Grievance Procedure | Signature Healthcare

Student Services

Student Grievance Procedure

Definitions: A “grievance” shall mean a complaint which has been filed by a grievant alleging a violation of student rights or responsibilities as outlined in the Student Handbook. The alleged violation may have taken place at Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of Nursing (“SH/BHSON”), its clinical affiliations, Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital or its immediate grounds, or at an SH/BHSON sponsored event. A “grievant” shall mean a student or groups of students filing the grievance.

A “sanction” shall mean decisions made by SH/BHSON agents and applied to a student or a group of students alleged to have violated stated policies of SH/BHSON. A SH/BHSON agent is a member of the faculty, administration or staff of SH/BHSON who is charged with the responsibility of supervising and enforcing particular SH/BHSON policies. Sanctions that may be applied for violations of student responsibilities or SH/BHSON policies are listed below.

Disciplinary Probation: A period of time during which a student’s actions are subject to close examination. Offenses committed during this time period will be considered in making future decisions.
Academic Probation: A period of time during which the student’s academic progress is subject to close examination. Terms of academic probation will be determined by the appropriate faculty member and Administration.
Alcohol/Drug Suspension Policy: Students who violate the drug policy are subject to disciplinary action up to dismissal from SH/BHSON.
Disciplinary Suspension: Dismissal from SH/BHSON for a stated period of time after which readmission may be sought.
Expulsion: Permanent removal from SH/BHSON. Readmission may not be sought.

Purpose: Whenever there is an allegation that a student of Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of Nursing violated a SH/BHSON policy, every reasonable effort will be made to ensure fairness, objectivity, and appropriate due process. This policy addresses all actions taken by students against the school and all actions taken by the school against students. Filing a grievance using the procedure set forth below shall not affect the student’s right to file complaints with appropriate state and federal agencies or courts.

Students at SH/BHSON have certain responsibilities which include:

The responsibility to refrain from actions which deny other students of SH/BHSON their rights as re-numerated.
The responsibility to fully read and comprehend the Student Handbook.
The responsibility to adhere to established academic and all other SH/BHSON-related policies, rules, and regulations found in the Student Handbook.
The responsibility to refrain from use of force against a person or group, the forcible interference with another person’s freedom of movement, or verbal abuse of another person.
The responsibility to preserve the right of privacy of other individuals and groups, and to respect the right of property of individuals, groups and SH/BHSON itself.
The responsibility to refrain from sexual assault and harassment of another individual.
The responsibility to refrain from racial or ethnic harassment or harassment based on gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, disabilities, cultural experiences, nationality, learning styles, religious beliefs, or political ideologies.
The responsibility to abide by HIPAA regulations.
The responsibility to maintain professional conduct in academic and clinical areas and to accept responsibility for own actions.
The responsibility to maintain academic standards and course student learning outcomes of SH/BHSON.
The responsibility to arrange and attend mid-term and end-of-term conferences with instructors and other conferences as deemed necessary by either party.
The responsibility to maintain a patient’s right to confidentiality.
The responsibility to refrain from stealing, damaging, defacing or deliberate destruction of SH/BHSON property or of any student’s property.
The responsibility to refrain from disorderly conduct or lewd, indecent, or obscene conduct while on SH/BHSON property or at SH/BHSON supervised activities.
The responsibility to refrain from smoking on SH/BHSON property.
The responsibility to refrain from the unauthorized entry into or use of SH/BHSON facilities.
The responsibility to refrain from consumption of alcoholic beverages and drugs in buildings on SH/BHSON grounds or sale or dispensing of alcoholic beverages or drugs at functions sponsored under the name of SH/BHSON.
The responsibility to refrain from use, production, possession, distribution, or being under the influence of narcotics or dangerous drugs, except as permitted by law.
The responsibility to refrain from the crime of hazing.

Students at SH/BHSON have certain rights which include the following:

The right to organize one’s personal life and behavior and to pursue normal activities except when these interfere with the rights of others.
The right of privacy of personal information. Students’ beliefs and views shared with faculty and staff shall be kept confidential.
The right to carry on individual or organized activity that expresses concerns or changes desired at SH/BHSON. Students and student organizations have the right to examine and discuss all questions of interest to them.
The right to due process. No student shall be subjected to disciplinary procedures or found guilty of charges made under this statement without due process. Due process includes the right of the accused to know the charge made against them and to state their own version of events in respect to the charge made, the right to confront witnesses and the right to know the content of any other factual basis for the charge, and the right to have the matter settled by an impartial person or body.
The right to institute the grievance procedure when students believe that their rights and responsibilities derived from this statement have been violated.
The right to have the following information at the beginning of each course: course, theoretical and clinical unit objectives; course grading system; class and clinical assignments.
The right to be represented on Faculty Organization, Grievance Review Committee and Curriculum Committee as needed.
The right to be protected from unauthorized search or seizure.
The right to make constructive feedback concerning course content.
The right to academic advising.

Composition of the Grievance Review Board:

Upon receipt of a grievance, a Grievance Review Board will be convened.

1. The Grievance Review Board will be made up of two (2) faculty members and one (1) student.

2. The Assistant Dean will choose the two (2) faculty members on the Grievance Review Board.

3. The Assistant Dean will choose one (1) of the faculty members to be the Chair of the Grievance Review Board.

4. The Assistant Dean will choose the one (1) student on the Grievance Review Board.

5. All members of the Grievance Review Board will serve for one (1) school-year term.

Grievance Procedures:

1. If a conflict cannot be resolved informally between parties, a grievance must be submitted in writing to the Assistant Dean within ten (10) business days of the incident.

2. Grievances must be in writing and should include relevant details, evidence, and the requested resolution.

3. The Assistant Dean will conduct an Initial Review.

a. The Assistant Dean will review the grievance and determine appropriate next steps within five (5) business days.

b. The Assistant Dean may dismiss grievances lacking merit or refer them for hearing.

c. The Assistant Dean will provide a written response to the student within five(5) business days indicating whether the grievance is dismissed or whether a formal hearing will be conducted.

Investigation and Hearing Procedures:

Formal hearings will be conducted by the Grievance Review Board. The Grievance Review Board will hear testimony of relevant parties and consider evidence. No audio or video recording devices will be permitted in the informal or formal proceedings.
Students have the right to attend a pre-hearing conference with the Grievance Review Board chairperson and the Assistant Dean for the purpose of reviewing Grievance Review Board hearing procedures and related aspects of the review system.
Students have the right to waive their right to a hearing and accept the dismissal of the grievance. If the student waives their right to a hearing, the grievance is considered resolved and the matter closed.
The Grievance Review Board chairperson shall set a reasonable meeting time. The student shall receive in hand, by return receipt email or by return receipt requested, addressee only certified mail, the following information from the Grievance Review Board chairperson: the specific rule, regulation, or policy allegedly violated; the staff, faculty or administrator involved, the time and place of the alleged violation and such information needed to prepare a proper defense; the name(s) of the person(s) reporting the alleged violation; explanation of the right of appeal and the time and place of the scheduled meeting with the Grievance Review Board.
The Assistant Dean will supply the chairperson of the Grievance Review Board with a copy of the grievance. The chairperson of the Grievance Review Board will assemble any pertinent rules, regulations, policies, or other resources needed for consideration and distribute these along with a copy of the grievance to the members of the Grievance Review Board.
Hearing and Evidence: At the time of the Grievance Review Board meeting, all evidence and argument pertaining to pertinent data such as procedure, interpretation of rules and regulations and any other questions will be presented by the student.
Witness and Evidence: Each student involved in the hearing will be given the opportunity to testify and present evidence and witnesses. In no cases shall the Grievance Review Board consider statements against a student unless the student has been given the opportunity to rebut unfavorable inferences which might be drawn from them. The burden of proof will rest upon the student.
Deliberation and Decisions: Immediately following the meeting, the Grievance Review Board shall meet in executive session. The majority of members need to agree on a resolution. The chairperson will forward the recommendation, in writing, within twenty-four (24) hours of the Grievance Review Board meeting to the Assistant Dean. The Assistant Dean can accept or modify the recommendation and subsequently will notify the student of the decision in writing within five (5) business days of the Grievance Review Board meeting.
Records and Correspondence: The Grievance Review Board chairperson shall keep records and all correspondence. All records of Grievance Review Board hearings and of the final determination in each case shall be confidentially maintained by the chairperson for eight (8) years in a private, locked, secure file or electronically. All paper and electronic copies will be deleted after the subsequent ACEN visit.

Appeal Procedures:

If the student is not satisfied with the written decision, the student must file a written appeal with the Dean within five (5) business days following notification of the Grievance Review Board’s decision.
Appeal letters must include a rationale of at least one (1) or two (2) paragraphs in length, outlining the reasons for the appeal.
The Dean may schedule a meeting with the student and any faculty, staff or administrator involved to resolve the grievance, but no meeting is required.
written decision is required within thirty (30) business days to respond to any appeal presented to the Dean.
When the Dean rules on the appeal the Dean’s decision is final, and the matter will be considered closed.

SH/BHSON takes very seriously students’ complaints and concerns. Complaints should be resolved at the campus level. However, after completing the SH/BHSON Grievance process, if a student feels that their complaints have not been resolved, per federal Student Regulations CFR 34, Section 600.9 (a)(1) and 668.43 (b), the student may file a complaint with:

Massachusetts Board of Higher Education

Office of the General Counsel

One Ashburton Place, Room 1401

Boston, MA 02108

Phone: 617-994-6950

Fax: 617-727-0955

www.mass.edu

(Revised 1-10-2025)

Disability Discrimination Grievance Policy & Procedure

Purpose: The following is the official mechanism by which disabled persons may file a grievance with

SH/BHSON (the “School”).

Non-Associates (other than applicants for employment): Any student who believes that they have a legitimate complaint concerning accessibility or services, architectural barriers or other situations covered by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the American With Disabilities Act is urged to bring it to SH/BHSON’s attention via this grievance procedure. Any such grievance should be initiated within 15 days of the incident giving rise to it. Depending upon the nature of the complaint, the grievant should follow Step I as follows:

Step I - Contact the Dean who shall attempt to resolve the grievance in a fair and timely manner.

Should the attempt to resolve the issue at Step I fail, the grievance may be advanced to Step II, within five days of the Step I response. The designated representative shall assist the grievant in pursuing the matter further by assisting the grievant in submitting his or her written complaint and notifying SH/BHSON’s compliance officer that a Section 504 grievance has been received.

Step II - The compliance officer shall forward the grievance and their findings, together with any additional information provided by the grievant, in writing, to Dean. Normally within seven days, the Dean shall make a final decision, based on all available information, and will forward his or her final written decision to the grievant, normally within 45 days of the original written grievance.

Appointment of Compliance Officer: The Coordinator of Counseling and Student Services is appointed the SH/BHSON’s compliance officer.

Rehabilitation Act of 1973: A grievant may also have rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 39 U.S.C. 794, which is administered by the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services. Regulations have been promulgated by the Department, 45 C.F.R. Part 84, and further information may be obtained from the Department.

A grievant may also have right under the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §12101-12212, which is administered by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Justice. Regulations have been promulgated by the EEOC, 29 CFR 1630 and the Department of Justice, 28 CFR §36, which address specific subject areas. Utilization of this grievance procedure shall not preclude any grievant who has a right to do so from filing a complaint under Section 504 with the Department or under the American with Disabilities Act with the EEOC or courts.