Appeals, Disputes, ADA Grievance Procedures

The College strives to maintain confidentiality for our students with disabilities regarding academic adjustments and grievances to the fullest possible extent, and information is only shared on a “need to know” basis.

Retaliation against a person filing a grievance is prohibited. If a student has experienced retaliation, then he/she/they should report it immediately.

Note: Discussing your concerns and desired outcomes, and reaching a mutually acceptable agreement or resolution, is the goal of this process.

1. Schedule a meeting with the Director of AccessAbility Services, Lara Sanford, if appropriate (if your grievance is against the Director of AccessAbility Services, then see the Assistant Vice President for Student Success, Tim Ecklund). Lara Sanford is located in Center for Student Success, Office 10, 5th Floor, Yager Hall, [email protected], 607-431-4546.

2. Schedule a meeting with the individual involved, if appropriate (faculty, staff, 3rd party contractor, student, etc.).

3. If no resolution is reached as a result of the initial meeting, schedule a meeting with the Department Chair (if your grievance is with a faculty member) or the supervisor (if your grievance is with a staff member).

4. If no resolution is reached as a result of the second meeting, then schedule a meeting with: the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, Cherilyn Lacy, if your grievance is with a faculty member (Academic Affairs, 2nd floor, Bresee Hall, [email protected] , 607-431-4885)
or the College Compliance Officer, Michael Arno, if your grievance is with a staff member. (Shineman Chapel House, Office 104; [email protected], 607-431-4293)

If the Informal Grievance Procedure does not result in a satisfactory resolution, then a student can choose to file a formal grievance. (Note: students can choose to file a formal grievance without going through the Informal Grievance Procedure). Students are encouraged to speak to the Director of AccessAbility Services throughout the Formal Grievance Procedure, but this is not required.

1. Write a letter documenting your grievance, including all important information, such as: names, dates and times, description of the concerns, what has been done to resolve the issue thus far, and the student’s contact information. Send this letter to the College Compliance Officer, Michael Arno. (Shineman Chapel House, Office 104; [email protected], 607-431-4293)

2. A review of the grievance will be conducted including an investigation, when appropriate.

3. The grievance will be reviewed, and a formal letter with a decision will be sent to the student within 60 days of submitting the letter.

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education is a law enforcement agency charged with enforcing federal civil rights laws to ensure that educational institutions receiving federal financial assistance do not engage in discriminatory conduct.

For more information, visit the Office of Civil Rights webpage: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html

To file a complaint, use the Office of Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint form:
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html