The student is encouraged to pursue academic studies and other College sponsored activities that will promote intellectual growth and personal development. In pursuing these ends, the student should be free of unfair and improper action by any member of the academic community. Procedures for grievances and complaints are described below and provide a means for resolving any alleged unfair or improper action.

Discrimination Complaints

1. Students and staff at Monterey Peninsula College shall report any alleged act of discrimination within ten working days to the Supervisor or Administrator in charge of the area where it occurred. For further information, contact the Human Resources Office at (831) 646-4016.
2. Students wishing to file complaints based upon discrimination on the basis of sex, ethnic group, age, or marital status should contact the Title IX Coordinator, Jennifer Baughn at (831) 646-3038. Students who wish to file a complaint under Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act should contact the Vice President of Student Services at (831) 646-4155. Students who wish to file a complaint based upon discrimination related to HIV Positive status/AIDS should contact Student Health Services, (831) 646-4017.

Academic Complaints

1. The student should begin by (1) first talking to the instructor and then (2) the Department or Division Chair to attempt to resolve any academic matter such as grades or course work. If this is not possible or unsuccessful, the student may then proceed to complete a Student Complaint Form. This will take the concern to the next level of resolution.

Non-Academic Complaints

1. For complaints regarding a specific department/area and/or employee, the student should begin by (1) first talking to the employee and then (2) the Supervisor where the complaint occurred. If this is not possible or unsuccessful, the student may then proceed to complete a Student Complaint Form. This will take the concern to the next level of resolution.
2. For complaints regarding institutional policies or procedures,  the student may complete a Student Complaint Form.

If the informal complaint process is completed and there is still no resolution, the student may discuss how to file a formal grievance with the Dean of Student Services. (Please refer to the Student Rights and Grievances below.)

Student Rights and Grievances

The purpose of this procedure is to provide a prompt and equitable means of resolving student grievances. These procedures shall be available to any student who reasonably believes a college decision or action has adversely affected his/her status, rights, or privileges as a student. The procedures shall include, but not be limited to, grievances regarding:

1. Sex discrimination as prohibited by Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972;
2. Financial aid, unless the District’s financial aid policy contains an appeal procedure;
3. Course grades, to the extent permitted by Education Code Section 76224(a), which provides: “When grades are given for any course of instruction taught in a community college District, the grade given to each student shall be the grade determined by the instructor of the course and the determination of the student’s grade by the instructor, in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency, shall be final.” “Mistake” may include, but is not limited to errors made by an instructor in calculating a student’s grade and clerical errors;
4. The exercise of rights of free expression protected by state and federal constitutions and Education Code Section 76120.

This procedure does not apply to:

1. Student disciplinary actions, which are covered under separate Board policies and Administrative Procedures;
2. Police citations (i.e. “tickets”); complaints about citations must be directed to the County Courthouse in the same way as any traffic violation.

Forms:

• Request for Grievance Review

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*Please refer to the current MPC Catalog  (See "Student Complaint and Grievance Procedures") for additional information on Students Complaint and Grievance Procedures (Informal Resolution, Grievance Hearing Committee, Requests, Procedures, Decision-making, Appeal Policies and Time Limits). Additional information can also be found under Administrative Procedure AP3435: Discrimination and Harassment Complaints and Investigation on the MPC Board Policies page.