Student Complaint Process

If a student has a complaint against a faculty or staff member, visit Student Freedom from Discrimination Harassment.

This Student Complaint Process applies to alleged violations of College policy. This policy does not apply to interpersonal conflicts, disputes, or difficulties. It also does not apply to administrative actions or processes taken by the College.

If a student has a complaint against another student, the following process will apply:

INFORMAL

Bowdoin College requires that students first make every effort to informally resolve a complaint or concern between one another. Students may request a referral to the Program for Nonviolence and Conflict Resolution in order to address interpersonal conflicts.

If a student complaint or concern has not been resolved to the student’s satisfaction, they may move into the Formal Complaint process below.

FORMAL

To submit a formal complaint, please contact the director of community standards.  The complaint should:  

• Briefly outline of the steps taken by the student(s) toward resolving the issue.
• Clearly articulate and specify the College policy that was allegedly violated.
• Provide evidentiary documentation regarding the alleged violation(s).
• Include a statement regarding a possible solution(s) or resolution(s) for the issue.

All Student Formal Complaints are received by the director of community standards, who will review the complaint to determine whether adequate grounds have been stated by the Complainant. If the complaint provides substantive allegations, the matter may be referred to the Conduct Review Board for resolution.