The Student Complaint/Grievance Process is intended to give students a quick and fair means to resolve complaints. The procedure may be started by an individual student or group of students who believe they have been treated unfairly or that their rights as students have been impeeded. 

What is a Grievance?

  • A claim by any student who reasonably believes a District decision or action has adversely affected their status, rights, or privileges as a student. A Grievance includes, but is not limited to, official processes that directly impact a student’s status as well as claims regarding the exercise of rights of free expression protected by state and federal constitutions and Education Code Section 76120. 

What is not a Grievance?

  • 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 College Public Safety Office
  • A complaint such as an informal expression of dissatisfaction regarding your day-to-day student experience, such as a concern about campus facilities, long wait times for services, or a minor disagreement. 

Skyline College is committed to an educational environment that is free from interference and disruption and fosters equity and mutual respect. Skyline College complies with Federal regulations designed to provide equitable treatment of all students regardless of race, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability (see Title IX of the Education Act of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American Disabilities Act of 1992).

Note: the grievance process below covers grade disputes, general complaints (i.e., employee behavior, services, etc.), and academic accommodation disputes. If you believe you've been the victim of sexual or gender discrimination, harassment, or violence, or other types of unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation based on your ethnicity, religion, age, sex, disability, etc., contact the Skyline College Title IX Coordinator.

The following is a summary of our policies with links to the official policies in the Skyline College Catalog students' rights and responsibilities section.

Types of Grievances

Skyline College is committed to the ideal that all students should have recourse from unfair and improper action on the part of any member of the College Community.

A student may file a grievance or appeal if they believe they are the victim of unjust action or denied their rights as a student. Students may appeal disciplinary decisions, grade grievances, unlawful discrimination or sexual harassment.

Academic (Excluding Grade) and Non-Academic Grievances
Initially, the student shall attempt to resolve the dispute informally with the appropriate staff member at the point of initial decision. If the dispute is not resolved, the student may initiate a formal appeal with the Vice President of Student Services and must do so within one (1) year. The student may further appeal, in order, to the President, the Chancellor, and the Board of Trustees.

Grade Grievances
Initially, the student shall attempt to resolve the grade dispute informally with the instructor. If the dispute is not resolved, the student may initiate a grade grievance with the appropriate division dean. If the grievance is not resolved at the division dean level, the student may appeal to the Vice President of Instruction, whose decision is final. There is a deadline of one (1) year from the date that the grade is posted for a student to initiate a grade change.

Parking Citation Appeals
Parking citations may be contested by completing a request online at http://www.pticket.com/csm/.

Complaint Process

A complaint is an informal expression of dissatisfaction regarding your day-to-day student experience, such as a concern about campus facilities, long wait times for services, or a minor disagreement regarding a service provided. 

Step 1:  Request to meet with the employee or other person directly involved to discuss your concern and attempt to reach an agreement.  If a mutually acceptable agreement is reached, the process has completed.  If an agreement cannot be reached, move to step 2:

Step 2: Complete a Complaint Form. You will receive a response, and if your concern is resolved by the dean or manager, the process has completed. If the concern has not been resolved, you may move to Step 3 of the Grievance Process outlined below.

Grievance Process

A grievance is a claim by any student who reasonably believes a District decision or action has adversely affected their status, rights, or privileges as a student. A Grievance includes, but is not limited to, official processes that directly impact a student’s status as a student.

Step 1:  Request to meet with your instructor or other person directly involved to discuss your concern and attempt to reach an agreement.  If a mutually acceptable agreement is reached, the process has completed.  If an agreement cannot be reached, move to step 2:

Step 2: Complete an Informal Grievance Form.  This process outlines the steps taken thus far to address the grievance as well as hoped outcomes. You will receive a response, and if your concern is resolved by the dean or manager, the process has completed. If the concern has not been resolved, you may move on to step 3.

Step 3: Complete a Formal Statement of Student Grievance.   This process will begin a formal review of the grievance submitted following the process outlined in Administrative Procedure 7.73.1 Student Grievances and Appeals  .  Vice President of Instruction decisions on academic grades are final.

Vice President decisions on Academic (Excluding Grade) and Non-Academic Grievances may be further appealed, in order, to the College President, the District Chancellor, and the Board of Trustees.

Step 1) Complaint Form   Step 2) Formal Grievance Resolution Form   Full Grievance Policy  

Sexual Harassment

Skyline College does not tolerate sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct includes (but is not limited to) sexual assault, sexual exploitation, stalking, cyber-stalking, bullying and cyber-bullying, and retaliation. If you have been a victim of sexual misconduct, you can get help and make a report. As a recipient of federal funds, Skyline College is subject to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 which prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities.

Title IX Full Sexual Harassment Policy  

Nondiscrimination Policy

Skyline College has a policy of providing an educational and employment environment in which no person shall be unlawfully subjected to discrimination on the basis of ethnic group identification, national origin, religion, age, sex, race, color, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or physical or mental disability in any program or activity that is administered by, funded directly by, or that receives any financial assistance from the State Chancellor or Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.

Full Nondiscrimination Policy  

Non-Categorized Complaints

Most complaints, grievances or disciplinary matters should be resolved at the campus/district level. If a complaint does not fall into one of the categories above, the complaint should be addressed in writing to the college President at the following address:

Dr. Nate Carter, President
3300 College Drive
San Bruno, CA 94066

Individuals are strongly encouraged to make every attempt to resolve matters through the appropriate administrative processes. Matters that are not resolved internally may be processed by using the following agencies in the order described below.

Contact the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) if your complaint is associated with the institution's compliance with academic program quality and accrediting standards. ACCJC is the agency that accredits the academic programs of the California Community Colleges.

If your complaint does not concern the California Community College's compliance with academic program quality and accrediting standards, you may contact the California Community College Chancellor's Office by completing the CCCCO Complaint Process.