Grievance Procedures
Hampshire College and the office of accessibility resources and services (OARS) recognize the right of students to file a grievance if they believe they have been denied equal access to the College's academic programs, resources, or other services because of a disability. In order to establish the basis for such a grievance, students must first register with the office of disability services, provide documentation of their disability, and have been approved for accommodations to be initially implemented through the standard accommodation process.
The College always encourages students to enlist the aid and intervention of OARS staff in order to resolve complaints informally and directly. If informal procedures do not satisfactorily address the student's concerns, the student may file a written grievance. The written grievance should include the student's identifying information, a detailed account of the way in which the College has denied equal access to the student with reference to the relevant legislation and College policies, and the steps that the student has already taken in an attempt to resolve the problem.
The formal grievance shall be presented to the director of OARS, who shall be charged with investigating such complaints and convening meetings with the parties cited in an attempt to resolve the grievance. The director of OARS will make recommendations to the student and all other parties involved within a reasonable amount of time following the grievance.
For more information on the appeals beyond OARS' grievance process, please refer to the student handbook.
If you are not satisfied by the outcome of the process described above and in the handbook, an individual can pursue the institutional grievance process