Grievance Policy

School of Continuing Education Student Complaints about Faculty and Staff Members

The following procedures are part of a process to ensure that student concerns about experiences at the University are addressed in an informed and appropriate manner.

Due to the size and diverse nature of our scholarly community, each school maintains its own processes for address a variety of student life issues, including students' concerns about experiences in the classroom or with faculty or staff at their school. Experience has shown that most student concerns are best resolved in a collaborative way at the school level, starting with the program director or with the Dean's office.

The grievance procedures available through the office of the Vice President for Arts and Sciences are intended to complement, not substitute for, the procedures available in each of the Schools, and they treat a considerably more limited range of issues. They are designed to address only those cases involving professional misconduct by a faculty member of Arts and Sciences in an instructional setting in which there were significant irregularities or errors in applying School procedures.

If the professor/instructor at issue is not a member of the Arts and Sciences faculty, the student should consult the particular school for its procedures.

For academic complaints relating to Arts and Sciences faculty, the Arts and Sciences procedures, like those of other schools, provide for a final appeal to the University Provost.

We welcome students' thoughts on ways to clarify or enhance these procedures. If you are a student enrolled in the School of Continuing Education, please e-mail sce-studentaffairs@columbia.edu.

School of Continuing Education Procedures

Columbia University is an academic community committed to fostering intellectual inquiry in a climate of academic freedom and integrity. Its members - students, faculty, and staff alike - are expected to uphold these principles and exhibit tolerance and respect for others.

The University Statutes and the general policies of the University describe the roles and responsibilities of faculty in their teaching and research. These policies and procedures can be found in the Faculty Handbook at www.columbia.edu/cu/vpaa/fhb/.

Faculty have a right to expect freedom in the classroom to discuss their subjects and not to be penalized for their private opinions. Faculty do, however, have special obligations arising from their position in the academic community and should refrain from conduct in the classroom that adversely affects the learning environment. Chapter 7 of the Faculty Handbook reads in pertinent parts:

The University's commitment to the principle of academic freedom is defined in Section 70a of the University Statutes. That commitment assures officers the freedom to determine the content of what they teach and the manner in which it is taught and the freedom to choose the subjects of their research and publish their results. It also guarantees that they will not be penalized for expressions of opinion or association in their private or civic capacity.

In conducting their classes, faculty should make every effort to be accurate and should show respect for the rights of others to hold opinions differing from their own. They should confine their classes to the subject matter covered by the courses and not use them to advocate any cause.

Academic assessment of students resides with the faculty. The School's Associate Dean of Student Life and Alumni Relations will receive complaints about grades or academic assessment, but only to assure that the assessment of the student was made impartially and according to procedures applicable to all students as published in the course syllabus.

Students who have a complaint against a faculty or staff member not relating to academic assessment have a number of avenues for seeking an informal resolution. For the procedures handled at the School level (i.e., those that are not mandated by University-wide policies), the School operates under the general principle that an attempt should be made to resolve the issue on an informal basis, and that it be addressed in a timely manner at the most immediate level possible, i.e., the student is encouraged to speak with the faculty or staff member, if possible; if not, then with the Program Director or Department Chair. The Office of Student Life and Alumni Relations will be glad to advise a student with whom to take up the matter. All complaints should ordinarily be brought with thirty (30) days of the end of the semester within which the conduct complained of occurred, or no later than the beginning of the next term.

The Associate Dean of Student Life and Alumni Relations or their representative is available to help students informally resolve problems with any faculty or staff member, both within and outside of the School. As always, students who are dissatisfied with the outcome of their intervention may seek a formal hearing of their complaints. If all attempts at informal resolution have failed, students may submit a request for a formal hearing in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Life and Alumni Relations. If a student remains dissatisfied with the outcome of this formal hearing, a student may file a formal appeal with the dean.

If the alleged misconduct involves discrimination and sexual harassment, the complaint should be filed with the Associate Provost for Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. The procedures for handling such complaints are described in the statement, Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedure, which is on the Web at www.columbia.edu/cu/vpaa/eoaa/docs/discrim_sexharass.html.

Complaints against the School's faculty that allege scientific or scholarly misconduct are also evaluated using other procedures. These may contained in the Statement on Professional Ethics and Faculty Obligations and Guidelines for Review of Professional Misconduct, available at www.columbia.edu/cu/vpaa/fhb/app/app_e.html.

The University's Omsbuds Officer serves as an informal, confidential resource for assisting members of the University community with conflict resolution. The Ombuds Office provides information, counseling and referrals to appropriate University offices. He or she will also mediate conflicts if both parties agree. However he or she does not have the authority to adjudicate disputes and does not participate in any formal University grievance proceedings (212-854-1234; ombuds@columbia.edu).