Student Grievance Policies & Procedures

Lenoir-Rhyne University ("LR") is committed to providing a workplace and educational environment, as well as other benefits, programs, and activities that are free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. LR is committed to creating a safe campus environment for all members of the LR community, including, but not limited to, those who identify as transgender and gender non-conforming. To that end, LR does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including sex stereotypes and sex characteristics), ethnicity, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable law.

If a student feels they have been subjected to some form of discrimination or harassment, they should contact the Director of Compliance and Title IX Coordinator, Leah Reynolds, Ed.D., at leah.reynolds@lr.edu.

LR will work to resolve student grievances as quickly as possible; however, the time period for resolution will depend largely on the nature of the grievance and the response required. It is the goal of LR that written grievances will be resolved within a period not to exceed 60 days; however, the time period for resolving grievances will depend largely on the facts and circumstances at issue and may be expanded where necessary and appropriate to reach a resolution.

LR defines a grievance as any claim raised by a student (Complainant) alleging violations of LR's policies or procedures, including but not limited to improper, inappropriate, arbitrary, discriminatory, harassing or violent conduct by a faculty, staff, or other individual or group present on campus (Respondent).

LR is committed to the success and satisfaction of all prospective and enrolled students. If you have a concern or grievance, as a first step we encourage you to utilize our internal process by following our procedures outlined below. Procedures can also be found in the Student Handbook.

Procedures

Informal Resolution of General Grievance Complaints

Students are strongly encouraged to resolve concerns or complaints by directly discussing the matter with the person or department in which the issue originated. If the complaint is not resolved, the next contact will be with the supervisor or responsible administrator to conduct an inquiry into the issue. The student should attempt to resolve the complaint informally as soon as possible but at least within 30 days of the occurrence. Upon request from any student, the Office of the Dean of Students will provide guidance about the appropriate way to address a complaint informally.

This informal process is desirable, but not mandatory. (Note: If the grievance pertains to perceived discrimination, harassment, or an assault, the Complainant should immediately proceed in contacting the Office of the Dean of Students to file a formal grievance.

Formal Resolution of General Grievance Complaints

If the matter is unresolved after following the informal complaint resolution process or the student chooses not to use the informal process, the student may submit a formal grievance through the Student Grievance Report Form. The complaint will be routed to the head of the department where the issue originated. If the complaint is about the head of the department, the complaint shall be reviewed by the dean of students who will provide guidance on who should review the complaint.

Note: If the grievance is about the dean of students, the student should reach out to the provost/vice president for academic affairs.

Grievances should be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Students through the Student Grievance Report Form no later than 30 days after the alleged incident occurred. LR reserves the right to dismiss grievances that are not submitted within this time period, unless extenuating circumstances exist that make submission within the 30-day time period unrealistic.

Once a formal grievance has been submitted to the Office of the Dean of Students, the grievance will be routed to the head of the department for review. Upon receiving a formal written complaint, the head of the department will conduct an informal inquiry as warranted to resolve any factual disputes. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the head of the department may call together involved parties to mediate the situation and determine a solution or decision. The head of the department must respond within 10 working days of receipt of the complaint with a written decision resolving the complaint.

The written determination should, where appropriate and in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), include the reasons for the decision, the remedial action to be taken, if any, and shall explicitly inform the student of their right to appeal the decision provided by the head of the department.

The head of the department may request assistance with the inquiry from another administrator depending on the nature of the complaint.

Appeal of Formal Resolution

If the resolution is unsatisfactory to the student, the student may then contact the dean of students for an appeal referral to the appropriate vice president/division head. If the complaint is submitted about a vice president/division head, then the complaint will be referred to the president or designee for response and decision. The student shall submit the written appeal to the Office of the Dean of Students within 10 days of receiving the written determination from the head of the department.

When an appeal is filed, the basis or bases of the appeal must be indicated. There are four bases for appeal:

  • The evidence did not warrant the decision.
  • The decision did not warrant the sanction(s).
  • Proper procedures were not followed that may have had a bearing on the decision.
  • There was possible bias/prejudice on the part of the head of department/reviewer of grievance that may have had a bearing on the decision.

The appeal committee will consist of the dean of students or designee, assistant provost for academic operations, and the vice president/division head. The decision from the appeal committee is the final step in the resolution process. Once the decision on the appeal has been made, the dean of students will follow up with a letter regarding the appeal decision and a rationale from the committee.

Anyone who retaliates against any individual for submitting a grievance is in violation of this policy and will be subject to additional sanctions. Complaints about retaliation may be reported to the Office of the Dean of Students for review.

N.C. Post-Secondary Education Grievance Process

The Licensure Division of the University of North Carolina System Office serves as the official state entity to receive complaints concerning post-secondary institutions that are authorized to operate in North Carolina. If students are unable to resolve a complaint through the institution's grievance procedures, they can review the Student Complaint Policy and complete the online Student Complaint Form.

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
University of North Carolina System Office
910 Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688
919.962.4558
www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints
For more information, send an email to studentcomplaint@northcarolina.edu.

N.C. Independent Colleges & Universities Grievance Process

Should our internal grievance process fail to provide a satisfactory resolution, students may continue the grievance process with the Consumer Protection Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice.

Grievances can be submitted electronically or by mail:
Consumer Protection Division
Attorney General’s Office
Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001
NC Residents: 877.566.7226
Outside of NC: 919.716.6000
En Español: 919.716.0058
How to file a consumer complaint: www.ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint
General Consumer Complaint Form

SACSCOC Student Grievance Process

Lenoir-Rhyne is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). If for some reason the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved, the next step would be to file a complaint with Lenoir-Rhyne University’s accrediting agency. Students who file a grievance with the accrediting agency should follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
404.679.4500
www.sacscoc.org
SACSCOC General Complaint Form

SARA-NC & NC-SARA Grievance Process

On November 2, 2016, Lenoir-Rhyne University was approved by SARA-NC to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. A “State authorization reciprocity agreement,” SARA is an agreement between two or more States that authorizes an institution located and legally authorized in a State covered by the agreement to provide postsecondary education through distance education or correspondence courses to students in other States covered by the agreement.

As a participating institution in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement – North Carolina (SARA-NC), students may also file a grievance through SARA-NC by following their Complaint Process. SARA-NC does not resolve complaints about student grades and student conduct violation. These complaints fall under the jurisdiction of institutional policy. The Student Complaint Form may be submitted by mail to:

SARA North Carolina
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
P.O. Box 14103
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
855.SARA.1.NC (727-2162)
919.549.8614, ext. 4667
www.saranc.org
complaint@saranc.org

Supervised Field Experience

Courses and programs incorporating a “supervised field experience” are covered by the provisions of SARA. Under SARA a “supervised field experience” means a student learning experience under the oversight of a supervisor, mentor, faculty member or other qualified professional, located in the host state, who has a direct or indirect reporting responsibility to the institution where the student is enrolled, whether or not credit is granted. Examples include practicum, student teaching, or internships. However, see below regarding programs for licensed professions.

Professional Licensure & Certification Disclosure

In order to comply with U.S. Department of Education regulations, all higher education institutions are required to advise students as to whether their curriculum provides them with the eligibility to apply for a professional license and/or certification in the state for which they plan to practice.

NC-SARA does not deal with professional licensing board approval for any courses or programs leading to professional licensure. If you are not a resident of North or South Carolina, and you are taking an online course or program leading to professional licensure, Lenoir-Rhyne University cannot guarantee whether the course or program meets requirements for professional licensure in your state.

Lenoir-Rhyne recommends that you consult with our program contact, the appropriate national licensing bodies and/or review Lenoir-Rhyne’s status by state for your intended program below:

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Hank Weddington, Ed.D.
625 7th Avenue NE, LR Box 7539
Hickory, NC 28601
828.328.7565
hank.weddington@lr.edu

Dietetic Internship

Kerry Thompson, Ph.D.
625 7th Avenue NE, LR Box 7292
Hickory, NC 28601
828.328.7282
kerry.thompson@lr.edu

Education

Hank Weddington, Ed.D.
625 7th Avenue NE, LR Box 7539
Hickory, NC 28601
828.328.7565
hank.weddington@lr.edu

Nursing

Kerry Thompson, Ph.D.
625 7th Ave. NE, LRU 7292
Hickory, NC 28601
828.328.7282
kerry.thompson@lr.edu

Occupational Therapy

Kerry Thompson, Ph.D.
625 7th Ave. NE, LRU 7292
Hickory, NC 28601
828.328.7282
kerry.thompson@lr.edu

School Counseling

Hank Weddington, Ed.D.
625 7th Ave. NE, LRU 7539
Hickory, NC 28601
828.328.7565
hank.weddington@lr.edu

If a student wishes to contact the state portal entities for their home state, contact information for state authorization liaisons in each SARA state can be found on the NC-SARA website. State by state contact information for agencies responsible for receiving student consumer complaints is available online.

Normal inquiries or concerns such as those involving admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc. should be addressed directly to the appropriate office at Lenoir-Rhyne University.

LRU's Grievance Policy is not intended to replace those policies and procedures pertaining to grade appeals or academic integrity violations. For more information on academic integrity policies and procedures, please refer to the Student Handbook or the university catalog. All such matters will be handled in accordance with those policies and procedures.