Student System

The Student System offers students an essential structure for resolving concerns and problems. The structure encourages students to work directly with those involved in the concern to solve problems at the most direct and appropriate level. If necessary, students can recruit faculty or administrators to help solve problems. The steps outlined below should be effective in resolving problems. Begin with Level 1, and work to solve the problem at that level.

• Level 1: Talk directly with the classmate/instructor with whom you have a concern or problem. Let the classmate/instructor know your concerns and what outcome you want to see.

• Level 2: Hold an open class meeting/discussion (outside of class) to try and resolve the problem with classmates’ input. 

• Level 3: Talk with the class instructor about your problem. Explain your concerns and why you believe the problem was not resolved in your previous conversation with the person or the class meeting. The instructor may refer you to the Administration.

• Level 4: If your concern is not resolved, the next step is to contact the Administration.

• If your concern is with an instructor, send the Dean of Faculty dean@ccmu.edu an email detailing the concerns and request the Dean’s help with resolving the problem. Schedule a meeting with the Dean to discuss the concerns and why the problem was not resolved. 
• If your concern is with classmates or others, send the Dean of Students deanofstudents@ccmu.edu an email detailing the concerns and request the Dean’s help with resolving the problem. Schedule a meeting with the Dean to discuss the concerns and why the problem was not resolved. 

The above refers to student conduct issues, disputes between students, disputes between students and faculty or staff, and other issues relating to successful participation in the academic setting.

Refer all concerns relating to criminal conduct off campus should to the Denver Police Department.

Concerns relating to discrimination should be directed to the Dean of Students deanofstudents@ccmu.edu .

If you feel you are experiencing sexual harassment, please contact; Title IX Coordinator (Dean of Students) 303-329-6355 Ext. 12, deanofstudents@ccmu.edu

Academic Grievances include academic issues, such as faculty and/or administrator’s professional judgment related to the issuance of final grades, academic advising, and other academic-related matters. For Grade Appeals and Academic Grievances, follow the steps below:

Grade Appeals Process

1. First Level – Appeal to the faculty member
2. The student must submit an email to the faculty member with the subject line Grade Appeal that details the Grade they want to appeal and provide information and evidence regarding the Grade and why they are appealing it.
3. After receiving a formal appeal, the faculty member shall ensure that a written decision with express reasons is available or delivered to the student within five business days.
4. Should the student fail to take further action within five business days of receiving the faculty member’s decision, that decision shall stand.
5. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision or does not receive a response from the faculty member within five business days, they may proceed to the second level of appeal.
6. Second Level – Administration
7. Suppose the student elects to continue the appeal after receiving the faculty member’s decision or recommendation. In that case, they may take the matter to the Academic Dean of Students within five business days. The student must submit the Grade Appeal email sent to faculty to the Academic Dean of Students. The Dean shall ascertain within five business days whether the procedures for appeal at the first level were duly followed; if they were not, they will require that the procedures be followed before they take any further action.
8. As soon as possible (but no later than 30 calendar days) after receiving a proper written, dated request for appeal at this level, the Academic Dean of Students will make a decision.
9. Third Level – Appeals Committee
10. Suppose the student wants to continue the appeal after the Academic Dean of Students’ decision or recommendation. In that case, they may ask the Academic Dean of Students to convene an appeals committee. The student must submit an email with the subject line Appeals Committee Request to the Dean of Students and include the Grade Appeal email and why the student wants an appeals committee to hear their case.  
11. The Dean of Students will convene an appeals committee within five days of receipt of the Appeals Committee Request email and present the student’s case to the appeals committee. The committee will return their decision to the Dean. The Dean will provide a written decision or recommendation with explicit reasons and email it to all affected parties within five business days after the conclusion of the Academic Dean of Students’ deliberations.
12. The faculty member may respond in writing to the Appeals Committee about the decision or recommendation of the Academic Dean of Students with express reasons if not in agreement with the decision or recommendation. The response must be made to the Appeals Committee within 10 business days after receiving the report of the Academic Dean of Students.
13. The Appeals Committee shall comprise 1 Board member, 1 Faculty member, 1 Administrative member (the Academic Dean of Students may be appointed as a member), and 1 Student. The CCMU President will appoint the committee, and the President can serve as chairperson without a vote. All deliberations of the committee will be closed and confidential.
14. The presence of all eligible members and the CCMU President—shall constitute a quorum.
15. All findings of the appeals committee shall be considered final.

Student Grievance Procedures, Complaint Format and Guidance

A student with a grievance with an instructor, student or staff that cannot first be settled using the Student System or with the Student System Level 4 help from the Administration Office must use the following procedure: 

•File a Notice of Student Complaint with the Administrative Office.

How to file a Notice of Student Complaint with the CCMU Administration:

Write an email with the date and location of the incident, incident information, explanation of the complaint, steps taken to resolve the complaint and result of those efforts to date and the remedy sought. Include all relevant information to describe the complaint, resolution efforts, and current outcomes.

• For non-academic complaints, email your complaint to Admin Director admindirector@ccmu.edu with the subject line Notice of Complaint. Send the email with a delivery receipt requested so you know it was received.
• For complaints involving faculty or curriculum email your complaint to the Academic Dean at dean@ccmu.edu with the subject line Notice of Complaint. Send the email with delivery receipt requested so you know it was received.
• For complaints involving classmates or others, email your complaints to the Dean of Students deanofstudents@ccmu.edu  with the subject line Notice of Complaint. Send the email with delivery receipt requested so you know it was received.
• Anonymous complaints are permitted, but please be advised that it may limit our ability to respond to your complaint and address the issue. To send an anonymous complaint: a letter with the written complaint can be mailed to: Colorado Chinese Medicine University®, Attention: Complaints, 1441 York Street, Suite 302, Denver, CO 80206

If complaints are not resolved at the administrative level the next step is to

•Apply for a grievance hearing before the Grievance Committee.

Academic Grievances include academic issues, such as faculty and/or administrator’s professional judgment related to the issuance of final grades, academic advising, and other academic-related matters. Academic Grievances (except for Grade Appeals), follow the procedures outlined below:

Non-Academic Grievances may include university errors related to non-academic issues such as enrollment, registration, financial aid or other issues. Non-Academic Grievances follow the procedures outlined below:

How To Apply for a Grievance Hearing

Step 1- Email the Admin Director admindirector@ccmu.edu  and Cc to coo@ccmu.edu with the subject line Applying for a Grievance Hearing.

Step 2- Provide a summary of the complaint and the steps you have taken to resolve the complaint using the student system Level 1-4 and explain why your complaint was not resolved using the Student System or by discussing the complaint with a CCMU Administrator.

Step 3- Send the email with delivery receipt requested so you know it was received. A CCMU admin representative will respond within1-2 working days (holidays and weekends excluded)

Step 4- Notice of receipt of the request for a grievance hearing will be emailed to the complainant with instructions and information about the Grievance Committee and possible dates for the hearing.

•Meet with the Grievance Committee (1 Board Member, 1 faculty member, 1 administration representative, and 1 student) and work to resolve the grievance.

If the complaint remains unsettled after the Grievance Committee meeting, the complainant can request a meeting with CCMU Board representatives.

•Arrange a meeting with the President of CCMU and or the Chairman of the Board, who will make the final decision.

Additional Complaint Resolution Pathways

Students and the school should make every effort to resolve complaints between the student and the institution. This is the preferred approach described by all agencies and this will be the first question and step other agencies will review with the complainant. “Did you use all available complaint resolution steps available to you at your school?”  If the complainant has not followed all available complaint and grievance procedures outlined by the school, the complaint will be advised to return to the school’s process and work with the school to solve the complaint/grievance. If all efforts to resolve the complaint/grievance with the school have not been successful, the complainant can proceed with the following options.

Complaints, which cannot be resolved by direct negotiation between the student and the school, may be filed with the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM).

ACAHM is located at 500 Lake Street, Suite 204, Excelsior, MN 55331, phone 952-212-2434, fax 952-657-7068

ACAHM FILING A COMPLAINT: ACAHM Policy on Complaints Against Programs/Institutions

ACAHM’s complaint policy is not a mechanism for adjudication of disputes between individuals and programs. As such, the Commission will only consider complaints that allege violations of ACAHM’s Eligibility Requirements, Standards and Criteria for Accreditation, policies or procedures. The Commission cannot, for instance, direct a program to change a grade, re-admit a student, or reinstate a faculty member.

Colorado Department of Higher Education information for Filing a Complaint:

•Write to the Colorado Department of Higher Education, 1600 Broadway, Suite 2200,Denver CO. 80202;

To file a complaint against a Colorado Institution of Higher Education (IHE) please visit this CDHE website –

https://highered.colorado.gov/students/how-do-i/file-a-student-complain

•Prior to filing a complaint with the CDHE, students must follow the appeal procedures at their IHE. Each IHE has a process for addressing student complaints. Filing a complaint with the CDHE is the last resort.

•The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) is a coordinating agency, not a regulatory agency. Therefore, the CDHE has limited jurisdiction over Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) in the state of Colorado.

Filing a Compliant with NC-SARA

For students enrolled in CCMU(CSTCM) ‘s Distance Education Programs located outside the state of Colorado, the following complaint process is available.

Note that NC-SARA Complaint policy, similar to the CCMU(CSTCM), ACAHM, CDHE complaint policy encourages students and all parties to arrive at reasonable complaint resolution by using all available channels provided by the student’s institution, CCMU(CSTCM).  If all channels at resolution with the home institution have been exhausted and the complaint is about online education concerns, a complaint can be made to NC-SARA using this NC-SARA process.

To File a complaint with NC-SARA please use this link  Student Complaints | NC-SARA

The Colorado NC-SARA State Portal Entity (SPE) contact State Portal Entity Contacts | NC-SARA

And Colorado Department of Higher Education | NC-SARA

Please click here to view the NC-SARA compliant process details on the CCMU(CSTCM) Website.