(1) The procedures in this chapter are to be used for the processing and disposition of complaints by students (complainants) against college employees or other students, except to the extent that a complaint is against a college employee and the processing is dictated otherwise by a collective bargaining agreement or other applicable process. These procedures are available to all students and are intended to protect the rights of both the complainant and the respondent.

(2) For the purposes of this chapter, a "complaint" is defined as a good faith allegation based on personal experience or knowledge by a student or students that there has been a violation, misapplication, or misinterpretation of some service or rule as it applies to students in the institution by a staff or faculty member of the institution, resulting in loss or detriment to the complainant. However, an objection to disciplinary action under the student conduct code is only appealable under that code, and cannot constitute a complaint.

(3) Each college president shall appoint a complaints officer to handle student complaints. This position shall be filled by an employee whose position is below the level of vice president. The district chancellor shall designate a complaints officer to handle complaints against Siegal Center employees. If the president or chancellor determines, upon request, that the complaints officer has a disqualifying personal interest in a particular matter, he/she may appoint a substitute complaints officer for that matter. Information on the identity and location of the complaints officer(s) and about this procedure shall be readily available within each college.

(4) The complaints officer shall be responsible for taking appropriate actions to try to resolve complaints.

(5) A complaint may be addressed under either the informal process or the formal process, as set forth below. Students are encouraged to begin with the informal process.

(6) No respondent or district employee shall take adverse action or otherwise retaliate against a student because that student initiated a good faith complaint or assisted another student with a complaint.

(7) If more than one type of complaint or more than one respondent is included in one complaint, the complaints officer may, upon request, provide for appropriate modification(s) of these procedures.

(8) If a respondent employee is unavailable, or otherwise fails or refuses to participate timely in a complaint proceeding, the respondent's supervisor may act or designate another person to act in the complaint proceeding on that employee's behalf. However, no action by a substitute may subject the respondent employee to discipline.