Complaint and Grievance Policy and Procedure Guideline
Trevecca students, faculty members, or other staff who have complaints about their academic program or other matters should follow the complaint procedures as outlined in the appropriate university handbook or catalog. To the extent possible, complainants should seek a resolution of such matters through the university’s complaint procedures before involving outside agencies or institutions. In general, the matter should be brought to the attention of the campus office directly responsible for that area of the university and should be well-documented and move through the appropriate campus supervisory structure prior to appealing to any off-campus authority. The following chart provides guidance on how most complaints should be handled.
Complainant: Student
| Type of Complaint | Accused Offender |
Document/Information | Person(s) Responsible for the Process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal, Student Code of Conduct |
Student | Student Handbook/Community Living Guidelines |
Associate Dean of Student for Residential Life; Associate Provost and Dean of Student Development |
| Academic | Faculty | Faculty and Human Resources Handbook, University Catalog | Academic Chair, School Dean |
| Non-Academic/Staff policy | Staff | Staff Handbook | Director of HR |
| Employment | Faculty or Staff |
Faculty and Human Resources Handbook |
Director of HR, Director of the Office of Student Employment |
| Sexual Harassment | Student | Student Handbook, Sexual Harassment Policy, Sexual Violence Policy | Title IX Coordinator; Associate Provost and Dean of Student Development (traditional undergraduate); Associate Provost for Graduate and Continuing Studies (graduate, non-traditional) |
| Harassment/Discrimination | Faculty or Staff |
Faculty and Human Resources Handbook, Sexual Harassment Policy, Sexual Violence Policy | Title IX Coordinator; Associate Provost and Dean of Student Development (traditional undergraduate); Associate Provost for Graduate and Continuing Studies (graduate, non-traditional) |
| Other/Third Party | Vendor, Outside Guest etc. | Student Handbook, Sexual Harassment Policy, Sexual Violence Policy | Title IX Coordinator (Director of HR) |
Complainant: Faculty
| Type of Complaint | Accused Offender |
Document/Information | Person(s) Responsible for the Process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harassment/Discrimination | Student | Student Handbook, Faculty and Human Resources Handbook, Sexual Harassment Policy, Sexual Violence Policy | Title IX Coordinator, Associate Provost and Dean of Student Development (traditional undergraduate); Associate Provost for Graduate and Continuing Studies(graduate, non-traditional) |
| Harassment/Discrimination | Faculty/Staff | Faculty and Human Resources Handbook, Sexual Harassment Policy, Sexual Violence Policy | Title IX Coordinator (Director of HR) |
| Academic Policy Violation | Academic Administration | Faculty and Human Resources Handbook, University Catalog | Provost |
| Other/Third Party | Vendor, Outside Guest, etc. | Faculty and Human Resources Handbook, Sexual Harassment Policy, Sexual Violence Policy | Title IX Coordinator (Director of HR) |
Complainant: Staff
| Type of Complaint | Accused Offender |
Document/Information | Person(s) Responsible for the Process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harassment/Discrimination | Student | Student Handbook, Sexual Harassment Policy, Sexual Violence Policy | Title IX Coordinator, Associate Provost and Dean of Student Development (traditional undergraduate); Associate Provost for Graduate and Continuing Studies(graduate, non-traditional) |
| Harassment/Discrimination | Faculty/Staff | Faculty and Human Resources Handbook, Sexual Harassment Policy, Sexual Violence Policy | Title IX Coordinator (Director of HR) |
| University Policy/Legal Violation | University | Faculty and Human Resources Handbook, University Catalog | Executive Vice-President for Finance and Administration, Director of HR, Provost |
| Other/Third Party | Vendor, Outside Guest, etc. |
Faculty and Human Resources Handbook, Sexual Harassment Policy, Sexual Violence Policy | Title IX Coordinator (Director of HR) |
Additional Complaint Procedures
Should the university not be able to resolve a student complaint, the student has the right to contact agencies and authorities outside the university, including the State of Tennessee, in order to determine a proper course of action. Complaints can be filed with the following agencies:
Complaints relating to quality of education or accreditation requirements should be referred to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Complaints related to the application of state laws or rules related to approval to operate or licensure of a particular professional program within a postsecondary institution shall be referred to the appropriate State Board (i.e., State Boards of Health, State Board of Education, and so on) within the Tennessee State Government and shall be reviewed and handled by that licensing board (www.tn.gov) and then search for the appropriate division
For students attending programs in Tennessee, complaints related to state consumer protection laws (e.g., laws related to fraud or false advertising) shall be referred to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs and shall be reviewed and handled by that Unit, www.tn.gov/consumer.
For out-of-Tennessee students enrolled in Trevecca programs through distance learning, complaints related to consumer protection laws shall be filed using the Tennessee NC-SARA Portal form. Trevecca Nazarene University is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, and the complaint process per that body (http://nc-sara.org/content/sara-complaint-process) requires students to submit complaints through the portal agency for the state where the institution is legally domiciled (Tennessee). Questions may also be directed to the student’s home state higher education authority (see the listing by state below).
For students enrolled in onground programs in states other than Tennessee, complaints may be submitted through your state’s higher education authority. See a listing below (with name and contact information) of the higher education authority in each state.
Board or Commission on Higher Education By State
In accordance with federal law, students may submit complaints about Trevecca Nazarene University with each state board or commission on higher education if complaints submitted directly to the university, or to the Tennessee NC-SARA Portal, are not resolved. The following is a listing of the names/contacts for each of the state boards/commissions.
Alabama
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
PO Box 302000
Montgomery, AL 36130-2000
http://www.ache.alabama.gov/
Student Complaints: https://www.accs.cc/index.cfm/school-licensure/complaints/
Alaska
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
PO Box 110505
Juneau, AK 99811-0505
http://acpe.alaska.gov/
Student Complaints: EED.ACPE-IA@alaska.gov
Arizona
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
1400 W. Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
https://ppse.az.gov/
Student Complaints: https://ppse.az.gov/complaint
Arkansas
Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
114 East Capitol Ave
Little Rock, AR 72201
http://www.adhe.edu/institutions/academic-affairs/
Student Complaints: http://www.adhe.edu/students-parents/colleges-universites/student-grievance-form
California
California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
P.O. Box 980818
W. Sacramento, CA 95798-0818
http://www.bppe.ca.gov/
Student Complaints: http://www.bppe.ca.gov/enforcement/complaint.shtml
Colorado
Colorado Department of Higher Education
1560 Broadway, Suite 1600
Denver, CO 80202
http://highered.colorado.gov/
Student Complaints: http://highered.colorado.gov/Academics/Complaints/
Connecticut
Office of Higher Education
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 510
Hartford, CT 06103-1841
http://www.ctdhe.org/
Student Complaints: http://www.ctohe.org/studentcomplaints.shtml
Delaware
Delaware Department of Education
Higher Education Office
The Townsend Building
401 Federal Street, Suite 2
Dover, DE 19901
https://www.doe.k12.de.us/domain/226
Student Complaints: https://www.doe.k12.de.us/sara
District of Columbia
District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Higher Education Licensure Commission
810 First Street, NE, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20002
https://osse.dc.gov
Student Complaints: https://osse.dc.gov/service/higher-education-licensure-commission-helc-public-complaints
Florida
Florida Commission for Independent Education
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
http://www.fldoe.org/policy/cie/
Student Complaints: http://www.fldoe.org/policy/cie/file-a-complaint.stml
Georgia
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220
Tucker, GA 30084-5334
https://gnpec.georgia.gov/
Student Complaints: https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-complaints
Hawaii
Hawaii Postsecondary Education Authorization Program
335 Merchant Street, Room 310
Honolulu, HI 96813
http://cca.hawaii.gov/hpeap/
Student Complaints: http://cca.hawaii.gov/hpeap/hpeap-sara-complaint-process/
Idaho
Idaho State Board of Education
650 West State Street
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0037
https://boardofed.idaho.gov/
Student Complaints: https://boardofed.idaho.gov/higher-education-private/private-colleges-degree-granting/state-authorization-reciprocity-agreement-sara/complaint-procedures/
Illinois
Illinois Board of Higher Education
1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333
Springfield, IL 62701
http://www.ibhe.org/default.htm
Student Complaints: http://www.ibhe.state.il.us/consumerinfo/complaint.htm
Indiana
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
101 W. Ohio Street, Suite 550
Indianapolis, IN 46204-1984
http://www.in.gov/che/
Student Complaints: http://www.in.gov/che/2744.htm
Iowa
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
430 East Grand Ave., Floor 3
Des Moines, IA 50319
https://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/
Student Complaints: https://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/sdrf-start
Kansas
Kansas Board of Regents
1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520
Topeka, KS 66612-1368
https://www.kansasregents.org/academic_affairs/private_out_of_state
Student Complaints: https://www.kansasregents.org/academic_affairs/private_out_of_state/complaint_process
Kentucky
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 320
Frankfort, KY 40601
http://cpe.ky.gov/
Student Complaints: http://cpe.ky.gov/campuses/consumer_complaint.html
Louisiana
Louisiana Board of Regents
PO Box 3677
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3677
http://regents.state.la.us/
Student Complaints: http://regents.state.la.us/page/SARAComplaints
Maine
Maine Department of Education
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
http://www.maine.gov/doe/highered/
Student Complaints: http://www.maine.gov/doe/highered/sara/index.html
Maryland
Maryland Higher Education Commission
6 North Liberty Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
http://mhec.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Student Complaints: http://mhec.maryland.gov/institutions_training/Pages/career/pcs/complaint.aspx
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place, Room 1401
Boston, MA 02108
http://www.mass.edu/
Student Complaints: http://www.mass.edu/forstufam/complaints/complaints.asp
Michigan
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
201 N. Washington Sq.
Lansing, MI 48913
http://www.michigan.gov/lara/
Student Complaints: http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-61343_35395_35396---,00.html
Minnesota
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108
https://www.ohe.state.mn.us/
Student Complaints: http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=1078
Mississippi
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211
http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca/
Student Complaints: http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca/student_complaint_process.asp
Missouri
Missouri Department of Higher Education
205 Jefferson Street
PO Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
https://dhe.mo.gov/
Student Complaints: https://dhe.mo.gov/documents/POLICYONCOMPLAINTRESOLUTION-reviseddraft.pdf
Montana
Montana University System
Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education
2500 Broadway
PO Box 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
http://mus.edu/che/arsa/StateAuthorization/default.asp
Student Complaints: http://mus.edu/che/arsa/StateAuthorization/Students.asp
Nebraska
Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
PO Box 95005
Lincoln, NE 68509-5005
https://ccpe.nebraska.gov/
Student Complaints: https://ccpe.nebraska.gov/student-complaints-against-postsecondary-institutions
Nevada
Nevada System of Higher Education
2601 Enterprise Road
Reno, NV 89512
http://system.nevada.edu/Nshe/
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Higher Education Commission
101 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301-3494
https://www.education.nh.gov/highered/index.htm
Student Complaints: https://www.education.nh.gov/highered/compliance-allegation.htm
New Jersey
Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
20 West State Street, 4th Floor
PO Box 542
Trenton, NJ 08625-0542
http://www.state.nj.us/highereducation/
Student Complaints: http://www.state.nj.us/highereducation/SARA.shtml
New Mexico
New Mexico Higher Education Department
2048 Galisteo Street, Suite 4
Santa Fe, NM 87505
http://www.hed.state.nm.us/
Student Complaints: http://www.hed.state.nm.us/institutions/complaints.aspx
New York
New York Office of College and University Evaluation
New York State Education Department
5 North Mezzanine
Albany, NY 12234
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/
Student Complaints: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/spr/COMPLAINTFORMINFO.html
North Carolina
The University of North Carolina Board of Governors
910 Raleigh Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688
https://www.northcarolina.edu/stateauthorization
Student Complaints: See Link Above
North Dakota
North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education
State Capitol - 15th Floor
600 E. Boulevard Ave. Dept. 270
Bismarck, ND 58505-0610
http://www.nd.gov/cte/
Student Complaints: http://www.nd.gov/cte/private-post-inst/docs/NDSBCTE_Student_Complaint_Procedure.pdf
Ohio
Ohio Board of Regents
25 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215
https://www.ohiohighered.org/
Student Complaints: https://www.ohiohighered.org/students/complaints
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
http://www.okhighered.org/index.shtml
Student Complaints: https://www.okhighered.org/current-college-students/complaints.shtml
Oregon
Oregon Office of Degree Authorization
775 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
http://www.oregon.gov/highered/institutions-programs/private/Pages/office-degree-authorization.aspx
Student Complaints: http://www.oregon.gov/highered/institutions-programs/private/Pages/private-postsecondary-complaints.aspx
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street, 12th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
http://www.education.pa.gov/Postsecondary-Adult/Pages/default.aspx#tab-1
Student Complaints: http://www.education.pa.gov/Postsecondary-Adult/College%20and%20Career%20Education/Pages/Students-Complaints.aspx#tab-1
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education
PO Box 19900
San Juan, PR 00910-1900
Student Complaints: http://www.ce.pr.gov/
Rhode Island
Council on Postsecondary Education
560 Jefferson Boulevard, Suite 100
Warwick, RI 02886
https://www.riopc.edu/page/RI-SARA/
Student Complaints: https://www.riopc.edu/page/student_complaint/
South Carolina
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
1122 Lady Street, Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201
https://www.che.sc.gov/
Student Complaints: http://www.che.sc.gov/Portals/0/CHE_Docs/academicaffairs/license/Complaint_Procedures_and_Form.pdf
South Dakota
South Dakota Board of Regents
306 E. Capitol Ave, Suite 200
Pierre, SD 57501
https://www.sdbor.edu/Pages/default.aspx
Student Complaints: https://www.sdbor.edu/administrative-offices/academics/SD-SARA/Pages/default.aspx
Tennessee
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900
Nashville, TN 37243
http://www.tn.gov/thec/
Student Complaints: http://www.tn.gov/thec/article/frequently-asked-postsecondary-questions
Texas
Texas Workforce Commission
Career Schools and Colleges
101 East 15th Street
Austin, TX 78778-0001
http://www.twc.state.tx.us/partners/career-schools-colleges-resources
Student Complaints: http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/career-schools-colleges-students
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
1200 E. Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78752
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/
Student Complaints: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/index.cfm?objectid=AC6FA0BC-F5DB-16DE-6B667C083DFB5B98
Utah
Utah Division of Consumer Protection
160 East 300 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
https://dcp.utah.gov/
Student Complaints: https://dcp.utah.gov/complaints/index.html
Vermont
Vermont Agency of Education
State Board of Education
219 North Main Street, Suite 402
Barre, VT 05641
http://education.vermont.gov/
Student Complaints: http://education.vermont.gov/documents/postsecondary-program-complaint-resolution
Virginia
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
101 N. 14th St., 10th Floor
James Monroe Building
Richmond, VA 23219
http://www.schev.edu/
Student Complaints: http://www.schev.edu/index/students-and-parents/resources/student-complaints
Washington
Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board
128 10th Avenue SW
PO Box 43105
Olympia, WA 98504-3105
http://www.wtb.wa.gov/pcs.asp
Student Complaints: http://www.wtb.wa.gov/PCS_Complaints.asp
West Virginia
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
1018 Kanawha Blvd E., Ste 700
Charleston, WV 25301-2800
http://www.wvhepc.com/
Student Complaints: http://www.wvhepc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Student-Complaint-Process-revised-3.pdf
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
431 Charmany Drive, Suite 102
Madison, WI 53719
http://eab.state.wi.us/
Student Complaints: https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/EducationalApproval/Student.aspx
Wyoming
Wyoming Department of Education
2300 Capitol Avenue
Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050
https://edu.wyoming.gov/beyond-the-classroom/school-programs/private-school-licensing/
Student Complaints: https://edu.wyoming.gov/downloads/schools/student-complaint-process.pdf
