Concerns, Complaints, Grievances, and Appeals
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Concerns vs. Complaints
- Concerns: If you are worried about an issue that is important to you and are looking for information and/or reassurance, you can voice a concern.
- Complaints: If you are unsatisfied with an action (or lack of action) concerning a university service, an interaction with a faculty or staff member, or a product provided by the university, you can make a complaint.
Academic Complaint
If you have concerns about the way one of your classes is being conducted, you can report your concern to the university. Issues that we want to be made aware include, but are not limited to: faculty absenteeism, frequent class cancellation, graded assignments not being returned in a reasonable amount of time, inappropriate or threatening behavior by faculty or classmates, face-to-face classes being moved online, class not following syllabus/grading policies, faculty not responding to emails or holding appropriate office hours, or faculty violation of the university's Classroom Conduct Policy
Concern for Another Student
If you have concerns about another student's behavior or mental/physical wellbeing, you can submit a CARES report and someone from the CARES team will check on the student. Issues for which you might want to submit a report include threats of self-harm, unmanageable anxiety or stress, addiction, mental health concerns, homelessness, or threatening or violent behavior.
General Complaint
The best place to start is with the person you have an issue with. If you are unable to resolve things with that person, you can talk to your school director, and after that your college dean.
If you'd like to express your dissatisfaction with an action (or lack of action) you have experienced at Southern Miss, you can file a complaint. If you feel that your rights have been violated, you can file a grievance.
If you're unsure about the best action to take, you can contact the Dean of Students Office for advice on how to proceed at 601.266.4025 or dosFREEMississippi.
Student Code of Conduct Violation
If you have concerns that another student has violated the Southern Miss Student Code of Conduct, please submit a potential code of conduct violation.
Details about what constitutes a conduct violation and what the procedure is once an alleged violation has been registered can be found within the Student Code of Conduct handbook from the Dean of Students Office.
Report a Code of Conduct Violation
Appeals
An appeal is a formal request asking for a reversal of an official decision that you feel was unfair or a violation of your rights.
Academic Integrity Violation Appeal
If you believe you have been unfairly accused of plagiarism or other academic dishonesty or you believe that the penalty that you received is unreasonable, you have the right to submit an appeal. You can learn more about how the appeals process works on the Academic Integrity website.
Admissions Appeal
Students may appeal decisions made by the Office of Admissions related to freshman admission requirements, transfer requirements from community/junior colleges, readmission requirements, credits transferred into the university, and the admission deadline. The appeal will be reviewed by an anonymous committee of faculty and staff.
Learn more about Admission Appeals
Financial Aid Appeal
If your federal financial aid has been suspended due to failure to meet the required minimum grade point average, failure to complete the required number of credit hours per semester, or failure to complete your degree within the required timeframe, you can file an online appeal through SOAR.
Learn more about financial aid appeals
Grade Appeal
The Grade Review Council hears cases in which a student believes a grade was assigned in an unfair, inconsistent, unpredictable, irregular and/or haphazard way. To make a successful appeal, you'll need to make the argument that the grade was not given according to the rules and policies of the class, and that you were treated in a way that is inconsistent with other students in the course.
Housing Appeal
Information on appealing a decision by the Office of Housing and Residence Life can be found in the Department Handbook, available for download from the Housing and Residence Life website.
Visit Housing and Residence Life
Library Fine Appeal
Library fines can be appealed via an online form, but note that the following are not legitimate reasons for appeal: lack of knowledge or understanding of library policy; disagreement with library policy; inability to pay fines and charges; failure to receive an overdue notice; or unwillingness to take responsibility for materials loaned to a third party.
Parking and Traffic Violation Appeal
Appealing a parking ticket or university traffic violation citation can be done online via your USM parking portal. Appeals must be made within five days of the citation, and please note that the following are not grounds for an appeal: ignorance of parking regulations, inability to find a parking space, improperly displayed handicap tag or visitor pass, or failure to purchase a parking permit.
Scholarship Status Appeal
The Office of Undergraduate Scholarships has a scholarship appeals process for all incoming and current undergraduate students. Appeals are submitted via the GO System, and the University Scholarship Appeals Committee reviews appeals on a weekly basis during designated times throughout the academic year.
Tuition Appeal Request
Students who find it necessary to withdraw from the university or cancel classes after the first day of classes may be eligible for a tuition refund based on the withdrawal date and any extenuating circumstances prompting the withdrawal or cancellation. Refunds are based on the assessment, not on the amount paid by the student.
If your tuition appeal involves medical issues or death, please complete the Tuition Appeal Form - Medical (Personal Illness) or Death of a Student. If your tuition appeal is for other reasons, please complete the Tuition Appeal Form - Non-Medical. One of these online forms must be completed with attached supporting documentation to initiate an appeal for tuition charges.
Grievances
If you believe your rights have been violated without a rational basis or in bad faith (for example, discrimination or sexual harassment), you should file a grievance.
- Informal Grievance: This type of grievance is resolved through an informal face-to-face discussion between the student and and the people involved.
- Formal Grievance: This type of grievance is submitted in writing for resolution. Examples include, but are not limited to, grade appeals, academic status appeals, and discrimination or harassment complaints.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Southern Miss does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, gender identity, genetic information, religion, race, color, national origin, veteran status, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local law, in its admission, treatment, or access to its educational programs and activities or in its employment practices. If you feel your rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity.
File a complaint with the AA/EEO Office
Ethics Violation
Southern Miss is committed to our core values of integrity and ethical behavior. The Southern Miss Hotline, in partnership with EthicsPoint, provides an easy way to discreetly and confidentially report activities that may involve criminal, unethical or otherwise inappropriate violations of University policies. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can be accessed either online or by calling 877.310.0424.
Code of Ethical Conduct Policy
Submit an Ethics Violation Report
General Grievance
If you have been unable to resolve an issue by talking to the parties involved and/or the school or office director and college dean, you can file a student grievance. This is a written grievance that will become part of the university's record, and cannot be filed anonymously. For help with filing a student grievance, please contact the Dean of Students Office at 601.266.4025 or dosFREEMississippi. They can let you know if there are other avenues you need to explore first and walk you through the process of submitting your grievance.
View the USM Student Grievance Policy
Grievance, External
To comply with the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008, institutions offering education must provide enrolled and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accrediting agency and with the appropriate state agency for handling complaints in the student’s state. You can learn more about this process by visiting the Southern Miss Compliance and Ethics website.
Learn more about filing an external grievance
Sexual Harassment and Sex Discrimination
If you believe you have experienced an incident(s) of sexual harassment or assault, discrimination on the basis of your sex, or retaliation for filing a formal complaint about harassment, you can get help from the Title IX Office. The office provides an online method to report information related to alleged incident(s) of sexual harassment), or retaliation as provided for by the USM Interim Sexual Harassment Policy And Procedures and Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance.
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