A student may file a complaint with the Academic & Disabilities Support (ADS) Office if that student believes that Goddard College has inadequately applied the principles and/or regulations of Section 504 or the ADA in some way, or that they have in some manner been discriminated against on the basis of a disability. All grievances must be filed within 30 days of the event or action giving rise to the student’s complaint.
Students must follow the official procedure for requesting accommodations as outlined in the student handbook. If a student has not followed the official procedure by registering with the Academic and Disabilities Support Office, submitting documentation, and completing an Accommodation Request Form, a grievance may not be given full consideration. Goddard College faculty and staff are not obligated to provide any accommodation to a student who has not followed the accommodation procedure.
Step One: Informal Grievance Procedure
- The student who believes they have a valid basis for complaint shall discuss the concern by scheduling an appointment to meet with the Academic and Disabilities Support Office either in person or by phone. Or, the student can discuss the complaint with the ADS Office by email at any time. The ADS Office will, in turn, investigate the complaint and reply to the complaint in writing within five business days, barring any situation in which the ADS staff are on extended absence. If the ADS Office is unavailable, the student may begin the process by contacting the Director of Student Life, who will respond in writing within five business days.
- When relevant, the ADS Office may request additional medical documentation or an independent medical opinion on the request for accommodation, or gather any additional information required to consider the request.
- If the reply of the ADS Office is not acceptable to the student, the student may initiate formal grievance procedures according to the steps listed below.
Step Two: Formal Grievance Procedure
- A written statement of the grievance shall be prepared by the complainant and signed. This grievance shall be filed with the ADS Office within ten days of student receipt of the written reply to the informal complaint. The ADS Office will bring the issue to the ADA Grievance Committee, which will further investigate the matter of the grievance. The ADA Grievance Committee will consist of three individuals knowledgeable in the area related to the disability and grievance. The Committee will reply in writing within ten business days.
- If the complainant wishes to appeal the decision of the ADA Grievance Committee, they may submit a signed statement of appeal to the Academic Vice-President within five business days after receipt of the ADA Grievance Committee response to the grievance. The Academic Vice-President shall confer with all parties involved, formulate a conclusion, and respond in writing to the grievance within ten business days. If this response is not acceptable to the student, the student may submit a signed statement of appeal within five business days to the President of Goddard College. The President will respond in writing to the grievance within ten business days and this decision will be final.
- No Retaliation:
Any student who invokes the right to grieve the policy will not be retaliated against during or after the grievance process.
- Confidentiality:
Policies concerning confidentiality prohibit the distribution of primary clinical documentation to anyone outside the Academic & Disability Support Office without written permission from the student.
Grievance Involving Actions of the ADS Staff
Should a student have a grievance involving the actions of the ADS staff, the student should follow instructions for the Student Grievance Process for Non-Academic Complaints in the College's Undergraduate and Graduate Student Handbooks. Student Handbooks are available through FirstClass, or by contacting the Academic Services Office.
Contact the Academic & Disabilities Support Office at (802)-454-8315, ext. 238 or adsoffice@goddard.edu.
Back to Disabilities Support Policies and Procedures
