Know Your Rights
All students at GCC have the right to due process for resolution of complaints and grievances.
A grievance is a written complaint by a student, alleging improper, unfair, arbitrary, or discriminatory action involving the interpretation, application, or alleged violation of College policies and procedures. A grievance action may be initiated by a student against another student, an instructor, an administrator, or a member of the classified staff.
It is the policy (Series No. 111) of Gogebic Community College not to discriminate on the basis of disability. Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Any person who believes they have been subjected to discrimination on the basis of disability may file a grievance under this procedure. It is against the law for GCC to retaliate against anyone who files a grievance or cooperates in the investigation of a grievance.
Title IX related incidents, which include behaviors that potentially constitute sexual or gender-based discrimination, harassment or misconduct, may use the Grievance Reporting Form to report the incident. Please review the Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy grievance procedures for the applicable process.
Student Grievances and Complaints
Student Handbook
The student handbook outlines all the information you need to know about your rights as a student at Gogebic Community College.
GCC Student Handbook
Student Grievance Procedure
- Grievances or complaint should be in writing, containing the name, a United States mail address and, if available, an electronic mail address of the person filing it. The complaint must state the problem or action alleged to be discriminatory and the remedy or relief sought.
- The complaint should be submitted to Jennifer Sabourin, Vice President of Student Services and Athletics, and may be mailed or personally delivered to E4946 Jackson Road, Ironwood, MI 49938, or submitted via email to StudentServices@gogebic.edu or jennifers@gogebic.edu.
- The Vice President of Student Services and Athletics (or designee) shall determine the nature of the grievance. Academic grievances will be reviewed and addressed by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Complaints involving student behaviors, institutional policies including discipline, allocation of resources, provision of needed services, etc., are received and addressed by the Vice President of Student Services. The reviewing designee will conduct an investigation of the complaint. This investigation may be informal if the complainant agrees to pursue an informal resolution of the complaint. Otherwise, the investigation will be formal and afford all interested persons an opportunity to submit evidence and witnesses relevant to the complaint. The investigation will be adequate, reliable and impartial. The Vice President of Student Services and Athletics will maintain the files and records of GCC relating to such grievances.
- A written decision on the grievance will be issued by the appropriate reviewing designee, including the basis for such decision, no later than 60 calendar days after its filing.
- A copy of the decision shall be furnished to the person filing the grievance and any respondent party.
- A person aggrieved by the decision may appeal the decision of the reviewing designee by writing to the President’s Office within 15 calendar days of receiving the reviewing designee’s decision. The President will then assign the appeal to be reviewed by an appropriate staff member who shall issue a written decision in response to the appeal no later than 30 calendar days after its filing.
- The Vice President of Student Services and Athletics will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of corrective actions of GCC, its employees and agents, and students which may be required as a result of the final decision. The college will take such steps as are necessary to prevent the reoccurrence of any prohibited actions and to correct its discriminatory effects on the complainant and others.
- The availability and use of this grievance procedure does not prevent a person from filing a complaint of discrimination on the basis of disability with the U. S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
File a Complaint GCC will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations, if needed, to participate in this grievance process. Examples of such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing interpreters for the deaf, providing audio files or materials in braille for the blind, or assuring a barrier-free location for meetings. The Director of TRIO and Accessibility Services will be responsible for such arrangements.
