Overview
As part of the Ashland University Student Complaint Policy, if you have a concern you’d like to resolve regarding a process or a person at Ashland University that is not covered by any existing policies (e.g., grade appeals and academic grievance procedure), we are here to help.
Informal Resolution Procedure
We do recommend that you try to resolve your concern informally first; that is usually the most expedient way to address any issue. If a direct conversation isn’t possible or acceptable for you — for any reason — or if you have already attempted to talk about the problem and the results have been unsatisfactory, consider contacting the staff person’s supervisor or the faculty member’s department chair to discuss and resolve it.
Formal Resolution Procedure
We also offer you the option of filing a formal complaint. Use the Student Complaint Form to set forth, in writing, all of the following:
- A statement of the issue
- The university policy or procedure that was violated
- The specific remedy you are seeking
Once you submit a complaint, here's what happens.
Level 1
Absent extraordinary circumstances, the person, normally a dean or director, to whom the complaint has been submitted, conducts, within seven business days of receiving the complaint, a formal conference with the student, permitting her or him to provide any necessary relevant information. The dean or director confers with the other person or persons involved and conducts an additional investigation as he or she deems necessary.
Absent extraordinary circumstances, the dean or director sends, within seven business days of the first formal conference, a written recommendation to the student and the other involved person or persons. This recommendation states the background information, the rationale for the recommendation and the recommended remedy, if any. Copies of the original complaint and the written recommendation are kept in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness for a minimum of five years.
Level 2
If the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved at the first level, the student or one of the other involved parties may, with fourteen business days of receipt of the level 1 recommendation, appeal to the direct supervisor of the person who wrote the recommendation. Absent extraordinary circumstances, the supervisor will review the case and render a decision to the student and/or other person(s) within fourteen business days of receipt of the appeal or complaint. In cases of appeals to level 2, copies of the original complaint and the level 1 and 2 written recommendations are kept in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness for a minimum of five years.
Level 3
Except in the case of a complaint against the president of the university, where the Board of Trustees has final authority, should you wish to appeal the level 2 recommendation, you must submit that appeal to the president within fourteen business days. The president makes the final decision. Absent extraordinary circumstances, the president's written decision is sent to the student and other parties within fourteen business days of receiving the level 3 appeal. In cases of appeals to level 3, copies of the original complaint, the previous written recommendations and the final decision are kept in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness for a minimum of five years.
External Resolution Procedure
If you have tried and failed to satisfactorily resolve your concern via the university’s internal processes, you may pursue a resolution by filing your complaint with another regulatory body or agency. To proceed appropriately, please refer to the section that best matches your circumstances.
If You Are An Ohio Resident
You may use the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s non-SARA consumer complaint procedure and online form. You can find contact information for the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and the link to the online form here:
Ohio Department of Higher Education
25 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-466-6000
Website: Ohio Department of Higher Education
Alternatively — or in addition — you may submit your complaint to the Higher Learning Commission. To learn more about that process, contact the commission:
Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, Illinois 60604-1411
Phone: 800-621-7440
Website: Higher Learning Commission
If You Are an Online Student Who Is Not an Ohio Resident
You may file a written complaint with the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and/or the Higher Learning Commission as long as you have attempted to resolve your complaint at the institution level first. However, how you file this complaint depends on the state in which you live.
Ashland University operates under the approval of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). Consequently, if you are from a SARA member state, you should file a SARA complaint using the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s SARA Portal Agency.
If you do not reside in a SARA member state (and even if you do), you may seek the assistance of other applicable regulatory bodies or agencies in having your complaint reviewed. To determine whether your state is a SARA member and/or find out more about the regulatory bodies in your state to which you might appeal, check your state’s postsecondary or higher education website. For your convenience, we have provided you with contact information for these higher education agencies below.
ALABAMA
Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education
PO Box 302130
Montgomery, AL 36130-2130
Phone: 334-293-4500
Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education
ALASKA
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
PO Box 110505
Juneau, AK 99811-0505
Phone: 880-441-2962
Alaska Department of Postsecondary Education
ARIZONA
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
1400 W. Washington, Room 260
Phoenix, AZ 85007 Phone: 602-542-5709
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
ARKANSAS
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
114 East Capitol
Little Rock, AR 72201-3818
Phone: 501-371-2000
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
CALIFORNIA
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
PO Box 980818
W. Sacramento, CA 95798-0818
Phone: 888-370-7589 or 916-431-6959
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
COLORADO
Department on Higher Education Commission on Higher Education
1300 Broadway Rd., Second Floor
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: 303-862-3001
Department of Higher Education
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Office of Higher Education
39 Woodland St.
Hartford, CT 06105-2326
Phone: 860-947-1800
Connecticut Office of Higher Education
DELAWARE
Delaware Department of Education
The Townsend Building
401 Federal St., Suite 2
Dover, DE 19901-3639
Phone: 302-735-4000
Delaware Department of Education
FLORIDA
Commission for Independent Education
325 W. Gaines St., Suite 1414
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Phone: 850-245-0505
Commission for Independent Education
GEORGIA
Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 E. Exchange Pl., Suite 220
Tucker, GA 30084
Phone: 770-414-3300
Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
HAWAII
Business Registration
Division of the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
PO Box 40
Honolulu, HI 96810
Phone: 808-587-4272
Division of the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
IDAHO
Idaho State Board of Education
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0037
Phone: 208-334-2270
Idaho State Board of Education
ILLINOIS
Illinois Board of Higher Education
1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333
Springfield, IL 62701-1377
Phone: 217-557-7359
Illinois Board of Higher Education
INDIANA
Board for Proprietary Education Indiana Commission for Higher Education
101 W. Ohio St., Suite 670
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-464-4400
Board for Proprietary Education Indiana Commission for Higher Education
IOWA
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
603 E. 12th St., 5th Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319
Phone: 515-725-3400
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
KANSAS
Individuals with a complaint about an out‐of‐state school operating in Kansas must complete and submit the online
Out of State Complaint Process Form.
KENTUCKY
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
1024 Capital Center Dr., Suite 320
Frankfort, KY 40601-8204
Phone: 502-573-1555
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
LOUISIANA
State of Louisiana Board of Regents
PO Box 3677
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
Phone: 225-342-4253
State of Louisiana Board of Regents
MAINE
Maine State Board of Education (MSBE)
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
Phone: 207-624-6846
Maine State Board of Education (MSBE)
MARYLAND
Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC)
6 N. Liberty St., 10th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-767-3301
Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC)
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts Board of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place, Suite 1401
Boston, MA 02108-1696
Phone: 617-994-6950
Massachusetts Board of Higher Education
MICHIGAN
Michigan Department of Education
PO Box 30008
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: 517-373-9235
Michigan Department of Education
MINNESOTA
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Dr., Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108
Phone: 651-259-3975 or 800-657-3866
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
3825 Ridgewood Rd.
Jackson, MS 39211
Phone: 601-432-6372
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
MISSOURI
State of Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education
205 Jefferson St.
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Phone: 573-751-2361
State of Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education
MONTANA
Montana Board of Regents
Office of Commissioner of Higher Education – Montana University System
2500 Broadway Street
PO Box 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
Phone: 406-444-6570
Montana Board of Regents
NEBRASKA
Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
PO Box 95005
Lincoln, NE 68509-5005
Phone: 402-471-2847
Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
NEVADA
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
3663 E. Sunset Road, Suite 202
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Phone: 702-486-7330
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire Department of Education
101 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: 603-271-0257
New Hampshire Department of Education
NEW JERSEY
New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education
20 W. State St.
PO Box 542
Trenton, NJ 08625-0542
Phone: 609-292-4310 or 609-984-2709
New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education
NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Higher Education Department
2048 Galisteo St.
Santa Fe, NM 87505-2100
Phone: 505-476-8400
New Mexico Higher Education Department
NEW YORK
New York State Education Department
Office of College & University Evaluation Education Bldg.
5 North Mezzanine, 89 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234
Phone: 518-474-2593
New York State Education Department
NORTH CAROLINA
Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina
General Administration
910 Raleigh Rd.
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688
Phone: 919-962-4538
Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina
NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education
State Capitol – 15th Floor
600 E. Boulevard Ave. Dept. 270
Bismarck, ND 58505-0610
Phone: n/a
North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education
OHIO
Ohio Department of Higher Education
25 South Front St.
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-466-6000
Ohio Department of Higher Education
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education
655 Research Pkwy, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73104-3603
Phone: 405-225-9100 or 405-225-9142
Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education
OREGON
Oregon Office of Degree Authorization
1500 Valley River Dr., Suite 100
Eugene, OR 97401
Phone: 503-373-0072
Oregon Office of Degree Authorization
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market St.
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Phone: 717-783-6785
Pennsylvania Department of Education
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner
Shepard Building
80 Washington Street, Suite 524
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-736-1110
Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner
SOUTH CAROLINA
Nonpublic Postsecondary Institution Licensing
1333 Main St., Suite 200
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803-737-3918
Nonpublic Postsecondary Institution Licensing
SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota Secretary of State
State Capitol
500 E. Capitol Ave
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
Phone: 605-773-3215
South Dakota Secretary of State
TENNESSEE
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Parkway Towers, Suite 1700
404 James Robertson Pkwy
Nashville, TN 37243-0830
Phone: 615-741-3605
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
TEXAS
Texas Workforce Commission
Career Schools and Colleges-Rm 226-T
101 East 15th Street
Austin, TX 78711-0001 1
Phone: 800-558-8321
Texas Workforce Commission
Texas Alternate Contact #1 In writing:
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Office of General Counsel
P.O. Box 12788 Austin, TX 78711-2788
Phone: 512-427-6101
Texas Alternate Contact #2:
Texas Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711-2548
Texas Office of the Attorney General
UTAH
Utah System of Higher Education State Board of Regents
60 South 400 West
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101-1284
Phone: 801-321-7103
Utah System of Higher Education State Board of Regents
VERMONT
Vermont Agency of Education
State Board of Education
120 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05620-2501
Vermont Agency of Education
Vermont Alternate Contact:
Vermont Attorney General’s Office
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609-1001
Phone: 802-.828-3171
VIRGINIA
Commonwealth of Virginia Council of Higher Education
James Monroe Building
101 N. Fourteenth St.
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804-225-2600
Commonwealth of Virginia Council of Higher Education
WASHINGTON
Washington Student Achievement Council
PO Box 43430
Olympia, WA 98504-3430
Phone: 360-753-7869 or 360-753-7866
Washington Student Achievement Council
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Government of the District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission
810 1st Street, NE, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202-724-2065
Government of the District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission
WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
1018 Kanawha Boulevard East, Suite 700
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: 304-558-2101
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
WISCONSIN
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
431 Charmany Drive, Suite 102
Madison, WI 53719
Phone: 608-266-1996
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
WYOMING
Wyoming Department of EducationHathaway Bldg., 2nd Floor
2300 Capitol Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050
Phone: 307-777-5712
Wyoming Department of Education