Complaints involving discrimination, harassment, Title IX, the Honor Code, or the Code of Student Conduct follow separate procedures.

Informal Resolution

Students are encouraged to first seek an informal resolution by:

1. Meeting with the faculty or staff member involved.
2. If unresolved, escalating the complaint via email or discussion through appropriate administrative channels, up to the Office of the Vice President responsible for the area of concern.

If an informal resolution is not possible, students may proceed with the formal complaint process.

Formal Complaint Process

Requirements:

• Complaints must be filed within 30 days of the incident.
• Prior attempts at informal resolution should be documented.
• The University will make reasonable efforts to respond within 15 business days.
  

Formal Complaint Submission:

Complaints must be written, dated, and signed and should:

1. Clearly identify the department(s) and issue(s) involved.
2. Describe the steps taken to resolve the issue informally before submitting the formal complaint.

Where to Submit:

Submit the formal complaint to the appropriate Vice President:

• Academic Issues (grading, classroom concerns, advising): Vice President for Academic Affairs
• Student Life Issues (residential life, athletics, food services, security): Vice President for Student Affairs
• Enrollment-Related Issues (admissions, financial aid, bursar, registrar, facilities): Vice President for Enrollment Management

For issues not clearly under a specific Vice President, direct complaints to the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Review and Appeal Process

After receiving a formal complaint, the Vice President will attempt to resolve the issue. If necessary, they may initiate the following process:

1. The Vice President may refer the complaint to the director/chair of the relevant department or an ad hoc committee of faculty or staff to review and investigate the issue.
2. Upon completing the review, the director/chair or committee will provide the student with a written response.
3. If the student is not satisfied with the response, they may appeal to the Vice President within five (5) business days of receiving the decision.
4. The Vice President will review the institutional decision and the appeal. They may either render a final decision, or convene an ad hoc appeals committee composed of faculty and administrators to investigate and decide on the appeal.

All decisions made at this stage are final and will be communicated to the student in writing.

Regardless of how the complaint is resolved (by the director, committee, or Vice President), documentation of the resolution will be maintained by the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Complaints to Outside Agencies

If the University does not satisfactorily resolve the formal complaint, students may escalate the issue to external agencies:

Academic Program Quality & Accreditation Complaints
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097
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All Other Complaints
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Florida Department of Education
To file a complaint, send a letter to:
Equitable Services Ombudsman
Phone: 850-245-9349
Email: Equitableservices@fldoe.org
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If further assistance is needed, contact the Office of Articulation within the Department of Education.

Required Information for Complaints

When filing a complaint with an outside agency, include the following details:

1. Student’s (or complainant’s) full name
2. Address
3. Phone number
4. Name of institution
5. Institution’s location (city)
6. Dates of attendance
7. A detailed description of the issue, along with supporting documents (e.g., enrollment agreements)

The complaint process of the Ombudsman involves contacting the institution to obtain their response to your complaint. If you do not want the Ombudsman to contact the institution you are attending, you must state so in your complaint; however, doing so will greatly hinder the Ombudsman’s ability to assist you with your complaint.

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, please visit the FL‐SARA Complaint Process page, http://www.fldoe.org/sara/complaint-process.stml

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