Grievance Procedures
Policies and Procedures – No. 9
Grievance Procedures
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was enacted to protect individuals with disabilities against discrimination in areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, education, transportation, communication, health services, and access to public services. HCCS policy is to make all reasonable efforts to accommodate students with disabilities, and these procedures are written to help students understand avenues available to them should they have a problem under the ADA.
The Director of EEO/Employee Relations for HCCS is designated as the ADA Compliance Officer and will handle formal ADA complaints.
The procedures for filing a discrimination complaint based on disability are:
Informal
HCCS strives to resolve differences through informal resolution procedures wherever possible. Complaints regarding ADA-based academic accommodations should be submitted to the Director of Disability Support Services or the appropriate dean for informal resolution. For academic students, the appropriate dean is the Academic Dean; for workforce students, the appropriate dean is the Workforce Dean. Confidentiality will be maintained to the fullest extent possible.
Formal
To file a formal complaint on the basis of disability or association with a person with a known disability, notify the HCCS Office of EEO/Employee Relations Office in person. Be prepared to provide the following information:
- The issue(s) involved in the complaint.
- Identification of the complaining party’s disability.
- The date(s) of the incident(s).
- Details of what occurred or continues to occur.
- Identification of witnesses who have knowledge related to the complaint.
The Director of EEO/Employee Relations will work with the complainant and formally investigate the complaint, if necessary. The complainant will be notified of the conclusions of the investigation and the recommendations for resolution as soon as practical. Appeals of formal complaints can be made to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Educational Development.
If the complaint concerns accommodations outside of the academic area or is directed toward the DSSO program or staff, it should be submitted to the Dean of Student Development.
