Student Grievance and Appeal

Student Grievance and Appeal

A student who feels that he/she has been improperly treated concerning finances, grading, registration, or any other student service, has the right to file a grievance to correct the wrong. The following procedure shall be followed in filing a grievance: (The terms “grievance” and “complaint” are used interchangeably.)

I. First, whenever possible, the matter in question should be discussed directly with the person causing the grievance. Every effort should be made to resolve the grievance on a one-on-one basis. If the grievance concerns a grade earned in a class, the student must understand that he/she cannot challenge the judgment of the instructor but only the accuracy of the grade and/or fact.

II. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of the one-on-one effort (or if the student does not know who the specific individual is who caused the grievance), the student may contact the appropriate administrator for assistance (Academic Dean for academic-related and student services appeals; Vice President for Administrative Services for financial appeals). The appeal to an administrator should be in writing.

A. The student’s written grievance should be explicit and include any support materials.
B. The University will respond to all written grievances and include them as a part of institutional records.
C. All grievances will be processed expeditiously.

III. If the student is dissatisfied with the solution proposed by the administration, the student may appeal, in writing, to the President. The student may include additional information or facts in the written appeal. The President may make a final decision immediately or elect to form a grievance-hearing committee to consider the complaint. The committee, if appointed, will review all written documents and forward their recommendation to the President, whose decision shall be final.

All student grievances must first be addressed internally. If the internal resources have been exhausted and the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved, the student may file a written complaint with the:

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Office of General Counsel
P.O. Box 12788
Austin, TX 78711-2788

IV. Complaint Process for the Educator Preparation Program

The Texas Administrative Code (Rule §228.70) requires that Educator Preparation Programs (EPP) maintain a process for filing and resolving complaints and provide information for filing formal complaints with the Texas Education Agency (TEA). If you have a complaint about the Amberton University Educator Preparation Program, please follow the institution’s “Student Grievance and Appeal” Process.

Texas Education Agency Complaint: If you believe that the Amberton University EPP has violated state law or rule in resolving your complaint, you may file a formal complaint with the Texas Education Agency. The complaint process allows for an applicant, candidate, employee, or former employee of an EPP, a cooperating teacher, a mentor, or an administrator in a school district, charter school, or private school to submit a complaint about an EPP for investigation and resolution.

The complaint process allows individuals to seek redress in areas where they feel that the program did not fulfill requirements for certificates or for actions that the individual feels are wrong. Educator preparation programs may also file a complaint about the actions of other EPP programs when it involves a candidate’s transfer into or out of a program.

Not all complaints fall under the authority of TEA. TEA has jurisdiction to investigate allegations of noncompliance regarding specific laws and rules, generally related to state and federal requirements. Complaints may address educator preparation program requirements listed in Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §§ 227, 228, 229, ethics (TAC §247), fingerprinting (TAC §§227, 232), and certification (TAC §§230, 231, 232, 239, 241, 242). TEA staff and the SBEC do not have jurisdiction over complaints related to contractual arrangements with an EPP, commercial issues, obtaining a higher grade or credit for training, or seeking reinstatement to an EPP.

Further information on the TEA Complaint Process and access to the TEA Complaint Form may be found on the TEA website, https://tea.texas.gov.

NC-SARA

The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is a private nonprofit organization [501(c)(3)] that helps expand students’ access to educational opportunities and ensure more efficient, consistent, and effective regulation of distance education programs.

Recognizing the growing demand for distance education opportunities, higher education stakeholders – including state regulators and education leaders, accreditors, the U.S. Department of Education, and institutions – joined together in 2013 to establish the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA), which streamline regulations around distance education programs.

In partnership with four regional compacts, NC-SARA helps states, institutions, policymakers, and students understand the purpose and benefits of participating in SARA. Today, more than 2,200 institutions in 49 member states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands all voluntarily participate in SARA.

NC-SARA Complaint Process

Every student deserves a positive educational experience. Sometimes a student’s experience may not be what they anticipate, and the student may have a concern or a complaint.

SARA consumer protection provisions require the institution’s home state, through its SARA State Portal Entity, to investigate and resolve allegations of dishonest or fraudulent activity by the state’s SARA-participating institutions, including the provision of false or misleading information.

A student has the right to lodge a complaint or grievance. The institution should ensure that all concerns and complaints of students are addressed fairly and are resolved promptly. Student complaints relating to consumer protection laws offered under the terms and conditions of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), must first be filed with the institution to seek resolution.

The student should begin the complaint process with the institution and if resolution is not found, the student would contact the institution’s home state SARA Portal Entity. For more information, please click visit the NC-SARA Complaint Process website.