Student Rights and Grievances Policy

Grievances

The following Grievance Procedure applies to all undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Elaine Marieb College of Nursing faculty and students follow this procedure.

The Academic Honesty Office (www.umass.edu/honesty) is the process manager for grievances brought under the Grievance Procedure as outlined in Academic Regulations. The Academic Honesty Office is responsible for ensuring that only those matters properly defined as academic grievances are pursued through this procedure, for advising all concerned parties of their rights and obligations under this procedure, for convening hearing panels, and for scheduling hearings. For each formal grievance which proceeds to a hearing, the Academic Honesty Office shall maintain a confidential file open only to the student, the instructor, the provost or designee, and the Hearing Panel.

To help determine if a situation is an academic grievance and to understand the process, nursing students are referred to the Ombuds Office. The Ombuds Office is a confidential and neutral place where students and instructors can receive help weighing their options, understanding relevant policies and available resources, and receiving referrals for more formal measures when circumstances warrant. It is sometimes the case that the issue of concern can be resolved through informal mediation and the Ombuds Office can provide informal mediation services.

Equal Opportunity and Access Office Grievance Policies and Procedures

Nursing students are directed to the Equal Opportunity and Access Office to file grievances alleging discrimination and a violation of the University's policies prohibiting such behavior. 

The Amherst campus of the University of Massachusetts and the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing are committed in policy, principle, and practice to maintain an environment which is divest of illegal discriminatory behavior and which provides equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, mental or physical disability, political belief or affiliation, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or genetic information. This commitment is consistent with federal and state laws and University policy. A major responsibility emanating from this commitment is the provision of a fair, effective, and efficient mechanism that rectifies or eliminates policies, practices, and actions that are discriminatory, lack provision for due process, or mitigate against the Amherst campus' affirmative action efforts.

FA 02/19; 9/21/22; 5/17/23