Student Academic Complaints
Winthrop University supports the rights of students, and therefore has a system for receiving, processing, and resolving student academic complaints.
All students
| Policy Number: | 2.3.1.08 |
| Effective Date: | 01/01/2020 |
| Date Reviewed: | 01/01/2020 |
| Last Review Date: | Sep 1 2013 12:00AM; 04/20/2021 |
| Responsible Official: | Assistant Provost for Curriculum and Program Support |
| Responsible Office: | Office of the Provost |
| Contact Information: |
115 Tillman Hall Rock Hill, SC 29733 803/323-2220 academicaffairs@winthrop.edu |
1.0 Specific meanings of bold terms seen throughout this policy can be found within the University's policy definition glossary by following the link below.
Winthrop University supports the rights of students, and therefore has a system for receiving, processing, and resolving student academic complaints. Winthrop has separate, specific policies and procedures for appealing final course grades, requesting waivers of academic policies, and requesting reinstatement from academic suspension. This policy and procedure addresses any other type of student academic complaints.
Complaints dealing with faculty or department-level decisions are ideally handled through discussion with the faculty member directly involved. In a situation where the informal resolution process does not resolve the complaint, the student may submit a formal written complaint to the chair of the appropriate department. The complaint must be in writing and be accompanied by pertinent documentation concerning a) the specific action or decision involved in the dispute, b) the consequences of the action or decision, c) the resolution being sought and d) the reason for granting the resolution. The complaint is to be submitted no later than the end of the semester in which the matter in question arose. The chair will provide a decision in writing to the student, normally 10 business days following the receipt of the complaint.
The student has 10 Winthrop University business days to appeal the chair’s decision in writing to the dean of the appropriate college. The dean may call together an advisory committee to review the appeal and examine the complaint. The dean will issue a statement in writing to the student normally within 10 Winthrop University business days of the receipt of the appeal.
The student may appeal the dean’s decision in writing to the Office of the Chief Academic Officer. The student and the college dean will receive the appeal decision in writing. All decisions of the Chief Academic Officer are final.
This policy does not apply to complaints concerning decisions of the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or the BioSafety Committee.
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