Administrative Grievance

A student who has a complaint about SSD services may utilize the “Grievance Procedures” set forth in the Student Handbook.  To follow those procedures, the student should first initiate a discussion with the Disability Director about the complaint unless it directly involves the Director. In those cases the student can initiate contact Dr. Mindy Peden, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Student Services and Academic Advising, at mpeden@jcu.edu.

Most questions and concerns can be easily resolved through such an informal discussion.  If not, an appeal can be made in writing through the administrative chain of Students Services and Academic Advising.

Discrimination Grievance

At any time, a student’s administrative grievance about SSD services may be considered either by the student or by the University to be a complaint of discrimination based on disability.  In such an instance the matter shall be handled under the “Discrimination Grievance Procedure,” also set out in the Student Handbook.  

Under that Procedure, a student’s discrimination complaint is to be brought initially to the Vice President for Student Affairs, the designated “receiving official” when the filing party is a student.  However, these Procedures also recognize that a claim “regarding discrimination based on disability will ordinarily be referred to, and may be brought initially to, the Disability Director” and that attempts by the receiving official to resolve a complaint informally “shall involve, wherever possible, interaction and consultation by the receiving official with the Disability Director”(sections 4. and 5.c.(iii)).
             
In an attempt to resolve a student’s discrimination complaint concerning actions by a faculty member, it is usually appropriate for the Disability Director to discuss the allegation(s) with the faculty member and, on occasion, with the faculty member’s departmental chairperson.  As specified in the Discrimination Grievance Procedure, resolution by informal means and voluntary agreement among all the parties at this stage is to be pursued.