Academic Complaints

A student who believes that a faculty member has failed to meet reasonable standards of academic propriety may register a complaint. The Student Academic Complaint Policy has been established to provide guidelines and processes governing academic complaints. The student should first attempt to resolve the complaint on an informal basis with the faculty member. Should the complaint not be resolved at this level, the student should discuss it with the faculty’s Discipline/Department Chairperson. If still no resolution is reached, the student may bring the matter to the Division Chair in the College of Arts and Sciences and then in writing to the Dean, or in writing to the Dean/Director in the other colleges. Copies of the academic complaint policy are available in the offices of the dean or director of each college, in the office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and online at Academic Complaint Policy.

Students in distance learning courses have the right to address complaints or grievances in the same manner as any other student. If the complaint is still unresolved after exhausting the grievance procedures listed above, then the student may submit the grievance to the Hawaiʻi Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program (HPEAP). Details and the complaint form can be found on the University of Hawaii System Grievance Policy website.