Complaint & Grievance Policy

Complaint Process for Online Students

• All complaints related to Online Courses should be brought to the attention of the Director of Online Studies, William Slater.
• Complaints and appeals should be well-documented in writing and submitted to the Director prior to appealing to any off-campus authority.
• For questions about complaints related to Welch Online, please contact William Slater at wslater@welch.edu

Additional Complaint Procedures

Complaint Resolution Policies and Procedures for Non-Tennessee Resident Students in State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement States, commonly known as SARA.

Student complaints relating to consumer protection laws that involve distance learning education offered under the terms and conditions of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), must first be filed with the institution to seek resolution.

Complainants not satisfied with the outcome of the Institution’s internal process may appeal, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission

For purposes of this process, a complaint shall be defined as a formal assertion in writing that the terms of SARA or the laws, standards or regulations incorporated by the SARA Policies and Standards (http://www.nc-sara.org/content/sara-manual) have been violated by the institution operating under the terms of SARA.

For a list of SARA member States, please visit the NC-SARA website (http://nc-sara.org/sarastates-institutions). Students residing in non-SARA states should consult their respective State of residence for further instructions for filing a complaint.

Should the college not be able to resolve a student complaint, the student has the right to contact agencies and authorities outside the college, including the State of Tennessee, in order to determine a proper course of action. Complaints can be filed with the following agencies:

Complaints relating to the quality of education or accreditation requirements should be referred to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

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 (www.tn.gov) and then search for the appropriate division

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, www.tn.gov/consumer.

For out-of-Tennessee students enrolled in Welch College programs through distance learning, complaints related to consumer protection laws shall be filed using the Tennessee NC-SARA Portal form. Welch College is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, and the complaint process per that body (http://nc-sara.org/content/sara-complaint-process) requires students to submit complaints through the portal agency for the state where the institution is legally domiciled (Tennessee). Questions may also be directed to the student’s home state higher education authority (see the listing by state below).

For students enrolled in on-ground programs in states other than Tennessee, complaints may be submitted through your 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 Welch College with each state board or commission on higher education if complaints submitted directly to the college, 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
http://www.ache.alabama.gov/
Student Complaints: https://www.accs.cc/index.cfm/school-licensure/complaints/

Alaska
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
PO Box 110505
Juneau, AK 99811-0505
http://acpe.alaska.gov/
Student Complaints: EED.ACPE-IA@alaska.gov

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/complaint

Arkansas
Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
114 East Capitol Ave
Little Rock, AR 72201
http://www.adhe.edu/institutions/academic-affairs/
Student Complaints: http://www.adhe.edu/students-parents/colleges-universites/student-grievance-form

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

Connecticut
Office of Higher Education
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 510
Hartford, CT 06103-1841
http://www.ctdhe.org/
Student Complaints: http://www.ctohe.org/studentcomplaints.shtml

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

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-helc-public-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: http://www.fldoe.org/policy/cie/file-a-complaint.stml

Georgia
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220
Tucker, GA 30084-5334
https://gnpec.org/
Student Complaints: https://gnpec.org/gnpec-authorized-school-complainant-form/

Hawaii
Hawaii Postsecondary Education Authorization Program
335 Merchant Street, Room 310
Honolulu, HI 96813
http://cca.hawaii.gov/hpeap/
Student Complaints: http://cca.hawaii.gov/hpeap/hpeap-sara-complaint-process/

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-colleges-degree-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
http://www.ibhe.org/default.htm
Student Complaints: http://www.ibhe.state.il.us/consumerinfo/complaint.htm

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://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/
Student Complaints: https://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/sdrf-start

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://regents.la.gov/divisions/planning-research-and-academic-affairs/institutional-licensure/sara/

Maine
Maine Department of Education
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
http://www.maine.gov/doe/highered/
Student Complaints: http://www.maine.gov/doe/highered/sara/index.html

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/0,4601,7-154-61343_35395_35396—,00.html

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.mississippi.edu/mcca/
Student Complaints: http://www.mississippi.edu/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://dhe.mo.gov/documents/POLICYONCOMPLAINTRESOLUTION-reviseddraft.pdf

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-postsecondary-institutions

Nevada
Nevada System of Higher Education
2601 Enterprise Road
Reno, NV 89512
http://system.nevada.edu/Nshe/

New Hampshire
New Hampshire Higher Education Commission
101 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301-3494
https://www.education.nh.gov/
Student Complaints: https://www.education.nh.gov/pathways-education/higher-education-new-hampshire

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
http://www.hed.state.nm.us/
Student Complaints: http://www.hed.state.nm.us/institutions/complaints.aspx

New York
New York Office of College and University Evaluation
New York State Education Department
5 North Mezzanine
Albany, NY 12234
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/
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/stateauthorization
Student Complaints: See Link Above

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-post-inst/docs/NDSBCTE_Student_Complaint_Procedure.pdf

Ohio
Ohio Board of Regents
25 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215
https://www.ohiohighered.org/
Student Complaints: https://www.ohiohighered.org/students/complaints

Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
http://www.okhighered.org/index.shtml
Student Complaints: https://www.okhighered.org/current-college-students/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-degree-authorization.aspx
Student Complaints: http://www.oregon.gov/highered/institutions-programs/private/Pages/private-postsecondary-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: http://www.education.pa.gov/Postsecondary-Adult/College%20and%20Career%20Education/Pages/Students-Complaints.aspx#tab-1

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://www.riopc.edu/page/RI-SARA/
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/SD-SARA/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/content/dam/tn/thec/bureau/student_aid_and_compliance/dpsa/links-and-forms/SARA_Basics_Workshop.pdf

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.thecb.state.tx.us/index.cfm?objectid=AC6FA0BC-F5DB-16DE-6B667C083DFB5B98

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/index.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-program-complaint-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: http://www.schev.edu/index/students-and-parents/resources/student-complaints

Washington
Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board
128 10th Avenue SW
PO Box 43105
Olympia, WA 98504-3105
http://www.wtb.wa.gov/pcs.asp
Student Complaints: http://www.wtb.wa.gov/PCS_Complaints.asp

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

Wisconsin
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
431 Charmany Drive, Suite 102
Madison, WI 53719
http://eab.state.wi.us/
Student Complaints: http://eab.state.wi.us/resources/complaint.asp

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