Skip to main content
Printed from the Student Complaint Portal on 11/20/2024 11:20:07 PM
The Student Complaint Portal

About

Title IV Complaints

The Student Complaint Process is provided to address complaints brought by students attending a Washington state community or technical college. The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ Student Services office will work with your college to resolve complaints, unless it is deemed to be a Title IV Complaint.

If the SBCTC Student Services office determines your complaint is a Title IV Complaint, you will be notified by email. See below for the Formal Complaint Process.

Types of Complaints Considered in the Formal (Title IV) Complaint Process

Examples of complaints considered in this process include:

  1. Veracity of recruitment and marketing materials
  2. Accuracy of job placement data
  3. Accuracy of information about tuition, fees, and financial aid
  4. Accurate admission requirements for courses and programs
  5. Accuracy of information about the institution’s accreditation and/or any programmatic or specialized accreditation held by the institution’s programs;
  6. Accuracy of information about whether course work meets any relevant professional licensing requirements or the requirements of specialized accrediting bodies;
  7. Accuracy of information about whether the institution’s course work will transfer to other institutions
  8. Operation of distance learning programs consistent with practices expected by institutional accreditors

Examples of issues not considered in this complaint process (except in cases where the institution did not follow their published policy) are:

  1. Grading disputes;
  2. Academic integrity issues;
  3. Student conduct issues;
  4. Curriculum issues;
  5. Complaints against faculty

Formal Complaint Process

  1. Student contacts SBCTC with a complaint she or he believes is of the type that is considered in this process (see above). The student is referred to the SBCTC Student Services office. The issue must have occurred within the last two years.
  2. SBCTC Student Services provides the student with a Title IV Student Complaint Form.
    1. If the college complaint process has not been completed, the student is referred back to the college.
    2. If the college’s complaint process has been completed and the student provides documentation to that effect, Student Services staff reviews the complaint to determine if the complaint falls within the scope of complaints considered in this process.
    3. If staff determines that the complaint cannot be considered in this process, as described above, SBCTC will terminate its involvement in the resolution of the complaint and will notify all parties to the complaint accordingly.
  3. If SBCTC Student Services determines the complaint falls within the scope of complaints considered in this process:
    1. SBCTC Student Services contacts the college regarding the complaint and requests appropriate documentation and information directly related to the complaint.
    2. The college, upon providing the information, has the option of recommending a resolution to the complaint brought by the student.
    3. If the college’s recommended resolution is acceptable to the student, the matter is resolved and the complaint process is complete.
    4. If there is no recommended resolution from the college, or if the student is not satisfied by it, and if SBCTC has determined that the complaint has merit, it will communicate with the college to find an appropriate resolution.
  4. SBCTC will issue a final decision regarding the complaint, specifying actions the college must take to resolve the complaint, if applicable. All parties will be notified.