Policy 5.2: Student Grievance & Appeals Process

Applies to: A/BSN, CIPCT (MS), DNP, Certs, PhD

I. Policy Statement

The School of Nursing (SoN) provides a process for students to seek resolution of academic grievances, defined as concerns involving unfair treatment, errors, or inconsistent application of academic policy or decision-making. This policy ensures that student concerns are reviewed promptly and fairly, provides clear steps for informal and formal review, and protects students from retaliation when concerns are raised in good faith.

This policy is implemented in alignment with University of Washington requirements. All grievance and appeal processes in the School of Nursing operate within the authority of University policies, which govern the final resolution of student academic grievances:

Undergraduate/professional grievances follow Executive Order 58.
Graduate student grievances follow Graduate School Policy 3.8.

To carry out these University policies at the school level, the SoN designates its Program Coordinating Committees (BSNCC, DNPCC, M/PhDCC) as grievance committees. These committees include both faculty and student members, satisfying the requirements of EO 58 and GS 3.8.

If a Coordinating Committee member has a conflict of interest or recuses from a grievance review, the Executive Dean, in consultation with the Faculty Council Chair, appoints a substitute member to ensure impartiality and maintain required faculty and student representation.

II. Process

A. Scope

Covered matters include:

Academic-policy decisions (e.g., progression, transfer or course equivalency, committee determinations).
Application of program policies.
Faculty or staff actions alleged to be arbitrary, capricious, or inconsistent with published policy.
Instructional concerns should first be raised under Policy 5.1: Communicating Concerns About Instruction. If not resolved, they may advance to this formal grievance process.

Not covered under this policy:

Individual course grade appeals (SGP 110 applies; such appeals are not processed under this policy).
Discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, or disability accommodation disputes (refer to UW Civil Rights/Title IX or Disability Resources for Students).
Student disciplinary proceedings for misconduct, including plagiarism and cheating, fall under the provisions of the Student Conduct Code contained in the Student Policies Chapter 209 and Chapter 478-120 WAC.

B. Informal Resolution

Students are encouraged to attempt resolution through Policy 5.1: Communicating Concerns About Instruction before filing a formal grievance. Informal steps include:

Student–Instructor discussion
Course Coordinator (undergraduate only)
Department Chair
Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs (ADAA)

The UW Ombud may be consulted at any stage.

C. Initiating a Formal Grievance

A formal grievance must be submitted in writing by the student.
The written grievance should include:
- Student name and program of study
- Course or context of concern (if applicable)
- A clear description of the issue
- Steps already taken to resolve the concern informally
- The outcome or resolution sought by the student
Grievances should be submitted to the School of Nursing Dean’s Office SoNDean@uw.edu with a cc to sonadaa@uw.edu
The Dean’s Office will log the grievance and forward it to the Chair of the appropriate Program Coordinating Committee (BSNCC, DNPCC, M/PhDCC) for review and action.

D. Coordinating Committee Review

Upon receipt, the Coordinating Committee Chair will acknowledge the grievance on behalf of the committee.
Committee members with a conflict of interest will recuse themselves. If the Chair is named in the grievance or has a conflict of interest, the Dean’s Office will consult with the Faculty Council Chair to designate an alternate faculty to manage the case.
The Coordinating Committee will review the grievance (through written materials or a hearing if requested) and prepare a written recommendation for the Executive Dean. Program-specific requirements for undergraduate and graduate students are described in Section E.

E. Formal Grievance Procedure

1. Undergraduate Students (A/BSN)

Grievance Committee: The BSN Coordinating Committee (BSNCC) serves as the grievance committee, meeting EO 58 requirements for faculty and student membership.
Recommendation: The committee submits its written recommendation to the Executive Dean (sondean@uw.edu) with a cc to ADAA (sonadaa@uw.edu) within two business days of concluding its deliberations.
Decision: The Executive Dean issues the formal unit-level decision within 10 business days and communicates the decision to the student, instructor, department chair, BSNCC chair, and ADAA.
Appeal: Consistent with EO 58, the Dean’s decision may be appealed to the Provost within 15 business days for review of procedural uniformity. https://www.washington.edu/provost/connect/

2. Graduate Students (CIPCT, DNP, PhD)

Grievance Committee: The relevant Program Coordinating Committee (DNPCC, M/PhDCC) serves as the grievance committee, consistent with Graduate School Policy 3.8.
Recommendation: The committee submits its written recommendation to the Executive Dean (sondean@uw.edu) with a cc to ADAA (sonadaa@uw.edu) within two business days of concluding its deliberations.
Decision: The Executive Dean issues the formal unit-level decision within 10 business days and communicates the decision to the student, instructor, department chair, Coordinating Committee Chair, ADAA, and the Dean of the Graduate School.
Appeal: Consistent with Graduate School Policy 3.8, if the student believes procedural uniformity was lacking, they may appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School within 15 business days. https://grad.uw.edu/directory_entry/office-of-the-dean/

F. Records and Support

Documentation: Once a written grievance or appeal is filed, all subsequent actions are documented and retained by OSAA in compliance with UW records-retention schedules.
Support: OSAA staff are available to assist with documentation and process guidance. Students may also consult the UW Ombud at any stage.

III. Flowchart

IV. RACI Table

Activity	Student	Faculty	Department Chair	Coordinating Committee	ADAA	Executive Dean	Provost/Dean GS
Seek informal resolution	R/A	C	C		I
File written grievance	R/A				I	R (receives)
Review grievance/hearing			C	R/A	I
Issue written decision				C	I	R/A	I (Provost for UG; Dean GS for Grad)
File appeal beyond SoN	R				I		A (Provost for UG; Dean GS for Grad)
Maintain records					R	A

RACI Legend:

R = Responsible: Performs the task
A = Accountable: Ultimately answerable
C = Consulted: Provides input
I = Informed: Kept up to date

Related Policies & References

Last updated: September 2025