Student Complaint & Grievance Policy

Effective: 06/19/2020

Students are encouraged, at all times, to communicate their concerns to members of the faculty and administration. If a situation arises in which a student has a complaint or grievance the student is to adhere to the following procedure:

  1. Within 72 hours: Discuss the matter with his or her instructor, if applicable. If not resolved,
  2. Within the following 72 hours: Discuss the matter with the Program Director. If not resolved,
  3. Within the following 72 hours: Discuss the matter with the Academic Dean,
  4. Within the following 72 hours: Discuss the matter with the Campus President/Director.

If a student is still unable to resolve the issue, a written grievance statement along with supporting documentation may be submitted to the Campus President. The written statement should include the details of the student’s issue, a summary of the conversations the student had with individuals while following the above procedure, and an explanation as to why the student believes the issue remains unresolved.

The Campus President will schedule a grievance committee meeting within three business days of receipt of the written grievance. Students are required to appear before the grievance committee. The Campus President will inform the student of the time and place to appear before the committee. The grievance committee has the responsibility of reaching a decision that is in balance with the best interest of both the student and the college. Students will be notified in writing within three business days of the committee’s decision. Legal representation is not permitted since a grievance committee meeting is not considered a legal proceeding.

Further, students have the right to report any apparent inconsistencies with the application of the Student Complaint & Grievance Policy outlined in the school catalog. The request must be completed in writing and submitted to Concorde’s Campus Support Center Student Affairs Department at: studentaffairs@concorde.edu. The request must include a summary of the student’s grievance and any details and supporting documentation of the student’s conversation with campus staff regarding the grievance, and it must describe how the campus’ management of the grievance procedure was inconsistent with the school catalog. The Student Affairs Department will research the student’s report as deemed appropriate, including requesting additional information from the student as needed, and render a final decision that is binding. The student will be notified in writing of the decision.

Additional Student Grievance Options

Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)

Student Complaint Procedure

Schools accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges must have a procedure and operational plan for handling student complaints. If a student does not feel that the school has adequately addressed a complaint or concern, the student may consider contacting the Accrediting Commission. All complaints reviewed by the Commission must be in written form and should grant permission for the Commission to forward a copy of the complaint to the school for a response. This can be accomplished by filing the ACCSC Complaint Form. The complainant(s) will be kept informed as to the status of the complaint as well as the final resolution by the Commission. Please direct all inquiries to:

Accrediting Commission of Career Schools & Colleges
2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 302
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 247-4212
www.accsc.org | complaints@accsc.org

A copy of the ACCSC Complaint Form is available at the school and may be obtained by contacting complaints@accsc.org or at https://www.accsc.org/Student-Corner/Complaints.aspx.

State of Kansas

Kansas residents may file complaints in writing with the Kansas Board of Regents at 1000 S.W. Jackson Street, Suite 520, Topeka, KS 66612-1368.

The Kansas Board of Regents’ complaint policy and required complaint form may be found at:

https://kansasregents.org/academic_affairs/private_out_of_state/complaint_process

Students may contact the Kansas Board of Regents with questions or concerns at 785-430-4240.

State of Missouri

The Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) serves as a clearinghouse for postsecondary student complaints. The MDHE complaint policy may be found at:

http://dhe.mo.gov/documents/POLICYONCOMPLAINTRESOLUTION-reviseddraft.pdf

This website contains information about the complaint process and includes instructions for how to file a formal complaint. Note that the policy provides that a student who wishes to file a complaint with the department must first exhaust all formal and informal avenues provided by the Institution to resolve disputes.

A student in the Practical Nursing program may direct an unresolved complaint to:

Missouri State Board of Nursing
P.O. Box 656
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0656
573-751-0681
www.pr.mo.gov/nursing.asp

Distance Education

Students residing in NC-SARA participating states may address concerns to:

Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education
P.O. Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102

http://dhe.mo.gov/documents/POLICYONCOMPLAINTRESOLUTION-reviseddraft.pdf

Students not residing in NC-SARA participating states may also address concerns to the state authority in their state of residence.

A list of NC-SARA participating states may be accessed at the following link:

http://nc-sara.org/sara-states-institutions

Please note that, in general, state agencies require that you work to resolve your complaint through the school before filing a complaint with the state.

A student in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program may direct an unresolved complaint to:

Missouri Board of Nursing
P.O. Box 656
Jefferson City, MO
65102-0656
573-751-0681
www.pr.mo.gov/nursing.asp

A student in the Dental Hygiene program may direct an unresolved complaint to:

Commission on Dental Accreditation
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
312-440-4653
www.ada.org/coda

A student in the Practical Nursing program may direct an unresolved complaint to:

Missouri Board of Nursing
P.O. Box 656
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0656
573-751-0681
www.pr.mo.gov/nursing.asp

A student in the Physical Therapist Assistant program may direct an unresolved complaint to:

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-706-3245
www.capteonline.org

A student in the Respiratory Therapy program may direct unresolved complaints to:

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
264 Precision Blvd
Telford, TN 37690 USA
Telephone: 817-283-2835
Fax: 817-354-8519
www.coarc.com