Grievance Procedures

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A grievance is a claim, complaint, or expression of concern made by a student regarding any aspect of their educational experience including misapplication of campus policies, rules, regulations, and procedures, or unfair treatment such as coercion, reprisal, or intimidation by an instructor or other campus employee. Students should initially discuss the grievance with their instructor or program director.

An appeal is the escalation of the complaint to a next level authority. If the appeal is about an academic decision such as a grade, see the “Academic Appeals Policy.”

A student has the right to appeal all matters with respect to:

  • A disciplinary action taken for a violation of student conduct standards.
  • Admissions decisions.
  • Tuition and fees matters.
  • Financial awards or policies, including Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
  • Educational policies, procedures, and grading concerns.

Concerns about academic matters should first be addressed through the “Academic Appeals Policy”; concerns about nonacademic matters should first be addressed directly with the program director(s).

Certain decisions may not be appealed. If students are terminated for failing to meet standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), including exceeding the maximum timeframe to complete the program, they are not entitled to appeal unless there is documented proof of mitigating circumstance such as a medical or disability condition that impacted their ability to study or participate in the program. The specific requirements for SAP appeals process are contained in Denver College of Nursing’s “Satisfactory Academic Progress” policy.

Students with unresolved complaints regarding conduct decisions or other non-academic grievances should follow the four steps listed below:

  1. The first step in the process is to address and resolve the dispute with the person involved through discussion. Students with a grievance or complaint needs to raise their concerns as soon as possible in order to assure that a settlement is made in a timely fashion. If the dispute cannot be resolved at this level, students are encouraged to address the issue verbally with their program director.

  2. If the dispute cannot be resolved through addressing the issue with the program director, the second step is to appeal the decision to the Conduct Standards Committee. The written complaint must be submitted to the Chair of the Conduct Standards Committee within seven (7) calendar days of the incident or notification of termination. The appeal document should include a description of the disputed items, the date or dates when the issue arose, the reason why the student is appealing the decision, and the steps the student has taken to resolve the dispute to date. When submitting an appeal, the student should include as much factual evidence as possible, such as evidence of extenuating circumstances.

    The Chair of the Conduct Standards Committee will oversee the gathering of additional data about the issue or incident as necessary. The Chair of the Conduct Standards Committee will then convene a meeting of the Committee which will consist of the College’s Deans, academic program directors, and faculty to meet with the student if requested and/or otherwise assess and develop a resolution to the complaint. The student may, but is not required to, attend the Committee meeting.

    A response from the Conduct Standards Committee will be provided to the Dean of Nursing after the committee meeting. All decisions will be provided in writing and delivered to the student from the Dean of Nursing within 48 hours of the Committee’s notification of the decision.

  3. If the dispute has not been resolved or if the student is still unsatisfied with the response in Step 2, the student may take a third step and file the appeal to the Campus President. This appeal must be in writing and must be received in the office of the President within seven (7) calendar days of being notified of the Conduct Standards Committee’s decision. The Campus President will investigate the issue and will respond to the student within seven (7) calendar days of receiving the escalated complaint. All decisions will be provided in writing.
  4. If the dispute remains unresolved, the student may contact the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) https://cdhe.colorado.gov or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) https://www.highered.texas.gov. Nothing precludes the state where the student is located from also working to help resolve the complaint.

Denver College of Nursing’s Associate Degree in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree programs (Denver only) are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The complaint process for ACEN is at https://www.acenursing.org/students-public/complaints. They have also been granted full approval by the Colorado Board of Nursing (CBON). The complaint procedure for CBON is found at https://dpo.colorado.gov/FileComplaint.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program at the Houston Campus has been granted approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and the Texas Board of Nursing (TXBON). The complaint procedures are outlined at https://www.highered.texas.gov/student-complaints and https://www.bon.texas.gov/discipline_and_complaints_policies_and_guidelines_filecomplaint.asp.html.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and the Master of Science in Nursing degree programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The complaint procedures are outlined in the document Procedures for Accreditation of Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs found at https://www.aacnnursing.org/ccne-accreditation/accreditation-resources/standards-procedures-guidelines.

Denver College of Nursing is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The complaint procedure for HLC is outlined at https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/complaints.html.

If the student has been dismissed, the student will remain dismissed until the matter is resolved. If the matter is resolved in the student’s favor, the student will be reinstated at the next available course start date.

If the student’s eligibility for financial aid has been suspended, the student may remain in school during the appeals process.

Online Student Complaints

Denver College of Nursing is committed to helping each student achieve their individual educational and career goals and objectives. We are responsive to issues that concern our students. If a student has a concern regarding any aspect of their education, Denver College of Nursing procedures for handling the complaint, grievance, or appeal are outlined in the catalog and must be completed in the order presented.

If a complaint cannot be resolved at the college level through its grievance procedures, students may contact the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) as the designated state agency for complaint resolution. Nothing precludes the state where the student is located from also working to help resolve the complaint. Procedures for filing a complaint are found at https://cdhe.colorado.gov/complaint-procedures.

If a student resides outside of Colorado, the student may contact the responsible state agency in the student’s home state. Utah residents may contact the State of Utah Department of Commerce Division of Consumer Protection at https://db.dcp.utah.gov/complaints.html.
or
Utah Department of Commerce Division of Consumer Protection 160 East 300 South
SM Box 146701
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6704 (801) 530-6601
www.dcp.utah.gov