Drake University Student Complaint and Appeal Resources and Procedures

Drake's mission is to provide an exceptional learning environment that prepares students for meaningful personal lives, professional accomplishments, and responsible global citizenship. The Drake experience is distinguished by collaborative learning among students, faculty, and staff and by the integration of the liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation.

Consistent with our mission, Drake University welcomes your opinions and feedback about our policies, programs, and services in order to make changes that contribute to your success, development, and goal attainment. We also are committed to ensuring that students have access to appropriate procedures for articulating concerns and registering appeals. This page is designed to provide information and access to these resources. Please note that this is not an additional appeal stage.

In registering concerns and filing appeals, Drake students must follow the policies and procedures that have been established within the unit about which the concern is being filed. Generally, these policies and procedures require that you begin by discussing the matter with the staff, faculty, or department in which the issue originated.

• The Informal Complaint Process
• Officially Documented Complaints
• Drake Policies and Procedures for Complaints and Appeals
• Direct Assistance
  • Complaint and Appeal Assistance Form
  • Complaint Tracking Form

Informal Process

A student with a complaint--a concern that a policy or procedure of a unit has been incorrectly or unfairly applied in his/her particular case, or a formal charge against a person's behavior -- has recourse through complaint procedures. In most instances, complaints can be resolved through an informal process beginning with talking to the individual and his/her supervisor if necessary. Basic steps in the informal process include:

• Begin by discussing the matter with the staff, faculty, or department in which the issue originated.
• If the issue is not resolved, the next contact will be the supervisor, department chair, or associate/assistant dean to investigate the issue and allegations.

Officially Documented Procedures

If still unresolved after following the appropriate informal complaint procedures, the student may choose to have the issue "officially documented." Each college and school and each non-curricular unit has procedures for official complaints and appeals. All of these are consistent with the following general procedures.

• An explanation of the concern or appeal is submitted to the Office of the Dean of the college/school or Director of the appropriate unit.
  • It will be necessary that you be able to demonstrate that you already have attempted to resolve the concern through the informal procedures.
  • To establish official documentation, the complaint or appeal must be submitted in writing and must include the name, college, contact information of the person filing the complaint, and a brief description of the circumstances including who has been involved and current status.
• Students must refer to the respective college or department policies for submission and response timelines and procedures. Unit procedures will be followed in resolving formal complaints. Links to these procedures are provided below.