GRIEVANCE POLICY & PROCEDURES

Waynesburg University is committed to its mission of Christian higher education. In
pursuit of those goals, we seek to maintain an environment where students are treated fairly and with justice based upon this mission expressed through institutional policies and procedures. As a result, procedures have been established to provide for student appeals concerning possible unfair treatment, unjust enforcement of policies or denied his/her rights as a student of the University. These procedures are listed below as well as some of them also listed in the University Catalog.

Occasionally, disputes and conflicts may arise between members of the Waynesburg
University community over particular policies, procedures or actions both within the academic and non-academic areas of the institution. Many times, the dispute may be resolved at the personal level between the student and the faculty/staff member. The student should request an appointment to meet with the particular faculty/staff member to present his/her complaint to the person concerned. In some cases, this meeting should occur with a department chairperson on behalf of the department or one of its committees. This presentation should be offered in a civil manner and with respect for the position of the University employee. If the dispute is not resolved, the student may initiate a formal grievance in accordance with the procedures listed below for either designated issues or for general academic and non-academic matters.

Grievance Procedures

The purpose of the formal grievance is not to express personal disagreement with a
particular policy, but an appeal based upon unfair treatment. In order to initiate a formal
grievance, the student must submit a written statement of the grievance outlining the alleged unfair treatment, a description of the basis for the appeal, any attempts to resolve the problem informally, and any suggested resolutions to the problem.
With particular policies, existing grievance and appeal procedures are listed with the
policy (Student Code of Conduct, Sexual Harassment/Assault, etc.). In these cases, these procedures should be followed by the student desiring to initiate an appeal in accordance with this Handbook or the University Catalog.

With regard to other general University policies and procedures, this written grievance
should be submitted to the appropriate vice president or Dean supervising the particular area (In the case of students enrolled in the Graduate and Professional Studies programs, this written complaint should be submitted to the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies). If the student is unsure to whom the grievance should be submitted, consultation is available from the Senior Vice President for Educational Services.

In the case of complaints concerning implementation of general policies and
procedures, the grievance should be submitted within ten business days from the alleged unfair treatment. The respective Dean (or designee) may request additional information, secure relevant documents, interview involved parties or any other actions s/he deems necessary in order to investigate the issue and render a decision. 

For additional details on procedures, please consult the Student Handbook or request procedures from the Student Services Office.