126 Chabot College 2024-2026 Designee – A person designated by the college or District. The Vice President of Student Services or college President may name a designee for Vice President of Student Services. The Vice President of Academic Affairs or college President may name a designee for Vice President of Academic Affairs. The Chancellor or college President may name a designee for President. The Chancellor may name the college President or another designee for Chancellor. Respondent – Any person claimed by a grievant to be responsible for the alleged grievance. Day – Days during fall and spring semesters when the College is in session and regular classes are held, excluding Saturdays and Sundays. For the summer session, days—for purposes of notice and response under this Administrative Procedure-- may be reasonably extended to ensure the responsible parties are able to appropriately attend to the issue. Notice of extension will be provided to the student. Informal Resolution – Each student who has a grievance shall make a reasonable effort to resolve the matter on an informal basis prior to requesting a grievance hearing, and shall attempt to solve the problem with the person with whom the student has the grievance, that person’s immediate supervisor, or the local college administration. Grievance Officer - The President or designee shall appoint an employee who shall assist students in seeking resolution by informal means. This person shall be called the Grievance Officer. The Vice President of Academic Services or designee shall serve as Grievance Officer on grade disputes and grievances arising out of instructional services. The Vice President of Student Services or designee shall serve as Grievance Officer for grievances arising outside of instructional services. The Grievance Officer and the student may also seek the assistance of the Associated Student Organization in attempting to resolve a grievance informally. Informal meetings and discussion between persons directly involved in a grievance are essential at the outset of a dispute and should be encouraged at all stages. An equitable solution should be sought before persons directly involved in the case have stated official or public positions that might tend to polarize the dispute and render a solution more difficult. At no time shall any of the persons directly or indirectly involved in the case use the fact of such informal discussion, the fact that a grievance has been filed, or the character of the informal discussion for the purpose of strengthening the case for or against persons directly involved in the dispute or for any purpose other than the settlement of the grievance. Any student who believes they have a grievance shall file a Statement of Grievance with the appropriate Grievance Officer within 10 days of the incident on which the grievance is based, or 10 days after the student learns of the basis for the grievance, whichever is later. The Statement of Grievance must be filed whether or not the student has already initiated efforts at informal resolution, if the student wishes the grievance to become official. Within 5 working days following receipt of the Statement of Grievance Form, the Grievance Officer shall advise the student of their rights and responsibilities under these procedures, and assist the student, if necessary, in the final preparation of the Statement of Grievance form. If at the end of 10 days following the student’s first meeting with the Grievance Officer, there is no informal resolution of the complaint which is satisfactory to the student, the student shall have the right to request a grievance hearing. Grievance Hearing Committee: The college President shall at the beginning of each academic year, establish a standing panel of 9 members of the college community, including 3 students, 3 faculty members and 3 administrators, from which one or more Grievance Hearing Committees may be appointed. The panel will be established with the advice and assistance of the Associated Students Organization and the Academic Senate, who shall each submit names to the President for inclusion on the panel. A Grievance Hearing Committee shall be constituted in accordance with the following: • It shall include at least 1 student, 1 instructor, and 1 college administrator selected from the panel described above. • No person shall serve as a member of a Grievance Hearing Committee if that person has been personally involved in any matter giving rise to the grievance, has made any statement on the matters at issue, or could otherwise not act in a neutral manner. Any party to the grievance may challenge for cause any member of the hearing committee prior to the beginning of the hearing by addressing a challenge to the Grievance Officer who shall determine whether cause for disqualification has been shown. If the Grievance Officer feels that sufficient ground for removal of a member of the committee has been presented, the Grievance Officer shall remove the challenged member or members and substitute a member or members from the panel described above. This determination is subject to appeal as defined below. The Grievance Officer shall sit with the Grievance Hearing Committee but shall not vote, except to break a tie. The Grievance Officer shall coordinate all scheduling of hearings, shall serve to assist all parties and the Hearing Committee to facilitate a full, fair and efficient resolution of the grievance, and shall avoid an adversary role. Request for Grievance Hearing – A request for a grievance hearing shall be filed on a Request for a Grievance Hearing no later than 10 days following the student’s first meeting with the Grievance Officer. STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
