Student Complaint Resolution Process

Effective Date Jan 8, 2019

Purpose

  1. To promote prompt resolution of perceived wrongs and/or injustices which may arise between students and faculty/staff members.
  2. To promote prompt resolution of other grievances, whether academic or non-academic in nature.
  3. To assure the rights of privacy of all parties are maintained.
  4. To develop a higher sense of community among all persons at Florida Tech.

Informal Complaint Resolution Process

Occasions may arise in which a student feels that he or she has a legitimate basis for complaint. It is the policy of the university to promptly resolve these complaints. Those involved should initially attempt to resolve the matter informally and without the need to establish a record. The informal process for resolution of a complaint is as follows:

  1. When a student feels that he or she has a complaint, it should be taken by the student directly to the other party(s) involved.

  2. If the student and the other party are unable to resolve the matter or if for any reason the student does not feel at ease in going to the other party, he or she should contact the academic unit head or appropriate director for assistance. Unit heads and directors are able to achieve a fair and equitable solution to most problems. If the student would rather not discuss the matter with the unit head or director, he or she may choose to go to the college dean or dean of students. Students in Florida Tech Online, Education Center or ABA Online programs, or in courses offered through the Office of Continuing Education, may contact the vice president for online and off-campus education at the Melbourne campus in Melbourne, Florida.

  3. Complaints involving sex discrimination or equal opportunity can be resolved by using the procedures outlined above. However, if the student is not at ease with these procedures or feels they to be ineffective, he or she may seek the aid of the Title IX Coordinator at (321) 674-8885 or fbaarman@fit.edu. The Title IX coordinator is a person designated by the university to ensure it is in compliance with federal laws regarding the resolution of sex discrimination allegations. This individual has the added responsibility of ensuring compliance with all federal laws regarding equal opportunity.

Formal Complaint Resolution Process

Students have the right to submit a formal written complaint for any grievance. Melbourne campus students should submit the complaint to the dean of students by email to fithelp@fit.edu. Education Center students should submit the complaint to the dean of students, or to their site director if they prefer. Florida Tech Online students should contact the office of the vice president for online and off-campus education by email to ol-help@fit.edu. ABA Online students should submit the complaint via email to abareg@fit.edu.

The dean of students or vice president for online and off-campus education will determine the appropriate person in the university to handle the problem and forward the complaint to that person. All written student complaints, with their resolutions, will be documented and the records maintained by either the dean of students or the office of the vice president for online and off-campus education.

The Ombudsman

The ombudsman is a university employee appointed by the president to investigate reported complaints, to report findings and to help achieve equitable settlements. Students may seek the help of the ombudsman assigned to handle student-based complaints if the student feels that either the informal or formal complaint process has been ineffective. The ombudsman should only be contacted after the student has followed the established procedures described above. The ombudsman can be found in the president’s office or can be contacted by email to ombuds@fit.edu.

Additional information

  1. Students can choose to drop any complaint process at any time.
  2. To promote prompt and equitable resolutions of student complaints, complaints should be made as soon after the incident as possible. Complaints should be filed during the term of occurrence but no later than 30 days after the date of the incident. 
  3. Every effort will be made by all parties concerned to resolve the grievance within 90 days.
  4. All complaints and written resolutions will be maintained for five years from date of resolution.

State Agency Contact Information for Student Complaints

Should a student wish to contact an outside agency away from Florida Institute of Technology the student can contact:

  1. Equitable Services Ombudsman
    850-245-9349
    Equitableservices@fldoe.org  
  2. If the Ombudsman is unable to assist you, contact Office of Articulation within the Department of Education.
  3. If the Office of Articulation is unable to assist you then Distance Education students can appeal to the FL-SARA COUNCIL at FLSARAinfo@fldoe.org.

Florida Tech is a member of NC-SARA, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, through the Florida Postsecondary Reciprocal Distance Education Coordinating Council. Online and distance education students who have completed the internal institutional grievance process and the applicable state grievance process may appeal non-instructional complaints to the FL-SARA PRDEC Council. For additional information on the complaint process, visit FL-SARA Complaint Process.