Aug 23, 2025

2025-2026 Student Handbook

Student Complaint Procedures

Complaint Processes

The goal of complaint processes at Colorado Mountain College is to respond to students promptly, provide information that answers the student’s questions and concerns, and come to an informed and reasonable resolution based on the facts gathered through the complaint and investigative process between the student and the college. The college has established the following formal and informal processes to be followed depending on the type of complaint:

CMC Code of Student Conduct or Policy Violation

See the CMC Code of Conduct and Adjudication Process for more information.

Credit Transfer Questions and Complaints

If you are denied transfer credit after meeting the requirements, please contact the Registrar at registrar@coloradomtn.edu. See the Academic Catalog and Colorado Department of Higher Education page for more details.

Financial Aid Appeal

See the Financial Aid Policies page for more information.
Grade Appeal

See the Academic Catalog and Registrar’s page for details and forms.
Disability-Related or Discrimination Complaint Procedure

See the Discrimination Complaint Procedure for concerns, inquiries, or specific complaints of alleged discrimination or non-compliance with state or federal regulations.

Distance Education Complaints: Students in states and territories outside of Colorado who are enrolled in distance education who are filing a complaint must first seek resolution through Colorado Mountain College.

a. If the grievance cannot be resolved through Colorado Mountain College, students can then contact their state of higher education authority.

b. In Colorado, students can contact the Colorado State Portal Entity at the Colorado Department of Higher Education:

Heather DeLange, Director - Office of Private Postsecondary Education

Colorado Department of Higher Education

1600 Broadway, Suite 2200 Denver, CO 80202

heather.delange@dhe.state.co.us

c. Resolution of the complaint by the Colorado Department of Higher Education is final.

7. Other Complaints

Complaints unrelated to the processes noted above may utilize a process outlined in the Discrimination Complaint Procedure.

8. Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Reporting and Grievance Procedure

See the Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedure and Sexual Harassment Procedure (3A & 3B).

Discrimination Complaint Procedure

CMC expressly prohibits any prohibited discrimination carried out by employees, students or third parties. The college will take steps to prevent the recurrence of such conduct and correct its discriminatory effects on the complainant and others. To that end, the college will follow reporting, investigation, and grievance procedures in substantially the form outlined in the CMC Procedures for Investigation of Discrimination and summarized below.

Students with a disability-related concern are encouraged to first discuss their complaint or issue with the campus Access Coordinator. Most disability-related issues or complaints about accommodations, services, faculty, staff, other campus departments, programs, or facilities are generally resolved at this level. A student may bypass the campus level and initiate the college Discrimination Complaint process by filing a disability-related complaint.
Discrimination and other complaints may be filed using the CMC Cares system.

a. Whether or not in writing, complaints may be submitted directly to:

Dr. Lisa Runck
Assistant Vice President of Student Services, Dean of Students, Coordinator of Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance (ADA and OCR)
lrunck@coloradomtn.edu
970.947.8351
802 Grand Avenue
Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81601

3. A discrimination complaint includes the following information:

a. Details of the specific incident(s), occurrence(s), decision(s), and other factual matters believed to constitute unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation;

b. Name of the individual, department, committee, or other body whom the complainant believes to have engaged in prohibited behavior;

c. A brief statement describing the resolution, relief, or action requested by the complainant; and

d. Signature of the complainant.

Please see the full details of CMC’s Discrimination Complaints Procedure.

Notice of Nondiscrimination

Colorado Mountain College does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family and genetic information, in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and as provided in other applicable statutes and college policies. The college prohibits sexual and gender-based harassment, including sexual assault and other forms of interpersonal violence.

Student Inquiries

The following person has been designated to serve as the overall coordinator of student inquiries under Title IX, the Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and other college policies prohibiting discrimination:

Employee Inquiries

The following person has been designated to handle employee inquiries regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and other employee complaints of unlawful discrimination other than Title IX matters:

Angela Wurtsmith
Executive Director of Human Resources
awurtsmith@coloradomtn.edu
970.947.8311
802 Grand Avenue
Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81601

Employee inquiries under Title IX should be directed to the Title IX Coordinator listed under Student Inquiries above.

Other Resources

Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582, Telephone: 303.844.5695 or email OCR.Denver@ed.gov

Colorado Department of Higher Education, 1600 Broadway, Suite 2200, Denver, CO 80202, Telephone: 303.862.3001

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Denver Field Office, 950 17th Street, Suite 300, Denver, Colorado 80202, Telephone: 800.669.4000

Colorado Civil Rights Division, 1560 Broadway, Suite 825, Denver, Colorado 80202, Telephone: 303.894.2997 or email DORA_CCRD@State.co.us.

Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, and Title IX Policy and Procedure

Colorado Mountain College strives to create and maintain a study and work environment that is fair, humane, and responsible so that each member of the college community is treated with dignity and rewarded for such relevant considerations as ability and performance.

CMC’s Sexual Misconduct policy and procedures define expectations for appropriate conduct and outline a resolution process to address conduct that does not meet these expectations.
When allegations of this nature are reported, and a student or employee is found to have violated CMC policy, sanctions will result and may include expulsion or separation from CMC.
All members of the CMC community are expected to not infringe upon the rights of others.

The college’s Title IX Sexual Misconduct information is available via the following pages:

How to Report

Individuals may pursue reporting to any or all of the following:

Title IX Coordinator/Deputy Title IX Coordinators**
Designated College Confidential Advocate*
CMC staff member**
Local law enforcement**
CMC Cares‡

*To Discuss Confidentially: the college has designated counselors and other approved staff as confidential advocates related to Sexual Misconduct/Title IX complaints. Confidential Advocates provide support, resources, and reporting options and can assist in contacting law enforcement and medical facilities. Community advocacy centers are also confidential and have no duty to report information to CMC. In some circumstances, confidential resources are legally required to share information if someone presents an imminent threat or danger to themselves or others.

**Non-Confidential Reporting: Students may choose to talk to a staff member; all CMC employees other than college counselors are considered to be “responsible employees,” which requires them to provide notice to the Title IX Coordinator, including identifying information as shared with them.

You may also non-confidentially report to your local law enforcement without confidentiality.

‡Anonymous Reporting: CMC uses CMC Cares, an online reporting tool that allows students, parents, and the general public to report non-emergent issues of concern. All reports received through CMC Cares remain private and are processed on most weekdays between 8am and 5pm. To submit a report, please see the Title IX Report within the CMC Cares reporting system.

Contact Information for Title IX Inquiries or Complaints

Reports, complaints, or inquiries regarding possible Sexual Misconduct or application of Title IX may be referred to the college’s Title IX Coordinator, any campus Deputy Title IX Coordinator, or the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

Dr. Lisa Runck
Assistant Vice President of Student Services, Dean of Students, Coordinator for Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance (ADA and OCR)
lrunck@coloradomtn.edu
970.947.8351
802 Grand Avenue
Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81601

Students also may contact the following persons who have been designated as Deputy Title IX Coordinators:

Aspen and Carbondale campuses
Jonathan Shaw, Associate Dean of Academic and Student Services, jshaw3@coloradomtn.edu, 970.947.8276

Breckenridge and Dillon campuses
Nicole Fazande, Associate Dean of Academic and Student Services, nfazande@coloradomtn.edu, 970.968.5805 extension 2805

Leadville and Salida campuses
Martin Ramirez, Assistant Dean of Academic & Student Services, mramirez28@coloradomtn.edu, 719.486.4225

Rifle campus
Jennifer Boone, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, jboone@coloradomtn.edu, 970.625.6928

Spring Valley and Glenwood Springs campuses
Jeremy Snyder, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, jtsnyder@coloradomtn.edu, 970.947.8212

Steamboat Springs campus
Sean Griffin, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, smgriffin@coloradomtn.edu, 970.870.4463

Vail Valley at Edwards campus
Paula Hauswirth-Cummings, Associate Dean of Academic and Student Services, pcummings@coloradomtn.edu, 970.569.2922

The Office for Civil Rights contact information is:
Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582. Telephone: 303.844.5695, or email OCR@ed.gov

@Colorado Mountain College

Website

Legal