UBalt is committed to providing an environment conducive to students’ learning and pursuit of their educational goals. Student inquiries and concerns about services, a business process, or other elements of a student’s UBalt experience may be addressed informally through, for example, communication with staff or faculty member associated with a service or academic program. Suggestions for improvements may also be made through these channels.
UBalt policies and procedures are in place to address student complaints should they arise. A complaint here is defined as a grievance for which a student seeks resolution and that prompts a documented formal procedure. Certain complaints have specific processes and points of contact (for example, sexual misconduct or grade complaints). All students admitted to UBalt are expected to follow UBalt policies and procedures, including those related to the code of conduct. More information may be found at the following locations on the UBalt website:
- Sexual Misconduct and Non-discrimination
- UBalt Policy Guide (Student Affairs section; includes Code of Conduct & School of Law Honor Code)
- Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity Policy
- School of Law Policy on Student Complaints Implicating ABA Compliance
- Tuition Appeals Guidelines
- UBalt Police
The general UBalt student complaint process addresses complaints not covered by other specific policies.
UBalt, a public university and constituent institution of the University System of Maryland (USM), is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), 3624 Market St., Philadelphia PA 19104; (267) 284-5000. The US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education accreditation recognize MSCHE as an accrediting body for higher education. MSCHE has a policy posted on its website regarding student complaints. UBalt’s current MSCHE Statement of Accreditation Status is posted on the MSHCE website. UBalt’s Accreditation web page provides information on specialized accreditations.
UBalt academic degree and certificate programs are approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), which has a process for handling student complaints, including those from out-of-state online students. Maryland is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), as is UBalt.
Distance Learning and Federal Student Complaint Regulations
Federal law requires colleges and universities to provide accreditation information for the institution and contact information for each state’s student complaint process. Information on the agency contacts for complaint processes can be found through the links below. Note that agencies may require students to exhaust institution-specific processes before they will act. For distance education complaints about institutions based in a state that is not the student’s home state, students may use also SARA to address complaints after they exhaust institutional procedures.
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State |
Agency |
|---|---|
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Alabama |
Alabama Commission on Higher Education https://www.ache.state.al.us/Content/Departments/NRI/NRI.aspx (click on Student Complaint Contacts) |
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Alaska |
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Arizona |
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Arkansas |
Arkansas Dept. of Higher Education |
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California |
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Colorado |
Colorado Department of Higher Education Complaint Process |
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Connecticut |
Connecticut Office of Higher Education Complaint Process |
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Delaware |
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District of Columbia |
Higher Education Licensure Commission |
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Florida |
Florida Department of Education https://www.fldoe.org/policy/cie/contact-us.stml |
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Georgia |
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Hawaii |
Hawaii Post-secondary Education Authorization Program https://cca.hawaii.gov/hpeap/hpeap-sara-complaint-process/ |
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Idaho |
https://boardofed.idaho.gov/priv_col_univ/student_complaint.asp; for certain practices, complaints would go to the Office of the Attorney General, Division of Consumer Protection |
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Illinois |
Illinois Board of Higher Education |
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Indiana |
Complaint Process Indiana Commission for Higher Education |
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Iowa |
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Kansas |
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Kentucky |
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Louisiana |
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Maine |
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Maryland |
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Massachusetts |
Complaint Process Massachusetts Department of Higher Education |
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Michigan |
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Minnesota |
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Mississippi |
Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning |
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Missouri |
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Montana |
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Nebraska |
Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education for process; contact information at https://ccpe.nebraska.gov/contact-us |
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Nevada |
Complaint Process Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education |
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New Hampshire |
Complaints regarding non-compliance with agency New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules, made to Executive Director of the Commission. |
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New Jersey |
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New Mexico |
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New York |
Complaint Process New York State (NYSED) Office of Higher Education |
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North Carolina |
If the complaint cannot be resolved after exhausting the institution's grievance procedure, the student may file a complaint with the following office: Post-Secondary Education Complaints, c/o Assistant Director of Licensure and Workforce Studies, University of North Carolina General Administration. 910 Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688, telephone (919) 962-4558. The student may contact UNC General Administration for further details. |
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North Dakota |
North Dakota State Board of Higher Education |
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Ohio |
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Oklahoma |
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Oregon |
Oregon Student Assistance Commission, Office of Degree Authorization |
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Pennsylvania |
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Rhode Island |
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South Carolina |
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education Complaint Process |
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South Dakota |
https://www.sdbor.edu/administrative-offices/academics/SD-SARA/Pages/default.aspx |
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Tennessee |
Tennessee Higher Education Commission https://www.tn.gov/thec/article/consumer-services |
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Texas |
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
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Utah |
Complaint Process – Utah Consumer Protection Agency |
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Vermont |
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Virginia |
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia - https://www.schev.edu/index/students-and-parents/resources/student-complaints |
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Washington |
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West Virginia |
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission - https://www.wvhepc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Student-Complaint-Process-revised-3.pdf |
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Wisconsin |
State of Wisconsin Educational Approval Board Wisconsin Complaint Process |
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Wyoming |
https://edu.wyoming.gov/downloads/schools/student-complaint-form.pdf If the complaint involves an issue relative to authorization, the Wyoming Department of Education contacts the institution to ensure that the institution is compliant with Wyoming State law. For complaints not related to authorization, the complainant is encouraged to try to resolve the issue through their institution's formal grievance procedures. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the complainant may also be referred to the Consumer Protection Division of the Wyoming Attorney General's Office. Please contact the Wyoming Department of Education at 307-777-6210. |