The staff of the Center for Accessibility Resources works collaboratively with students and faculty to coordinate disability-related services for students. This complaint/grievance procedure shall apply to all students registered with the Center for Accessibility Resources (Saint Paul, MN) at Metropolitan State University.
This procedure is designed to provide students with guidance through the process for registering a complaint or grievance.
Internal Complaint/Grievances Procedure
For complaints related specifically to accommodations provided through the Center for Accessibility Resources, the following procedures shall be followed:
- When a student does not agree with the denial of a requested accommodation, they are encouraged to discuss their concern with the Director of the Center for Accessibility Resources within thirty (30) days from the date of the denial. The complaint can be submitted either in writing (hard copy or electronic) or communicated verbally and should describe the decision they would like to discuss and the rationale behind it. Concerns can often be resolved at this informal level.
- If a student believes they have been or are being subjected to conduct prohibited by Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination in Employment and Education policies, they may file a discrimination/harassment complaint with the VP of Equity, Inclusion, and Affirmative Action.
- Students may also file a complaint directly with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (section 504) or the Department of Justice (ADA) if they feel they have been denied access to, or the benefit of, any university academic program or activity. Students are not required by law to use the institutional grievance/complaint process before filing a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR). A complaint must be filed within 180 calendar days of the date of the alleged discrimination.
- All Complaints/Grievances which do not involve the mandated rights of students can be resolved by following the Student Complaints and Grievances, University policy #3030. A listing of all University complaint reporting processes and forms can be found on the University's Student Concerns and Complaints page.