Student Grievance Procedure

A grievance is defined as a complaint or dissatisfaction occurring when a student thinks that any condition at the College affecting him/her is unjust, inequitable or creates unnecessary hardship. Such grievances include but are not limited to mistreatment by any College employee; discrimination; problems with student or academic services; academic probation, suspension, readmission actions or other academic matters. These grievances do not include matters which have been determined through procedures prescribed for the Student Code of Conduct.

Exclusions

  • Discrimination: Grievances related to charges of discrimination due to age, color, sex, religion, national origin, race, creed, marital status, physical, or mental disability, or equity issues of any nature should be directed to the Equity Coordinator at equity@nfc.edu or 850-973-9481.
  • Fees: Grievances concerning the assessment or refund of tuition and fees shall be directed to the Dean of Administrative Services at rodgersm@nfc.edu or 850-973-1604.
  • Financial Aid: Grievances related to financial aid shall be directed to the Dean of Administrative Services at rodgersm@nfc.edu or 850-973-1604.
  • Parking and Traffic: Grievances related to parking or traffic regulations shall be directed to the Dean of Administrative Services at rodgersm@nfc.edu or 850-973-1604.
  • Contested Grades for Courses: See appeal procedure found at the end of this section and in the Academic Section of the NFC College Catalog.
The student is encouraged to seek out the Student Ombudsman, 850-973-9418 or ombud@nfc.edu, for guidance on this procedure, exclusions or any other matter of concern.
  1. Step One: The first step is an oral discussion between the student and the person(s) alleged to have caused the grievance. The student should meet with the person as soon as practical after becoming aware of the condition that is the basis for the grievance. If the student considers the response to this discussion to be unsatisfactory, he/she should initiate the action outlined in step
  2. Step Two: The second step requires the student to submit a written petition within five (5) working days after notification of the Step 1 decision to the immediate supervisor or department head of the person alleged to have caused the grievance.
    The written petition should include the following:
    • The student’s name, local address and phone number;
    • The name and office of the individual alleged to have caused the grievance;
    • A detailed statement of the event(s) being petitioned;
    • A statement of action previously taken to resolve the issue;
    • The results of these actions; and
    • The outcome desired by the student.
    • The supervisor or department head will render a written decision to the student within five (5) working days of the date the petition was filed or within a time limit mutually agreed upon by both parties.
  4. Step Three: Any student who is not satisfied with the response after completing Steps 1 and 2 may present the grievance in written form to the appropriate dean or vice-president within five (5) working days after receiving notification of the Step 2 decision.
    The student shall be informed of the Step 3 decision within (5) working days of the date the petition was filed or within a time limit mutually agreed upon by both parties.
All petitions filed shall be adjudicated to finality even if the aggrieved is no longer a student at the time of the proceeding.

Final Appeal

The President of the College or designee shall be the final appeal but only after the prescribed grievance process has been exhausted. The President or designee shall review the matter and decide what action, if any, should be taken.

All students are encouraged to work through the internal complaint and appeal procedures. Students who feel as if their complaint has not been addressed satisfactorily after completing the grievance procedure may contact the Division of Florida Colleges for additional information.

For more information visit:
https://www.fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/fl-college-system/about-us/complaints.stml

Florida Department of Education
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1544
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

Distance Education students, who have completed the internal institutional grievance process and the applicable state grievance process, may appeal non-instructional complaints to the FL-SARA PRDEC Council. For additional information of the complaint process, please visit the FL-SARA Complaint Process page.