Georgetown College faculty, staff, and students strive to solve problems as they arise. In this context, individuals are encouraged to discuss first any complaints or concerns with the person believed to be responsible for the problem. However, under some circumstances, the person alleging the grievance may prefer to discuss the matter first with a college official rather than the alleged offender and can do so at any point.
If a student feels that a problem has not been addressed or satisfactorily resolved, the following Formal Complaint process can be utilized. To file a Formal Complaint, the student must submit the complaint in writing via hard copy or email to the Dean of Students. This statement must be clearly titled “Formal Complaint” and detail the incident or complaint with the following components:
- A brief narrative of the condition(s) giving rise to the grievance and includes the date, time, and location when the incident took place, as applicable;
- A designation of the parties involved; and
- A statement of the remedy requested.
Depending on the situation, the Dean of Students may appoint the alleged offender’s direct supervisor to investigate the complaint. For example, a Residence Life staff member may be asked to investigate a complaint about a Resident Director.
Throughout the complaint procedure, an attempt is to be made to resolve the issue. If the issue cannot be satisfactorily resolved, then the Dean of Students may form an impartial committee to determine the remedy. Final appeal may be made to the President.