Appeals Procedure
These Hearing and Appeal Procedures shall apply in all cases arising from the policies, rules or procedures of the Steinbright Career Development Center ("Center"). These cases would including, but are not limited to:
- Contesting a decision made by a member of the staff of the Center
- Requesting relief from a policy, the application of which would result in a serious hardship to the student
- Disciplinary action taken by the Center against any student
No appeal shall be considered unless it is filed and prosecuted in accordance with these procedures.
Click here for full text on Hearing and Appeal Procedures, including Summary (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Appeals Procedures:
- What is the purpose of these Procedures?
- I disagree with a staff member's decision about my job search journal/Co-op 101 assignment/etc. What can I do?
- How do I file an appeal?
- How long do I have to file an appeal?
- What happens after I file an appeal?
- What happens if there is a hearing?
- What do I have to do at the hearing to prevail?
- May my friend, parent(s) or attorney attend the hearing?
- After the hearing, how long will it take to receive a decision?
- Is there always a hearing?
- Who may testify at the hearing?
- May I appeal the hearing officer's decision? How?
- I just found out that I failed Co-op 101. My Co-op job starts in two weeks and my Coordinator says I cannot participate because I failed the course. What can I do?
- I know that I didn't attend the required number of Co-op 101 classes and/or complete my assignments in time, but it doesn't seem fair to make me retake the whole class or cancel my co-op job placement.
| What is the purpose of these Procedures? |
| The Procedures explain the methods that the Center and its students must use to address and fairly resolve disagreements and disciplinary issues. (See Section 1(a) for more detail). |
| I disagree with a staff member's decision about my job search journal/Co-op 101 assignment/etc. What can I do? |
| The first thing you should do is talk with the staff member about the decision. He/she can explain the reason for the decision and answer any questions you have. The staff member will normally consult with his/her supervisor in an attempt to resolve the disagreement. If you still disagree with the decision, you may file an appeal (See Sections 3(a), 4 for more details). |
| How do I file an appeal |
| You must carefully follow all the steps listed in Section 4(a, b and c) - which can be downloaded above. Please feel welcome to contact the Center with any questions. |
| How long do I have to file an appeal? |
It depends. The deadlines are summarized below. However, there are exceptions and you should carefully review Sections 4(a), 4(j)(l)(c and f), and 7(a) to determine the filing deadline.
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| What happens after I file an appeal? |
| The staff member will have a chance to respond to your appeal in writing. You will receive a copy of the response. After the staff has been given the opportunity to respond, the hearing officer will either schedule a hearing or decide the appeal based on the written submissions. (See sections 5(a), (f) for more detail). |
| What happens if there is a hearing? |
| You and the staff member will have an opportunity to make an opening statement where you summarize your point of view and ask for a particular outcome. After that, each side may call witnesses, introduce evidence and cross-examine opposing witnesses. The hearing officer might also question you, the staff member, and/or any witnesses. (See section 5 for more details). |
| What do I have to do at the hearing to prevail? |
It depends on the type of appeal that has been filed. If you are challenging a staff member's decision, you must show that it is more likely than not that the staff member's decision is contrary to established policy, unsupported by credible evidence or that he/she was motivated by improper factors. Please be aware that it is not enough to show that the decision results in hardship or inconvenience to you. This is especially true when you could have avoided any adverse consequence(s) by acting differently. (See Section 5(b) for more details). If you are requesting an exception to an established policy and have not been able to resolve the matter informally, you must show by "clear and convincing evidence" that the policy, as it is being applied in your case, falls into one of the four categories described in Section 5(c). "Clear and convincing" is a higher standard of proof than the "more likely than not" standard used in other appeals. You must show that it is very likely, but not certain, that the policy falls into one of the four categories listed in Section 5(c). If the purpose of the hearing is to resolve a disciplinary matter, the Center, not the student, bears the burden of providing, by clear and convincing evidence, that the student violated a policy, rule or procedure and that the student knew or should have known about the policy. (See Section 5(d) for more detail) |
| May my friend, parent(s) or attorney attend the hearing? |
| No. All hearings are private. Attendance is limited to the student, staff member, hearing officer and other staff who have a legitimate professional reason to attend. (See Section 5(a)(2)(E) for more detail) |
| After the hearing, how long will it take to receive a decision? |
| It depends. Sometimes, the hearing officer will be able to render a decision immediately. In other cases, it may take several days. You will be notified as soon as a decision is reached. (See Section 6 for more detail) |
| Is there always a hearing? |
| No. If you and the staff member agree that there is no factual dispute, or if the hearing officer believes that a hearing is not necessary, the hearing could be skipped. In that case, the hearing officer could issue a decision based on the written submissions. (See Section 5(f) for more detail) |
| Who may testify at the hearing? |
| Any person with knowledge that is relevant to the issue in dispute may testify. Please note, however, that the matter testified to must be relevant. For example, if you are appealing a failed work term as a result of being terminated from your co-op position for excess tardiness, a character witness would not be relevant. On the other hand, character evidence might be relevant if your termination was for dishonesty. The hearing officer decides whether proposed witness testimony is relevant. |
| May I appeal the hearing officer's decision? How? |
| Yes. You may appeal in writing to the Executive Director. The Executive Director's decision is final. (See Section 7 for more detail) |
| I just found out that I failed Co-op 101. My Co-op job starts in two weeks and my Coordinator says I cannot participate because I failed the course. What can I do? |
| There is a special expedited appeal process that can be used in cases like yours. The process is designed so that it can be completed in one week or less. The Center will notify you if failing the class is likely to affect your Co-op placement. If you believe there is a chance that your performance in Co-op 101 will result in not being eligible for your placement, you should remain in contact with your coordinator and check your official Drexel email account regularly. (See Section 4(j) for more detail) |
| I know that I didn't attend the required number of Co-op 101 classes and/or complete my assignments in time, but it doesn't seem fair to make me retake the whole class or cancel my placement. |
| The requirements for passing Co-op 101 are clearly set forth in the course syllabus and in the class. You were aware of the consequences of not taking the course seriously and chose to disregard those consequences. The Center sincerely hopes that you learn from this mistake and that you pass Co-op 101 when you retake the course. In the meantime, you are not eligible to participate in Drexel's co-op program. |
