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Policy Name: Student Feedback Policy
1 Background Information:
There is no such thing as a perfect organization or a perfect leadership. Human nature tells us that we are all prone to commit mistakes and nobody is indispensable. Our flaws and imperfections may lead us to make wrong decisions in life and for that, we are not excluding the fact that we may hurt people or may destroy a name of an organization. Despite these realities, people behind the success or failure of every academe take the necessary steps and procedures in order to stop if not to minimize the threat by carefully crafting basic laws in order to protect not only the aggrieved party but also the respective respondents. The resolution of every case may take a long and painstaking process but nobody should stop at a certain point where there is always a chance to somehow fix the damage that has been done whether materially, physically, emotionally or psychologically. Even an educational institution is not spared from this reality of doing proper mediation or arbitration between or among students, members of the faculty, administration and staff and higher school officials. Once a case arises, the leadership of a college or university will be placed in hot water and people will start asking questions and make prejudice. By carefully following proper protocol, everything will be up to a good start with only a single objective in mind and that is to bring the case to its proper forum and make an impartial decision favorable to all. This will be generally known as General Student Welfare and Protection Policy (GSWPP).
2 Policy Purpose
The purpose of the policy are as follows:
● To place great importance on the value of human dignity
● To always respect freedom of expression
● To create a venue or forum where everyone is treated equally and fairly.
● To protect both the interest of the academe in giving quality education and the students’ goal of achieving success in any field of work or interest.
● To foster harmonious interpersonal relationship among the school administration, faculty and staff and students of a college or university.
● To exercise fairness and equality in dealing with students’ complain regardless of social and economic status.
● To extend unconditional assistance on special cases where the complainant has physical disabilities or physical impairment.
● To establish academic support services if and when a complaint is based on giving of grades or the grading system itself.
● To serve as a strong arm in preventing abuse of power and authority.
● To implement a fast or speedy hearing of cases in the university and provide helpful and beneficial results to its clienteles.
● To develop trust and confidence in the school’s vision, mission and goals.
● To protect the psychosocial aspect of learning in the academe.
● To protect and preserve the good name of the school or university from unjust vexation of students and or from unfair judgement of the community.
3 Policy Scope
This policy shall include all students enrolled in a college or university, the members of the faculty and staff and their department heads, the deans of colleges, other school administrators and officials including but not limited to the members of the board of trustees and the President of the college or university, his chancellor and vice chancellors and all members of the University Council.
4 Definition and Terms
indispensable - absolutely necessary, essential or requisite.
flaws - a feature that mars the perfection of something; defect; fault.
academe - the campus activity, life and interests of a college or university; the academic world.
threat - a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course; a menace.
aggrieved - the person or party who feels oppressed and whose feelings are offended or injured by injustice.
mediation - action in mediating between parties, as to effect an agreement or reconciliation.
arbitration - the hearing and determining of a dispute or the settling of differences between parties by a person or persons chosen or agreed to by them.
prejudice - an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought or reason.
protocol - the customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence and etiquette.
forum - an assembly , meeting place etc., for the discussion of questions of individual and public interest.
impartial - not partial or biased; fair; or just.
GSWPP - refers to General Student Welfare and Protection Policy.
5 Policy Principles
● The policy known as GSWPP is in line with the university’s mission of providing basic and advanced tertiary education to students and therefore protecting in whatever means their physical being in order to improve and enhance their potentials as a human being.
● The policy aims to promote respect to students in terms of their name and reputation.
● The policy’s main interest is to serve equally all students in the college or university with dedication and commitment.
● It prioritizes above all the objective of serving timely justice to students who are aggrieved or offended by people or by an organization.
● It aims to exercise impartiality in all of its dealings with students or organizations at all times.
● It reserves the right to inform both parties of the complaint and the nature of the complaint by proper correspondence or by whatever means available or possible.
● Gives both parties ample time to answer or respond to a complaint and a counter complaint.
● The policy will always adhere to the right to information of both parties by informing them personally or electronically on the status of the case laid on the table.
● The policy will always follow the standards of hastening or expediting all the students cases presented or laid down on the table without sacrificing equality and impartiality.
● It will always base its verdict or final decision on the credibility of witnesses and their recorded testimonials and the weight or value of documentary evidence presented by both parties.
● The policy will always see to it that both parties will receive a copy of all procedural and documentary evidence in order to exercise fairness and justice for all.
● The policy will always follow or adhere to the procedure of sending proper form of communication when the committee handling the case will require a student or an organization to appear personally to give a statement or answer a clarification.
● The policy will extend humane consideration in cases where one of the parties cannot make it to the meeting due to personal or medical reasons provided that the former will present a valid and notarized reason.
● The policy will require mediators and the respective parties to treat the case with strict confidentiality in order to protect the interest and dignity of all individuals and organizations involved.
● The policy reserves the right to reject any complaint when its nature is something that lacks merit or attention.
● The policy has the sole discretion whether to accept or reject the request of a student or an organization to represent him/them in the settlement of a case if the committee finds it detrimental or unjust; in order to protect the interest of both parties.
● It will always explore the possibility of encouraging student complainants to reach out or talk to the respondents before making any formal complaint to the university’s conciliation and mediation board.
● This policy will require students or school organizations to submit their complaints following the rules and regulations of the college or the university where they are currently admitted or enrolled.
● This policy will also require students or student organizations to include in their formal complaint their personal and organizational information which will be vital for the committee to review, evaluate and take action.
● This policy allows students or organizations to gather substantial evidence relative to the case and present them when necessary or required by the committee.
● Informs the student or the organization that cases are heard at different levels and there are designated personnel assigned to each level. Levels of cases are determined by the gravity of the offense and through aggravating circumstances.
● Informs both parties that numerous failure to appear before a committee or school grievance board will render the complaint null and void.
● Place a top priority on cases involving the academic standing of a student especially on the computation and giving of grades which will greatly affect his academic standing in the university and will somehow put him below the ranking of honors for graduation.
● Place as first priority cases of students which involves physical or verbal abuse on the part of a college or university faculty specially when it is sexual and immoral in nature.
● The policy will always cater to all types of complaints whether minor or major cases, for as long as it covers the general welfare of students and protects their sole right as learners and as future leaders of the country.
6 Policy Review
This policy is open to questions, debate and or discussions in the proper forum. The policy will always stick to the principle of taking care of the welfare of students in order to protect them from abuse or harassment in any form or nature. This part of the policy will discuss further if and when there will be a request for a reinvestigation of the case, an appeal on a judgement or a verdict previously carried out and or a formal appeal to open a dismissed or a closed case due to new developments and additional evidences on the part of the complainant or by the respondent. The proper procedure is as follows:
1. Either the complainant or the respondent submits to the proper school authorities a written or formal copy of the request together with other necessary attachments or documents which will merit a reinvestigation, an appeal and a reopening of a dismissed or closed case.
2. The receiving officer or personnel receives the request and other pertinent documents and mark or stamp them with the university’s official seal together with other transmittal papers that both parties have provided. Normally, a period of time is given when to make a follow up of the submission.
3. The receiving officer or any designated personnel carefully reads and reviews all the submitted documents and notifies both parties if the request made was valid or void.
4. If and when a request is null and void, it is the responsibility of the receiving officer to return all documents to either the complainant or the respondent in order to give respect or simply just to minimize or get rid of the size and volume of trash accumulated in the office.
5. When a request is valid, either both parties are given enough time to prepare for another series of sessions and the committee will again meet and convene at their own convenience to conduct a formal meeting before formally notifying the parties involved.
6. The same procedure is applied by the committee in handling the case and the cycle continues until there is another resolution or a new judgment or verdict on the case.
OTHER FORMS OF POLICY REVIEW:
a. When a complainant abjures his complaint because of any unforeseen circumstances, he must do it in formal writing. Drawing back means giving the committee the right to reject further investigations.
b. Complaints that are mischievous or unpleasant in nature will be dealt with accordingly and will be subject for punitive action.
c. Any form of complaint will always adhere to the provisions of the college or university’s Supreme Student Government Constitution and by Laws.
d. If in case the complaint is not entertained or accommodated within the portals of the academe, the student can seek for any legal assistance outside of his college or university at his own effort and expense.
7 Further Assistance
The policy recommends help or assistance to students which will start with his immediate family. The parents of the student together with his siblings will always be ready to extend both financial and moral support. There could be no better option except to the people whom you love and trust. In cases where an immediate family member is not available, a student could seek advice from a close friend or a classmate in the university. Since you are in the same boat, you will be able to help each other conquer the trials of life including the extra effort of passing your subjects and conquering the negative energies around you. In addition, some of your motherly or fatherly professors will be able to extend to you an open mind and heart to listen and understand on what you are going through. They serve as loco parentis or second parents. Aside from performing their duties and responsibilities as academicians, they also have a capacity to guide you emotionally and psychologically in making simple and critical decisions in life. Moreover, you always have by your side the elected officers and members of your Student Council. The best person to approach will be the incumbent President of the council. Once he hears of your problem,he will try his best to refer you to the chairman of the committee handling the general welfare and protection of students. Once the problem is documented, the members of the council will now take steps in solving the problem by initially calling the other parties involved in a closed door meeting or conference. Inside that meeting, a procedure is laid down to solve the existing problem of the aggrieved student and recommendations follow as form of assistance.These suggestions will be considered and if the other party fully cooperates or participates in solving the problem, then there is no need to bring it up to the next level because an agreement is accepted and reached by both the complainant and the respondent. In similar cases where the problem is not solved within the level of the student council, an aggrieved student may by his own right bring the case to the administrative level. There are instances when this very delicate matter calls the attention of higher authorities or personnel specially if the nature of the complaint involves the evaluation of academic performance or the unpleasant experience of the student in the process of enrolling his advanced subjects. Normally, other university personnel will likely answer on the inquiry of the case. This will now involve a lot of people in the university including but not limited to the subject teacher who computed and released the grade, the department head whom the subject teacher is under supervision, the dean of college to which the enrolled course of the student is designated, the Vice-President for Academic Affairs and the University President whose power supersedes all that were mentioned. These people will not serve as a mere audience but will fully exercise their rights and responsibilities in order to come up with a collaborative and good decision in favor of the aggrieved party which is the student in particular. Their attendance and attention in that forum will forever affect the psychological and the emotional experience of the student. If and when a single detail is missed or overlooked during the proceedings, the mistake or fault is irreversible. The blame will always point out to those who were there during the process. It is therefore recommended that a student will again undergo mental and emotional processing after a case is finally decided. The best person to perform such delicate job shall be the guidance counsellors of the university because after all, they are good in handling the students’ emotion and are experts in psychology.
8 Appendix 1 - Appendix 1: Name
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