1. A formal student complaint has been defined by Pratt Community College (PCC) as “An issue, complaint or problem relating to instruction (see paragraph 3-4) college services, facilities, or other operational aspects of the college presented in and signed by the student(s)”. This complaint procedure is designed for issues other academic or disciplinary appeals (see “Student Due Process Procedures” in the Student Handbook and College Catalog for information). The student complaint must be written and signed by the student to allow for proper follow-up and resolution. A student complaint form is available on the college website home page in the Quick Links box or a written complaint can be filed in the office of the Vice President of Students/Enrollment Management (college services), Vice President of Finance & Operations (facilities), Vice President of Instruction (academic), Director of Athletes (athletics), and Chief Information Officer (Information Technology relative to the complaint.
2. Copies of all written complaints, as defined above and the final subsequent resolution will be forwarded to the Vice President of Students/Enrollment Management annually for institutional tracking and subsequently filed for three years in accordance with Federal guidelines. The offices of the VP of Instruction, S/EM, F&O. Athletics, and CIO will resolve student complaints in their respective areas within 10 business days from the date the complaint is received. If extended time is required due to the nature of the complaint, the student will be notified by the respective office. A copy of the final resolution provided to the student will be filed with the Vice President of Students/Enrollment Management Office for institutional record.
3. Written academic issues and complaints made by students will be collected by the VP of Instruction. Resolution will be the responsibility of the respective area and tracked by the Office of the VP of Instruction.
4. A record of the academic complaint and subsequent resolution will be filed in the office of the VP of Instruction for three years in accordance with Federal guidelines.
5. If a student is unable to resolve the complaint through the above process, he/she has the option to submit a written complaint to the President within 10 days from the time the student receives a written response from the previous level.
6. A student has the option to submit a written complaint to the Board of Trustees, C/O Clerk of the Board, - Pratt Community College, 348 NE SR 61, Pratt, Kansas 67124 - if the student is not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint, after following the process explained above. The written complaint should include the following information:
- Name, current mailing address, phone number of complainant
- Email address
- Dates of your enrollment
- Details of your complaint
- Expected outcome
The Board will reply to the student within 10 business days to let her/him know they have received the complaint and whether it requires any additional information. The Board will let the student know their tentative plan for investigating and resolving the complaint and will update her/him if it takes longer than originally planned. The Board will send the student a written response, usually within 45 days of receipt of your complaint, explaining the investigation and the resolution. A record of the complaint and subsequent resolution will be filed in the Office of the President for three years in accordance with Federal guidelines.
- In addition to utilizing the statutorily created political subdivisions of the state complaint process:
- Consumer protection and/or fraud complaints may be filed with the Kansas Attorney General’s office.
- Discrimination complaints may be filed with the Kansas Human Rights Commission
- Complaints regarding State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) courses delivered by SARA member community colleges may be filed by students enrolled in those courses with the Kansas Board of Regents office.
- Kansas Community Colleges are regionally accredited by the North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission on Colleges and Universities (NCAHLC). Complaints regarding an institution’s ongoing ability to meet the Criteria of Accreditation may be filed by following the guideline at: https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/complaints.html
Complaints regarding State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) courses delivered by SARA member community colleges may be filed by students enrolled in those courses with the Kansas Board of Regents office. Unresolved student concerns regarding programs authorized through SARA should be directed to the state portal agency:http://kansasregents.org/resources/PDF/Academic_Affairs/3257-ComplaintForm_SARAinstitutions.pdf
Revision Dates: 07-01-2023, 02-19-2019, 07-18-2017, 05-16-2017, 01-25-2016, 2-19-2013, 11-02-2010
