Policies

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) requires its Accredited Institutions to have student grievance and public complaint policies and procedures that are reasonable, administered, and well publicized. The Commission also requires, in accordance with federal regulations, that each institution maintain a record of complaints received. This record is made available to the Commission upon request. The Commission will review and evaluate this record as part of the institution’s decennial evaluation.

PURPOSE
The institution must have adequate procedures for addressing student grievances and public written complaints and must demonstrate that it follows those procedures when resolving complaints. This policy also addresses who is responsible for maintaining the relevant files.

RESPONSIBILITY
Executive Cabinet, Human Resources, and All Affected Managers

STUDENT PROCEDURE

Students at Georgetown College have the right to be treated fairly and with integrity. Students are expected to treat others fairly and to act with integrity. Procedures outline student responsibilities and rights (e.g., the Judicial System, Honor System, Academic Grievance Procedure). The Provost/Dean of the College is the primary resource for resolving all student complaints regarding academic issues, and specific procedures for academic grievances are published in the college Catalog. The Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students is the primary resource for resolving all other student complaints. Students are encouraged to write, call, or visit the appropriate office to report a concern. Formal complaints should be in writing and titled “Formal Complaint.” We will provide a written response within 14 days.

If a student is not satisfied with the provost’s decision, the student may file a consumer complaint with the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. Click here to file a complaint.

FACULTY AND STAFF PROCEDURE
Staff should refer to Policy GCPP-4-07-01 (Dispute Resolution) for grievance procedures. Faculty should refer to the Faculty Handbook for procedures related to any grievances they may have.

PUBLIC CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS
Direct any written concern or complaint from the public (emails and/or letters) to the appropriate area of the college for a response. Phone calls will be handled on a case-by-case basis, with the appropriate person responding. The person responding to the call should advise the caller that formal action requires a formal, written complaint. Gather and maintain documentation, including written statements from the individual and any meeting notes, in the appropriate office.

RECORD RETENTION
Documentation of grievances (student, faculty, staff, or the public) will be maintained in central locations, depending on the area involved. Staff grievances will be maintained in the Human Resources Office. The Provost’s Office will maintain faculty grievances and student academic grievances. The VP of Student Life / Dean of Students’ Office will maintain documentation of other student grievances. The Public Relations Office will maintain documentation of public complaints.

Documentation should include written statements from the parties involved, notes from any meetings, and any decisions reached to resolve the disputed issue. Everything should be dated and signed by the parties involved.

For students, these files will be retained for at least six years from the date of the incident. For faculty and staff, files will be maintained for no longer than seven years after the employee has left Georgetown College. Files for public complaints will be maintained for at least five years.

ce of Marketing and Communications manages all official social media accounts associated with Georgetown College.

Social media is a tool for informing and building community, as well as for further engaging with students, parents, alumni, and friends of Georgetown College. Content and communications on social media accounts reflect the College’s mission to deliver a championship-level education of the heart and mind to its students.

As an institution, the College welcomes open discussion and values the community and connections that social media can foster.

However, Georgetown College reserves the right to hide or delete any comments or posts that directly contradict its mission and values or that it deems inappropriate, such as:

• Posts that are bullying, defamatory, harassing, intimidating, or threatening
• Posts deemed lewd or profane
• Posts or comments deemed irrelevant to the subject under discussion
• Misleading or incorrect posts
• Sexually explicit or obscene material
• Posts deemed discriminatory (refer to the College’s non-discrimination policy)
• Posts deemed spam, which have a commercial purpose
• Any post that violates copyright
• Any post that violates an individual’s privacy
• Any post that contradicts the mission and values of Georgetown College

Repeated failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in an individual or a page being blocked or banned from interacting with the College’s social media accounts.

As a Christian institution, Georgetown College builds community through admissions, hiring, and promotion policies based on merit, qualification, and character. As a matter of policy and in compliance with state and federal laws, Georgetown College operates on the principle of non-discrimination. Georgetown College does not discriminate in the admission of students, the hiring and promotion of employees, or the administration of any educational policies, programs, or activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability, or veteran status. Because the College is primarily residential, Georgetown College reserves the right to restrict admissions to undergraduate programs on the basis of sex, if necessary, due to limited campus housing availability. The College may use religion as a factor in making faculty employment decisions and in Board of Trustees appointments. This policy complies with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Direct inquiries or concerns to the Director of Human Resources or the Title IX Coordinator at 502.863.8000.