Grievance Procedure
Institutional Grievance Procedure
As outlined in the Student Handbook, any students wishing to voice a grievance against a member of the faculty/staff of Brookes or a fellow student must file a grievance with the Academic Dean. Paperwork for such a grievance is available in the Dean’s office. The Student Life Committee (SLC) for reviewing the grievance shall consist of the Academic Dean, President of the SGA, a student at large selected by the SGA, and the President or designee. When the (SLC) has reviewed the grievance, they will completely research the matter and interview the parties involved.
The following steps are to be followed for the grievance procedure:
1. A meeting will then be called with all parties involved that will agree to meet. This meeting should be within two weeks of the receipt of the grievance. Only one grievance will be handled for a student at a time. The goal at this meeting will be reconciliation of all parties to one another.
At the above meeting, the following guidelines will need to be followed.
2. The SLC will meet separately and recommend discipline which could include, but is not all inclusive:
3. The student meets with the SLC to hear the discipline.
4. There will be a review after the probation period to determine if any other action is necessary.
Documentation of the meeting, including any disciplinary measures will be kept in the student file in the Registrar’s office.
External Grievance Channels
In addition to the above procedure (from the Student Handbook), students may also seek external assistance through the channels below.
1. State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement Grievance Procedures (SARA)
Students enrolled in online or other distance education courses or online programs, who are
residents of states other than Missouri, and when such state is a SARA participating state, may,
after exhausting their options under Brookes Bible College’s grievance procedure, appeal the institution’s decision to the SARA Portal Agency, the Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE). Only complaints that do not involve grades or student conduct may be appealed within two years of the incident to the Missouri Department of Higher Education.
Leroy Wade
Assistant Commissioner
Missouri Department of Higher Education
205 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
573.751.2361
leroy.wade@dhe.mo.gov
If MDHE receives a complaint about a Missouri institution, the complainant will be contacted by MDHE staff to determine if the complainant has exhausted the grievance process at Brookes Bible College. If the institutional grievance process has been completed, MDHE will provide appropriate forms to file a formal complaint against the institution. If the complainant has not utilized the institutional remedies available, the individual will be directed to contact Brookes Bible College to seek resolution.
The formal complaint must be submitted in writing using the form provided by MDHE. The complaint may be mailed or faxed and must include supporting materials as well as documentation verifying that all institutional remedies have been exhausted. MDHE staff will acknowledge receipt of the formal complaint in writing.
SARA-related complaints that fall within the jurisdiction of MDHE will be investigated and resolved as appropriate by MDHE. SARA applies only to those complaints resulting from distance education courses offered by participating institutions to students in other SARA states. It does not apply to distance education activity inside Missouri or to on-ground campuses.
Complaints concerning criminal misconduct will be referred to local law enforcement authorities. Complaints relating to violations of federal law will be referred to the federal agency having jurisdiction over the matter in question.
Brookes Bible College will provide a response to the complaint within ten working days of official notification by MDHE. All parties to the complaint will be notified of its resolution by mail. MDHE will keep a log of all complaints, record the date received, the name of the complainant, the institution against which the complaint is made, a brief description of the complaint, and the date and nature of its disposition.
2. Missouri Department of Higher Education
The Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) has been assigned to serve as the clearinghouse for complaints concerning colleges and universities.
The State of Missouri recognizes that, “many issues fall within areas that generally are within the sole purview of an institution and its governing board.” Furthermore, “issues or complaints are generally more speedily and appropriately resolved within the grievance channels available at the institution.”
Missouri encourages students and prospective students with complaints to use all available informal means to resolve them. In other words, a complainant should first follow scriptural principles found in Matthew 18:15-17, before proceeding to more formal steps.
According to the State of Missouri, “Exhaustion of all informal and formal institutional processes, including both campus processes and any applicable system processes, is a prerequisite to filing any formal complaint with the MDHE.” Simply stated, the MDHE expects you to have followed Brookes Bible College’s procedures, prior to contacting them.
In the event that, “a mutually agreeable resolution can’t be reached at the institutional level, the student or prospective student may proceed with the MDHE’s formal complaint process. Prior to initiating this formal process, complainants must first call the MDHE at 573-526-1577 to indicate their desire to file a complaint.”
The MDHE will screen calls to ensure that Brookes Bible College’s complaint process has been followed. If the MDHE accepts the complaint, a complainant will be sent a form to be filled out and returned. Supporting documentation should be included in the formal complaint.
The MDHE will acknowledge receipt of your complaint. “If there is no indication that institutional remedies have been exhausted, the complaint will be returned for that purpose.”
Complaints that fall within jurisdiction will be investigated and resolved by the MDHE. Some complaints may need to be forwarded to another State Agency, or Brookes' accrediting body.
“All parties to the complaint will be notified of its resolution by mail.”
3. The Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)
Students and prospective students of Brookes Bible College may file complaints with our Accreditors: ABHE or the State’s designated agency.
http://www.abhecoa.org/forms.abhe.org/webdocs/Policy%20on%20Complaints.pdf
As outlined in the Student Handbook, any students wishing to voice a grievance against a member of the faculty/staff of Brookes or a fellow student must file a grievance with the Academic Dean. Paperwork for such a grievance is available in the Dean’s office. The Student Life Committee (SLC) for reviewing the grievance shall consist of the Academic Dean, President of the SGA, a student at large selected by the SGA, and the President or designee. When the (SLC) has reviewed the grievance, they will completely research the matter and interview the parties involved.
The following steps are to be followed for the grievance procedure:
1. A meeting will then be called with all parties involved that will agree to meet. This meeting should be within two weeks of the receipt of the grievance. Only one grievance will be handled for a student at a time. The goal at this meeting will be reconciliation of all parties to one another.
At the above meeting, the following guidelines will need to be followed.
- Prayer and possibly a Scripture will be read.
- Christian character must be maintained by all parties.
- No one will be allowed to interrupt one another.
- The student may have a witness to testify if necessary.
- All parties will have their voices heard.
- An attempt will be made to find all root causes.
- If an agreement to reconcile cannot be met, a third party/impartial mediator may be brought in to mediate for the sake of Christian harmony.
2. The SLC will meet separately and recommend discipline which could include, but is not all inclusive:
- Four (4) counseling sessions with the Academic Dean or his appointee.
- Trial period to assess any change in the situation.
- Any other restitution measures.
- Probation which will be determined by the committee.
3. The student meets with the SLC to hear the discipline.
4. There will be a review after the probation period to determine if any other action is necessary.
Documentation of the meeting, including any disciplinary measures will be kept in the student file in the Registrar’s office.
External Grievance Channels
In addition to the above procedure (from the Student Handbook), students may also seek external assistance through the channels below.
1. State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement Grievance Procedures (SARA)
Students enrolled in online or other distance education courses or online programs, who are
residents of states other than Missouri, and when such state is a SARA participating state, may,
after exhausting their options under Brookes Bible College’s grievance procedure, appeal the institution’s decision to the SARA Portal Agency, the Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE). Only complaints that do not involve grades or student conduct may be appealed within two years of the incident to the Missouri Department of Higher Education.
Leroy Wade
Assistant Commissioner
Missouri Department of Higher Education
205 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
573.751.2361
leroy.wade@dhe.mo.gov
If MDHE receives a complaint about a Missouri institution, the complainant will be contacted by MDHE staff to determine if the complainant has exhausted the grievance process at Brookes Bible College. If the institutional grievance process has been completed, MDHE will provide appropriate forms to file a formal complaint against the institution. If the complainant has not utilized the institutional remedies available, the individual will be directed to contact Brookes Bible College to seek resolution.
The formal complaint must be submitted in writing using the form provided by MDHE. The complaint may be mailed or faxed and must include supporting materials as well as documentation verifying that all institutional remedies have been exhausted. MDHE staff will acknowledge receipt of the formal complaint in writing.
SARA-related complaints that fall within the jurisdiction of MDHE will be investigated and resolved as appropriate by MDHE. SARA applies only to those complaints resulting from distance education courses offered by participating institutions to students in other SARA states. It does not apply to distance education activity inside Missouri or to on-ground campuses.
Complaints concerning criminal misconduct will be referred to local law enforcement authorities. Complaints relating to violations of federal law will be referred to the federal agency having jurisdiction over the matter in question.
Brookes Bible College will provide a response to the complaint within ten working days of official notification by MDHE. All parties to the complaint will be notified of its resolution by mail. MDHE will keep a log of all complaints, record the date received, the name of the complainant, the institution against which the complaint is made, a brief description of the complaint, and the date and nature of its disposition.
2. Missouri Department of Higher Education
The Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) has been assigned to serve as the clearinghouse for complaints concerning colleges and universities.
The State of Missouri recognizes that, “many issues fall within areas that generally are within the sole purview of an institution and its governing board.” Furthermore, “issues or complaints are generally more speedily and appropriately resolved within the grievance channels available at the institution.”
Missouri encourages students and prospective students with complaints to use all available informal means to resolve them. In other words, a complainant should first follow scriptural principles found in Matthew 18:15-17, before proceeding to more formal steps.
According to the State of Missouri, “Exhaustion of all informal and formal institutional processes, including both campus processes and any applicable system processes, is a prerequisite to filing any formal complaint with the MDHE.” Simply stated, the MDHE expects you to have followed Brookes Bible College’s procedures, prior to contacting them.
In the event that, “a mutually agreeable resolution can’t be reached at the institutional level, the student or prospective student may proceed with the MDHE’s formal complaint process. Prior to initiating this formal process, complainants must first call the MDHE at 573-526-1577 to indicate their desire to file a complaint.”
The MDHE will screen calls to ensure that Brookes Bible College’s complaint process has been followed. If the MDHE accepts the complaint, a complainant will be sent a form to be filled out and returned. Supporting documentation should be included in the formal complaint.
The MDHE will acknowledge receipt of your complaint. “If there is no indication that institutional remedies have been exhausted, the complaint will be returned for that purpose.”
Complaints that fall within jurisdiction will be investigated and resolved by the MDHE. Some complaints may need to be forwarded to another State Agency, or Brookes' accrediting body.
“All parties to the complaint will be notified of its resolution by mail.”
3. The Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)
Students and prospective students of Brookes Bible College may file complaints with our Accreditors: ABHE or the State’s designated agency.
http://www.abhecoa.org/forms.abhe.org/webdocs/Policy%20on%20Complaints.pdf
