In regards to academic concerns and complaints, Peninsula College is guided by the following principles (Guiding Principles):
- The teaching/learning process is at the center of the mission of Peninsula College.
- Members of the campus community will treat each other with mutual respect and dignity.
- Members of the campus community will be open and honest in their communications.
- Members of the campus community shall promote a positive work environment and avoid adversarial relationships.
- Each member of the campus community shall act ethically and with integrity.
- The campus will engage in collaborative decision-making processes.
It is the general expectation at Peninsula College that academic concerns and complaints be addressed informally when possible. Peninsula College encourages resolution of academic concerns or complaints to occur directly between the student and the instructor. Should a student have an academic concern or complaint that has not successfully been addressed after attempting an informal meeting, the following steps should be used to resolve the issue.
Academic concerns and complaints should be submitted during the quarter in which the concern/complaint arose so that the instructor and college can seek a resolution while the student is still in the class. Concerns or complaints submitted outside of the timeframes outlined in the steps below may not be addressed by Peninsula College.
A student’s second and subsequent academic concern or complaint involving the same instructor may proceed directly to step 2 if it occurs during the same quarter in which the first academic concern or complaint arose.
Documented extenuating circumstances, such as medical complications or recall to military duty, shall extend the timeframes outlined in the steps below.
This policy does not apply to the following: final grade change appeals, student conduct issues, academic honesty violations, Title VII complaints, Title IX complaints, and criminal matters. Please refer to the specific Peninsula College policies governing these issues.
Step 1:
The student shall contact the instructor in writing, informing them of their specific concern or complaint with as much detail as possible. A written concern or complaint shall be submitted to the instructor within 7 calendar days of the date when the concern or complaint occurred. The instructor shall respond in writing no more than 7 calendar days from receipt of the student’s written concern or complaint acknowledging the student’s concern or complaint and outlining the instructor’s plan to address the concern or complaint. If additional time or information is needed to address the student’s concern or complaint, the instructor shall inform the student in their response.
If the student does not receive a response from the instructor within 7 calendar days of submitting their written concern or complaint, they may proceed to step 2.
Step 2:
If step 1 does not produce a satisfactory result for the student, the student shall submit their concern or complaint in writing to the appropriate dean within 14 calendar days of the instructor’s response or lack thereof. The student shall provide the appropriate dean with a copy of all written communications between the student and the instructor regarding the student’s concern or complaint. The dean shall review all communications exchanged between the student and the instructor regarding the concern or complaint.
At the discretion of the dean, the dean may arrange a meeting with the student and instructor to address the student’s academic concern or complaint.
The dean shall provide a written resolution of the complaint no more than 7 calendar days from receipt of the student’s academic concern or complaint. If additional time or information is needed to address the student’s concern or complaint, the dean shall inform the student in their written response.
If all internal processes fail to satisfactorily address your concern and there is reason to believe that an external agency is likely to intervene, the following resources provide contact information for departments of education in the state of Washington as well as each of the other fifty states and the regional accrediting association for colleges and universities in the Pacific Northwest.
The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has authority to investigate student complaints against specific schools. WSAC may not be able to investigate every student complaint.
More Information About WSAC Complaint ProcessNorthwest Commission on Colleges & UniversitiesWashington Student Achievement Council
Additional Appeals & Complaint Processes
If your complaint involves a request to change a final course grade, please refer to the Final Grade Change Appeals process.
For general student complaints, please refer to the Common Title IV Student Complaint process.