FORMAL GRIEVANCE & APPEAL POLICY
United Medical Institute encourages resolution of formal complaints in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Any form of retaliation for bringing forward a formal complaint will not be tolerated. The formal complaint process applies to all students and should be followed in all cases when informal resolution is not sufficient to resolve the issue.
Information concerning the nature, scope, evaluation and resolution of formal complaints shall be confidential to the greatest extent possible and will be shared only with those persons who need to know.
A formal complaint is a request for the resolution of a problem, conflict, concern or issue that negatively impacts a student(s). Student formal complaints may include (but are not limited to) issues regarding classroom instruction, school policies, procedures, services and offices. Formal complaints must be filed using UMI’s online formal complaint form (https://forms.gle/AUdTWPq13Dd1QDHG9).
Formal complaints involving grades where the final course grade is disputed and/or the student believes that the final grade is not indicative of his/her academic performance are addressed by the grade appeal process which is described in the School Catalog.
Filing a Formal complaint – Non Faculty Related
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Informal Resolution
Students are strongly encouraged to resolve any concern by talking with the staff member/administrator and his/her supervisor if necessary. Prompt reporting of all formal complaints is critical and necessary as it is often difficult to trace the facts of an incident or incidents long after they have occurred. Students are advised that a formal complaint will be most effectively addressed if the formal complaint is brought forward within thirty (30) School business days of the alleged incident. Students must complete each step in the process before proceeding to the next one.
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Filing a Formal complaint
A formal complaint is a request for assistance with a problem, conflict, concern, or issue that negatively impacts students that could not be addressed by informal resolution with the staff member/administrator and his/her supervisor.
Formal complaints must be filed using the UMI’s online formal complaint form.
Formal complaints will be forwarded to the appropriate administrator responsible for the individual, process or department involved. Documentation of the formal complaint should include:
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A detailed description of the issue and negative impact
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The date, time, and place of the event(s) pertaining to the formal complaint
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The name and contact information for any witnesses with knowledge of the formal complaint or subject of the formal complaint.
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Specific details regarding the instance(s) of non-compliance with the UMI’s policy or procedure applicable.
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A proposed solution or action.
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If the formal complaint is not a violation of policy, law or standard practice guideline, the appropriate UMI administrator or staff will assist the complainant in resolving the issue with the appropriate resource, employee or employee group (i.e. supervisor, and campus designated contact person).
If the formal complaint demonstrates a violation, or potential violation of policy or standard practice guideline, the appropriate UMI administrator will begin a formal resolution process. This process could include investigation and/or coordination with appropriate UMI contacts.
The UMI Administrator will have fifteen (15) School business days to investigate and respond to the student’s formal complaint.
The UMI administrator may address the formal complaint in one of the following ways:
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Offer a resolution to the formal complaint.
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Dismiss the formal complaint.
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Take appropriate action which may include training, counseling or corrective action with one or more parties to the formal complaint.
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Appeal/Due Process
The student may appeal to the UMI President within five (5) School business days of the school administrator’s completion of the formal resolution.
The UMI President will review appeal documentation submitted by the student and the documentation produced by the administrator’s investigation and communicate an appeal decision within five (5) School business days of receipt of the student's appeal. The appeal decision is sent to the School administrator and the student.
The appealed formal complaint decision is not subject to further appeals.
Faculty-Related Formal complaints – Non Grade Related
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Informal Resolution
The student should discuss the complaint with the faculty member, or the faculty member's supervisor. Should informal resolution not be reached, the student may file a formal complaint against the faculty member.
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Faculty-Related Formal Complaint (Non grade related)
Formal complaints must be filed using UMI’s online formal complaint form. The formal complaint must be filed within ten (10) School business days from the date of the initial complaint. The formal complaint should be addressed to the faculty member's supervising Program Chair.
The Program Chair will have fifteen (15) School business days to investigate and respond to the student’s formal complaint.
The investigation by the Program Chair shall include the faculty member, the student and/or any other person who has first-hand knowledge of the subject of the complaint. During the investigation, she/he shall meet separately with:
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The student and
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The faculty member and
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Any additional parties involved.
During the Program Chair’s investigation, he/she shall meet separately with the different parties unless the faculty member is not available due to semester break and vacations. In those situations, the fifteen (15) School business days allowed for resolution will start and stop based on faculty contracts.
The Program Chair may address the formal complaint in one of the following ways:
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Offer a resolution to the formal complaint.
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Dismiss the formal complaint.
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Take appropriate action that may include training, counseling or corrective action with one or more parties to the formal complaint.
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Appeal
The student may appeal to the UMI President within five (5) School business days.
The President will review appeal documentation submitted by the student and the documentation produced by the Program Chair’s investigation and communicate an appeal decision within five (5) School business days of receipt of the student's appeal. The appeal decision is sent to the Program Chair and the student.
The appealed formal complaint decision is not subject to further appeals.
An individual may contact the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education for review of a complaint. The bureau may be contacted at P.O. Box 980818, West Sacramento, CA 95798-0818; www.bppe.ca.gov, (888) 370 - 7589.