Faculty/Staff Complaint Procedure

The TMCC faculty/staff complaint procedure is available to all students, in-person or online, who wish to have a concern resolved about a TMCC faculty or staff member. This process is not for Grade Appeals or Refund Policy Exception Requests.

Please note that all complaints of a sexual harassment nature or an equal opportunity issue will be referred to the Human Resources Office for resolution, should the complaint(s) involve an employee of Truckee Meadows Community College.

Note: To file a complaint against a student, please refer to the Student Conduct Policy.

Objective

The objective of the TMCC faculty/staff complaint procedure is to resolve concerns about a faculty or staff member as quickly and efficiently as possible at the level closest to the student.

Complaint Form

The TMCC Faculty/Staff Complaint Form is available online and in any TMCC administrative office.

When to File a Complaint

A complaint should be filed during the semester of occurrence, but no later than 60 days from the first day of the following academic semester.

Filing a Complaint

Informal Resolution

Initially, the student who is considering submitting a complaint against a TMCC faculty or staff member should attempt to resolve the concern directly with the appropriate faculty member or staff member. If the complainant is not satisfied or not willing to address the issue with the individual, a formal process may be initiated.

Formal Resolution: Process

A faculty/staff complaint form must be completed, signed and submitted to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA). If the staff member works in another area of the college, such as Student Services, Facilities, etc., then the VPAA will refer the matter to the college Leadership Team member who supervises that area. If the complaint involves claims of discrimination or harassment, the VPAA will refer the matter to Human Resources.

For complaints concerning faculty/staff in Academic Affairs, the VPAA will promptly refer the matter to the Dean of the relevant division, and also to the relevant division, and/or the relevant Department Chair or Program Lead (Director, Coordinator, etc.).

If the complaint concerns a full-time instructional faculty member, the Dean will investigate the complaint. As part of their investigation, the Dean will speak with the complainant, the full-time faculty or staff member, consult with the Department Chair or Program lead as appropriate, review materials as needed, and share a written report by email within ten business days. The report may dismiss the complaint or recommend a resolution, and should be shared with the full-time faculty member, the complainant, the VPAA, and the Chair or Program Lead. Up to 10 business days may be required to complete this process. Complaints involving a full-time instructional faculty member that are submitted with fewer than 10 business days remaining in the semester, or that are submitted during the break between semesters, may not be completed until full-time instructional faculty return for the next semester.

If the complaint concerns a part-time instructor, the Department Chair or Program Lead will investigate the complaint and submit a written report to the division Dean by email within ten business days. As part of their investigation, the Chair or Program Lead will speak with the complainant, speak with the part-time faculty or staff member, and review materials as needed. In their report, the Chair or Program Lead will recommend a resolution to the Dean. The Dean will review the report from the Chair or Program Lead and respond to the complainant, the VPAA, and the Chair or Program Lead within ten business days. The Dean will either concur with the findings and recommendations, suggest a new resolution, or dismiss the complaint.

If there is no appeal, the decision of the Dean is final.

If the Complainant is Not Satisfied with the Resolution

The complainant may appeal to the Vice President of Academic Affairs within ten business days from the receipt of the Dean's written response.

The appeal must reasonably establish that:

  • The established procedures were not properly followed; or
  • An adequate opportunity to present evidence was not allowed; or
  • The evidence was not substantial enough to justify the decision or recommended resolution.

A decision regarding the appeal will be conducted in a reasonable amount of time by the VPAA. The decision of the VPAA on the appeal is final.

Online Learning Student Complaints

Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) has established a process of addressing online student complaints, including, but not limited to, complaints involving deceptive trade practices and other acts of fraud as outlined below. A student that wishes to file a complaint should follow the faculty/staff complaint procedure outlined above, and submit a TMCC Faculty/Staff Complaint Form.

Deceptive Trade Practices and Acts of Fraud Prohibited

Deceptive trade practices and other acts of fraud are prohibited including, but not limited to the following:

  1. To intentionally and materially represent falsely, directly or by implication any statement or representation, oral, written, or visual, in connection with the offering of educational services, including but not limited to statements or representations relating to recruitment and marketing information; tuition, fees and other charges; and admissions information;
  2. To adopt a name, trade name, or trademark that represents falsely, directly or by implication, the quality, scope, nature, size, or integrity of the institution or its educational services;
  3. To represent, directly or by implication, that students who successfully complete a course or program of instruction may transfer the credits earned to any institution of higher education;
  4. To intentionally and materially represent falsely, directly or by implication, in its advertising or promotional materials or in any other manner, the size, location, facilities, or equipment of the institution; the number or educational experience qualifications of its faculty; the extent or nature of any approval received from any state agency; or the extent or nature of any accreditation received from any accrediting agency or association; or
  5. To provide prospective students with testimonials, endorsements, or other information that materially misleads or deceives prospective students or the public regarding current practices of the institution.

If a student does not feel their online learning complaint is properly resolved by TMCC, they can file a complaint with Nevada’s SARA Portal Entity, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE).