Grievance Process

Procedures for reporting a concern or grievance related to an accommodation or disability-related issue are detailed in the LSCPA Student Handbook. 

Staff members in the ODS engage in the interactive process with students and ensure that appropriate, reasonable accommodations and services are provided. If a student experiences a problem in receiving accommodations, please make the ODS Coordinator aware of the issue(s) as soon as possible. The nature of a program or course may pose barriers that the student or the Coordinator did not anticipate and may require additional or alternative accommodations. It is important that the student makes the ODS Coordinator aware, so any changes in the accommodations can be made. 

The following steps are in accordance with the LSCPA Student Handbook, if a student is unhappy with the services received from the ODS or LSCPA or feels he/she has been discriminated against based on his/her disability:

• The first step is to speak to the ODS Coordinator to see if the complaint can be addressed and resolved.  This step should be done no later than 5:00 p.m. on the second working day following the initial offense. 
• Step two, if the student feels the issue was not resolved the student may request assistance to ensure the grievance process is accurately followed by appealing the decision to the ODS Coordinator’s supervisor, the Director of Advising and Retention. 

The appeal to the Director of Advising and Retention must be made no later than 5:00 p.m. on the working day following the ODS Coordinator’s decision. 

• Step three, if the Director of Advising and Retention cannot resolve the issue, then the student can appeal the matter to the Dean of Student Services.  The appeal to the Dean MUST be in writing, MUST specify what actions are being appealed, and MUST state what remedies the student expects.  This MUST be received by the Dean no later than 5:00 p.m. on the second working day following the student’s notification of the decision made by the Director of Advising and Retention.  If the Dean of Student Services is absent, then the student may address the written statement of the alleged grievance to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
• In each step, the student has the right to meet privately with the ODS Coordinator, Director of Advising and Retention, the Dean of Student Services and/or the Vice President of Academic Affairs, without the offending person being present.  However, the Dean may invite the ODS Coordinator and Director of Advising and Retention to the meeting if that individual is not the offending party.  The Dean will notify all persons involved of the decisions and recommendations. 
• If the grievance results in a hearing with the Student-Faculty Relations Committee a full investigation of the alleged grievance will occur. The Student-Faculty Relations Committee will make reasonable effort to complete the committee report within two (2) weeks from the date it receives the grievance statement from the Dean of Student Services.

In the case of a dispute, the student must be granted the accommodation until the dispute has been settled through appropriate policy.