Review the following policies and procedures and other college policies by clicking the links below.
- Academic Standing and Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
- Alcoholic Beverages or Controlled Substances on Campus
- Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination in Employment and Education
- Last Date of Attendance
- Sexual Assault and Violence
- Student Code of Conduct
- Student Data Privacy
- Tobacco Free
- Student Complaints and Grievances
Student Complaint & Grievance Process
Academic grade disputes/grade appeals are addressed by completing the:
Hennepin Tech takes student complaints and grievances seriously. If you have a complaint about Hennepin Tech, we encourage you to utilize the Institution’s Student Complaint and Grievance Process as outlined in Policy 3.8 Student Complaints and Grievances found on the Policy and Procedure page by completing and submitting the:
Anonymous complaints can be submitted.
If your grievance involves a Board Policy, the actions of the Hennepin Tech President, an issue of institutional or program quality such as an institution’s compliance with the standards of an accrediting or licensing agency, or a claim of consumer fraud or deceptive trade practices, you may appeal to the Minnesota State System Office pursuant to the above policy and procedure. The contact information for the Minnesota State System Office is:
Academic and Student Affairs
Minnesota State System Office
Wells Fargo Place, 30 7th Street E, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55101-7804
Hennepin Tech is part of the Minnesota State system of public two and four year institutions of higher education designated by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 136F and governed by the Board of Trustees of Minnesota State. Hennepin Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC). If you wish to file a complaint about Hennepin Technical College with the HLC, you may do so by contacting:
Higher Learning Commission
230 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604-1413
The Hennepin Technical College community aspires to create an environment that is inclusive and safe for all members of the community. Our campus will always be a place of hope and opportunity where all students – no matter who they are or what community they come from – can feel welcome, feel safe to learn and feel free to express their hopes, their dreams, and their ideas.
Bias incidents undermine our campus’ efforts toward equity and inclusion. They limit our community’s ability to excel in our teaching and learning, and our service to our communities and state. They also impede free and open discourse and our ability to know and learn from one another. Biased and hateful expression causes harm and fractures in our communities that must be addressed.
What is a bias incident?
A bias incident is an act of bigotry, harassment, or intimidation that is motivated in whole or in part by bias based on an individual’s or group’s actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Bias often stems from fear, misunderstanding, hatred, and stereotypes and may be intentional or unintentional.
Report a bias incident:
Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT)
Hennepin Technical College has established a team to help address and respond to bias incidents that impact our campus community. The Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) serves to:
- Refer those who report incidents to appropriate campus offices that can effectively respond through investigation, educational coaching, or other resources, depending on the nature of the incident.
- Refer students, faculty, and staff to support resources.
- Log all reported incidents and track for trends.
- Notify campus leaders of ongoing bias incidents and trends.
- Inform the campus community about the team’s work through informational meetings and annual reports.
Overall, BIRT serves as a resource to guide affected individuals in understanding established policies, procedures, and protocols. BIRT also exists to take a timely and comprehensive approach to addressing bias incidents and to aid in communication with the extended community about incident-related concerns.
The Bias Incident Response Team is comprised of:
- Sable Gjesvold, Director of Academic Support Programs, Title IX Coordinator
- Joel Nelson, Associate Director of Human Resources, Title IX Deputy Coordinator
- Hilary Dahlman, Dean of Student Success, Equity and Inclusion
- Stephen Harper, Director of Student Life and Career Development
- Matt Gustafson, Counselor
- Sarah Cornelius, Counselor
Frequently Asked Questions
For the purposes of the Bias Incident Response Team, a bias incident is an act or pattern of bigotry, harassment, or intimidation that is motivated in whole or in part by bias based on an individual’s or group’s actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or familial status. Something does not necessarily need to rise to the level of a hate crime or a policy violation to constitute a bias incident
Yes. In order to increase the likelihood that students, staff and faculty will submit reports, we created an online report form that can be submitted anonymously. You may also choose to provide non-identifying contact information, such as a personal email account, if you would like information regarding the status of your report. We want to obtain as complete a picture as possible regarding the experiences of our students, staff and faculty, and this tool is a mechanism for accomplishing that goal. We cannot respond to anonymous reporters to provide feedback or information, but we welcome the contribution to our collective knowledge.
We want individuals to have information to assist them in making the determination as to whether or not they want to make a Bias Incident Report and what options may exist through other reporting opportunities available, such as disciplinary investigations. To talk with someone who can provide you more information, please contact any member of the Bias Incident Response Team listed on the Contact Us page.
All team members receive a copy of the report, which will be discussed at monthly team meetings to determine next steps. Primarily, the information will be maintained in our database, providing us with an overall picture of the kinds of things our students, staff and faculty are experiencing. If the reporting individual wants to discuss the matter further and provides contact information, we will reach out to that individual. The team will determine what kind of follow up activity may be called for, such as asking facilities services to remove graffiti, reaching out to an affected community to provide support or providing feedback to a department or individual.
Depending on the nature of the reported incident, the Bias Incident Response Team may:
- Offer support and information regarding available resources.
- Inform and consult colleagues regarding a possible institutional response.
- Coordinate support and educational outreach.
- Assess avenues for minimizing or eliminating future incidents of bias.
- Catalogue incidents.
Individuals who submit a report and identify themselves may be contacted for more detail. Anonymous reports also may be submitted. The team will compile and analyze data from submitted reports to inform future educational and prevention efforts.
Institutional responses may include:
- Removal of graffiti or flyers.
- Individual outreach to an affected party.
- Connecting affected parties to relevant resources.
- Educational workshops or seminars.
- Notice to the community about the incident.
- Offer of support and assistance to affected individuals/communities (typically in the form of counseling).
It is important to note that the Bias Incident Response Team is neither an investigative nor an oversight body. In the vast majority of cases, it will be entirely up to the person making the report to decide if they want to have a formal investigation initiated. If you submit a report and provide contact information, the team can let you know your options for having the matter investigated and provide information about relevant resources. In rare instances, we may be compelled by law to report a matter to appropriate investigative body (Student Conduct, Human Resources, and Public Safety). This would be most likely if the safety of a minor appears to be at risk or a direct threat of violence has occurred.
The Bias Incident Report and Response Team were designed to promote an inclusive community at Minnesota State University Moorhead by providing a central, streamlined approach for reporting incidents of bias and/or discrimination involving students.
The Bias Report and Response Team have three primary goals:
- Support students, staff and faculty who have witnessed or been the target of bias-related incidents.
- Refer to resources that can provide ongoing support.
- Inform the HTC community about the frequency and nature of bias incidents that are reported.
Student complaints regarding discrimination or harassment are subject to Board Policy 1B.1 Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination in Employment and Education and System Procedure 1B.1.1, and can be submitted by completing the:
This form is directed to the Title IX Coordinator upon completion. Complaints can be submitted anonymously.
Student complaints regarding sexual violence/misconduct are subject to Board Policy 1B.3 Sexual Violence and System Procedure 1B.3.1, and can be submitted by completing the:
This form is directed to the Title IX Coordinator upon completion. Complaints can be submitted anonymously.
Student Consumer Complaint Process: Pursuant to the United States Department of Education’s Program Integrity Rule, institutions providing online education are required to provide all prospective and current students contact information of the state agency or agencies that handle complaints against postsecondary education institutions offering distance learning within that state.
- We encourage you to seek resolution to any concerns by discussing them informally with a staff member at the College. If a complaint cannot be handled informally, Hennepin Technical College students are encouraged to use our College’s complaint process, outlined in Policy 3.8 Student Complaints and Grievances found on the Policy and Procedure page.
- If a complaint cannot be resolved at the College level, you may contact the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. If you reside in another state, you may contact your local state agency (PDF) for further information.
Contact Information
Title IX Coordinator
Sable Gjesvold
Director of Academic Support Programs
Student ADA Coordinator
Designated Officer
Phone: 952-995-1544
Email: Sable.Gjesvold@HennepinTech.edu
Public Safety & Campus Security
Phone: 952-995-1525
Email: Security@HennepinTech.edu
Title IX Deputy Coordinator
Joel Nelson
Associate Director of Human Resources
Employee ADA Coordinator
Phone: 763-488-2645
Email: Joel.Nelson@HennepinTech.edu