Student Grievances Policy
Student Grievances Policy
Effective Date: July 1, 2026
Board Approval: January 14, 2026
Revised: June 2009, Jan 14, 2026
Purpose
The purpose of the Tooele Technical College (TTECH) Student Grievance Policy is to provide guidance and procedures for addressing student grievances and complaints in an equitable manner in order to reach fair and appropriate resolutions to student complaints in compliance with TTECH standards for due process. The college policy is developed to ensure that students have the guidance and support necessary to have grievances heard and considered fairly, and so that college personnel have understandable procedures to use when addressing student complaints.
Through these procedures, we can continue to promote and support a safe and reasonable learning environment for all students and for college personnel.
References
• TTECH Student Due Process Policy
Definitions
3.1 Grievance- Any reported incident that occurred while the student was enrolled that is the subject of a complaint involving a TTECH student, faculty member, other College staff, guests visiting the College, or other students. Such incidents may be a violation of TTECH policies and procedures. Incidents or complaints reported may include sexual harassment, racial discrimination, or other types of allegations or grievance issues. Reliable documentation and/or testimony that allow a fair review of the complaint are essential components of the grievance process.
3.2 Student- The college recognizes student status as a student enrolled and engaged in an active course of study.
3.3 Guest- A guest is any person who is visiting the TTECH, for any purpose, who is not currently enrolled as a student. This may include vendors or any member of the general public. A guest may also be a person who is attending a class offered by another institution, agency or other non-college host or local university through extension education, etc. Guests are not eligible to utilize the College Student Grievance procedure, and should seek resolutions to problems through the appropriate representatives of the host agency or institution. Guests may be the subject of a grievance filed by a student.
3.4 Due Process- All students are guaranteed the right to due process in accordance with Tooele Technical College Student Due Process Policy. Due process refers to the right to be heard which shall be provided to all of the parties associated with a student grievance. Due process includes the right of notification of statements or charges made and reasonable opportunities to respond in a timely manner prior to disciplinary action taken by the College. Students should be informed of standards and regulations regarding student conduct and performance standards. Resolutions and disciplinary actions, which are outcomes of a complaint, shall be clearly explained and fairly administered.
3.5 Confidentiality- College staff, faculty and students have a right to privacy and confidentiality, subject to TTECH rules and federal FERPA and GRAMA requirements. TTECH shall exercise reasonable and diligent observance of the rights of all parties associated with a reported grievance. Records pertaining to the complaint or grievance will be maintained by, and housed in the office of the Vice President of Student Services.
3.6 Informal Grievance- An informal grievance is a complaint taken to a Program Director or Director of Student Services for consideration, and is often a preferred alternative to formal procedures for obtaining a reasonable resolution. While this process is recommended whenever possible, it is not a pre-requisite to filing a formal grievance.
3.7 Formal Grievance- A process requiring a written complaint relating to an incident which occurred on campus during the period of time when a student was actively enrolled. The formal written grievance shall be submitted to the VP of Student Services. Formal grievances should be presented within 10 working days of the alleged infraction or occurrence to allow a prompt response to the grievance issue. Details and documentation concerning the incident in question must be provided with the formal complaint to the VP of Student Services who shall conduct appropriate notifications and reviews in accordance with TTECH policy.
3.8 High School Student- Any secondary student as defined in the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) policy, who is actively enrolled in a TTECH program. A high school student may wish to submit a grievance. Depending upon the nature of the grievance, it may be appropriate to advise the appropriate high school staff member who could act as a representative or advocate for the student. Contacting the high school student’s parent shall be the decision of the High School Counselor, as appropriate, based upon the nature of the complaint. If the high school student is attending under the auspices of their parent and not referred from their home High School, TTECH will contact their parent if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes per FERPA regulations.
Policy
4.1 Eligible grievances are those which occurred while a student was officially enrolled at TTECH. Students wishing to file a grievance should do so within a period of ten days from the date of the alleged incident to allow for a timely review of the complaint and related details. The designated TTECH representative shall meet with the student filing the grievance to obtain details regarding the reported incident and names of all parties involved. Students without the reasonable ability to meet with a student services representative in person may request telephone or electronic meetings in order to report concerns, and/or seek an informal or formal grievance. Notification of all parties and an explanation of the charges made against them shall be provided in order to allow for the appropriate due process for all persons involved. The rights and privacy of all parties to the complaint shall be safeguarded by those administrating the grievance.
4.2 TECH encourages students to address concerns and grievances on an informal basis whenever possible. In the event that an informal review of the matter does not result in a satisfactory outcome, the student may choose to submit a formal grievance. The informal review allows for a discussion of the concern, and may require additional information gathering before an outcome or recommendation can be provided to the student as a possible resolution of the complaint.
Procedures for Informal Grievances
5.1 Students seeking to address an informal complaint shall consult with the Program Director or Director of Student Services, whichever is appropriate to the complaint.
5.2 A hearing or meeting with all parties named in the grievance, which provides information regarding charges made in the complaint, as well as a review of the reported incident is required to allow for appropriate due process provided to the parties accused as well as those bringing the complaint. If a satisfactory resolution through informal means is found to be acceptable to all parties involved, no further action shall be required. If no satisfactory resolution is found, the Program Director may recommend, and the student may elect, to use the formal grievance procedure.
5.3 If the Program Director is the subject of the grievance, the student may contact the VP of Instruction. A grievance that involves a Vice President will be referred to the President for all required considerations. If the Director of Student Services is the subject of the grievance, the student may contact the VP of Student Services.
Procedures for Formal Grievances
6.1 TTECH students who seek to address a grievance through a formal process must submit a written complaint containing details and all available documentation to the VP of Student Services who will review the grievance. Reliable documentation and/or statements that will assist the College in a fair and accurate review of the complaint are essential components of the grievance process. Such information should be submitted within 10 days of the date of the alleged incident. The written complaint should be signed and dated by the student.
6.2 The VP of Student Services shall review the complaint to ascertain if sufficient information has been provided. If not, such information shall be requested from the complainant or from other parties involved in the case. All information requested should be provided in a timely manner in order to allow for a prompt review of the grievance issues. If the student fails to provide the additional information requested within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the VP of Student Services he or she may determine whether or not additional consideration should be given or if the grievance process is thereby cancelled. In the latter instance, the VP of Student Services shall document this decision in the student file.
6.3 When the VP of Student Services has received all required information, including the student’s statement regarding the desired remedy that he/she is seeking, he/she will investigate the complaint, request any additional meetings, and formulate a decision. Once determined, the final decision will be recorded for the College record. A letter to the student who filed the grievance explaining the decision and pertinent information should be provided and recorded. This decision, in many cases, may request the student's written response indicating whether he/she accepts the decision of the administrator.
6.4 If the resolution provided by the VP of Student Services is not satisfactory to the student filing the complaint, a request for reconsideration may be submitted. Such reconsideration may be requested by any of the other parties to the grievance. Such a request must be submitted in writing within a 5-day period from the date of the initial grievance decision. A request for reconsideration shall be submitted to the College President. The administrator who presided over the initial formal grievance shall forward all appropriate details and documentation to the College President for review in a timely manner.
6.5 The College President shall review the information provided concerning the grievance, the request for reconsideration, and details regarding the complainant’s desired remedy in a timely manner. The College President may select one of the following options:
6.5.1 To support of the initial grievance resolution provided by the VP of Student Services designating that resolution to be fair and appropriate, based on the information reviewed.
6.5.2 Determine that an alternate decision is appropriate based on his/her review of the grievance case information. This shall supersede any previously made decisions.
6.6 The College President shall provide a decision in writing in a timely manner and document his/her final decision for the College record. A written decision to the party or parties involved shall be provided in a timely manner following the decision.
6.7 The decision of the College President shall be considered final. No further remedies shall be offered as a part of the College Formal Grievance process.
Students may contact the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education at the address below in cases where the student grievance is not settled at the institutional level:
7840 Roswell Road, Building 300, Suite 325, Atlanta, GA 30350
(800) 917-2081 or 770-396-3898