Complaint and Grievance Policy and Procedure Guidelines

Student Complaint Policy

A formal student complaint is a written and signed complaint initiated by a student (or a family member on behalf of a student and confirmed by the student). It is a non-trivial, non-routine complaint, related to either academic or non-academic policies or procedures. To the extent possible, complainants must seek a resolution of all matters through the university’s appeals and/or grievance procedures before filing a formal student complaint with the university (see table below). 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.

Petitions for waiver of university regulations, university disciplinary actions, and grade appeals are not considered formal student complaints. Information on how to petition for exceptions to university academic regulations and the grade appeal policy are detailed in the “Academic Policies” sections of the University Catalog, Adult Studies Catalog, and Graduate Catalog. Information on the judicial process is provided in the Student Handbook. The chart under “Appeals and Grievance Procedures” provides information on the steps that should be followed when filing a grievance or an appeal.

In addition, requests appealing decisions regarding acceptance into or dismissal from academic programs with established criteria (e.g. Teacher Education, Physician Assistant, etc) are not considered formal student complaints. Students should follow due process as outlined in the school, departmental, and program handbooks.

Appeals and Grievance Procedures

As highlighted above, Trevecca students who have concerns about their academic program or other matters should follow the appeals and/or grievance procedures as outlined in the appropriate university handbook or catalog. The following chart provides guidance on how various matters should be handled:

 

Student Complaint Procedures

If a student has followed the appropriate appeals or grievance procedures and has broad concerns that move beyond the desire to appeal an unwelcomed decision, he/she may file a formal student complaint. Traditional undergraduates may file a written and signed complaint with the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Accreditation or the Vice President and Dean of Student Development. Students in the School of Leadership and Interdisciplinary Studies or the Graduate School may file a written complaint with the Associate Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School. Formal student complaints and their resolutions are logged and regularly reviewed by the President’s Cabinet. Files are maintained in the Office of the Provost.

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:

1. Complaints relating to quality of education or accreditation requirements should be referred to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), (https://sacscoc.org/app/uploads/2020/01/ComplaintPolicy-1.pdf);
2. 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 (http://www.tn.gov, and then search for the appropriate division);
3. 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 (https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/working-for-tennessee/consumer-affairs.html).
4. For non-Tennessee residents in State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (“SARA”) states and who are enrolled in a distance education program/course or who are attending an out-of-state learning placement in a SARA state, complaints related to violations of SARA policies and/or dishonest or fraudulent activity (and not related to student grades or student conduct violations) may be filed with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (“THEC”).
   • Students (as described above) must complete the institution complaint process before appealing to THEC.
   • Students who are not satisfied with the institution’s resolution of their complaint may appeal the institution decision to THEC using the Request for Complaint Review form. Additional information on the THEC complaint process is available at THEC Complaint Review Process. Students may also contact THEC.RCD@tn.gov with questions.
   • The appeal to THEC must be filed within two (2) years of the incident about which the complaint is made.
   • Out-of-state student may also contact their home state higher education authority; although student may be referred to THEC. See State Portal Entity Contacts | NCSARA for a listing of SARA states and contacts.
   • Students residing in non-SARA states, currently California only, should consult their respective state of residence for further instructions for filing a complaint.

1. For students enrolled in onground programs in states other than Tennessee, complaints may be submitted through the 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
https://ache.edu/
Student Complaints: https://ache.edu/

Alaska
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
PO Box 110505
Juneau, AK 99811-0505
http://acpe.alaska.gov/
Student Complaints: https://acpe.alaska.gov/ConsumerProtection

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/student-complaint-procedure

Arkansas
Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
114 East Capitol Ave
Little Rock, AR 72201
https://adhe.edu/
Student Complaints: https://adhe.edu/

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: https://highered.colorado.gov/filing-student-complaint

Connecticut
Office of Higher Education
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 510
Hartford, CT 06103-1841
https://portal.ct.gov/ohe
Student Complaints: https://portal.ct.gov/ohe/knowledge-base/articles/for-students/student-schoolcomplaints?language=en_US

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://education.delaware.gov/families/occl/occlforms/make_a_complaint_online/

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-helcpublic-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: https://www.fldoe.org/policy/cie/student-concerns.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-resources/studentcomplaints

Hawaii
Hawaii Postsecondary Education Authorization Program
335 Merchant Street, Room 310
Honolulu, HI 96813
http://cca.hawaii.gov/
Student Complaints: https://cca.hawaii.gov/consumer-complaints/

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-collegesdegree-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
https://www.ibhe.org/
Student Complaints: https://complaints.ibhe.org/

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://educate.iowa.gov/
Student Complaints: https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/student-complaints

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: https://www.laregents.edu/resources-3/

Maine
Maine Department of Education
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
https://www.maine.gov/doe/home
Student Complaints: https://www.maine.gov/doe/cds/dueprocess

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/

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.ihl.state.ms.us/mcca/
Student Complaints: http://www.ihl.state.ms.us/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://dhewd.mo.gov/about/contact-us

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-postsecondaryinstitutions

Nevada
Nevada System of Higher Education
2601 Enterprise Road
Reno, NV 89512
http://system.nevada.edu/Nshe/
Student Complaints: https://nshe.nevada.edu/wp-content/uploads/AcademicAffairs/SARA_Complaint_Resolution_Form-Rev_20191224.pdf

New Hampshire
New Hampshire Higher Education Commission
101 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301-3494
https://www.education.nh.gov/who-we-are/higher-education-commission
Student Complaints: https://www.education.nh.gov/parents-and-students/appeals-andmediation

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 https://hed.nm.gov/
Student Complaints: https://hed.state.nm.us/students-parents/student-complaints

New York
New York Office of College and University Evaluation
New York State Education Department
5 North Mezzanine
Albany, NY 12234
http://www.nysed.gov/college-university-evaluation
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/leadership-and-governance/board-of-governors/
Student Complaints: https://www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints/

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-postinst/docs/NDSBCTE_Student_Complaint_Procedure.pdf

Ohio
Ohio Board of Regents
25 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215
https://highered.ohio.gov/
Student Complaints: https://highered.ohio.gov/students/current-college-students/student-complaints

Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
https://okhighered.org/
Student Complaints: https://www.okhighered.org/current-collegestudents/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-degreeauthorization.aspx
Student Complaints: https://www.oregon.gov/highered/access/pages/student-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: https://www.education.pa.gov/PostsecondaryAdult/CollegeCareer/Pages/Students-Complaints.aspx

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://riopc.edu/
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/SDSARA/Pages/default.aspx

Tennessee
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900
Nashville, TN 37243
http://www.tn.gov/thec/
Student Complaints: https://www.tn.gov/thec/for-institutions/postsecondary-stateauthorization/request-for-complaint-review.html

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.highered.texas.gov/links/student-complaints/

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.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-programcomplaint-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: https://www.schev.edu/students/resources/student-complaints

Washington
Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board
128 10th Avenue SW
PO Box 43105
Olympia, WA 98504-3105
https://www.wtb.wa.gov/
Student Complaints: https://www.wtb.wa.gov/private-career-schools/school-complaints/

West Virginia
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
1018 Kanawha Blvd E., Ste 700
Charleston, WV 25301-2800
http://www.wvhepc.edu/
Student Complaints: http://www.wvhepc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Student-ComplaintProcess-revised-3.pdf

Wisconsin
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
431 Charmany Drive, Suite 102
Madison, WI 53719
https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/EducationalApproval/Default.aspx
Student Complaints: https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/SelfService/FileAComplaint.aspx

Wyoming
Wyoming Department of Education
2300 Capitol Avenue
Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050
https://edu.wyoming.gov/
Student Complaints: https://edu.wyoming.gov/beyond-the-classroom/school-programs/privateschool-licensing/