GENERAL GRIEVANCE - PROCEDURE

Oak Valley’s grievance procedure ensures that students, faculty, and staff may present grievances regarding an action or inaction by a member of the Oak Valley community. The following provides a consistent way of resolving grievances in a fair and just manner with due process.

This procedure applies to offenses related to academic freedom, alleged discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, or disability, problems arising in the relationship between students, faculty, staff, administrators, as well as any other grievance that may not be governed by other specific policies (www.oakvalleycollege.org/policies).  

Upon request from any member of the community, the President’s Office will provide guidance about the appropriate system for redress. If the President’s Office is not the appropriate channel, or a student or professors submitting the grievance does not wish to bring the complaint to administration, the complainant may bring the complaint to the Faculty Chair.

The President’s Office, or designee, will ask the complainant to submit the complaint in writing, providing as much detail as possible and identifying witnesses, if any. The President, or designee, shall review the facts of the case, including any recommendations and findings. The complainant, President’s Office, or designee, may request to assemble a committee of three disinterested staff or faculty members, and, potentially, a student (in cases that are not sensitive to the complainant or student community) to hear the complaint.  The complainant may be asked to provide evidence, direct testimony, and identify any witnesses, upon request of the committee.

The committee, if assembled, will be guided by the President, or designee, with a list of potential remedies based on the nature of the complaint. Depending on the severity of the complaint, remedies range from a reprimand to expulsion or personnel decision (for staff or faculty), or referral to local law enforcement, if the President’s Office, or designee, identifies that laws may have been broken.

In all cases, the President, or designee, and committee, if assembled, will follow the spirit of the Honor Code in approaching all matters. Please note, you may not report violations anonymously. All efforts will be made to respect your privacy and protect you from retaliation and harm in reporting a complaint.