be directed to Damien Paulson, Interim Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management, (218) 879–0805 or dpaulson*AT*fdltcc.edu. 

Forms

The Student Concern, Complaint and Grievance Form can be filled out and submitted online here.

Student Concern, Complaint and Grievance Form for printing is available here.

Concern

An oral or written claim concerning a college issue brought by a student alleging improper, unfair, or arbitrary treatment.

Complaints

A complaint is initially an oral claim by a student alleging improper, unfair, arbitrary or discriminatory treatment. The College may ask the student to submit the complaint and its details in writing for purposes of follow-up and required College record keeping.

Grievance

A written claim raised by a student alleging improper, unfair, or arbitrary action by an employee involving the application of a specific provision of a college rule regulation board policy or system procedure.

 

Complaint Procedure

This procedure is to be used when a student has a concern about her/his education at the college. The procedure an accuser should follow is to complete the Student Concern/Complaint/Grievance form or contact the Chief Student Affairs Officer. The objective of the procedure is to resolve problems as quickly and efficiently as possible at the level closest to the student so the student’s educational progress can continue.

Complaint Step Procedures and Timelines

1. A student may file a complaint at any time by obtaining the Student Complaint/Grievance Form in the office of the Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Mangement or find it online at the link provided above on this web page.

2. Fill out the form completely. Be very specific, listing person(s) involved, time(s), date(s), and location(s) of the incident(s) alleging any improper, unfair, arbitrary, or discriminatory action by any employee involving the application of a specific provision of a college or university rule/regulation or board policy or procedure, including issues of institutional or program quality such as an institution’s compliance with the standards of an accrediting agency, or a claim of consumer fraud or deceptive trade practices.

3. Return the completed form to the Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management’s office. The Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management has seven working days in which to respond to the complaint. If the complaint is of academic nature the Vice President of Academic Affairs will be consulted and/or the complaint may be referred to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. A written explanation of the complaint decision will be given to the student within seven days.

4. The Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management and the student (or student designee) will schedule meetings to talk to the person who is the subject of the complaint. Written notification will be provided to the complainant regarding options available such as changes to: academic schedules, on-campus housing, transportation, and on-campus work situations. For the respondent’s protective measures, refer to the FDLTCC Student Conduct Code due process section. A student has the right to representation at any meeting and may request a mediator of their choice: student, instructor, or other. Students found to be responsible for a conduct violation shall be provided an avenue of appeal within the institution. In addition, in cases involving sanctions of suspension for ten days or longer, students shall be informed of their right to be contested case hearing under Minnesota state statute 14.

5. For student complaints in which it would be inappropriate to ask the student to informally discuss the matter with an employee named in the complaint, an alternative process must be made available to the student.

6. If the complaint is not resolved through the informal discussion or alternative process, a complaint may become a grievance if the complaint involves the application of a college rule or regulation or a board policy or system procedure.

6. Records and minutes agreed upon by all parties involved will be kept on all meetings and discussions and may be consulted for future reference.

7. Written summaries/agreements of the parties involved will follow any discussion.

Grievance Procedures and Timelines

A student has a right to file a grievance alleging improper, unfair, or arbitrary action by an employee involving the application of a specific provision of a college rule, regulation, board policy, or system procedure

A grievance must be submitted in writing by completing the Student Complaint/Grievance Form in the Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management’s office or find it online at the link provided above on this web page.

Fill out the form completely. Be very specific, listing person(s) involved, time(s), date(s), and location(s) of the incident(s)

Return the completed form to the Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management’s office. The Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management has seven working days in which to respond to the grievance. If the grievance is of an academic nature the Vice President of Academic Affairs will be consulted and/or the grievance may be referred to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. A written explanation of the grievance decision will be given to the student within seven days.

Students have a right to appeal a grievance decision by filing a written appeal to the President. Appeals must be filed within ten (10) working days of receipt of the grievance decision. The President shall respond provide a written response within ten (10) working days from receipt of the complaint/grievance appeal The President or will reconsider an appeal decision if more information is presented. The President’s decision is final and binding.

If the complaint involves a college rule or regulation, a student may appeal an official complaint through procedural steps up to the President. The decision of the President is final and binding.

If the grievance involves a board policy or system procedure, the actions of a college president, an issue of institutional or program quality such as an institution’s compliance with the standards of an accrediting or licensing agency, or a claim of consumer fraud or deceptive trade practice, a student may further appeal the college decision to the chancellor. The decision of the chancellor is final and binding.

 

Academic Petitions

Students wishing to request a waiver of a college rule or regulation for unusual or unforeseen circumstances should complete an Academic Petition. Forms may be obtained at the records office or from an adviser or counselor, or by clicking on this link. Completed forms should be submitted to the Registrar’s Office.

Testimonials
My favorite thing about FDLTCC is the people. I’ve met fantastic students, faculty and staff who go above and beyond what I expected.
I chose FDLTCC because of its size and the curriculum. When I first came here in 2019, I was just looking for what I needed to volunteer, perhaps in a crisis shelter. I met with Don Jarvinen, and the rest is history.
It is awesome here at the FDLTCC Education Program because it is like a family here, if you need help or are struggling with anything, you have quite a few people who will help you out.