College-Related Complaints

Pima Community College, in its goal to provide quality instruction and service, provides students access to appropriate College staff and administration to resolve questions, concerns, or complaints against PCC staff, policies, procedures, or other actions or inactions of the College.

Students are strongly encouraged to resolve any concern informally through the appropriate department or division administrator.  If needed, the Office of the Vice President of Instruction or Vice President of Student Development will direct the student to the appropriate department or division administrator to initiate the informal process.  The administrator will work with the student to resolve the student's question, concern, or complaint.

If the student is not satisfied with the discussion and any suggested resolution, the student may file a formal complaint.  The student may contact either the Instructional Division Dean or Vice President of Student Development to proceed with a formal written complaint.

A. Informal Complaint (Other than Faculty or Grade-related)

• The goal of the informal complaint process is to provide information to the student that answers the student's questions and concerns and/or to come to a resolution agreeable to the student and the College.
• The student discusses the complaint informally with the appropriate administrator. If the concern is in regards to the administrator, the student may discuss the concern with the appropriate Vice President.
• To address complaints in a timely fashion, student must begin the informal process within thirty (30) College working days of the alleged complaint.
• If the student believes the discussion and any suggested resolution through the Informal Process did not provide a resolution, the student may file a formal complaint with either the Vice President of Instruction or the Vice President of Student Development.

B. Formal Complaint (Other than Faculty or Grade-Related)

• If the student believes the decision offered through the Informal Process did not provide a resolution, the student may then use the Formal Complaint Process.
• Students may file a formal written complaint against the College.  The formal complaint must be filed within thirty (30) College working days from the date the decision was offered to the student.
• The Student Complaint Information Packet is available in the Office of the Vice President of Instruction or Vice President of Student Development.  Students may call either office and have this information mailed to them.
• The formal complaint must contain the following information:
  1. Name of the student(s) filing the formal complaint.
  2. Name of the staff member complaint is against.
  3. Statement of facts and nature of the formal complaint.
  4. Date(s) of the incident(s).
  5. Resolution being sought by the student(s).
  6. Student's signature.

Student Complaint Form [PDF]

• The student will submit the formal written complaint to the appropriate vice administrator. 
• The administrator will have ten (10) College working days to work with all parties to affect a resolution.
• If the resolution presented by the administrator is not agreed to, the student may appeal the resolution to the appropriate vice President. The Vice President shall, within ten (10) College working days after the first receipt of the formal complaint, cause an investigation to be made of the unresolved complaint.
• The appropriate Vice President shall, within twenty (20) College working days after receipt of the formal complaint, inform the student of the results of the investigation and the decision in writing. The Vice President may recommend one or more of the following actions:
  1. Offer a resolution to the complaint.
  2. Dismiss the complaint.
  3. Take appropriate action.

NOTE: Any time limit herein may be extended by five (5) College working days with notice to the student. Timelines may be further modified by mutual agreement.
The student may appeal to the campus President. The campus President will review documentation submitted with the appeal and from the Vice President's investigation and make a final decision within five (5) days of receiving the student's appeal.  The President will send a written notice to the administrators involved and student of the final decision.