All student grievances will be processed through email. Please review the procedures below.
Student Complaint and Grievance Procedures
Student Complaint and Grievance Procedures
Students should carefully read and follow the steps outlined for academic and non-academic complaints and grievances. Requests for formal resolution will not be accepted until the informal process has been exhausted. Incomplete Student Grievance Forms will not be accepted.
Members of the CSU Bakersfield community have a right to work, live, and learn in an environment free from unlawful discrimination based on a protected status. CSUB is committed to maintaining an environment where no student, employee, visitor, or recipient of services and/or benefits provided by CSUB shall be subjected to any form of prohibited discrimination in any CSUB program or activity.
CSUB takes allegations of discrimination very seriously. Complaints alleging discrimination, harassment, and retaliation will be addressed in a timely and appropriate manner. If the complaints have merit, CSUB will promptly take actions to prevent recurrence and remedy the effects of the discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.
Visit the Division of Equity, Inclusion, and Compliance website to learn more about your rights, policy and procedure in regards to complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
1. A student may invoke a formal grievance only after exhausting all informal complaint procedures.
- a. The student must address the complaint to the concerned faculty, academic administrator, or staff professional most directly responsible for the alleged action(s) and/or decision(s) resulting in the complaint.
- b. If the complaint cannot be resolved by the student and faculty, academic administrator, or staff professional, the student should meet with the Department Chairperson/Director to discuss their complaint.
- c. If the student and the Department Chairperson/Director cannot resolve the complaint, the student should meet with the appropriate school or departmental Dean to discuss their complaint.
2. If the complaint is still unresolved after this point, the student may then, and only then, file a written grievance by completing the Student Grievance Form posted at Student Complaint and Grievance Form and sending the completed form with supporting documentation to the faculty member/respondent for their signature.
3. The faculty member/respondent shall forward the email from the student to their department chair acknowledging that “informal efforts have been exhausted to resolve the issues being grieved.”
4. The department chair shall forward the email from the faculty member/respondent to their dean/associate dean acknowledging that “informal efforts have been exhausted to resolve the issues being grieved.”
5. The dean/associate dean shall forward the email from the dean/associate dean to Neida Herrera (nherrera10@csub.edu) acknowledging that “informal efforts have been exhausted to resolve the issues being grieved.”
6. The Office of Academic Programs will convene a Grievance Review Board to review/hear the case. Note: Formal grievance hearings shall not be held during the Summer or Christmas breaks unless Grievant, Respondent, entire Board, and witnesses agree.