Student Complaints

The Student Complaints Policy (WAC 132F-121-060) details the process students should follow to initiate a complaint against college personnel or policy. A complaint is defined as a good faith allegation based on personal experience or knowledge by a student or students that there has been a violation, misapplication or misinterpretation of some service or rule as it applies to students by a staff or faculty member of the institution, resulting in loss or detriment to the student complainant.

Informal Complaint Process

We strongly encourage a student who has a complaint to communicate (via email, phone, video conference, or in person) directly with the college employee most responsible for the condition or situation that is the cause of the complaint, as the first step.

If your conversation with the instructor or staff member does not result in a satisfactory response, or if there is some reason that makes it inappropriate to speak with the employee, the next step is to make an appointment to speak with the employee’s supervisor. Normally this will be the director, manager, or dean of the division or program.

We encourage you to reach out to our Student Complaint Process Advocates for guidance, navigation assistance, and general support in the process. They can help you identify the appropriate supervisor, articulate your concerns, and seek other resources.

Colby Keene: Colby.Keene@seattlecolleges.edu or phone 206-934-6670
Teresa Robinson-Duane: Teresa.Robinson-Du1@seattlecolleges.edu or 206-934-6739

Formal Complaint Process

If the student feels the complaint was not resolved through the Informal Complaint Process, the student has the option of filing a Formal Complaint online here: Student Formal Complaint Form.

Student Grade Complaints

Student grade complaints as detailed in WAC-132-121-090 regarding grades received for course work can be filed using the informal or formal process. It is recommended that the informal process requesting a forum with the instructor and Dean serve as the initial step in the informal complaint process. Please contact Brianne Sanchez at Brianne.sanchez@Seattlecolleges.edu.

A student may only grieve the final grade received in a course. If the grade dispute is not resolved informally, the student may use the formal process to file only after the final grade has been received, however the complaint may include any or all of the entire component of the formal grade.

A formal complaint regarding a grade must be filed no later than the last day of the quarter which follows the quarter in which the disputed grade was received, except that a complaint regarding a spring quarter grade may be filed through the last day of the following fall quarter.