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File a Complaint

Lake Area Technical College recognizes that there may be conditions that are in need of improvement and that students, employees, and external constituents should have some means by which their concerns may be effectively expressed, considered, and dealt with fairly.  Such means can do much to maintain harmonious relationships between the Institute and the students, employees, and community.

Lake Area Tech desires that all types of complaints be handled informally at the level closest to the origin of the complaint, but that channels also provide for filing official complaints when resolution is not achieved.  In the event resolution cannot be reached, students may file a formal complaint by submitting the official complaint form to the Vice President. Complaint Form. No reprisals of any kind shall be taken by any party against any other participant in the grievance procedure by reason of such participation.

Upon receipt, the Vice President will assign the complaint to the appropriate supervisor. The supervisor will take action on the complaint and document the date resolved. All formal complaints and resolutions will be logged and analyzed for continuous improvement. Types of complaints include, but are not limited to:

Academic – Instructor Complaint

Academic – Grade Appeal

Academic – Other

Student Services – Customer Service

Student Services – Accommodations

Student Services – Other

Human Resources – Employee Complaint

Financial – Appeal of Charges

Title IX – Sexual Misconduct

Distance Education Non-Academic Issues (See below for more information).

Distance Education Non-Academic Complaints & Appeals

All students are asked to first raise their concerns or complaints (including non-academic issues) with their instructor or appropriate staff member with the goal of resolving the issue informally. If the concern is not resolved, LATC recommends visiting with the Department Supervisor or LATC’s Dean of Academics.

If an informal resolution isn’t achieved, distance education students may file a formal complaint by submitting their grievance to the Vice President through the official complaint form.

Distance education students residing in a SARA state can appeal the LATC decision through the South Dakota State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SD-SARA) Portal Entity here.

Students in California, please contact the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education’s  Filing a Complaint web page.

Title IX Complaints – Sexual Misconduct

Title IX complaints of sex discrimination—including sexual violence or other sexual misconduct—will be overseen by the Vice President who also serves as the Title IX Coordinator. These complaints will be handled in accordance with Department of Education regulations and a resolution will be complete within the required 60 day timeframe. This grievance procedure below applies to both students and employees.

  1. INVESTIGATION

Once informed of possible sexual violence, Lake Area Tech will take immediate and appropriate action to investigate or otherwise determine what occurred. All complaints will be reported to the Vice President as the Title IX Coordinator who will assign an impartial investigator. If the investigator determines the accusation is substantive, it will continue through the hearing process. All complaints and their resolution are documented.

  1. STOP, PREVENT, & REMEDY

If the investigator finds evidence that sexual violence may have occurred, Lake Area Tech will take prompt and effective steps to end the sexual violence, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects, whether or not the sexual violence is the subject of a criminal investigation. This may require faculty accommodations to protect both the accuser and the accused.

  1. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

After investigation, a three person panel of trained, impartial faculty and staff will preside over the hearing. The hearing procedure includes an equal opportunity for both parties to present witnesses and other evidence as well as a right to appeal the decision to the President.

Procedural rights are equal for both the victim and the accused.  This includes the same opportunity to present witness testimony during the hearing, the opportunity to be accompanied by an advisor of choice, and simultaneous written notification on the status of the proceedings. Lake Area Technical College uses the preponderance of the evidence standard to resolve complaints of sex discrimination.

  1. NOTIFICATION

The Vice President as the Title IX Coordinator will notify both parties of the outcome of the complaint in writing within 60 days of the complaint.

Complaint Form

Lake Area Tech is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. For complaints related to institutional practices that may not meet the Criteria for Accreditation established by The Higher Learning Commission, individuals should direct complaints to HLC.

http://www.ncahlc.org/information-for-the-public/complaints.html

Allegations about an individual Lake Area Tech program’s failure to comply with program accreditation standards should be directed to the accrediting body in question.

Lake Area Technical College provides all prospective and current students information regarding complaints against postsecondary education institutions offering distance learning or correspondence education within that state as required by the United States Department of Education’s Program Integrity Rule.

A complaint of consumer fraud on the part of Lake Area Tech should be directed to the South Dakota Attorney General’s office.

http://atg.sd.gov