Amplifying a COE Connection message: What to do when you have an academic concern

The message below was shared with undergraduate and graduate students in this week’s COE Connection. The College is sharing that message in the hope that you can amplify these processes if a student expresses a concern to you:

What to do when you have an academic concern

The University is a large place with a complicated structure, and it can be difficult to know where to go when you have an academic concern. Generally, you want to follow what is known as the “chain of command.” The basic idea of chain of command is that you first take your concern to the person who is closest to the situation and give them an opportunity to address it. If you are not able to arrive at a satisfactory resolution, you then take your concern to the next level of administration and continue this process until the matter is resolved. This structure helps to ensure that issues are addressed in a timely and effective manner. By understanding this structure, you can more effectively advocate for your needs and engage with the administration of the University.

For example, if you have a concern about a class, you should first go to the instructor to share your concern and give them a chance to work with you to address your concern. If your concern is with your advisor, you should go to your advisor and share your concern. While it may be tempting to skip this step and go to the next level, it is important to start with the person who has the best chance of fixing whatever is wrong. When an administrator receives a complaint, they will typically ask you if you have followed the chain of command, and they usually will also reach out to the person just below them on the chain of command to find out what happened at that level. So, skipping a level in the chain of command is less efficient. The instructor or advisor may not even know you have a concern (even if you think you have conveyed it to them). It is also a courtesy to the instructor or advisor to allow them the chance to address the issue before you go to their supervisor. Think about your own work experience–you would want to know about a problem and have a chance to make it right before someone tells your supervisor.

In the instructor scenario, if your concern is not resolved by speaking with the instructor, you would move to the program coordinator or graduate coordinator in the department and then to the department head. If your concern is still unresolved, you would take it to an associate dean and then the dean and ultimately out of the College if necessary. In the advisor scenario above, you would move from the advisor to one of the co-directors of undergraduate advising to the senior associate dean for academic programs to the dean and then out of the College.

The structure of the College and University are not always transparent, so if you are unsure where to take your concern next, please consult our website to see where your course or program is located. Exceptions to the chain of command include situations that violate the University’s Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy or the Sexual Misconduct Policy. Concerns of this nature should be reported directly and immediately to the Equal Opportunity Office.