ÌÇÐÄVlog

If you are uncertain about the most appropriate place to direct your concerns about an academic problem here are several suggestions: 

• Talk to your professor. In some cases, the professor may not be aware of your difficulty, and your insights may help others in your class.
• Talk to your academic advisor about your concerns. Your advisor will have excellent advice about addressing the problems you have encountered.
• Talk to your program director or academic dean. If the professor has not addressed your concerns or if you are not comfortable discussing your problem with your professor, the director of your program or the dean of your school would be a good person to discuss your issues with.
• If you are experiencing harassment or discrimination by an instructor, you may discuss your concern with staff in the Office of Human Resources, Office of the Dean of Students, or the academic dean of your school.

Grade Appeals 

Students who are experiencing problems with a grade should first discuss the matter with the professor. It is the professor’s responsibility to explain fully all grades and requirements of the course. If the problem is not resolved, the student or professor should consult the department head.

Should further action be required, the matter should be brought to the dean of the school. Any grievance concerning a grade that has not been satisfactorily resolved by the instructor, the department head, or the dean may be appealed in a written statement to the Senior Vice President and Provost.

This appeal must take place within eight weeks of receiving the grade. Grades may be appealed on the basis of a question concerning (1) clerical or numerical error or (2) personal bias or arbitrary grading.

Appealing Probation, Suspension, and other Academic Standards Issues

Students wishing to appeal their academic standing or any corresponding requirements must submit an appeal in writing to the Academic Standing Appeals Committee by 5 p.m. on the Wednesday before classes begin for the next semester (fall or spring). Contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@meredith.edu for more information.

Requesting a Late Withdrawal

Exceptions to the deadline to withdraw will be considered upon appeal for medical or other documented emergencies and must include documentation demonstrating the student’s inability to withdraw by the designated deadline. Acceptable documents include, but are not limited to, medical records, a letter from a treating physician or counselor, or documentation of a family medical emergency. Students wishing to appeal the deadline for withdrawing from multiple courses must submit a written appeal via email to the provost. Students who wish to appeal the deadline for (1) withdrawing from an individual course, (2) adding or dropping of an individual course, or (3) changing the grade status of a course must submit a written appeal to the academic dean of the school in which the course resides.

Students can access the Disability Services Policies and Forms page that includes the Grievance Policy and Procedure, the Grievance Flow Chart, and the Grievance Form.Ìý

ÌÇÐÄVlog provides a learning environment that prepares students for responsible lives of life-long learning, professional development and global citizenship. The Meredith experience is designed to encourage collaborative learning among students, faculty and staff. Meredith has a long and rich history in student self-governance and in promoting the general welfare of all students. To continue to enhance the quality of services and resources offered to students, ÌÇÐÄVlog welcomes opinions, feedback and constructive ideas. The College is committed to ensuring that students have an avenue for articulating concerns, complaints and grievances.

In communicating specific concerns, complaints and grievances, students are encouraged to follow established policies and procedures outlined in the ÌÇÐÄVlog Student Handbook and the ÌÇÐÄVlog Course Catalogue. These methods include grievance and appeal procedures for academic problems or grades, academic suspension and other academic policies, harassment and non-discrimination policy complaints, reports of sexual misconduct, Honor Code violations, housing issues, financial aid probation or suspension, disability services, student employment, and access to educational records.

In communicating general concerns, complaints or grievances that do not follow one of the specific grievance procedures indicated above, students have recourse through the following avenues:Ìý

Communication of Concerns through the Student Government Association – Any Meredith student may bring a concern to any branch of the Student Government Association. The Student Life Committee, a branch of the Student Government Association, directs attention and study to the concerns and well-being of the students at ÌÇÐÄVlog. Students are also invited to participate in forums and student body meetings sponsored by the Student Government Association in fall and spring semesters.

Informal Process for General Complaints – A student is encouraged to resolve concerns or complaints by directly discussing the matter with the staff member or department in which the issue originated. If the complaint is not resolved, the next contact will be the supervisor or responsible administrator to investigate the issue. The student should attempt to resolve the complaint informally as soon as possible but at least within 30 days of the occurrence. Staff members in the Office of the Dean of Students are also available as a resource for students who have complaints.

Formal Process for General Complaints – If the matter is unresolved after following the informal complaint process, the student may complete a formal written complaint by completing the . The formal complaint form must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Students within ten (10) College working days following the date that the informal complaint process is completed. If the complaint is about the staff in the Office of the Dean of Students, the student may submit the complaint form to the Vice President for College Programs. The formal complaint contains the following information:

• Name of student filing the formal complaint
• Name of the faculty/staff member(s) or department the complaint is against
• Date(s) of the incident(s)
• Statement of facts and nature of the concern/complaint
• Description of steps already attempted to resolve concern through informal procedures
• Resolution being sought by student
• Student signature and contact information

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Procedures for Resolution of Formal Complaints

The staff in the Office of the Dean of Students will log all general formal complaints and send the complaint to the appropriate responsible administrator for review, investigation, and decision.

The responsible administrator will usually respond within ten (10) working days to the complainant. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the responsible administrator may call together involved parties to mediate the situation and determine a solution or decision. The administrator will inform the student of the decision in writing. When a decision is made about a formal complaint, a copy of the written decision should be sent to the Dean of Students, who maintains the general complaint log.

If the resolution is unsatisfactory to the student, she may then contact the Dean of Students for a referral to the appropriate Vice President. The Vice President shall respond to the complaint within twenty (20) College working days after receipt of the formal complaint and inform the student of the decision in writing. Decisions and resolutions made by a Vice President are final.

If the complaint is submitted about a Vice President, the complaint will be referred to the President for response and decision.

No person against whom a complaint is filed shall intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any student submitting a complaint. Complaints about retaliation may be communicated to the Office of the Dean of Students.

ÌÇÐÄVlog prohibits discrimination and harassment in the administration of any of its educational programs, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school administered programs as well as employment. Student violations of harassment and discrimination are also defined in the ÌÇÐÄVlog Honor Code found in the Ìýof theÌýÌÇÐÄVlog Student Handbook.

Harassment and Non-Discrimination Policy and Grievance Procedures

A student who resides in a residence hall and who experiences a housing problem during the academic year should discuss the problem with the resident assistant responsible for her floor or the residence director responsible for her residence hall. Oaks residents who experience a conflict can contact a community assistant or the Oaks Apartment Manager. If the problem cannot be resolved through discussion with residence life staff, the student may make an appointment with the director of residence life for further consideration.

Sexual violence committed by a ÌÇÐÄVlog community member violates the Sexual Misconduct Policy.Ìý Students may refer to the ÌÇÐÄVlog Title IX page for detailed information about the policy, reporting violations, grievance procedures, seeking confidential support, and gathering information about interim actions that the College can put in place to ensure safety.

To report violations of sexual misconduct/Title IX, persons may contact Deputy Title IX Coordinator and Dean of Students Ann Gleason at (919) 760-8521 or Title IX Coordinator and Director of Human Resources Pam Davis at (919) 760-8760.

ÌÇÐÄVlog is a candidate for accreditation by the to award baccalaureate and masters degrees. Questions about the status of ÌÇÐÄVlog may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on ’s website.

As an institution accredited by SACSCOC, ÌÇÐÄVlog publishes and follows procedures for dealing with student complaints. Details of these procedures are provided on the Dean of Students website.

Individuals may submit complaints against the institution to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the University’s regional accrediting body at the address listed above. Prior to filing a complaint, please carefully review the SACSCOC Complaint Procedures Policy Statement, then complete and submit the required form: .

Additionally, if you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint, you may choose to file a complaint by filling out the document.

Information about the Student Athlete Grievance policy and process is found in the Student Athlete Handbook on the .Ìý

Grievance policies and procedures for work study students can be found on MyMeredith, the College’s Intranet. Go to the Financial Assistance site under Supervisors, Contracts, and Job Descriptions.