ASWC student representatives are working  together with members of the faculty and staff to put the finishing touches on the Student Grievance Policy, a procedure by which students can present formal complaints to the college. The policy is scheduled to be reviewed by the Academic Council during its April 28 meeting and if approved, will be submitted for the faculty to vote on during its meeting on May 12.

The purpose and procedures of student grievance policies vary from school to school, but they are normally established in order to provide a process of impartial review for student complaints against actions by the staff, faculty or administration of an institution. Although ASWC representatives have decided the policy will only be used to resolve a limited range of issues students may have with faculty or staff, they still strive to write it in nonspecific language. Senior ASWC Senator Divneet Kaur, who spearheads the student government’s involvement in developing the policy, explained the need for expressing the policy in general terms.

“The policy cannot outline specific procedures for specific types of grievances because it needs to be able to address any situation that may arise,” said Kaur.

Work to develop the student grievance policy began nearly two years ago when Dean of Students Chuck Cleveland and Associate Dean of Students Clare Carson prompted ASWC student representatives to look into developing the procedure; Kaur joined the effort at the beginning of this school year. Since then, she has worked extensively with Andrea Dobson, division III chair and associate professor of astronomy and general studies, to finalize the terms of the policy.

“It would begin with an informal process,” Kaur said of the terms of the tentative policy, which will likely incorporate informal procedures for presenting grievances as well as formal procedures. “Obviously it would encourage the student to go talk to the professor he or she is having an issue with. The next step would be for the student to go and talk to the Dean of Students or the Dean of Faculty.”

If the issue could not be resolved at that level, Kaur said, an investigatory committee would be formed. The current proposal has committees including one faculty member, one staff member and one student. Depending on the nature of the individual case, committees would look into the situation and report its findings to the Dean of Students, the Head of Human Resources or the Dean of Faculty, who would proceed to work with involved parties to come up with a resolution.

Finalizing the goals and procedures of the policy has been a slow process. Senior ASWC Student Affairs Chair Jordan Clark, who has been overseeing the project, explained the delays.

“We have a lot of turnover year to year in ASWC, and so it’s hard to pick up the ball and keep running with it,” Clark said. “It’s also difficult to pinpoint exactly what’s going to make faculty and staff most comfortable with it. They have legitimate concerns, because they don’t want to be penalized for, say, giving a student a bad grade.”

Dobson said that while the groups working to finalize the policy are closer than ever, adoption of the policy this year is not guaranteed.

“It’s possible it could be done by the end of the year, but then it could take until next year,” said Dobson. She stressed that if the policy vote did get delayed until next year, it would be on the top of the agenda.

When asked whether she felt like there was any resistance from professors, Kaur gave a strong no.

“People have been very receptive. Everyone I have talked to has accepted that there is a need for this,” she said.

Dobson believes the strength and dedication of this year’s ASWC senators has allowed the policy to advance this far towards approval by the college.

“ASWC and the senior senators are really good this year,” Dobson said.