As a student at Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ, it is your right to be heard on issues that negatively affect your student experience, and, if necessary, to lodge a complaint or grievance without fear of prejudice or retaliation for initiating the process or for participating in its resolution.
The student code of conduct, to which all members of the community are expected to adhere, as well as Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ’s disciplinary and judicial procedures, are outlined in Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ Policy SS008ENÌý- Student Responsibilities. Any student wishing to file a complaint should first read this policy.
Students are expected to make good faith and reasonable efforts at resolving any issues through informal means and should, whenever possible, communicate and seek direct resolution with the University representative involved. When these efforts fail, however, Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ is committed to providing a grievance procedure that supports students in voicing their concerns and that considers complaints in a fair, equitable and timely manner.
Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ Guidance Counselors: meet confidentially with a guidance counselor for advice, support and referrals to outside resources. Learn more
Diversity Council: supports a culture of ever-greater diversity, equity, and inclusion at Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ.Ìý It functions as an advisory council and recommending body to the President and Provost, as a liaison to departments across the University, and as an advocate for all members of the Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ community who feel they have experienced bias or discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Write to diversitycouncilaup.edu.
On-campus counseling for sexual assault: reportsexualassaultaup.edu
Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ for Consent, student advocacy group: consentaup.edu or visit aup.edu/consent
Office of Academic Integrity: academicintegrityaup.edu
Dean of Student Development (studentdevelopmentaup.edu)
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (provostaup.edu )
Specific policies are in place to address student complaints related to discrimination and sexual misconduct.
Discrimination: Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ policy prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. These values are affirmed by French law and Article 10, which ban expressions that incite discrimination, that propagate the idea of a superior race, and that spread hatred against specific groups. See Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ policy BP023EN - Non-Discrimination for clear standards, definitions, and descriptions of prohibited conduct.
Sexual misconduct: Sexual and moral misconduct are violations of a person’s rights, dignity and integrity, and such acts are contrary to the mission and values of The American University of Paris. Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ prohibits these violations and seeks to foster a climate free from misconduct through coordinated education and prevention programs, clear policies, and a prompt and accessible grievance procedure. See Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ policy HR014EN - Sexual & Moral Misconduct for clear standards, definitions, and descriptions of prohibited conduct.
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All cases of academic misconduct are reported to the Office of Academic Integrity. The Director of the Office of Academic Integrity will serve as an impartial mediator in the case when disputes cannot be resolved between the faculty member and a student. If the student disputes or appeals the findings of the Office of Academic Integrity, the case will be referred to the Honor Board. For more information about judicial procedures in the case of a violation of academic integrity, please refer to Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ Policy AA014EN - Academic Integrity and Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ Policy AA035EN - Final Grade Change Procedure.
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We encourage students seeking support and guidance to use the following resources. We hope these resources will aid students in determining whether to resolve issues informally or to explore pursuit of a formal procedure. Students may use these resources for situations involving other students, staff, or faculty:
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Students should keep notes and records of any meeting and agreement related to the grievance. Those reviewing the case will request factual evidence and documents proving that there has been a violation of University policy and that there are reasonable grounds for filing a formal complaint.
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Complaints of Students Against Other Students
Students may choose to file a formal complaint directly with the Dean of Student Development. The Dean convenes the Conduct Board to investigate the case. The Conduct Board is composed of two staff members appointed by the Dean of Student Development, one faculty member appointed by Faculty Senate, and two students appointed by the Student Government Association. After convening to investigate the complaint and hearing all evidence and meeting with all parties concerned, the Conduct Board presents a formal recommendation to the Dean of Student Development no later than three weeks after the complaint is filed. The Dean in turn conveys this decision in writing to the complainant and the responder. Students may appeal this decision within five class days as outlined in Section VI of Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ Policy SS008ENÌý- Student Responsibilities.
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Complaints of Students Against Employees
Students may choose to file a formal complaint against an employee with the vice president in whose area that employee works. The vice president to whom the complaint was addressed will consult with the Director of Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ Human Resources to investigate the complaint and determine what disciplinary action, if any, is appropriate.
Students may alternatively submit a grievance on this page when no specific policy or procedure is available or when normal channels of communication break down and/or a situation does not permit or lend itself to resolution through the channels described above. Grievances that may be submitted on this page fall into two categories: academic and non-academic grievances.
Follow the appropriate link below to file an online grievance form.
Examples of academic grievances include allegations of:
A non-academic grievance is an allegation by a student concerning a University matter such as:
Formal complaints filed by students against other students may result in sanctions. A non-exhaustive list of sanctions is provided in Section V of Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ Policy SS008ENÌý- Student Responsibilities.
Formal complaints filed by students against employees may results in sanctions determined by the Director of Human Resources and/or the Leadership Team.
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Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), 3624 Market St., 2nd Floor West; Philadelphia,Ìý PA 19104; +1 267 284 5000. The US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognize MSCHE as an accrediting body for higher education. MSCHE’s website includes a policy and procedure for filing a complaint regarding an institution’s compliance with the Commission’s standards for accreditation, requirements of affiliation, policies or procedures, or the institution’s own policies or procedures. Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ’s current MSCHE Statement of Accreditation Status is posted on the MSCHE website.