Student Complaint Policy

Student Complaint Policy

Formal Complaint: Students have an opportunity to present their complaints and to appeal administrative, faculty, or other employee decisions through a dispute resolution or grievance procedure. SFWBC will attempt to resolve promptly all grievances that are appropriate for handling under this policy. During the implementation of this policy, the student’s privacy will be maintained. Only those with a “need to know” will be apprised of the proceedings. Reports will be kept in a locked cabinet in the college office. 

Click here for the Student Complaint Form.

Policies:

1. An appropriate grievance is defined as a student’s expressed feeling of dissatisfaction concerning any interpretation or application of a work, discipline, or academic issue by one or more members of the administration, faculty, or other employee(s) or an unsatisfactory encounter with any of these individuals. Grievances also include matters of accusations of discrimination or sexual harassment.
2. Students must notify SFWBC in a timely fashion of any grievance considered appropriate for handling under this policy. The grievance procedure is the exclusive remedy for students with appropriate grievances. As used in this policy, the terms timely fashion, reasonable time, and promptly generally mean seven days.
3. Students will not be penalized for proper use of the grievance procedure. However, it is not proper for a student to abuse the procedure by raising grievances in bad faith or solely for the purposes of delay or harassment; likewise, it is not acceptable for a student to repeatedly raise grievances that a reasonable person would judge to have no merit.

Procedure:

1. Any student having a grievance with an SFWBC employee should personally approach that employee in a spirit of humility and discuss the grievance. If a resolution cannot be reached, then the student should proceed to Step 2.
2. The student should bring the grievance to the attention of the supervisor of the administrator, faculty member, or employee in a timely manner (an organization chart to determine the supervisor is available in the college office). The supervisor is to investigate the grievance, attempt to resolve it, and give a decision to the student within a reasonable time. The supervisor should prepare a written and dated summary of the grievance and proposed resolution for file purposes.
3. The student may appeal this decision to the next level (the supervisor’s supervisor). An appeal must be made in a timely fashion in writing. That supervisor will confer with the student, the alleged offending party, and any other employees or students considered appropriate. Having investigated the issues, this supervisor will then communicate a decision in writing to all parties involved.
4. If the student is unsatisfied with the decision, the process in Step 3 may be repeated through the levels of the College until the matter reaches the President. If the grievance reaches the office of the President, he will take the necessary steps to review and investigate the grievance and will then issue a written, final, and binding decision.
5. Final decisions on grievances will not be precedent setting or binding on future grievances unless they are officially stated as SFWBC policy. When appropriate, the decision will be retroactive to the date of the student’s original grievance.
6. Information concerning a student’s grievance is to be held in strict confidence. Only those with a “need to know” will be apprised of the proceedings. Reports will be kept in a locked cabinet in the college office. Employees who investigate a grievance are to discuss it only with those individuals who have a need to know about the complaint or who are needed to supply necessary background information.

TRACS Complaint Process:

Students who feel that the administration or faculty are not dealing properly with their complaint may contact Transnational Association of Christian Colleges by mail at TRACS, P.O. Box 328, Forest, VA 24551; by phone at (434) 525-9539; or by e-mail at president@tracs.org.

Click here for the TRACS Complaint Policy.

Click here for the TRACS Complaint Form

NC Post-Secondary Education Complaint Procedures: 

If a complaint cannot be resolved through the complaint process of Southeastern Free Will Baptist College, students may file a complaint with the North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints unit. Please review the NC Post-Secondary Education Student Complaint Policy, print and complete the NC Post-Secondary Education Complaint Form, and submit the complaint to the following address: 

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
University of North Carolina System Office
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800;
Raleigh NC 27603
Phone: (919) 962-4550

Click here for the NC Post-Secondary Education Complaint Policy webpage.

Click here for the NC Post-Secondary Education Complaint Form.

State Authorization for Distance Education Complaint Resolution

Complaints Regarding Fraud or False Advertising:

To file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice, visit the State Attorney General’s webpage at ncdoj.gov/complaint or call one of the following numbers:

• (877) 566-7226 (North Carolina residents)
• (919) 716-6000 (outside North Carolina)
• (919) 716-0058 (en Espanol)

If you choose to mail a complaint, use the following address:

Consumer Protection Division

Attorney General’s Office

Mail Service Center 900 

Raleigh, NC 27699-9001