The Division of Student Affairs, Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities/Advocacy (OSRR/A) provides students with information on academic and non-academic matters and advocacy services on behalf of the student body in a fair, equitable and objective manner. Many of the issues presented are addressed through dispute resolution and mediation services. Resources and referrals are also facilitated by OSRR/A for students to effectively navigate through various obstacles and challenges in support of attaining a successful and enriching College experience. The two independent officers of the College who provide these services are the Judicial Officer and the Ombudsman.
Definitions Academic Complaint: Procedure for handling student complaints against faculty: Students are encouraged to attempt to resolve complaints informally with the faculty member or to seek the assistance of the department chairperson or campus ombudsperson to facilitate informal resolution. Academic Appeal: An academic or grade appeal can be initiated if a student wishes to contest their grade for a course, and may include circumstances that impacted the student’s performance in a given class/classes, at any point during the semester in question. Note: Other requests for grade changes must first be made to the Instructor of the course(s) and then to the Academic Department Chairperson before filing an appeal. Academic Policies Academic Appeal Instruction and Form Non-Academic Complaint: Students with nonacademic complaints are referred to the College Ombudsperson for direction and clarification of existing policy. The Ombudsperson will assist in resolving issues by referring students to the appropriate office, first contacting that office to make them aware of the issue and determine solutions prior to the student following up. If resolution is unsuccessful, the Ombudsperson contacts the Dean or Director responsible for the Office/staff member that the student is complaining about. Within 48 hours, the Dean or Director contacts the student to resolve the matter and the Ombudsperson is advised of the outcome. When necessary referrals are made to: LaGuardia Community College’s Chief Diversity Officer for issues of discrimination Procedures for filing a complaint of this nature can be found on Page 81 in the Student Handbook Public Safety (for criminal and safety concerns) Important Note: All written communications will be made using the College email accounts unless other arrangements are made. If students seek the services of the College Ombudsman in order to facilitate resolution, the following will occur:
If informal resolution is unsuccessful or not possible, the student may file a formal written complaint with the Ombudsperson, the academic department chairperson, or if the chairperson is the subject of the complaint, with the academic dean or a senior faculty member designated by the college president: this person is referred to as the "Fact Finder." The complaint shall be filed within 30 calendar days of the alleged conduct, unless there is good cause shown for delay, including but not limited to delay caused by an attempt at informal resolution. The process for handling student complaints (including academic complaints), along with the Henderson Rules for Maintaining Order, can be found in the Student Handbook and the Student Code of Conduct (page 131).