Student Complaint Policy and Procedures
Belmont Abbey College is committed to treating all members of its community with justice and respect and makes every effort to resolve student complaints fairly and quickly, with due regard for all parties involved.
The College seeks to promote a community of mutual trust, good faith, and courtesy among students, faculty, and staff. However, if any student has a complaint about the institution or some aspect of it or believes he or she has been treated unjustly or in violation of College policies, he or she may file a complaint with the College and expect the matter to be resolved appropriately.
The vast majority of conflicts and misunderstandings can be resolved without pursuing the formal complaint procedure. Accordingly, the College encourages students to seek resolution informally by first discussing the complaint with the individuals directly involved and/or a direct supervisor.
Students are encouraged to pursue the issue orally and by e-mail correspondence through appropriate administrative channels of the area with which the complaint is concerned. In keeping with the Catholic and Benedictine ideal of subsidiarity, our aim is to resolve complaints at the closest and lowest relevant level.
If a satisfactory resolution is not reached by these informal means or if a situation does not lend itself to informal resolution, students may seek resolution through the formal complaint process. Students should normally attempt resolution of the issue through the informal process before pursuing the formal complaint procedure. Students may make an inquiry regarding complaint procedures or about issues and concerns that could be considered complaints; however, Belmont Abbey’s response and its obligations to meet the specific timetables outlined in these procedures will begin only after the complainant submits a formal written complaint.
Formal Complaint Procedure
Formal complaints must be filed within a reasonable time frame whenever possible, usually within ten (10) days if there was a specific incident. College officials will make reasonable efforts to give an initial response to complaints within ten (10) working days of receipt, although the process of resolving a complaint may take longer.
Formal complaints must:
- Specify that a formal complaint is being made, and be addressed to the appropriate College official; a printed letter signed by the individual is preferred
- Describe the situation/incident/event and identify the person or office involved
- If relevant, indicate how attempts have already been made to resolve the issue
Formal complaints should be submitted to the appropriate administrator. To determine the appropriate administrator for a complaint, students should consult the Registrar’s Office.
The administrator receiving the complaint will either attempt to resolve and respond to the complaint directly or route the complaint to the director/chair of the appropriate department. The student will receive a response in writing within ten working days.
If the complaint was routed to a chair/director, and the student believes that the complaint has not been satisfactorily resolved, he or she may raise the matter again, in writing, with the appropriate administrator, who will give a response within ten working days.
Academic Complaint Appeals
In academic matters, the decision of the Provost is final.
Non-Academic Complaint Appeals
In the event that a student continues to believe that a grievance exists in a non-academic matter, the student may send a written appeal to the Grievance Committee in care of the President’s Office. The President’s Office will forward the complaint to the Chair of the Grievance Committee, who will then convene the committee in accordance with the requirements specified in the College Handbook.
Exclusion of Appeals
The college-wide complaint policy above excludes some student appeals. The policies and procedures for the following types of appeals can be found in the cited locations:
- Academic Dismissal Appeals
- Academic Dishonesty Appeals
- Financial Aid Appeals (Financial Aid Handbook 8-9)
- Student Conduct Sanctions (Student Handbook, Student Conduct Process, section 7)