Middle States Commission on Higher Education 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2680 Complaint Form Revised September 18, 2014 INSTRUCTIONS The Middle States Commission on Higher Education considers information from all sources in determining institutional compliance with accreditation standards, including compliance concerns. However, the Commission’s complaints policy prevents the Commission from intervening in disputes between individuals and institutions, whether these disputes involve students, faculty, administrators, or members of other groups. The Commission will not interpose itself as a reviewing authority in individual matters of admission, grades, granting or transferability of credits, application of academic policies, fees or other financial matters, disciplinary matters, contractual rights and obligations, personnel decisions, or similar matters. Nor does the Commission seek any type of compensation, damages, readmission, or any other redress on an individual’s behalf. In addition, the Commission does not involve itself in collective bargaining disputes. Before filing a compliance concern, it is strongly recommended that you read the Commission’s complaints policy: http://www.msche.org/documents/ComplaintsInvolvingMemberCandidate.pdf . The Commission will address concerns that are clearly related to an accreditation action taken by the Commission, or that are related to the quality of an institution or its academic programs. All such compliance concerns will be viewed against the Commission’s standards of accreditation. The Commission will not accept compliance concerns from someone on behalf of the complainant. For example, the Commission will not accept compliance concerns from a parent, spouse, child, sibling, coworker, or friend of a complainant, or from an attorney. The sole purpose of this review is to determine institutional compliance with accreditation standards. The Commission’s complaint procedures were created to address non-compliance with the Commission’s accreditation standards, policies, or procedures; an institution’s own published policies; or accreditationrelevant federal regulations. All complainants must complete this form in its entirety. This form is designed to expedite the review of compliance concerns. The completed form, accompanied by required evidence, should be submitted via the United States Postal Service or an express carrier (UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.). The form should be addressed to: Complaints Middle States Commission on Higher Education 3624 Market Street, Second Floor Philadelphia, PA 19104 The Commission will not accept complaints via e-mail or the telephone. Complaints received without this form completed in its entirety will not be processed. Page 1 COMPLAINANT INFORMATION (Please Print or Type) First Name __________________________________________________________________________ Middle Initial _________ Last Name __________________________________________________________________________ Street Address _______________________________________________________________________ City/town ______________________________ State ______________ Zip____________ Country (if outside U.S.) _____________________________________ E-mail Address _______________________________________________ Telephone Number _________________________________________________________ (telephone number is required in case the Commission is unable to reach the complainant via mail or e-mail) Complainant’s Status in Relation to the College or University: ___Current Student ___Former Student ___Graduated ___Voluntarily Withdrawn ___Administrative Withdrawal ___Current Faculty ___Current Staff ___Former Employee ___Retired ___Voluntarily Resigned; Currently Employed Elsewhere ___Terminated by Institution ___Other (Please specify) _______________________________________________________________ Page 2 COMPLAINT SUMMARY AND DETAILS 1. College/University Named in the Complaint __________________________________________ (Note: the Commission does not accept complaints about individuals) 2. Check the items that best summarize your complaint: ___Non-Compliance with MSCHE Requirements of Affiliation http://www.msche.org/publications/CHX-2011-WEB.pdf Number of Requirement of Affiliation________________________________________ ___Non-Compliance with MSCHE Accreditation Standards http://www.msche.org/publications/CHX-2011-WEB.pdf ___Standard 1: Mission and Goals ___Standard 2: Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal ___Standard 3: Institutional Resources ___Standard 4: Leadership and Governance ___Standard 5: Administration ___Standard 6: Integrity ___Standard 7: Institutional Assessment ___Standard 8: Student Admissions and Retention ___Standard 9: Student Support Services ___Standard 10: Faculty ___Standard 11: Educational Offerings ___Standard 12: General Education ___Standard 13: Related Educational Activities ___Standard 14: Assessment of Student Learning ___Non-Compliance with MSCHE Policies and Procedures http://www.msche.org/?Nav1=POLICIES&Nav2=INDEX Name of Policy/Procedure_________________________________________________ ___Non-Compliance with the Institution’s Own Published Policies and Procedures Name of institutional policy/procedure______________________________________________ Note: You must attach a copy of the policy/procedure to this complaint form. __Other Please specify___________________________________________________________ 3. Specifically describe how the institution has not complied with the standards, requirements, or policies as noted in #2 above. Indicate the time frame in which the events described occurred. Please limit this description to a maximum of 1000 words. Page 3 4. Describe the steps you have taken to resolve your compliance concern, including the relevant grievance and appeals policies and processes you followed at the institution. Provide evidence of the institution’s actions to date within its grievance processes and include copies of all correspondence between you and the institution related to your compliance concern. Also, send copies of relevant institutional policies. Do not send originals. 5. Have you filed this compliance concern with another organization or agency? If Yes, name of organization/agency ____________________________________________ Date Filed ____________________________________________ What was the finding? (Submit copies of any correspondence from the organization/agency that reviewed your compliance concern). 6. Have you initiated legal proceedings regarding this compliance concern? If Yes, name of court ________________________________________________________ Date Filed ____________________________________________ What was the finding? (Submit copies of any rulings on your case by the court). Page 4 COMPLAINANT VERIFICATION This compliance concern will not be processed unless all the items below are checked and you have signed and dated the complaint form. ___I have read the Complaints Involving Member and Candidate Institutions policy of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and agree that this form constitutes my compliance concern. ___I understand that the purpose of this review is to determine the institution’s compliance with accreditation standards. If the Middle States Commission on Higher Education finds an institution to be out of compliance with one or more accreditation standards, requirements of affiliation, or Commission or institutional policies, any action the Commission might take will be directed toward bringing the institution into compliance, not toward settling a dispute between an individual and that institution, or taking punitive action against the institution. ___As stated in the Commission’s policy, Complaints Involving Member and Candidate Institutions, I understand that the Commission (1) does not interpose itself as a reviewing authority in individual matters of admission, grades, granting or transferability of credits, application of academic policies, fees or other financial matters, disciplinary matters, contractual rights and obligations, personnel decisions, or similar matters, nor does the Commission become involved in collective bargaining disputes; and (2) does not seek any type of compensation, damages, readmission, or any other redress on an individual’s behalf. ___I understand that the Middle States Commission on Higher Education is not an investigative body. ___I understand that the Commission cannot act as a court of appeal to adjudicate grievances between an individual and an institution. ___If the Commission staff determines that my compliance concern needs further analysis, I authorize the Commission to submit my compliance concern and supporting documents to the institution for a response. I understand that my identity will be shared with the institution. The institution has a maximum of 30 days to respond. ___I understand that the Commission considers the institutional response to be confidential and will not share that response with me. ___I hereby certify that all of the information I have provided to the Commission is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. ___I certify that I am the individual named as the complainant. I understand that the Commission cannot accept compliance concerns submitted by someone on behalf of a complainant. For details on the parameters of the Commission’s policy on third-party comment, click here. Once the preliminary review has been completed, a member of the Commission staff will contact you to let you know whether your compliance concern falls within the parameters of the policy and whether the Commission needs any additional information to evaluate an institution’s potential noncompliance with accreditation standards. Page 5 Return completed form and accompanying documents to: Complaints Middle States Commission on Higher Education 3624 Market Street Second Floor Philadelphia, PA 19104 Name of Complainant (Please print or type): _____________________________________________________________________ Signature of Complainant: ____________________________________________________________________ Date Signed ________________________________ For Internal Use Only: Date received by Commission _________________________________ Comments ___________________________________________________________ Page 6