Consumer Grievance Information

The following are links to consumer information notices and disclosures provided in accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act with the reauthorized Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

Consumer Grievance Contact Information
State Authorizations
Consumer Grievance Form and Release

State Distance Education Grievance Process

Saint Joseph’s College endeavors to insure that student concerns are promptly addressed, and that resolutions are reached in a fair and just manner. In the event that you have a serious complaint against the College, we wish to make you aware of the appropriate processes and policies to follow.

The U.S. Department of Education requires institutions offering distance education to provide enrolled and prospective students with contact information of the state agency or agencies that handle complaints against post-secondary institutions offering distance learning within the state you reside. Many of the outside agencies will require that all institutional procedures be followed before the concern will be considered. Before contacting one of these agencies, Saint Joseph’s College encourages current and former students to file a grievance with the College prior to contacting the local state agency in which they reside.

Students residing outside of the State of Maine while attending Saint Joseph’s College through electronically delivered classes who desire to resolve a grievance should contact the appropriate office (Treasurer’s Office, Financial Aid Office, Enrollment Management, etc.). If an issue cannot be resolved internally, you may file a grievance within the state you reside.  The Consumer Grievance Contact Information for individual states provides phone numbers, emails and/or links to state education agencies.

Definitions

A grievance is defined as dissatisfaction occurring when a student believes that any decision, act, or condition affecting him or her is illegal, unjust, or creates unnecessary hardship. Such grievances may concern, but are not limited to, the following: academic problems; wrongful assessment of fees; records and registration errors; and discrimination because of race, national origin, sex, marital status, religion, age, or disability.

Grievances covered by policies already in place (i.e., Sexual Harassment, Grade Issues, Financial Aid, Student Code of Conduct, Athletic Eligibility, etc.) are excluded from this policy.  Please contact Human Resources for further information regarding these policies at 207-893-7757.

Grievance Procedure

Regarding an academic concern, the student is encouraged to seek counsel from the chair of the department in which the course resides.  If the student is still dissatisfied he/she may present the grievance, in writing using the appropriate form, to the Vice President and Chief Learning Officer within ten (10) working days of the incident or of the initial response.

Contact:
Vice President and Chief Learning Officer
278 Whites Bridge Road
Standish, ME  04084
grievances@sjcme.edu

The Vice President and Chief Learning Officer will conduct a review of the written grievance to resolve any factual disputes. The Vice President may appoint a member of the college community to review the situation in greater detail. A response will be given to the student within ten (10) working days from the date the written grievance was received. If the disposition extends beyond the ten (10) working days, the Vice President will inform the student of the delay and the expected response date.

Regardless of the situation, no member of the College community may harass or retaliate against a student who has filed a grievance under the College grievance procedure.

In the event that a grievance is filed against a Vice President, the grievance should be submitted to the President of the College.

Contact:
Joseph L. Cassidy, JD, President
Saint Joseph’s College
278 Whites Bridge Road
Standish, ME  04084
jcassidy@sjcme.edu

Additional information may be found at:

Saint Joseph’s College Online Student Handbook
Nursing Student Handbook
Human Resources