Policies > Student Complaint Resolution Process

Student Complaint Resolution Process

Effective Date Jan 8, 2019

Purpose

To promote prompt resolution of perceived wrongs and/or injustices which may arise between students and faculty/staff members.
To promote prompt resolution of other grievances, whether academic or non-academic in nature.
To assure the rights of privacy of all parties are maintained.
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:

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.
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.
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

Students can choose to drop any complaint process at any time.
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.
Every effort will be made by all parties concerned to resolve the grievance within 90 days.
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 following list of state contacts may be used based on the geographic location of the student.

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.

Alabama

Alabama Commission on Higher Education

P. O. Box 302000

Montgomery, AL 36130-2000

https://ache.edu/ACHE_Reports/Forms/SARA/StudentComp.pdf

Alaska

Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education

P.O. Box 110505

Juneau, AK 99811-0505

customer.service@alaska.gov

Alaska Office of Attorney General

Consumer Protection Unit

1031 W. Fourth Avenue, Suite 200

Anchorage, AK 99501

attorney.general@alaska.gov

http://www.law.state.ak.us/pdf/consumer/FORM_complaint.pdf

Arizona

Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education

1400 W. Washington Street

Room 260

Phoenix, AZ 85007

https://ppse.az.gov/complaint

Arkansas

Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Arkansas Department of Higher Education

114 East Capitol Ave.

Little Rock, AR 72201

ADHE_Info@adhe.edu

https://www.adhe.edu/institutions/academic-affairs/institutional-certification-advisory-committee/grievance-form

Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education

501 Woodlane, Suite 312S

Little Rock, AR 72201

sbpce@arkansas.gov

http://www.sbpce.org/complaint_process.html

California

California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education

P.O. Box 980818

W. Sacramento, CA 95798-0818

bppe@dca.ca.gov

http://www.bppe.ca.gov/forms_pubs/complaint.pdf

Colorado

Colorado Department of Higher Education

1560 Broadway, Suite 1600

Denver, CO 80202

http://highered.colorado.gov/Academics/Complaints/default.html

Connecticut

Connecticut Department of Higher Education

61 Woodland Street

Hartford, CT 06105-2326

https://portal.ct.gov/DCP/Complaint-Center/Complaint-Forms-and-Procedures

Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection

165 Capitol Avenue

Room 110

Hartford CT 06106

trade.practices@ct.gov

http://www.ct.gov/dcp/lib/dcp/pdf/forms/consumer_statementcpfr-2_rev_8-06_edited1106.pdf

Consumer Complaint Hotline: (800) 842-2649

Delaware

Delaware Higher Education Office

Carvel State Office Building, 5th Floor

820 N. French Street

Wilmington, DE 19801-3509

https://www.doe.k12.de.us/sara

Delaware Attorney General

Consumer Protection Wilmington:

820 N. French Street 5th floor

Wilmington, DE 19801

consumer.protection@state.de.us

District of Columbia

District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Education Licensure Commission

810 First Street, NE

9th Floor

Washington, D.C. 20002

https://osse.dc.gov/publication/specialized-education-state-complaints-form

Florida

Florida Commission on Independent Education

325 W. Gaines Street

Suite 1414

Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400

Commissioner@fldoe.org

http://www.fldoe.org/about-us/office-of-the-inspector-general/file-a-complaint.stml

Georgia

Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission

2082 E. Exchange Pl. #220

Tucker, GA 30084-5334

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-resources/student-complaints

Hawaii

Hawaii State Board of Education

P.O. Box 2360

Honolulu, HI 96804

ocp@dcca.hawaii.gov

https://cca.hawaii.gov/ocp/files/2018/02/Complaint-Form-and-Instruction-2018-WEB.pdf

Idaho

Idaho State Board of Education

Attn: State Coordinator for Private Colleges and Proprietary Schools

650 West State Street

P.O. Box 83720

Boise, ID 83720-0037

https://boardofed.idaho.gov/higher-education-private/private-colleges-degree-granting/student-complaint-procedures/

Illinois

Illinois Board of Higher Education

431 East Adams, 2nd Floor

Springfield, IL 62701-1404

info@ibhe.org

Institutional Complaint Hotline: (217) 557-7359

Illinois State Board of Education

100 N. 1st Street

Springfield, IL 62777

http://webprod1.isbe.net/contactisbe/ (email)

Illinois Attorney General

Consumer Fraud Bureau

500 South Second Street

Springfield, IL 62706

http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/about/email_ag.jsp

http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/conscomp.pdf

Consumer Fraud Hotline: (800) 243-0618

Indiana

Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education

Attn: Director of Regulatory Compliance

302 W. Washington Street, Room E201

Indianapolis IN 46204

http://www.in.gov/cpe/files/sf39280-complaint.pdf

Iowa

Iowa Student Aid Commission

603 E. 12th Street

5th Floor

Des Moines, IA 50319

info@iowacollegeaid.gov

https://www.swcciowa.edu/academics/distance-education/complaint-grievance-process

Kansas

Kansas Board of Regents

1000 SW Jackson Street

Suite 520

Topeka, KS 66612-1368

http://www.kansasregents.org/academic_affairs/private_out_of_state/complaint_process

Kentucky

Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education

1024 Capital Center Dr. #320

Frankfort, KY 40601-7512

http://cpe.ky.gov/campuses/consumer_complaint.html

Kentucky Board of Proprietary Education

911 Leawood Dr.

Frankfort, KY 40601-3319

Office of the Attorney General
Capitol Suite 118
700 Capitol Avenue
Frankfort, KY 40601-3449

consumer.protection@ag.ky.gov

https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/AttorneyGeneral/ConsumerComplaintForm

Louisiana

Louisiana Board of Regents

P.O. Box 3677

Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3677

https://regents.la.gov/students-parents/student-complaint-process/

Maine

Maine Department of Education

Complaint Investigator

23 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333-0023

jonathan.braff@maine.gov

Maine Attorney General

Consumer Protection Division

6 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333

http://www.maine.gov/ag/consumer/complaints/complaint_form.shtml

Maryland

Maryland Higher Education Commission

839 Bestgate Road, Suite 400

Annapolis, MD 21401-3013

https://mhec.maryland.gov/institutions_training/Pages/career/pcs/complaint.aspx

Maryland Attorney General

Consumer Protection Division

200 St. Paul Place

Baltimore, MD 21202

consumer@oag.state.md.us

https://web.oag.state.md.us/editor/customer/onlineformhelpers/formviewer.aspx?filename=MUGeneral.htm

Consumer Protection Hotline: (410) 528-8662

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Board of Higher Education

One Ashburton Place

Room 1401

Boston, MA 02108

https://www.mass.edu/forstufam/complaints/complaintform.asp

Michigan

Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth

Office of Postsecondary Services

Proprietary School Unit Staff

201 N. Washington Sq.

Lansing, MI 48913

https://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-89334_61343_35395---,00.html

Minnesota

Minnesota Office of Higher Education

1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350

St. Paul, MN 55108-5227

https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Complaint.asp

Minnesota Attorney General’s Office

1400 Bremer Tower

445 Minnesota Street

St. Paul, MN 55101

https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Complaint.asp

Mississippi

Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation

3825 Ridgewood Road

Jackson, MS 39211-6453

Mississippi Commission of Proprietary Schools and College Registration

3825 Ridgewood Road

Jackson, MS 39211-6453

Consumer Protection Division

Office of the Attorney General

State of Mississippi

P.O. Box 22947

Jackson, MS 39225-2947

http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/contact (email)

http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca/downloads/mccastudentcomplaintform.pdf

Missouri

Missouri Department of Higher Education

205 Jefferson Street

P.O. Box 1469

Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469

info@dhewd.mo.gov

Montana

Montana Board of Regents

Office of Commissioner of Higher Education

Montana University System

2500 Broadway Street

P.O. Box 203201

Helena, MT 59620-3201

Montana Office of Consumer Protection

2225 11th Avenue

P.O. Box 200151

Helena, MT 59620-0151

contactocp@mt.gov

https://dojmt.gov/consumer/consumer-complaints/

Nebraska

Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education

P.O. Box 95005

Lincoln, NE 68509-5005

Nebraska Department of Education

Investigations Office

301 Centennial Mall South

P.O. Box 98987

Lincoln, NE 68509-4987

https://ccpe.nebraska.gov/student-complaint-form

Nebraska Attorney General

Consumer Protection Division

2115 State Capitol

Lincoln, NE 68509

https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/file-consumer-complaint

Consumer Protection Hotline: (800) 727-6432

Nevada

Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education

3663 East Sunset Road

Suite 202

Las Vegas, NV 89120

http://ag.nv.gov/Complaints/File_Complaint/

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission

3 Barrell Court #300

Concord, NH 03301-8531

https://my.doe.nh.gov/ESSWEB/HigherEducation/Complaint.aspx

New Jersey

New Jersey Commission on Higher Education

PO Box 542

Trenton, NJ 08625

nj_che@che.state.nj.us

New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development

1 John Fitch Plaza

P.O. Box 110

Trenton, NJ 08625-0110

schoolapprovalunit@dol.state.nj.us

http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/forms_pdfs/edtrain/Conflict%20Resolution%20Questionnaire.pdf

New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs

124 Halsey Street
Newark, NJ 07102

http://www.nj.gov/oag/ca/complaint/ocp.pdf

New Mexico

New Mexico Higher Education Department

2048 Galisteo
Santa Fe, NM 87505

https://hed.state.nm.us/uploads/documents/Complaint_Form_2019.pdf

New York

New York Office of College and University Evaluation
New York State Education Department
5 North Mezzanine
Albany, NY 12234

ocueinfo@mail.nysed.gov

http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/spr/COMPLAINTFORMINFO.html

New York Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision

New York State Education Department

99 Washington Avenue, Room 1613 OCP

Albany, NY 12234

New York State Department of State

Division of Consumer Protection

Consumer Assistance Unit

5 Empire State Plaza – Suite 2101

Albany, NY 12223-1556

https://www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection/form/ComplaintForm1.asp

North Carolina

North Carolina Community College System Office of Proprietary Schools

200 West Jones St.

Raleigh, NC 27603

https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/complaint-procedures-and-forms

North Carolina Consumer Protection
Attorney General's Office
Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

https://ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint/

North Dakota

North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education
State Capitol – 15th Floor
600 E. Boulevard Ave. Dept. 270
Bismarck, ND 58505-0610

cte@nd.gov

North Dakota Consumer Protection Division

Office of Attorney General

Gateway Professional Center

1050 E Interstate Ave. Suite 200

Bismarck, ND 58503-5574

https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/consumer-resources/consumer-complaints

Ohio

Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools

35 East Gay Street, Suite 403
Columbus, OH 43215-3138

http://scr.ohio.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2bwaKHWPRAH8%3d&tabid=68

Ohio Board of Regents

30 East Broad Street, 36th floor

Columbus, OH 43215-3414

Ohio Attorney General

Consumer Protection Section

30 E. Broad St., 14th floor

Columbus, OH 43215-3400

https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Individuals-and-Families/Consumers/File-a-Complaint

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

655 Research Parkway

Suite 200

Oklahoma City, OK 73104

Oklahoma State Board of Private Vocational Schools

3700 Classen Boulevard
Suite 250
Oklahoma City, OK 73118-2864

Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General

Consumer Protection Unit

Attn: Investigative Analyst

313 NE 21st Street

Oklahoma City, OK 73105

http://www.oag.ok.gov/Websites/oag/images/2019%20Consumer%20Complaint%20Form%201.pdf

Oregon

Oregon Office of Degree Authorization

1500 Valley River Drive
Suite 100
Eugene, OR 97401

Oregon Department of Education

Private Career Schools Office

255 Capitol Street NE

Salem, OR 97310-0203

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d8444c7999b04759860b398f4750ca0d

Oregon AttorneyGeneral

Financial Fraud/Consumer Protection Section
1162 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301-4096

https://justice.oregon.gov/forms/consumer_complaint.asp

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Department of Education

333 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333

Office of Attorney General
Bureau of Consumer Protection
14th Floor, Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120

https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/BCP_Complaint_Form.pdf

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education

P.O. Box 1900
San Juan, PR 00910-1900

http://www.agencias.pr.gov/agencias/cepr/inicio/DocumentosCEPR/Documents/SARA/SARA_Complaint_Process.pdf

Puerto Rico Department of Justice

P.O. 9020192
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902-0192

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education

Shepard Building

80 Washington Street

Providence, RI 02903

Rhode Island Department of Attorney General

Consumer Protection Unit

150 South Main Street

Providence, RI 02903

http://www.riag.ri.gov/ConsumerProtection/About.php

South Carolina

South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
1333 Main Street, Suite 200
Columbia, SC 29201

https://www.che.sc.gov/CHE_Docs/AcademicAffairs/License/Complaint_procedures_and_form.pdf

South Dakota

South Dakota Board of Regents

306 E. Capitol Ave, Suite 200

Pierre, SD 57501-2545

South Dakota Office of Attorney General

Division of Consumer Protection

1302 E. Hwy. 14 – Suite 3

Pierre, SD 57501-8053

https://consumer.sd.gov/complaintform.aspx

Tennessee

Tennessee Higher Education Commission

404 James Robertson Parkway

Suite 1900

Nashville, TN 37243

https://www.tn.gov/thec/bureaus/student-aid-and-compliance/postsecondary-state-authorization/request-for-complaint-review.html

Texas

Texas Workforce Commission

Career Schools and Colleges – Room 226-T

101 East 15th Street

Austin, TX 78778-0001

http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/links/student-complaints/

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

1200 E. Anderson Lane

Austin, TX 78752

Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711-2548

http://txoag.force.com/CPDOnlineForm

Utah

Utah Division of Consumer Protection

160 East 300 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

consumerprotection@utah.gov

https://dcp.utah.gov/complaints.html

Vermont

Vermont Department of Education

State Board of Education

Vermont Department of Education
120 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05620-2501

https://education.vermont.gov/sites/aoe/files/documents/edu-postsecondary-program-complaint-resolution.pdf

Vermont Attorney General’s Office
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609-1001

Virginia

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia

101 N. 14th St.
James Monroe Building
Richmond, VA 23219

communications@schev.edu

https://www.schev.edu/index/students-and-parents/resources/student-complaints

Washington

Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board

917 Lakeridge Way

P.O. Box 43430

Olympia, WA 98504-3430

dainfo@hecb.wa.gov

https://wsac.wa.gov/student-complaints

Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board

128 10th Avenue SW

P.O. Box 43105

Olympia, WA 98504-3105

workforce@wtb.wa.gov

https://www.wvhepc.org/resources/Complaint_Process.pdf (instructions)

Washington State Office of the Attorney General

1125 Washington Street SE

P.O. Box 40100

Olympia, WA 98504-0100

https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/ContactForm.aspx?subject=Consumer%20Protection (email)

https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/ComplaintForm.aspx (complaint form)

West Virginia

West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission

1018 Kanawha Blvd. E., Ste. 700

Charleston WV 25301-2800

https://ago.wv.gov/Pages/consumercomplaint.aspx

Community and Technical College System of West Virginia

1018 Kanawha Blvd. E., Ste. 700

Charleston WV 25301

West Virginia Office of the Attorney General

Consumer Protection Division

P.O. Box 1789

Charleston, WV 25326-1789

https://www.wvhepc.org/resources/Complaint_Process.pdf

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Educational Approval Board

30 W. Mifflin St., 9th Floor

P.O. Box 8696

Madison, WI 53708

eabmail@eab.state.wi.us

http://www.heab.state.wi.us/dlab/docs/SARAComplaintForm2018.pdf

Wyoming

Wyoming Department of Education

2300 Capitol Avenue

Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor

Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050

https://edu.wyoming.gov/blog/2018/12/06/student-complaint-form/

Attorney General's Office
123 Capitol Building
200 W. 24th Street
Cheyenne, WY 82002