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Student Complaints and Grievances

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Department Information

Location:

Trenholm Campus: 
1225 Air Base Blvd
Montgomery, Alabama 36108

Patterson Site:
3920 Troy Highway
Montgomery, Alabama 36116

Contact:
Phone: 1-866-753-4544
Phone: 334-420-4200

Student Complaints and Grievances

A student complaint refers to a specific event, activity or occurrence within the scope of the authority of the College administration or faculty about which an individual has a specific concern. Students may refer to the College Catalog and Student Handbook for additional information on how to file an informal or formal complaint and a grievance and students may refer to the Student Complaint and Grievance Policy Manual for specific directions on how to file a complaint or grievance.      

Academic dispute complaints must follow the academic policies of the college found in the College Catalog and Student Handbook.

Students with complaints related to a disability are encouraged to report incidents in writing as soon as possible of the occurrence of the event prompting the complaint. Complaints related to a disability should be reported to Regina Jones, ADA Coordinator located in the Student Success Center, Building F, Trenholm Campus. Students may contact Mrs. Jones at 334-420-4418 or email rjones@trenholmstate.edu you can find additional information by visiting the Students with Disabilities page.
Title IX (Sexual Harassment Complaint)
Any student who has a complaint against a student or a member of the College faculty, staff, or administration concerning sexual harassment (Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, as amended) or has knowledge of any conduct constituting sexual harassment in an educational program or activity of the College or which occurred on property owned by the College or controlled by the College should report the complaint to the campus Title IX Coordinator. Please visit the Title IX page for more information. Any individual may report a sexual harassment incident to the Title IX Coordinator in person, by email, by telephone, or in writing.
General Grievance Procedures

A student who submits a written complaint to the appropriate college official and who is not informed of a satisfactory resolution or Plan of Resolution of the complaint within ten (10) business days of the complaint then has the right to file a grievance with the Vice President of Student Affairs within fifteen (15) business days. Grievance Procedure Forms are available online here and in the Office of Student Development and Success and the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs.

The written grievance statement will include at least the following information:

  • Date the original complaint was reported,
  • Name of person to whom the original complaint was reported,
  • Facts of the complaint, and
  • Action taken, if any, by the receiving official to resolve the complaint.

The grievance statement may also contain other information relevant to the grievance that the Grievant wants considered by the Vice President of Student Affairs.

ACCS Student Complaint Process

In 2015, the Alabama Legislature vested oversight of the state’s public two-year institutions of higher education (known as the Alabama Community College System (ACCS)) with the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees. The Alabama Legislature further directed the Board of Trustees to delegate to the System’s Chancellor the authority to act and make decisions concerning the management and operation of the community and technical colleges. The Chancellor is assisted in these duties by the staff of the System Office, formerly known as the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education. Consumer and student complaints that are not resolved at the institutional level are thus arbitrated at the state level by the ACCS System Office.

The ACCS is committed to respecting and supporting the work of its member institutions and to providing a quality educational experience for all students. The objective of the student complaint process is to ensure that the concerns and complaints of students are addressed fairly and are resolved promptly. The Alabama Community College System requires each institution to establish its own procedures to address student grievances and complaints. A student must exhaust his/her rights under the institution’s official complaint/grievance policy before advancing any complaint to the System Office of Alabama Community College System. Students may file consumer/student complaints with the Alabama Community College System by following these procedures:

  1. If, after exhausting all available institutional processes, a student’s complaint remains unresolved, the student may appeal to the Alabama Community College System using the System’s official Student Complaint Form, which is contained in this document and also available online at the ACCS Student Complaint website (www.accs.edu). Students may submit completed complaint forms by printing the form, signing it, and then either
    • (1) scanning it and e-mailing it to complaints@accs.edu or
    • (2) mailing it to:
      • Alabama Community College System
      • Attention: Office of the Vice Chancellor for Instructional and Student Services
      • P.O. Box 302130
      • Montgomery, AL 36130-2130
  2. The Vice Chancellor for Instructional and Student Services or an appropriate administrator designated by the Vice Chancellor will investigate the complaint within 30 days of receipt.
  3. The institution which is the subject of complaint has 30 days to provide a written response to questions and/or concerns raised during the investigation. Such response may or may not contain a resolution.
  4. The Vice Chancellor or designated administrator will adjudicate the matter and write a report or letter to the institution and student detailing corrective action, if any is necessary, or stating that the school has no violation of policies.
  5. If corrective action is needed the institution will have 30 days to comply or develop a plan to comply with the corrective action.
  6. The System Office will monitor the institution’s compliance to ensure the completion of any required corrective action.

If, after exhausting all available institutional processes, a student’s complaint remains unresolved, the student may appeal to the Alabama Community College System using the System’s official Student Complaint Form, which is contained in this document and also available online at the ACCS website (www.accs.cc).

Students may submit completed complaint forms by printing the form, signing it, and then either (1) scanning it and e- mailing it to complaints@accs.edu or (2) mailing it to:

Alabama Community College System
Attention: Division of Academic and Student Affairs
P.O. Box 302130
Montgomery, AL 36130-2130