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Table of Contents
Academic and Consumer Complaints
Policies and procedures for filing a complaint.

Student Academic Complaint Procedure

I. Scope. This policy applies to student complaints concerning:

A. Assignment of grade

B. Professional conduct of an instructor that does not involve a complaint of discrimination or harassment, such as a complaint of unfair treatment not involving discrimination or decisions about eligibility for program or degree requirements. For complaints of discrimination or harassment, refer to the Policy for Resolving Student Complaints of Discrimination or Harassment in the Student Handbook. The Student Handbook is online at www.wnmu.edu.)

II. Definitions.

A. “Working days’ means Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, unless the day is a school holiday or vacation period. If the last day of the designated time period is a school holiday or vacation period, the designated time period will run until the end of the next day which is not a school holiday or vacation period. The term “vacation period” does not include the week of final exams.

III. Procedures.

A. Step I. 
      1. The student must submit a written complaint to the instructor and the Associate Dean or Chair of the Department of the instructor within thirty (30) working days of receiving grade notification or experiencing the disputed conduct.
        EXCEPTION:
        a. If the complaint is regarding professional conduct of an instructor that does not involve a complaint of discrimination or harassment, the student may select to skip Step I and move directly to Step II.
      2. The instructor will respond to the student and the Associate Dean or Chair of the Department of the Instructor within ten (10) working days from the receipt of the complaint. The response will be in writing, stating the decision and the basis for the decision.
      3. If the student is satisfied with the decision, the complaint will be considered resolved. If the student is dissatisfied with the instructor’s decision, the student may proceed to Step II.
B. Step II. 
      1. The student must submit a written appeal of the instructor’s decision within ten (10) working days to the Associate Dean or Chair of the department of the instructor and the Dean of the College, providing a
        copy of the original complaint and stating why the student is dissatisfied with the instructor’s written decision.
      2. The Associate Dean or Chair of the department will review the appeal and respond to the student, the instructor, and the Dean of the College within ten (10) working days of receiving the written appeal. The response will be in writing stating the decision and the basis for the decision. The Associate Dean or Chair of the department may interview those needed to decide, review documents, and review any relevant documentation to make their decision.
        EXCEPTION:
        a. If the instructor is the Associate Dean or Chair of the department, the student must submit a written appeal of the instructor’s decision within ten (10) working days to the Dean of the College and the Vice President of Academic Affairs, providing a copy of the original complaint and stating why the student is dissatisfied with the instructor’s decision. The Dean of the College will review the appeal and respond to the student, the instructor, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs within ten (10) working days of receiving the written appeal. The response will be in writing, stating the decision and the basis for the decision. The Dean of the College may interview those needed to decide, review documents, and review any relevant documentation to make their decision.b. If the Associate Dean or Chair of the department is conflicted, the Associate Dean or Chair will submit the appeal immediately to the Dean of the College and the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The Dean of the College will review the appeal and respond to the student, the instructor, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs within ten (10) working days of receiving the written appeal. The response will be in writing, stating the decision and the basis for the decision. The Dean of the College may interview those needed to decide, review documents, and review any relevant documentation to make their decision.
      3. If the student is satisfied with the decision, the appeal will be considered resolved. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision, the student may proceed to Step III. The Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs will maintain the records of the complaint and take any actions needed. In case of employment related matters, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will work with the Office of Employee and Labor Relations for any necessary disciplinary actions.
C. Step III.
      1. The student must submit a written appeal to the Student Appeals Committee for a hearing. The student must submit the request within ten (10) working days of receiving the written decision in Step II.

Consumer Complaint Process

Western New Mexico strives to resolve complaints internally whenever possible.  However, if the complainant is not satisfied with the University’s proposed resolution or final decision, the complainant may submit a complaint to the New Mexico Higher Education Department:

New Mexico Higher Education Department
2044 Galisteo Street, Suite 4
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Phone: (505) 476-8400
Website: https://hed.nm.gov

The University prohibits retaliation against any student who files a complaint or participates in a complaint process in good faith. Records of student complaints and their resolution will be maintained by the University in accordance with applicable records-retention requirements.

For students enrolled in distance education programs offered under the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), all institutional complaint procedures must be exhausted before a complaint may be submitted to the New Mexico Higher Education Department as the State Portal Entity.