Student Complaint Procedures

Student Complaint Procedures

Complaints may be filed by currently enrolled students or by formerly enrolled students. Complaints should be filed as soon as possible in order to ensure prompt handling and resolution. Except for complaints of sex discrimination or sexual harassment, formerly enrolled students should initiate a complaint within 45 days of the end of the semester in which they were most recently enrolled. Complaints involving sex discrimination and sexual harassment and how to make a report is referenced in the Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment policy in the Student Handbook.

Complaints against Faculty or Staff

Complaints regarding Faculty and Staff are covered by the respective handbooks and Code of Ethical Conduct. Students should contact the faculty member’s supervisor (usually the department chair) or staff member’s supervisor to address the matter. If the complaint is received by another office/department, it will be forwarded to the appropriate supervisor to address. If the complaint alleges discrimination and/or harassment, follow the procedures in the Discrimination or Harassment Complaints section.

Discrimination or Harassment Complaints

Any student who believes they have been discriminated against or harassed based upon their sex, race, age, color, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law may initiate a complaint by reporting the matter to the appropriate authorities, including but not limited to Vice Presidents, Associate and Assistant Vice Presidents, Deans, Directors and other university administrators.

 

Complaints of sex discrimination or sexual harassment by a student, employee or vendor/supplier should be directed to the Title IX Coordinator and/or via an online report at www.hpu.edu/titleix. For specifics, reference the Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment policy in the Student Handbook.

 

HPU will keep confidential the identity of complainants, respondents, and witnesses, except as may be permitted by FERPA, or as required by law, or as necessary to carry out a Title IX proceeding. In the process of handling complaints, certain information may be distributed to appropriate administrators, respondents and/or witnesses in order to conduct fact finding, institute remedial actions or to informally resolve the complaint. Records of formal complaints will be kept for a minimum of five years.

All Other Student Complaints

For complaints involving grades or academic integrity, please reference the Academic Integrity Policy or Academic Grade Appeal Procedures for Students in the Student Handbook. For other academic complaints students should initiate the complaint through the appropriate academic department chair or academic program supervisor.

 

Complaints of a non-academic nature may be initiated by any student of Hawai‘i Pacific University to the appropriate authorities, including but not limited to Vice Presidents, Associate and Assistant Vice Presidents, Deans, Directors and other university administrators. Student complaint procedures regarding prohibited behavior are covered by the Code of Student Conduct.

 

Students may also file a complaint with the Dean of Students. Complaints must be in writing, which can be sent directly to the Dean of Students at dyeager@hpu.edu or dropped off to the Dean of Students Office at Waterfront Plaza, Ste. 6-510, dated, signed by the complainant, and addressed to the Dean of Students who, upon receipt, will forward the complaint to the appropriate HPU authority. A response by the appropriate authority will be sent in writing to the complainant within 30 days from the date the written complaint is received by the Dean of Students. Depending on the nature of the complaint, interviews, statements, informal or formal hearings may be required. The complainant has the right to redirect the complaint to the Dean of Students for further action if he or she is not satisfied with the initial response from the appropriate HPU authority.

 

Every effort will be made to resolve the complaint in a confidential manner and as expeditiously as possible; however, complete confidentiality cannot always be guaranteed. In the process of handling complaints, certain information may be distributed to appropriate administrators, respondents and/or witnesses in order to conduct fact finding, institute remedial actions or to informally resolve the complaint. Records of formal complaints will be kept for a minimum of five years.

Contact Information for the Student Complaint Process

State Contact Information for Distance Education Student Complaint and Grievance Procedures.

 

After exhausting all administrative remedies available at HPU and a complaint or problem is not satisfactorily resolved, students can contact the University accreditor, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission or one of the following agencies in Hawaii.

 

WASC Senior College and University Commission
1001 Marina Village Parkway Suite 402
Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: 510-748-9001
Fax: 510-748-9797
www.wscuc.org

 

Hawaii Postsecondary Education Authorization Program (HPEAP)
P.O. Box 541
Honolulu, HI 96809
Phone: 808-586-7327
hpeap@dcca.hawaii.gov

 

The Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program (HPEAP) [ http://cca.hawaii.gov/hpeap/] was created in 2013 by Act 180 to provide regulatory oversight of certain post-secondary educational institutions that have a physical presence in the state. The Act was then codified as Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 305J.

 

Students participating in online programs may contact the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) entity in Hawaii:

 

Bobbi Lum-Mew, Program Administrator
Hawaii Postsecondary Education Authorization Program
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 541
Honolulu, HI 96809
Phone: 808-586-7327
hpeap@dcca.hawaii.gov

 

Students who have complaints that have not been resolved through contact with the University may seek advisement from the appropriate office in the student’s state of residence, listed below:

 

Note: This list includes contact information for agencies that handle complaints in each state, but is not meant to be a definitive list of those agencies that regulate the University nor a statement as to those states in which the University is authorized to operate. Many states, through the relevant agencies or Attorneys’ General Offices, will accept complaints regardless of whether an institution is authorized to operate in that state. Also, the University does not maintain these state websites and information may change without the University’s knowledge.

 

Alabama
Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education
Attn: Office of Private School Licensing Division
PO Box 301130
Montgomery, AL 36130
https://www.accs.edu/
Complaint Process: https://www.accs.edu/about-accs/private-school-licensure/complaints/

Alaska
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
PO Box 110505
Juneau, AK 99811-0505
Complaint Process: http://acpe.alaska.gov/ABOUT_US/Consumer_Protection

Arkansas
Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
423 Main Street, Suite 400
Little Rock, AR 72201
Complaint Process: http://www.adhe.edu/institutions/academic-affairs/institutional-certification-advisory-committee/grievance-form

California
California Department of Consumer Affairs
Consumer Information Center
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N-112
Sacramento, CA 95834
Telephone: (833)942-1120
Complaint Process: https://www.dca.ca.gov/consumers/complaints/oos_students.shtml

Colorado
Colorado Department of Higher Education
1560 Broadway, Suite 1600
Denver, CO 80202
Complaint Process: http://highered.colorado.gov/Academics/filing-student-complaint

Connecticut
State of Connecticut Office of Higher Education
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 510
Hartford, CT 06103-1841
Complaint Process: http://www.ctohe.org/StudentComplaints.shtml

Delaware
Delaware Department of Education
35 Commerce Way
Dover, DE 19904
https://www.doe.k12.de.us

District of Columbia
District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Higher Education Licensure Commission
1050 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Complaint Process: https://osse.dc.gov/service/higher-education-licensure-commission-helc-public-complaints

Florida
Florida Commission on Independent Education
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Complaint Process: http://www.fldoe.org/policy/cie/file-a-complaint.stml

Georgia
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 E. Exchange Pl. #220
Tucker, GA 30084-5334
Complaint Process: http:// gnpec.georgia.gov/webform/gnpec-authorized-school-student-complaint-form/

Hawaii
Hawaii Postsecondary Education Authorization Program
P.O. Box 541
Honolulu, Hawaii 96809
hpeap@dcca.hawaii.gov
Complaint Process: http://cca.hawaii.gov/hpeap/student-complaint-process/

Idaho
Idaho State Board of Education
Attn: State Coordinator for Private Colleges and Proprietary Schools
650 West State Street
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0037
Complaint Process: https://boardofed.idaho.gov/higher-education-private/private-colleges-degree-granting/student-complaint-procedures/

Illinois
Illinois Board of Higher Education
1 North Old State Capital Plaza, Suite 333
Springfield, IL 62701
Complaint Process: http://complaints.ibhe.org

Indiana
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
101 W. Ohio Street, Suite 300
Indianapolis IN 46204-4206
Complaint Process: http://www.in.gov/che/2744.htm

Iowa
Iowa Student Aid Commission
Postsecondary Registration Coordinator
430 E. Grand Ave., 3rd Floor
Des Moines, IA 50309
Complaint Process: https://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/StudentComplaintForm

Kansas
Kansas Board of Regents
1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520
Topeka, KS 66612-1368
Complaint Process: 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
Complaint Process: http://cpe.ky.gov/campuses/consumer_complaint.html

Louisiana
Louisiana Board of Regents
1201 No third Street, Suite 6-200
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Complaint Process: https://regents.la.gov/students-parents/student-complaint-process/

Maine
Maine Department of Education
Office of Higher Education Services
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
Complaint Process: https://www.maine.gov/ag/consumer/complaints/complaint_form.shtml

Maryland
Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
Complaint Process: https://mhec.maryland.gov/institutions_training/Pages/acadaff/acadaffairsdepartments.aspx

Massachusetts
Massachusetts Board of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place
Room 1401
Boston, MA 02108
Complaint Process: http://www.mass.edu/forstufam/complaints/complaints.asp

Michigan
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
PO Box 30018
Lansing MI 48909
Complaint Process: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/lara/LCE-992_0715_494884_7.pdf

Minnesota
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108-5227
Complaint Process: http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=1078

Mississippi
Office of the Attorney General
PO Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205
Complaint Process: https://www.ago.state.ms.us/divisions/consumer-protection/consumer-complaint-form/

Missouri
Missouri Department of Higher Education
205 Jefferson Street
PO Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
info@dhe.mo.gov
Complaint Process: https://dhe.mo.gov/documents/POLICYONCOMPLAINTRESOLUTION-reviseddraft.pdf

Montana
Montana University System
Office of Commissioner of Higher Education
2500 Broadway Street
PO Box 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
Complaint Process: http://mus.edu/MUS-Statement-of-Complaint-Process.asp

Nebraska
Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
PO Box 95005
Lincoln, NE 68509-5005
Complaint Process: https://ccpe.nebraska.gov/student-complaints-against-postsecondary-institutions

Nevada
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
8778 S Maryland Parkway Suite 115
Las Vegas, Nevada 89123
Complaint Process: http://cpe.nv.gov/Students/Students_Home/

New Hampshire
New Hampshire Department of Education
101 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301
Complaint Process: https://www.education.nh.gov/pathways-education/higher-education-new-hampshire

New Jersey
New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
1 John Fitch Plaza, 10th Floor
PO Box 542
Trenton, NJ 08625
Complaint Process: http://www.state.nj.us/highereducation/OSHEComplaintinstrutions.shtml

New Mexico
New Mexico Higher Education Department
2048 Galisteo street, Suite 4
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Complaint Process: http://www.hed.state.nm.us/students/hed-student-complain-form.aspx

New York
New York Office of College and University Evaluation
New York State Education Department
89 Washington Avenue, Room 960 EBA
Albany, NY 12234
Complaint Process: http://www.nysed.gov/college-university-evaluation/filing-complaint-about-college-or-university

North Carolina
University of North Carolina System Board of Governors
910 Raleigh Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27515
Complaint Process: https://www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints/

North Dakota
North Dakota University System
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 215
Bismarck, ND 58505-0230
Complaint Process: https://ndus.edu/state-authorization-sara/

Ohio
Ohio Department of Higher Education
Office of Program Development and Approval
25 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215-4183
Complaint Process: https://www.ohiohighered.org/students/complaints

Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
Compliant Process: https://www.okhighered.org/current-college-students/complaints.shtml

Oregon
Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission
Office of Degree Authorization
255 Capitol Street NE, 3rd Floor
Salem, OR 97301
Complaint Process: https://www.oregon.gov/highered/about/Pages/complaints.aspx

Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Distance Education Bureau of Postsecondary and Adult Education
333 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17126
Complaint Process: https://www.education.pa.gov/Postsecondary-Adult/CollegeCareer/Pages/Students-Complaints.aspx

Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education
PO Box 1900
San Juan, PR 00910-1900
Complaint Process: http://www.agencias.pr.gov/agencias/cepr/inicio/DocumentosCEPR/Documents/SARA/SARA_Complaint_Process.pdf

Rhode Island
Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education
80 Washington Street
Providence, RI 02903
Complaint Process: http://www.ribghe.org/pdfs/BOGStudentComplaintProcessII011012.pdf

South Carolina
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
1122 Lady St., Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201
Complaint Process: http://www.che.sc.gov/Portals/0/CHE_Docs/academicaffairs/license/Complaint_Procedures_and_Form.pdf

South Dakota
South Dakota Office of Attorney General
1302 E Hwy 14, Suite 1
Pierre, SD 57501
Complaint Process: http://consumer.sd.gov/complaintform.aspx

Tennessee
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Division of Postsecondary State Authorization
404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900
Nashville, TN 37243
Complaint Process: https://www.tn.gov/thec/for-students-and-families/transcript-requests-and-institution-complaints.html

Texas
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
1200 E. Anderson Lane
Austin, TX 78752
Complaint Process: http://www.highered.texas.gov/links/student-complaints/

U.S. Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands Department of Education
1384 Konegens Gade
St. Thomas, VI 00802
2133 Hospital Street
Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820

Utah
Utah Division of Consumer Protection
160 East 300 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Complaint Process: https://consumerprotection.utah.gov/complaints/index.html

Vermont
Vermont Agency of Education
State Board of Education
120 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05620-2501
Complaint Process: http://education.vermont.gov/documents/postsecondary-program-complaint-resolution

Virginia
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
101 N. 14th Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Complaint Process: http://www.schev.edu/index/students-and-parents/resources/student-complaints

Washington
Washington Student Achievement Council
PO Box 43430
Olympia, WA 98504
Complaint Process: https://www.wsac.wa.gov/student-complaints

West Virginia
West Virginia Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
PO Box 1789
Charleston, WV 25326-1789
Complaint Process: https://ago.wv.gov/consumerprotection/Pages/default.aspx

Wisconsin
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
431 Charmany Drive, Suite 102
Madison, WI 53719
Complaint Process: https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/EducationalApproval/Student.aspx

Wyoming
Wyoming Department of Education
122 W. 25th Street, Suite E200
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Complaint Process: https://edu.wyoming.gov/beyond-the-classroom/school-programs/private-school-licensing/