Student complaint Policies & Procedures

Definition of Complaint

A student complaint is an allegation by a student that there has been an arbitrary or discriminatory application of, or failure to act in accordance with, the academic or administrative policies of Pacifica Graduate Institute pertaining to students.

A student complaint may involve a faculty, staff, other students, and/or administration or it may be related to an academic or administrative process.

A student must go through the complaint process before filing a formal complaint.

Procedure for Resolving Academic and Administrative Complaints

Students are encouraged to first discuss complaints with the person(s) who is (are) directly involved in the complaint in an effort to come to a satisfactory, informal resolution. If these informal direct discussions are not successful, the student may pursue further avenues, which must be documented in writing. The Program Chair, Student Relations Liaison, or the Director of the appropriate administrative department may be involved in discussing possible resolutions or can be of assistance in directing a student to the appropriate person. If the matter relates to the student’s financial account, it may be referred to the Student Accounts Committee. If the matter involves an exception to academic policy, cases may be referred to the Education Council. Details regarding Education Council and its procedures can be found in the Student Handbook.

Before filing a formal complaint, Pacifica encourages students to use established procedures for addressing and resolving complaints whenever possible. If the complaint cannot be resolved through the processes outlined above, students may file a formal complaint according to the procedures described below. When the Education Council or other committee review is conducted, a separate complaint will not be required.

The Student Relations Liaison is available as an additional support option for students who are seeking information and mediation regarding the complaint processes related to policies described in the Student Handbook. One of the key responsibilities of the Liaison is to create communication between students and the faculty, staff, and administration regarding creation of fair and positive solutions that uphold Pacifica’s standards and values as well as to address student questions and concerns.

The Student Relations Liaison can be reached at a confidential phone line (805)220-8707 or at studentliaison@pacifica.edu.

Definition of a Formal Complaint

A formal complaint is made when a complaint has not been resolved through initial procedures to resolve, and the student alleges that there has been an arbitrary or discriminatory application of, or failure to act in accordance with, the academic or administrative policies of Pacifica Graduate Institute. A formal written complaint, using the Complaint Form linked below, is made by a student to a designated academic (Program Chair or Provost) or administrative officer (Director) in which specific remedies may be requested.

Procedure for Addressing Formal Complaints

The formal complaint policy and procedures provide students with a method for addressing complaint-related concerns that may arise. The procedure provides a thorough review of the student’s complaint and affords rights to involved parties with the intent of arriving at a mutual agreement. The complaint procedures are only for non-Education Council matters.

Procedure for Resolving Formal Complaints

A formal complaint is initiated by completing and filing a Formal Complaint Form. The form requires a detailed description of the complaint, the parties involved, the attempts to resolve the complaint informally, and the remedies sought. The complaint should be filed by the impacted student who is escalating their complaint. Students may not represent other students in the complaint process or file a complaint on behalf of another student.

For academic-related matters, the formal complaint is addressed to the Program Chair or, if it involves non-academic matters, to the administrative director of that function, (e.g., Financial Aid, Student Accounts Office, etc.). If the Program Chair or an administrative director is a party to the complaint, the formal written complaint will be addressed to the Provost, who will assign the matter for review to at least two independent, anonymous reviewers. If the Provost is a party to a complaint, the formal written complaint should be directed to the President, who will assign the matter for review.

Pacifica personnel appointed to review the formal, written complaint will gather information from the parties involved in the complaint within thirty (30) days of submitting the complaint, keeping a record and/or summary of this information. They will discuss the matter with the parties involved and recommend a solution to the complaint based on mutual agreement. If a mutual agreement cannot be reached, a resolution will be determined, and all involved parties will be notified of the resolution in writing. Copies of all records will be sent to and maintained by the Academic Affairs Office, Student Services Office, and/or Human Resources.

Appeal Process

For both academic and administrative complaints, if the parties accept the resolution, the complaint is considered settled. If the resolution is not accepted, then the grievant(s) may appeal the resolution in writing within fifteen (15) days of the date the resolution is emailed to the grievant(s). If the appeal is not submitted within the prescribed time limit, the resolution is final.

If the complainant(s) elects to appeal, appeals are submitted to the Provost, along with the written record from the previous steps. If the Provost is the object of the complaint, the complaint will be referred to the President.

Within thirty (30) days of appeal to the Provost, the Provost may decide the matter or may convene a Special Hearing Committee to further investigate the complaint. The Committee may include any of the following members, depending upon the circumstances: Core Faculty members, any Administrative Director, or others. The Committee will make its recommendations to the Provost within forty-five (45) days after being convened.

The Provost will accept, reject, or revise the Committee’s decision and communicate it to the grievant(s). This decision will be based on the record and the Provost will not reopen the matter for additional evidence or argument. The action of the institutional management will be final.