Filing a Complaint Within the Realm of Due Process:
It is the practice of the University to direct formal complaints to the group best qualified to address the specific area of concern. Student or faculty complaints are directed to the grievance procedures in the student or faculty handbook; issues of ethics are directed to EthicsPoint; complaints concerning research are directed to the Institutional Review Board, complaints concerning Discrimination, Equal Employment or Harassment are directed to the Office of Student Life/Human Resources. Each of these bodies is responsible for following up on complaints and maintaining records of the disposition of each complaint. Student records related to formal complaints will be kept on file by the appropriate office within the University which includes the Provost’s office for student, faculty complaints or issues of ethics, the Chair of the IRB’s office for complaints related to research, and in the Human Resources office for any complaints related to discrimination, equal employment, or harassment. University policies related to the handling of complaints are presented and made available to students and faculty within the ×îÐÂ91ÖÆƬ³§ Faculty Handbook, ×îÐÂ91ÖÆƬ³§ Course Catalog, ×îÐÂ91ÖÆƬ³§ Graduate Catalog, ×îÐÂ91ÖÆƬ³§ Student Handbook, and ×îÐÂ91ÖÆƬ³§ Employee Handbook.
Filing a Complaint Outside the Realm of Due Process:
An individual or organization who experiences an unfavorable experience with any student, faculty member, or staff member of the ×îÐÂ91ÖÆƬ³§ Physical Therapy Department is able to file a written complaint. This complaint should be filed within 30 days of the offending incident(s) and should be addressed to the Physical Therapy Department Chair. Once the written complaint is received, the Department Chair will inform all of the parties involved, the College Dean, and the complaint will be referred to the university group best qualified to address the specific area of concern. An investigation will ensue that is conducted by the group most qualified to address the specific nature of the complaint. A full report of the findings related to the investigation of the complaint will be developed, that includes a specific action plan with behavioral objectives with timelines. The written complaint, any corrective action(s) that were taken, and the disposition of the complaint will be kept on file in a locked cabinet in the Department Chair’s office for a period of 5 years, after which they will be purged while maintaining confidentiality. Complaints should be addressed to: ×îÐÂ91ÖÆƬ³§ Physical Therapy Department Chair, 400 Saint Bernardine Street, Reading, PA 19607.
Student Grievance Policy/Procedure
The Graduate Student Grievance Committee attends to grievances of an academic nature. This Committee is comprised of all the Graduate Program Coordinators/Directors and a Graduate student representative appointed by the Graduate Academic Council. The Chair of the Committee is elected from the members at the start of each academic year and serves as Chair for the duration of that year, including summer months. Members can serve two (2) consecutive terms as Chair. Business days are defined as Monday through Friday, excluding holidays when the University is closed.
The process for appeal of a course grade is as follows:
- The student discusses situation /grade with the course instructor within 20 business days from issuance of the grade.
- If no accord is reached or if the student provides evidence that s/he has contacted the instructor via Alvernia email at least twice without response, the student has seven (7) business days from the issuance of the grade to submit an appeal to the Graduate Program Coordinator/Director of the appropriate graduate program.
- A meeting between the student and the Graduate Program Coordinator/Director must be held within seven (7) business days of receipt of the student’s written appeal. The Coordinator/ Director must provide written notification to the student of the decision within seven (7) business days of that meeting.
- The student may appeal the decision of the Graduate Program Coordinator/ Director to the Department Chair; or, if the Program does not have a Department Chair, to the respective College Dean (College of Arts & Sciences or College of Professional Programs). The student has seven (7) business days to submit this appeal.
- A meeting between the student and the Department Chair or College Dean must be held within seven (7) business days of receipt of the student’s written appeal. The Department Chair or College Dean must notify the student of their decision within seven (7) business days of that meeting. The decision of the Department Chair or College Dean is final as to a course grade.
- The student may appeal the decision of the Department Chair or College Dean to the Graduate Student Grievance Committee. The student has seven (7) business days to submit this appeal.
- The Graduate Student Grievance Committee may independently request separate documentation from the student and the course instructor(s) outlining their perspectives on the events leading to the appeal within seven (7) business days of the grievance notification. If the grievance pertains to academic dismissal from a program or from the University, the student’s Academic Advisor will also be asked to submit a letter indicating their disposition recommendation. The Graduate Student Grievance Committee reserves the right to request further information/documentation or to meet with the student or course instructor as required to thoroughly review the appeal/ student issue.
- The Graduate Student Grievance Committee issues a written recommendation of a resolution to the Dean of the School of Graduate and Adult Education within seven (7) business days. The Dean reviews the decision and notifies the student of the decision in writing within seven (7) business days. The Committee maintains a complete file of the grievance and Committee proceedings.
The process for appeal of dismissal from an academic program is as follows:
- The Program Coordinator/Director verifies that the student has met the criteria for dismissal from the specific academic program and notifies the student in writing via electronic mail with ‘return receipt requested’ and followed by certified land mail.
- The student may appeal the decision to the Department Chair or the respective College Dean. This appeal must be filed within seven (7) business days of receipt of the dismissal notification.
- The Department Chair or College Dean must meet with the student within seven (7) business days of receipt of the written appeal. The student is notified of the decision within seven (7) business days of that meeting.
- The student may appeal the decision to the Dean of the School of Graduate and Adult Education within seven (7) business days of receipt of the Department Chair/College Dean decision. The School Dean must meet with the student within seven (7) business days of receipt of the appeal.
- The School Dean notifies the student the decision regarding the dismissal appeal within seven (7) business days of the meeting with the student.
- The student can appeal the decision to the Graduate Student Grievance Committee within seven (7) business days of the School Dean notification. The Graduate student Grievance Committee will review the appeal and submit a final decision regarding dismissal within seven (7) business days of receiving the appeal from the student.
- The Graduate Student Grievance Committee may independently request separate documentation from the student and the course instructor(s) involved, outlining their perspectives on the events leading to the dismissal within seven (7) business days of the grievance notification. The student’s Academic Advisor will also be asked to submit a letter indicating their disposition recommendation. The Graduate Student Grievance Committee reserves the right to request further information/documentation or to meet with the student or course instructor(s) as required to thoroughly review the appeal/student issue.
- The Graduate Student Grievance Committee issues a written decision recommendation with 30 business days of receipt of the appeal and forwards it to the Dean of the School of Graduate and Adult Education. The School Dean reviews the decision and notifies the student and the Provost of the decision in writing within seven (7) business days. The Committee maintains a complete file of the grievance and Committee proceedings.
- The Provost issues a final determination on the appeal within seven (7) business days.
Filing a Formal Complaint ×îÐÂ91ÖÆƬ³§ the Program with CAPTE
CAPTE has a mechanism to consider formal complaints about physical therapy education programs (PT or PTA) that allege a program is not in compliance with one or more of CAPTE's Evaluative Criteria (for complaints about events occurring before Dec. 31, 2015) or the Standards and Required Elements (for complaints addressing events occurring Jan. 1, 2016, and thereafter) or has violated any of CAPTE's expectations related to academic integrity. CAPTE will consider two types of complaints: those that involve situations subject to formal institution/program due process policies and procedures and those that involve situations not subject to formal due process procedures:
- If the complainant is involved with an institution/program grievance subject to formal due process and procedure, CAPTE requires that the process be completed prior to initiating CAPTE's formal complaint process, unless the complaint includes an allegation that the institution/program process has not been handled in a timely manner as defined in the institution/program policy, in which case CAPTE will consider the complaint prior to completion of the grievance process. Evidence of completion of the institutional process or of the untimely handling of such must be included in the complaint materials.
- If the complaint is related to situations that fall outside of formal due process policies and procedures, the complaint may be filed at any time.
CAPTE will not consider complaints that fall outside its jurisdiction/authority as expressed in the Evaluative Criteria (or Standards and Elements, as appropriate) and the academic integrity statements. When appropriate, complainants will be referred to other organizations to pursue their concern(s).
CAPTE will not intervene on behalf of individuals or act as a court of appeal for faculty members or students in matters of admission, retention, appointment, promotion, or dismissal. CAPTE will take action only when it believes practices or conditions indicate the program may not be in compliance with the Evaluative Criteria for Accreditation (or the Standards and Required Elements, as appropriate) or the statements listed above.
In order for CAPTE to consider a formal complaint, several conditions must be met:
- The complaint must be specifically linked to the relevant Evaluative Criteria (or Standards and Elements, as appropriate) (PT or PTA) or to the integrity statements.
- The complainant must have exhausted all remedies available through the institution, if appropriate.
- The complaint must be submitted in writing, using the format prescribed by CAPTE, and must be signed by the complainant.
- The event(s) being complained about must have occurred at least in part within three years of the date the complaint is filed.
In reviewing and acting on a complaint, CAPTE cannot and does not function as an arbiter between the complaint and the institution. Should CAPTE find that a complaint has merit and that the program is out of compliance with the Evaluative Criteria (or the Standards and Elements, as appropriate) or the integrity statement(s), CAPTE can only require the program to come into compliance with the Evaluative Criteria (or the Standards and Elements, as appropriate). CAPTE cannot force a program into any specific resolution of the situation that resulted in the complaint.
To obtain the materials necessary for submitting a complaint, contact the APTA Accreditation Department at 703-706-3245 or accreditation@apta.org.
Complaints will ordinarily be reviewed at the next meeting regularly scheduled CAPTE meeting. In order for the process to be completed in time for considered review by CAPTE, complaints must be received no later than 90 days prior to a meeting. At its discretion, CAPTE may choose to consider complaints between its regularly scheduled meetings. Ordinarily, such consideration will occur only when delay in consideration of the complaint could have a serious adverse effect on either the complainant or the institution.
Complaints ×îÐÂ91ÖÆƬ³§ CAPTE
Anyone may file a signed complaint about the agency with CAPTE. Complaints about the agency's criteria, its procedures, or other aspects of the agency's work, including its staff and volunteers, will be considered by CAPTE. To be considered as a formal complaint against CAPTE, however, a complaint must involve issues other than concern about a specific program action.
Complaints must be submitted in writing. The event(s) being complained about must have occurred at least in part within one year of the date the complaint is filed. The complaint must be identified as a complaint and submitted independent of any other documentation submitted to CAPTE. The complaint must 1) set forth and clearly describe the specific nature of the complaint; 2) provide supporting data for the charge; 3) specify the changes sought by the complainant; and 4) identify the person making the complaint.
Complaints are submitted to the Department of Accreditation, APTA, 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, VA 22305-3085. CAPTE acts on these types of complaints at its next regularly scheduled meeting following receipt of the complaint.
