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POLICY 08:23:00

EXTERNAL COMPLAINT DOCUMENTATION AND TRACKING

All formal external complaints against Pellissippi State Community College and against specific departments and persons associated with the College are addressed and logged in a timely manner in accordance with procedures delineated in this policy. Procedures in this policy apply specifically to complaints lodged by persons external to the College. All formal external complaints should be forwarded to the president’s office to be reviewed and assigned for resolution. The written resolution should be forwarded to the president’s office to be logged. Record of complaints are kept in the president’s office for a minimum of five years.

Definitions

Informal Complaint: A complaint that is expressed verbally or by email (if the email does not contain all the information required for a formal complaint) and is handled according to the informal complaint process.

Formal Complaint: A complaint that is submitted in writing, contains the required information as listed below, and is handled and recorded according to the formal complaint process.

Procedures

Informal Complaints

  1. The complaint is submitted verbally or by email and does not contain the required information to be a formal complaint.
  2. The college employee who was contacted conducts a face-to-face, telephone or email discussion with the complainant. If the complaint involves an instructor, the complainant is directed to discuss the situation with the instructor first, according to the process described in Pellissippi State Policy 03:11:01, or with another college official, according to the nature of the complaint, as described in the policies listed above.
  3. If a mutually satisfactory resolution cannot be reached through discussion, the complainant may be directed to the procedure for formal complaints outlined below.

Formal Complaints

  1. The complaint must be documented in writing via the external complaint form. External Complaint Form
  2. A formal complaint contains the following information:
    1. Date of filing of complaint
    2. Complainant information
      1. Name
      2. Phone number
      3. Address
      4. Email address
      5. Complainant relationship to the College
    3. Detailed description of the complaint, including the date of occurrence
    4. Resolution desired
  3. The administrator handling the complaint gathers information as necessary, including additional information from the complainant and from the respondent if allegations are made against another person.
  4. Following investigation, the College provides a written response (in hard copy or by email) to the complainant. A copy of the complaint and the written response is sent to the executive assistant to the president.
  5. The executive assistant to the president maintains a log of all external complaints reported to the president’s office. The annual log and complaint files are kept in the president’s office for a minimum of five years.

Reviewed/Recommended: President’s Council, August 14, 2017
Approved: President L. Anthony Wise, Jr., August 14, 2017
Reviewed/Recommended President’s Council, June 27, 2022
Approved President L. Anthony Wise Jr., June 27, 2022

Pellissippi State Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity or national origin, sex, pregnancy, disability, age (40+), status as a protected veteran, or any other class protected by Federal or State laws and regulations and by Tennessee Board of Regents policies with respect to employment, programs and activities. View the nondiscrimination policy. 

Any Pellissippi State employee, applicant, or student who has reason to feel that they have been harassed or affected by discrimination, or who has any other concerns or questions about equal opportunity, should contact the following: Executive Director of Institutional Compliance, Title IX Coordinator/Title VI Officer/ADA Officer/ Pellissippi State Community College Goins Administration Building, Room 258 10915 Hardin Valley Road P.O. Box 22990 Knoxville, TN 37933-0990 Office: (865) 539-7354. Questions about services and facilities for students with disabilities should be directed to the following: Director of Disability Services Pellissippi State Community College Lamar Alexander Building, Room AL 136 10915 Hardin Valley Road P.O. Box 22990 Knoxville, TN 37933-0990 (865) 539-7153