Any student at UW–Madison who feels that they have been treated unfairly has the right to voice a complaint and receive a prompt hearing of the grievance. The basis for a grievance can range from something as subtle as miscommunication to the extreme of harassment.
Anyone in the Department of Computer Sciences—faculty, staff, students, visitors—may file a report.
Student-related reporting
Student-related incidents, outlined above, are handled by the UW-Madison Dean of Students Office. Computer Sciences Academic Administrator Cindy Fendrick serves as the designated liaison to the Dean of Students Office.
The CS Department also has established a Bias/Grievance Committee to process these incidents internally.
- Committee Members:
- Graduate Committee Chair
- Undergraduate Committee Chair
- Department Chair
- Inclusion Program Manager
- Chair of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
- Teaching Faculty Representative
The Academic Administrator, Cindy Fendrick, may collaborate with any of the committee members based on the nature of the complaint and the individual(s) involved to help resolve issues/reports. Members of the CS Advising Team may also be consulted as needed.
Academic grievances/complaints
Examples of academic grievances and complaints include, but are not limited to, grade disputes, disputes/concerns with faculty/instructor, course concerns.
We know that students sometimes have complaints about a situation or their treatment in the classroom. The Department of Computer Sciences has a grievance procedure to handle student complaints of an academic nature, including but not limited to grade disputes or concerns, disputes or concerns with a faculty or instructor or general concerns related to a course.
Students should follow these steps until a resolution is achieved:
- Attempt to resolve the grievance directly with the individual involved
- If that approach seems unsatisfactory, and the grievance process involves a teaching assistant (TA) or peer mentor , consult the professor in charge of the course
- Contact your designated academic advisor – see “Advising & Student Services” https://www.cs.wisc.edu/people/staff/
- If necessary, discuss the grievance with the Department Administrator for Academic Services, Cindy Fendrick, in CS 4204, or cindy.fendrick@wisc.edu
- If you feel the situation has not been handled via the steps above, the Department Chair of CS may be involved. Contact Steve Wright at swright@cs.wisc.edu
- If you feel that the situation has not or cannot be justly handled by the CS Department, you have the right to contact:
- Undergraduates: The L&S Academic Deans Office https://deans.ls.wisc.edu/policies-forms/appeal-a-grade/
- Graduate & Professional Students: The Graduate School Director of Academic Services https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/grievances-and-appeals/
If you have not heard back regarding your complaint within a few days, please contact Cindy Fendrick in CS 4204 or cindy.fendrick@wisc.edu.
Support
Dean of Students Office
Students are encouraged to contact the UW-Madison Dean of Students Office at any point during the process. The Dean of Students Office is a primary resource for connecting students who are navigating personal, academic, or health issues, to supportive campus and community resources.
Contact information for the Dean of Students Office can be found here: https://doso.students.wisc.edu/contact-us/
University Health Services
University Health Services (UHS) provides no-cost mental health services and 24/7 crisis services to all UW-Madison students. UHS mental health providers understand the complexities of student life and offer an open, safe, and confidential environment to help students through issues that may interfere with their development, well-being, and academic productivity.
Schedule an appointment or connect with UHS: