UNC Charlotte Academic Procedure: Formal Student Complaint Resolution Log

I. Executive Summary

The Student Complaint Resolution Log is a formal record of student complaints and resolutions for which there is no formal appeals process. This procedure outlines the process for submitting these records to the Office of Academic Affairs.

II. Procedure Statement

All units that receive and resolve complaints from currently enrolled students related to the mission of UNC Charlotte and for which there is not an existing formal appeal process are required to maintain a log of those complaints and their resolution. To comply with this procedure, units must submit all complaints via the Student Complaint web form.

Unit Compliance Designee

Each unit must identify a designee who will be responsible for understanding the purpose of the log and will facilitate compliance with procedure within their unit. The Office of Academic Affairs will request names and maintain the list of designees.

What types of complaints must be maintained in the log?

The complaints that must be maintained in the log include:

  • Student-initiated
  • Received from currently-enrolled students
  • Written (paper or electronic)
  • Do not have a formal and established appeals process
  • Related to UNC Charlotte’s research, teaching and service mission defined as:

University Mission Statement

As North Carolina’s urban research university, UNC Charlotte is a diverse and inclusive institution with local-to-global impact that transforms lives, communities, and industries through access and affordability, exemplary bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional programs, scholarship, creative work, innovation, and service.

Deciding what must be included will require some judgment. It would be reasonable to INCLUDE complaints regarding:

  • curriculum,
  • class scheduling,
  • teaching,
  • registration,
  • financial aid, and
  • faculty.

See University Policy 411, Student Grievance Procedures

Student issues that fall under an existing formal and established grievance and appeals process or that are not related to the University’s mission are EXCLUDED from this reporting procedure. Issues excluded from this procedure include:

  • Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • academic petitions
  • suspension appeals
  • final course grade appeals
  • graduate student termination appeals
  • sexual or gender-based harassment
  • sexual misconduct or interpersonal violence
  • Title IX grievances
  • violations of the Code of Student Academic Integrity
  • violations of the Code of Student Responsibility
  • residency
  • parking
  • food services

While residency determination is necessary and parking and food service are significant support services, it is not within the University’s mission to provide these items. Complaints from applicants to the university, visitors, and relatives of students are also excluded, since the purpose of the log is to record complaints from enrolled students.

See Student Complaints (Student Assistance and Support Services)

Who is required to report?

All units that receive and resolve student complaints related to the mission of UNC Charlotte are required to keep a log of all complaints and their resolution. For academic colleges, this includes those complaints received by the department chair, associate dean, dean, or other administrator. Individual complaints resolved by faculty are not required to be logged. The complaint must be logged once it has reached resolution. Units responsible for reporting under this procedure include but are not limited to the following units:

  • All collegiate Deans’ Offices, including University College and the Graduate School
  • Dean of Students Office
  • Enrollment Management
  • Honors College
  • Housing and Residential Life
  • Office of the Chancellor
  • Office of Academic Affairs
  • Office of Student Financial Aid
  • Office of Disability Services
  • Office of the Registrar
  • Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
  • Office of Undergraduate Education

III. Definitions

There are no definitions for this procedure.

IV. Procedure Contact(s)

V. History

  • September 20, 2012: Initiated
  • July 1, 2019: Revised [removed Tuition Surcharge after state repealed it]
  • July 22, 2022: Revised

VI. Related Policies, Procedures, and Resources

VII. Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where is this procedure referenced?
    The procedure is published on the Academic Policies & Procedures webpage of the Provost’s website.
  • When is a complaint considered “resolved”?
    The last person to address the complaint within the applicable procedure, whether the resolution was in the student’s favor or not, constitutes resolution.
  • Do complaints need to be logged if there is already an existing formal appeals process in place?
    If there is an existing appeals process in place, the complaint is not required to be logged. Such existing appeals processes may include: Satisfactory Academic Progress, academic petitions, suspension appeals, final course grade appeals, graduate student termination appeals, sexual harassment, and violations of the Code of Student Academic Integrity and the Code of Student Responsibility. Complaints about the process of the formal appeal process however should be included.
  • Do complaints from former students or applicants need to be entered?
    No, only complaints from currently enrolled students need to be included.
  • What happens to the information once it is logged in the database?
    Annually, at the end of the academic year, the information is aggregated and reported to the Office of the Chancellor and to SACSCOC as needed. Access to this information is limited and any reported summary information will redact all personal and confidential information.