We also encourage students to also review their Student Handbook to learn more about
their rights and college standards.
General Grievances
The grievance procedure at Galveston College shall serve two purposes: to determine
whether an injury alleged by the grievant was the result of an error in the institution's
policies and procedures or in their administration, and if an error is established,
to determine an equitable redress for the grievant.
Issues shall include all student-related policies, extracurricular activities, athletics,
and/or other matters as appropriate. The purpose of the grievance procedure of Galveston
College is to ensure that all persons involved receive fair and equitable treatment
and that there is a clear trail of documentation for each case.
The student may be represented at any level of the complaint. Under extenuating circumstances,
a student may designate, in writing, a person to represent the student.
Level One:
All grievances voiced by students of Galveston College should first be aired in an
informal meeting between the student and the College representative directly involved
(i.e., instructor, coach, or administrator). At this face-to-face meeting, a bona
fide attempt must be made to resolve the issue(s) in question.
Level Two:
If the outcome of the conference at level one is not to the student's satisfaction,
the student has ten (10) working days to request a conference with the appropriate
supervisor(s), who shall schedule and hold a conference. Prior to or at the conference,
the student shall submit a written complaint that includes a statement of the complaint
and any evidence in its support, the resolution sought, the student's signature, and
the date of the conference with the appropriate supervisor, dean, or division coordinator.
Level Three:
If the outcome of the conference with the appropriate supervisor is not to the student's
satisfaction, the student has ten (10) working days to submit an appeal to the student
affairs committee. The appeal must be a written statement of the complaint and any
evidence in its support, the resolution sought, the date of the appeal, and the signature
of the student. The chairperson of the Committee shall schedule the appeal hearing
in as timely a fashion as possible.
Level Four:
If the matter is still not resolved by the Student Affairs Committee, the student
may appeal to the appropriate Vice President within ten (10) working days. The vice
president will forward the appeal decision to the student within ten (10) working
days of the receipt of the appeal document.
Level Five:
If the outcome of the appeal to the Vice President is not to the student's satisfaction,
the student may within ten (10) working days of receiving notice of the decision,
submit a written appeal to the College President. The written appeal at minimum must
include a written reason for the appeal or a statement of the problem and/or complaint,
the expected resolution. The President may, at his/her sole discretion choose to allow
oral arguments on the petition. The President may act to affirm, modify remand, or
reverse the decision. If no action is taken within sixty (60) days, The Vice President's
decision will be affirmed.
Level Six:
If the outcome of the appeal to the President is not to the student's satisfaction
the student may submit to the College President within ten(10) working days of the
President's decision a written request to place the matter on the agenda of the Board.
The College President or designee shall inform the student of the date, time, and
place of the meeting. (the posting of the Board's agenda shall be considered adequate
notice to the student).
Title IX / Sexual Misconduct Complaints
If any GC student have been impacted by any type of sexual harassment or sexual violence,
they are encouraged to report this to the Galveston College Title IX Coordinator.
More information on this reporting process can be found on our Title IX page.
Filing a Student Complaint with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
The role of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is to represent
the state of Texas and regulate compliance with the laws that fall under THECB’s authority.
THECB cannot offer legal advice to complaints and does not act as a student’s agent,
representative, or attorney. Any information THECB’s staff provides is not and should
not be interpreted as legal advice or representation. For additional guidance on filing
a student complaint with THECB, please access THECB’s online complaint portal at https://www.highered.texas.gov/student-complaints/