Student Complaints
Overview
In compliance with U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) rules, an institution offering distance education must provide enrolled and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accrediting agency and with the appropriate state agency for handling complaints in the student's state. To this end, Texas State Distance and Extended Learning would like to provide you with information on filing complaints with Texas State, our accrediting agency, and with the appropriate state agencies. Students have access to procedures for resolving complaints, as noted in University PPS 7.10.06, Procedures for Students Seeking Resolution or Reporting University-Related Complaints.
Texas State Complaint Process
Texas State seeks to maintain the highest standards of integrity and fairness in its relationships with students. A student who believes that specific actions, practices, or decisions on academic or non-academic matters have been made or carried out in an arbitrary, preferential, or inconsistent manner, as stated by appropriate UPPS statements, can initiate a complaint. Texas State’s general policy regarding complaints, including student complaints, can be accessed at Compact with Texans. The specific section regarding student complaints provides this information:
University policy indicates that student complaints should be directed to the specific office(s) involved in the complaint. If the complaint cannot be resolved at that level, then the complainant is instructed to contact the next-higher office in the chain of command. Currently enrolled Texas State students may also address complaints to the Dean of Students Office, where ombudsman services are provided by the Assistant Dean of Students. The Dean of Students Office provides ombudsman services for Texas State’s primary customers, the students. The function of this service is to assist currently enrolled students in achieving satisfactory resolutions to university-related problems. Additionally, the Dean of Students Office makes referrals to appropriate campus departments/offices for various other customer complaints which cannot be resolved within the Dean's Office.
Accrediting Agency Complaint Process
Texas State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees. The Commission expects individuals to attempt to resolve issues through all means available to the complainant, including following the institution's own published grievance procedures, before submitting a complaint to the Commission. Therefore, the Commission’s usual practice is not to consider a complaint that is currently in administrative proceedings, including institutions' proceedings, or in litigation. In order to be considered, formal complaints must be submitted in writing using the Commission’s Complaint against Institutions: Information Sheet and Form, signed and sent to the attention of the President of SACSCOC by the complainant, as indicated on the SACSCOC Website:
To file a complaint against an institution accredited by the SACSCOC, complete the Commission’s Complaint Form and send two print copies to the President, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097. (To access the Commission’s complaint policy, procedures, and the Complaint Form, please see Complaint Procedures Against the Commission or Its Accredited Institutions [this is a PDF document; download Adobe's free PDF reader if you need it].)
Complaint Process for Out-of-State Students
An out-of-state distance learning student who wishes to file a complaint may do so using the process outlined above. If the student believes that the complaint was not resolved by State University, a new complaint may be filed with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), and/or the higher education authority in the student’s home state. The resources below provide guidance on these types of complaints and how to file them.
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Student Complaint Information by State
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
100 North Union Street, Suite 782 | Montgomery, AL 36104
334.242.1988
https://www.ache.edu/wp-content/Sara/StudentComp.pdfAlaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
PO Box 110505 | Juneau, AK 99811-0505
800.441.2962 / 907.465.2962
https://acpe.alaska.gov/ConsumerProtection?_ga=2.27728764.1590079954.1596197704-1784540995.1595246989Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
1740 W. Adams, Suite 3008 | Phoenix, AZ 85007
602.542.5709
https://ppse.az.gov/complaintArkansas Department of Higher Education | ICAC Coordinator
423 Main Street, Suite 400 | Little Rock, AR 72201
501.371.2000
https://sbpce.wufoo.com/forms/form-8040-complaint-form/California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education
P.O. Box 980818 | West Sacramento, CA 95833-088
916.431.6959
http://www.bppe.ca.gov/enforcement/complaint.shtmlColorado Department of Higher Education
1600 Broadway, Suite 2200 | Denver, CO 80202
303.862.3001
https://highered.colorado.gov/students/how-do-i/file-a-student-complaintConnecticut Office of Financial & Academic Affairs for Higher Education
450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 707 | Hartford, CT 06105-2326
860.947.1800
http://www.ctohe.org/StudentComplaints.shtmlDelaware Department of Education Higher Education Office
John G. Townsend Building | 401 Federal St., Suite 2 | Dover, DE 19901
302.735.4120
https://www.doe.k12.de.us/saraThe Education Licensure Commission
1050 First Street, NE | Washington, DC 20002
202.727.6436
http://osse.dc.gov/service/public-complaintsFlorida Department of Education | Commission for Independent Education
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414 | Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
850.245.0505
https://www.fldoe.org/about-us/office-of-the-inspector-general/file-a-complaint.stmlGeorgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 E Exchange Pl., #220 | Tucker, GA 30084-5334
770.414.3300
https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-resources/student-complaintsHawaii Post-secondary Education Authorization Program
P.O. Box 541 | Honolulu Hawaii 96804
808.586.7327 | 808.586.2856
http://cca.hawaii.gov/hpeap/forms/student-forms/Idaho State Board of Education
Attn: State Coordinator for Private Colleges and Proprietary Schools
650 West State Street, 3rd Floor | Boise, ID 83720-0037
208.334.2270
https://boardofed.idaho.gov/higher-education-private/private-colleges-degree-granting/student-complaint-procedures/Illinois Board of Higher Education
1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333 | Springfield, Illinois 62701-1404
217.782.2551 | 888.261.2881
http://complaints.ibhe.org/Indiana Commission for Higher Education – Board of Proprietary Education
Attn: Complaints
101 W Ohio Street, Suite 300 | Indianapolis IN 46204-1984
317.232.1033
http://www.in.gov/cpe/2329.htmIowa College Student Aid Commission | Postsecondary Authorization Team
475 SW 5th Street, Suite D | Des Moines, IA 50309
877-272-4456
https://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/StudentComplaintFormKansas Board of Regents
1000 SW Jackson, Suite 520 | Topeka, KS 66612-1368
785.430.4240
https://www.kansasregents.org/academic_affairs/private_out_of_state/complaint_processKentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
100 Airport Road | Frankfort, KY 40601
502.573.1555
http://cpe.ky.gov/campuses/consumer_complaint.htmlLouisiana Board of Regents
1201 N. Third St., Suite 6-200 | Baton Rouge, LA 70802
225.342.4253
https://www.laregents.edu/sara/Maine Department of Education, Office of Higher Education
23 State House Station | Augusta, ME 04333-0023
207.624.6600
https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/highered/saraMaryland Higher Education Commission
6 N. Liberty St. | Baltimore, MD 21201
410.767.3300 | 800.974.0203
https://mhec.maryland.gov/institutions_training/Pages/career/pcs/complaint.aspxMassachusetts Department of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place, Room 1401 | Boston, MA 02108
617.994.6950
https://www.mass.edu/forstufam/complaints/complaints.aspMichigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity | Employment and Training
201 N. Washington Square | Lansing, MI 48913
517.373.6774
https://www.michigan.gov/leo/-/media/Project/Websites/Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350 | St. Paul, MN 55108-5227
651.259.3975 | 800.657.3866
http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=1078Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
3825 Ridgewood Road | Jackson, MS 39211-6453
601.432.6198
http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca/student_complaint_process.aspMissouri Department of Higher Education
301W. High Street | P.O. Box 1469 | Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
573.751.2361
http://dhe.mo.gov/contactus.phpMontana University System
Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education
560 N. Park Ave. | PO Box 203201 | Helena, MT 59620-3201
406.449.9124
http://www.mus.edu/MUS-statement-of-complaint-process.aspNebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
P.O. Box 95005 | Lincoln, NE 68509-5005
402.471.2847
https://ccpe.nebraska.gov/student-complaints-against-postsecondary-institutionsNevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
2800 E. St. Louis | Las Vegas, Nevada 89104
702.486.7330
http://cpe.nv.gov/Students/Students_Home/State of New Hampshire Department of Education
101 Pleasant Street | Concord, NH 03301
603.271.3494
https://my.doe.nh.gov/ESSWEB/HigherEducation/Complaint.aspxNew Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
PO Box 542 | Trenton, NJ 08625
609.292.4310
https://www.state.nj.us/highereducation/OSHEComplaintInstructions.shtmlNew Mexico Higher Education Department
2044 Galisteo Street | Santa Fe, NM 87505
505.476.8400
https://hed.state.nm.us/students-parents/student-complaintsNew York State Education Department
89 Washington Ave. | Albany, NY 12234
518.486.3633
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/spr/COMPLAINTFORMINFO.htmlNorth Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
University of North Carolina System Office
910 Raleigh Road | Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919.962.1000
https://www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints/North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education | Educational Equity, Private Postsecondary Institutions, and Special Populations
State Capitol 15th Floor | 600 East Boulevard Avenue, Dept. 270 | Bismarck, ND 58505-0610
701-328-2678
https://www.cte.nd.gov/sites/www/files/documents/PrivatePS/NDSBCTE_Student_Complaint_Procedure.pdfOhio Department of Higher Education
25 S. Front St. | Columbus, Ohio 43215
614.466.6000
https://www.ohiohighered.org/students/complaintsOklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway, Ste 200 | Oklahoma City, OK 73104
405.225.9100
https://www.okhighered.org/resources/student-complaint-form/Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission
3225 25th Street, SE | Salem, OR 97302
503.947.5925
https://www.oregon.gov/highered/about/Pages/complaints.aspxPennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street | Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
717.783.6788
https://www.education.pa.gov/Postsecondary-Adult/CollegeCareer/Pages/Students-Complaints.aspxPuerto Rico Council on Education
PO Box 19900 | San Juan, PR 00910-1900
787.722.2121
http://www.ce.pr.gov/Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education
Shepard Building | 80 Washington Street | Providence, RI 02903
401.456.6000
https://riopc.edu/policies/student-complaint-procedures/South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
1122 Lady Street, Suite 300 | Columbia, SC 29201
803.737.2260
https://che.sc.gov/sites/che/files/Documents/Institutions%20and%20Educators/Complaint_Procedures_and_Form.pdfSouth Dakota Board of Regents
306 East Capitol Ave., Suite 200 | Pierre, SD 5750
605.773.3455
https://www.sdbor.edu/administrative-offices/academics/SD-SARA/Documents/Complaint%20Form%20-%20SD-SARA.pdfTennessee Higher Education Commission Division of Postsecondary School Authorization
Attn: Complaints | Parkway Towers | Suite 1900
404 James Robertson Parkway | Nashville, TN 37243-0830
615.741.3605
https://www.tn.gov/thec/for-students-and-families/transcript-requests-and-institution-complaints.htmlTexas Higher Education Coordinating Board
1200 E. Anderson Lane | Austin, TX 78752
512.427.6101
http://www.highered.texas.gov/links/student-complaints/Utah System of Higher Education
60 South 400 West | Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
801.321.7200 | 800.418.8757
https://ushe.edu/office-of-commissioner/state-authorization-ut-sara/Vermont Agency of Education
1 National Life Drive | Montpelier, VT 05620-2501
802.828.1130
https://education.vermont.gov/documents/postsecondary-program-complaint-resolutionState Council of Higher Education for Virginia
101 N. 14TH Street | James Monroe Building | Richmond, VA 23219
804.225.2600
https://www.schev.edu/students/resources/student-complaintsWashington Student Achievement Council
917 Lakeridge Way SW | Olympia, WA 98502
360.753.7800
https://wsac.wa.gov/student-complaintsWest Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
1018 Kanawha Boulevard East | Ste 700 | Charleston, WV 25301-2800
304.558-2101
http://www.wvhepc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Student-Complaint-Process.pdfWisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
4822 Madison Yards Way | Madison, WI 53705
608.266.2112
https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/EducationalApproval/EAPFileAComplaint.aspxWyoming Department of Education
122 W. 25th Street, Suite E200 | Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050
307.777.7675
https://edu.wyoming.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Student-Complaint-Process.pdf