Students Rights and Grievances

In the pursuit of their educational goals, students should be free of unfair and improper action by any member of the academic community. A grievance may be initiated by students when they believe that they have been subject to unjust action or denied their rights as stipulated in published district regulations, state laws, or federal laws. Such action may be initiated by students against a faculty, staff member, or administrator.

When students believe an injustice has been done to them, they may seek redress through the following procedures. The purpose of this procedure is to provide a prompt and equitable means of resolving student grievances. This procedure is available to any student who reasonably believes a decision or action has adversely affected his or her status, rights, or privileges as a student.

What Is a Grievance?

A claim by any student who reasonably believes a college decision or action has adversely affected his/her/their status, rights, or privileges as a student.

A grievance includes, but is not limited to, claims regarding:

• Course grades, to the extent permitted by Education Code § 76224 subdivision (a), which states: "When grades are given for any course of instruction taught in a community college district, the grade given to each student shall be the grade determined by the instructor of the course and the determination of the student's grade by the instructor, in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency, shall be final.” “Mistake” may include, but is not limited to errors made by an instructor in calculating a student’s grade and clerical errors;
• The exercise of rights of free expression protected by state and federal constitutions and Education Code § 76120.

A grievance is not:

• Student disciplinary actions which are covered under separate Board Policies and Administrative Procedures.
• Police citations (i.e. "tickets").; complaints about citations must be directed to the County Courthouse as with any traffic violation.

What is an Informal Resolution?

Each student who has a grievance shall make a reasonable attempt to resolve the matter on an informal basis prior to requesting a grievance hearing and shall attempt to resolve their grievance with whom the student has the grievance, that person's immediate supervisor, or the college administration.

How Do I Find Out More Information About Grievance Procedures?

Porterville College is part of the Kern Community College District; thus, all our policies and procedures align with those adopted by the KCCD Board of Trustees. For detailed information related to Student Rights and Grievances procedures, outcomes, and hearing process, please review KCCD Administrative Policy 5530 (AP 5530).

How Do I File a Grievance?

Once the student has spoken to either individual and has not received the desired resolution, the Dean of Student Success and Counseling will assist the student in the process with their written grievance. ONLY ONE EMPLOYEE MAY BE NAMED PER INTAKE FORM.

Repeated filings of the same grievance, filings of a frivolous nature, or capricious grievances against school personnel will be considered abuse of the student conduct and/or grievance procedures.

UPDATED JANUARY 2023