Grievances & Appeals

If you are taking any Seton Hill courses and you have a complaint about your experience with Seton Hill, you have two options.

1. You can follow Seton Hill's process for student complaints, detailed below.

Grievance & Appeal Procedures

The following procedure should be followed for those instances in which a student has a concern about a faculty member:

• The student should make an appointment with the faculty member to discuss the problem and/or concern. This step must take place before any further action can occur. The only exception to a direct meeting with the faculty member is if the student feels she/he is in physical danger.
• If the student has met with the faculty member and is still not satisfied, she/he should meet with the Chair of the Division (or the Program Director, if a student is in the Visual and Performing Arts Division). If appropriate, the Chair/Program Director may schedule a three-way meeting to discuss the issue(s) being raised. If the concern is not resolved at the Program Director level in the Visual and Performing Arts Division, the student should make an appointment with the Division Chair.
• If the concern is not resolved at the divisional level, the student should make an appointment with the Provost. Prior to the meeting, the student will be informed that the Provost will consult with the Division Chair to determine how the issue has been handled to this point. Depending on the student complaint, if the issue is not resolved, the Provost may recommend that the student consider filing a formal academic grievance.
• If the concern is not resolved after meeting with the Provost and the student has decided not to file a formal academic grievance, the decision of the Provost in these matters is final.

Academic Grievance Board

If any student feels she/he has cause for grievance in academic matters (commonly related to grading practices), the student may request in writing that the Provost initiate the student grievance procedure. The student must explain her/his grounds for grievance, and this request must be made no later than two weeks after grades are posted for the course. The Provost will discuss the matter with the involved faculty and the student, and then help them to establish an ad hoc Grievance Board to call a meeting regarding the grievance. This meeting will take place no later than the second week of the semester following the complaint. This board will consist of two faculty members and two students, agreed upon by both parties, and a fifth member from the University community, chosen by the previously mentioned four. If the faculty involved has not named two faculty members for this board within two weeks, the Provost will appoint them. The Grievance Board will act in an advisory capacity to the Provost. The Grievance Board must make a recommendation within two weeks of the meeting. The decision of the Provost is final in these matters.

You may also contact the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which is Seton Hill's regional accrediting agency. 

Middle States Commission on Higher Education

3624 Market Street

Philadelphia PA 19104-2680

Telephone: (267) 284-5000

Fax: (215) 662-5501

www.msche.org  

2. If you reside outside of Pennsylvania while attending Seton Hill, in many cases you can file a complaint in the state where you are residing. As required by federal regulations, we direct you to a list of resources here, compiled and updated by the State Higher Education Executive Officers.