Student Grievance Procedure

Student Grievance Process

The University of New Mexico takes student complaints seriously and has processes in place to ensure those complaints are investigated thoroughly. The information on this page provides a brief overview of complaint processes, as they exist at UNM-Taos. Please see the UNM Student Pathfinder for additional details.

General Rules

A grievance must be initiated within 45 regular semester days of the date of origin of the grievance. The grievance procedure must be completed within 60 regular semester days of the receipt of the written complaint by the Student Affairs Committee.

Complaints are required to proceed through the Grievance Procedure in order beginning with Step 1. Complainants must represent themselves (i.e., be present) at any and all levels of grievance resolution.

All results at any level must be put in writing with a copy to the Director, Student Affairs and the Student Affairs Committee.

All infractions of local, state or federal statutes will be handled by the appropriate government authorities, but may also fall within the university grievance category.

The composition of the Student Affairs Committee may vary from branch to branch but must comprise representatives of the student, faculty and staff population.

A. Student vs. Faculty or Staff

Step 1. The student or complainant should first attempt direct resolution of a grievance in person with the party with whom there is a grievance. It is expected that in a university community, both parties should be able to resolve the grievance in a manner satisfactory to each at this level. The complainant shall be given the right to due process with impartiality. If the grievance is not resolved, the procedure detailed below should be followed.

Step 2. The student or complainant must register the complaint in writing with the party against whom he/she has the grievance specifying a time period (at least seven calendar days) within which a reply is expected in writing. The complainant must show proof of a dispute by filing a copy of the correspondence with the Student Affairs Committee. If the involved parties do not resolve the grievance at this level they should proceed to Step 3.

Step 3. If the dispute is not resolved in Step 2, the student shall state the complaint in writing to the appropriate department or division chairperson, with a copy to the Student Affairs Committee, for disposition of the dispute.

Step 4. If the dispute is not resolved in Step 3, the student shall state the complaint in writing to the Dean of Instruction and Student Affairs Committee, if the dispute is against faculty. If the dispute is against staff, the complaint should be forwarded to the Director, Student Affairs and the Student Affairs Committee.

Step 5. If the dispute is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, a formal hearing will be held before the Student Affairs Committee with the instructor/staff and student each presenting his/her case. The hearing shall be conducted as a rudimentary adversarial process in that both parties shall have the right to present their case, present evidence (both written and oral) and/or witnesses, and the opportunity to object to or rebut any evidence presented. The Student Affairs Committee will present its recommendation in writing to the student, the instructor or staff member, the chairperson of the department/division and the Dean of Instruction within seven calendar days following the hearing.

Step 6. The student or faculty/staff member may accept the Student Affairs committee’s recommendation or may appeal to the Campus CEO in writing within seven calendar days after the receipt of the Committee’s recommendation.

Step 7. The CEO will present a final decision in writing within seven calendar days. (However, if the grievance is against the CEO, the appeal should be made to the Dean of Instruction who must review and rule on the appeal within seven calendar days.)