The University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy is committed to conducting its affairs in an open and honest manner with respect for all individuals. Anyone who perceives that there are practices that do not conform to this policy may initiate a formal complaint.
Complaints to the College of Pharmacy
The College of Pharmacy encourages persons with complaints about their educational program to seek informal resolution of their complaints prior to initiating a formal process. This informal resolution may include one-on-one conversations or group discussions, when appropriate for the situation.
Any person may file a formal complaint to the College of Pharmacy regarding its programs. Complaints may include, but are not limited to, admissions policies, inappropriate faculty or student conduct (as related to AAUP contract 2014 – 2018 article VIII or University Manual section 9.18), inequities in grading, bias incidents and/or failure to comply with University policy. It is the responsibility of the Associate Dean to manage and provide responses to formal complaints about the Doctor of Pharmacy Program.
1. Procedures for formal complaints
- To initiate a formal complaint a Student Complaint Form must be completed. The form includes a section for a detailed description of the issue or reason for the complaint. All areas of the form must be completed to ensure a complete understanding of the situation and how to contact the complainant in the event that other answers are needed. If this is a student complaint related to a course or faculty action, a statement of actions taken to informally resolve the complaint must be included. Failure to complete all sections of the form will delay the response or make it impossible for a resolution to be made.
- Requests for confidentiality shall be respected to the extent any such information is not necessary for the resolution of the complaint. Students will not be penalized or suffer retaliation for filing complaints. Completed complaint forms will be kept in a locked file in the Office of the Associate Dean, room 215C.
- A complaint form is available online for download. Printed copies may be obtained from the Dean’s Office, the Office of Student Affairs. Complaints must be submitted to the Attention of the Associate Dean, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, 7 Greenhouse Rd., Room 215C, Kingston, RI 02881.
- Formal complaints will be reviewed upon receipt by the Associate Dean or a designated administrative staff member and referred to the appropriate collegiate committee or administrative office within the College or University for information, advice and/or response. Complaints may require meetings or hearings with the complaining party or other members of the collegiate or university community. University Policy and Procedure will guide the Associate Dean depending on the individual complaint. The person submitting the complaint will receive acknowledgement of the submission within 14 days and a response or update on its status within 60 days. All effort will be made to provide timely responses to time sensitive complaints.
2. Appeals Process
Decisions related to the complaint may be appealed to the Dean of the College of Pharmacy. University related complaints may be appealed through the University of Rhode Island policies and procedures. Members of the University community may also seek advice on complaints from the Office of the Ombudsperson at 401-874-5924.
Complaints to the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) has an obligation to assure itself that any institution which seeks or holds a pre-accreditation or accreditation status for its professional program(s) conducts its affairs with honesty and frankness. Complaints from other institutions, students, faculty, or the public against a college or school of pharmacy, including tuition and fee policies, and as related to ACPE standards, policies or procedures, shall be placed in writing in detail by the complainant and submitted to the ACPE office. The complaint shall be submitted to the institution for response. Requests for confidentiality shall be respected to the extent any such information is not necessary for the resolution of the complaint. Details for submission of a complaint to ACPE with regard to accreditation standards can be obtained at http://www.acpe-accredit.org/deans/complaints.asp.