Policy: AC01: Student Complaints Policy and Procedure 

Student Complaints Policy and Procedure 

1. Introduction

The mission of Robert Heath Institute (RHI) includes providing students with high-quality teaching, learning, and service experiences. The institution designed policies and procedures to assist RHI’s success in these areas and help students resolve concerns or complaints. Robert Health Institute is committed to effectively resolving all student concerns or complaints to meet all stakeholders’ satisfaction.

2. Purpose

The purpose of the Student Complaint Procedure is to provide students with an opportunity to complain without fear of reprisal and to raise concerns about the program or the services received in situations where an RHI policy or procedure specific to their complaint is not already in place. A list of policies and procedures addressing specific academic or service concerns is at the bottom of this procedure (Appendix), and the documents are available on the RHI’s website. If no apparent policy or guideline exists, stakeholders should follow this policy first. 

The student has the right to select an individual during the process to present their case. In addition, the student has the right to have that representative make the presentation with writing documents on their behalf.

3. Definitions

3.1. Complaint

The complaint refers to a student’s concern or dissatisfaction with his or her learning experience, RHI’s services or its employees, expressed in written form.

3.2. Employee

Employee refers to full and part-time individuals employed by the RHI.

3.3. Student

Student refers to full and part-time vocational students currently registered at RHI or former students registered when the incident gave rise to the concern and complaint.

3.4. Administrator

Administrator refers to the academic director responsible for the program or course, or the director responsible for the service department.

3.5. Senior Administrator

Senior administrator includes the president of the RHI campus or the vice president responsible for an academic department.

4. Student Complaint Procedure

4.1. Step 1

These are the steps to resolve the concerns and complaints a student may have.

  • Students are encouraged to discuss any concerns with their instructor.
  • In communicating their concerns, students should clearly state their complaint within thirty (30) business days of the incident, unless there are extenuating circumstances where the College believes a delay is justified.
  • The student should retain a copy of their written complaint.

4.2. Step 2

  • If the instructor cannot resolve the complaint issue, the student should address their concern in writing to the Director through the administrational office or website (http://www.rhiultrasound.com/) indicating:
    • name and program of student
    • the nature of the concern
    • time and date of occurrence
    • facts surrounding the concern
    • the individual(s) involved
    • recommended solution

  • The director of the administrational office will review the student’s concerns and seek clarification. The director will arrange to meet with the student within seven (7) business days of the submission date because the student is entitled to meet to discuss their concerns when their instructor cannot solve their complaint or concerns. The director and the student will explore ways to resolve the concerns and record them for action and distribution as appropriate.

  • If a satisfactory resolution is achieved during the meeting, the resolution plan will be implemented, and the director of the administrational office will follow up to ensure that the resolution plan satisfactorily resolves the student’s concern. The resolution plan and the outcome will be documented, and the original student complaint form will be included. Both the student and the director will sign the forms, and the student will keep one copy of the student complaint form, while the Staff/Student Office will retain the other copy of the written complaint form in the complaint binder.

4.3. Step 3

  • The student shall escalate the concern to the senior administrator of RHI if a satisfactory resolution has not been achieved.
  • The RHI senior administrator will arrange a meeting with the student to investigate the compliment’s exact reasons, virtually or in person. The senior administrator of RHI will respond in writing to the student within seven working days after the meeting through the email: rhinstitute2011@gmail.com. The response includes reporting to the student and summarizing the findings and the complaint resolution decision, including the reasons for arriving at a decision.
  • A copy of the written communication between the RHI senior administrator and the student will be placed in the institute’s administrational office’s complaint binder, which will be kept for a minimum of five (5) years.
  • Complaints made through any social media forum will not be acknowledged, as they do not follow the institute’s complaint process.

4.4. Step 4

If the RHI senior administrator’s report cannot satisfy the student who feels their complaint has not been resolved. They may write a complaint directly to the Superintendent of Private Career Colleges using the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities student complaint PARIS system to:

Superintendent,

Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities

All student complaints are now submitted to the Superintendent through the PARIS system using the following address:

https://www.pcc.tcu.gov.on.ca/PARISExtWeb/public/login.xhtml