Process for Reporting Grievances

When an incident is reported, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will coordinate with the student  to ensure that the appropriate policies and procedures of TTUHSC El Paso and the WLHSDM are invoked on the student’s behalf (see Policy on Student-Faculty Disputes and Student- Student Dispute Resolution Policy). The procedures of the Code of Professional and Academic Conduct will also be followed as necessary in this process.

The following processes are to be followed when all parties involved are WLHSDM faculty or students. If parties are from differentiating schools within TTUHSC El Paso, please follow procedures for reporting grievances found in the Institutional Student Handbook Part IV. https://elpaso.ttuhsc.edu/studentservices/institutional-handbooks.aspx

STUDENT - FACULTY DISPUTE RESOLUTION

It is the policy of the WLHSDM to affirm the right of its students to a prompt and fair resolution of a complaint or grievance involving allegations of inappropriate behavior by faculty toward students. The Office of Academic Affairs will administer the school and institutional policies regarding student grievances and will ensure that due process is afforded to all concerned. This policy does not apply to grading disputes.

PROCEDURE:

1. Student shall attempt to resolve issue with faculty member(s) involved or by meeting with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs.​​

2. Initial student complaint should be submitted within 30 days of event that resulted in the grievance.

• The hearing request must include a specific statement of the student’s complaint, an explanation of what remedy the student seeks, and a copy of the Chair’s or Clinical Dean’s recommended resolution.

3. Associate Dean of Academic affairs will appoint a Student Hearing Committee that must convene within fifteen (15) business days.

• Each party will propose four (4) possible faculty members to serve on committee listed in order of preference.
• One (1) faculty member chosen from each list. Both faculty members choose a third member and a chair is chosen from among them.
• The Office of Academic Affairs will provide technical assistance and support to the committee.

4. Written notice will be sent to all involved parties from the Office of Academic Affairs as soon as the hearing is scheduled.

• All involved parties will have the right to present witnesses, evidence and can be accompanied by counsel for advisory purposes only.

5. At least (3) days prior to the meeting, all parties must provide a copy of all documentary evidence the parties intend to introduce at the hearing and a list of names of any witnesses or counsel who will attend the hearing to the Chair of the Student Hearing Committee.

• All parties shall have access to all information being considered by the Student Hearing Committee.

6. During the Hearing, all parties will be offered the opportunity to state their positions, and present testimony and other evidence relevant to the case. The responsibility of establishing the validity of the grievance rests with the student.

• The Student Hearing Committee Chair shall keep audio taped record of the hearing, which shall include the date, time, location of the hearing and the names of those present and any evidence introduced.

7. After completion of Hearing, the Student Hearing Committee shall meet in closed session and prepare written recommendations. Copy of recommendations will be sent to involved parties within five (5) business days.

8. Student may request reconsideration of case instances where they are dissatisfied with the decision of the Student Hearing Committee. The appeal must be made within five (5) business days to the Dean of the WLHSDM.

9. The Dean of the WLHSDM will review the grievance resolution and render a decision. The decision of the Dean is final.

STUDENT - STUDENT DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Disputes may arise between students, which are disruptive to the learning environment and which are unresolved by usual means. In such instances, this policy provides a means to address such unresolved disputes between students and to provide a mechanism to attempt to mediate and reach resolution to such issues when they emerge.

PROCEDURE:

1. Any or both parties may file a request to the Office of Student Affairs.

• The request should include reasons for pursuing this process and resolution proposition.
• If the Associate Dean of Student Affairs believes that the dispute is disruptive to the learning environment and not likely to be resolved by any other means, the process below will proceed.
• The process below may also be initiated if the Associate Dean of Student Affairs believes that the existing conflict between students, warrants action.
• Students in this case will be notified in writing and failure to participate in process will be subject to a hearing and possible sanctions under the Code of Professional and Academic Conduct.

2. Upon receipt of written request, The Office of Student Affairs will appoint a Dispute Resolution Committee.

• Each party will propose list of four (4) possible faculty members to serve on committee listed in order of preference.
• One (1) faculty member chosen from each list. Both faculty members choose a third member and a chair is chosen from among them.
• The Office of Student Affairs will provide technical assistance and support to the committee.

3. The Office of Student Affairs will convene the Dispute Resolution Committee within ten (10) business days of receipt of the preference list. The committee will be expected to meet with the students within five (5) business days of being constituted.

• Each party in the dispute will meet separately with the committee for up to one (1) hour to present their point of view regarding the dispute and the course of action requested.
• Following these individual meetings, the committee will then jointly meet with all parties to review the information and proposed resolutions from each side. This joint discussion will last up to one (1) hour and will only be extended by a majority vote of the committee.

4. Upon completion of these resolution sessions and any committee deliberations, the committee will, within five (5) business days, submit a written proposal for conflict resolution to each party and the Office of Student Affairs, each of which will have five (5) business days to respond to the proposal in writing to the committee.

• The committee will then have five (5) business days further to submit a final resolution plan to the parties and the Office of Student Affairs. This final resolution plan will be binding on all parties.
• Failure to abide by the plan or maintain the confidentiality of the committee proceedings will be considered a violation of the Code of Professional and Academic Conduct and will subject the student(s) to a hearing and possible sanctions under the Code.