Student Consumer Complaint Process

The “Program Integrity Rule” amendment of Title IV of the Higher Education Act, which took effect July 11, 2011, requires institutions of higher education authorized to offer postsecondary education in one or more states to ensure access to a complaint process that will permit students to address the following:

• Alleged violations of State consumer protection laws that include but are not limited to fraud and false advertising;
• Alleged violations of State laws or rules relating to the licensure of postsecondary institutions; and
• Complaints relating to the quality of education or other State or accreditation requirements.

A formal complaint arises when a student believes, based on established College policies and procedures, that they have been treated in a capricious or arbitrary manner by a College official and informal methods of resolving the concern remain unaddressed or unsatisfactory.

Complaints not addressed through this process include:

• Sex discrimination and sex-based harassment. See the Sexual Harassment Policy. and Sexual Harassment Policy Violations Grievance Procedures.
• Discrimination and Harassment, not including sex discrimination. See the Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy.
• Grade disputes.  See “Academic Grievances” policy in the Academic Catalog.
• Disability and Accessibility Services. See Accommodation of Students with Disabilities policy.

Also visit Reporting Harassment, Discrimination, and Misconduct.

Earlham College strongly encourages all members of the community to engage one another within the spirit of Principles and Practices, which promotes integrity, peaceful resolution of conflict, as well as responsibility. Resolving concerns in an educational setting, particularly one as diverse as Earlham, requires patience, civility and a commitment to listening.

The vast majority of concerns arising from communication and misunderstanding, once addressed, can be resolved in a timely manner. Students are encouraged to go first to the source of their concern, be it a faculty or staff member, department or director. When concerns cannot be resolved satisfactorily, students may register a formal complaint to the respective office listed below.

Students may file a Formal Complaint in writing, addressed to contact named in the administrative area of the complaint. Students should specify the following:

• Contact information of the person submitting the complaint;
• Identity of the individual or department of concern;
• A description of the specific individual behavior or action;
• Brief outline of what steps have been previously taken, e.g., information regarding previous reports of discussions, whether any resolution occurred, with whom the student met, etc.;
• The date or period of time in which the behavior occurred and the location of the incident;
• A listing of all individuals who witnessed any part of the incident in dispute.

The College administrator assigned to the area of the complaint will review it and respond in writing to the student within 15 calendar days of the submission of the complaint.

Personnel in the offices of Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar, Academic Affairs, Student Life, Athletics and Human Resources can address and resolve most if not all of the questions and concerns you may have:

Admissions and Financial Aid

Admissions eligibility & processes:

• Contact the Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management, Erin Hutchinson, in Tyler Hall. Call 765-983-1747 or email [email protected].

Financial aid, federal and institutional loans or aid, grants:

• Contact the Assistant Vice President of Financial Aid, Kathy Gottschalk, in Tyler Hall.
  Call 765-983-1217 or email [email protected].

Unresolved reports related to admissions or aid will be forwarded to the Vice President for Enrollment Management, Scot Schaeffer.

Academics – Undergraduate and Graduate Programs in Education

Academic programs or experience in the classroom:

• Contact the Associate Academic Dean for Students, Leanna Barlow, in Carpenter Hall. Call 765-983-1858 or email [email protected].

Academic records, credits, transcripts, enrollment verification:

• Contact the Associate Registrar, Julie Stout, in Tyler Hall. Call 765-983-1369 or email [email protected].

Unresolved reports related to academic affairs will be forwarded to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Lori Schroeder.

Academics – Earlham School of Religion

Academic programs or experience in the classroom:

• Associate Academic Dean, Jim Higginbotham, at 765-983-1522 or [email protected].

Unresolved reports related to Earlham School of Religion will be forwarded to the Dean, Gretchen Castle.

Athletics

• Contact the Director of Athletics, Adam Hutchinson, in the Athletics and Wellness Center. [email protected].

Unresolved reports related to Athletics will be forwarded to the Dean of Students, Bonita Washington-Lacey.

Human Resources, Safety and Risk

• Interim Chief Operating Officer, Christopher Little, at the Public Safety Office in Bolling House. Call 765-983-1465 or email [email protected].

Student Employment

• Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, Brian LaDuca, in Landrum Bolling Center 111. Call 765-983-1468 or email [email protected].

Student Life

Including housing and student conduct

• Contact Associate Vice President for Student Life  and Director of Residence Life, Shane Peters, in Earlham Hall. Call 765-983-1317 or email [email protected].
• Contact the Vice President for Student Life & Dean of Students, Bonita Washington-Lacey, in Earlham Hall. Call 765-983-1311 or Email [email protected].

Unresolved reports related to Student Life will be forwarded to the Office of the President.

Tuition and Fee Payments and Refunds

• Contact Interim Chief Financial Officer, Carrie Ervin, in the Accounting Office, in Carpenter Hall. Call 765-983-1758 or email [email protected].

If unsure or your concern isn’t listed:

• Contact the Office of Student Life, in Earlham Hall, at 765-983-1311.

If within ten calendar days of receipt of the administrator’s decision, the complainant remains unsatisfied, he or she may appeal by submitting the following:

• Copy of the original complaint in writing;
• Copy of the administrator’s decision in writing;
• Statement of reasons indicating how the decision is unsatisfactory.

This information should be submitted to the Vice President in the respective area of the initial complaint. If the administrator or focus of the complaint is the Vice President, the student may submit the appeal to Human Resources, which will determine an alternative administrator of the appeal, in consultation with the President. The process of appeal will be limited to a review of the basis for the administrator’s original finding only, i.e. whether procedures in reviewing the original complaint were followed. The complainant will receive the outcome of the appeal in writing within 30 calendar days of the assignment of the appeal.

Records of all formal complaints will be maintained by the Director of Human Resources.

Annual review of formal complaints will occur on or about June 10 or each year. This review will be led by the Director of Human Resources and the designated review team. Patterns of concern, indicating remediation of processes or procedures will be forwarded to the divisional Vice President(s), with copies to the President, for his or her review.

If a complaint has not been properly addressed within the College, it may be filed with other organizations at the state, regional or national levels. In such cases, the following independent resources are available to the student:

State of Indiana

Indiana State Commission on Higher Education
101 West Ohio Street, Suite 550
Indianapolis IN 46204
317-464-4400 ext. 0
http://www.in.gov/che/2744.htm

Institutional and Academic Program Accreditor

Earlham College is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Contact HLC at (800) 621-7440 ext. 198 or www.ncahlc.org  for further information.

Department of Education

For assistance related to civil rights, you may contact the U.S. Dept. of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) headquarters office in Washington D.C. or the OCR enforcement office serving your state or territory. Contact the enforcement offices if you wish to file a complaint (or use our online complaint form) or if you need technical assistance on a problem or assistance to prevent civil rights problems.

The OCR office for Indiana is located at:

Chicago Office
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
John C. Kluczynski Federal Building
230 S. Dearborn Street, 37th Floor
Chicago, IL 60604

The OCR National Headquarters is located at:

U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights
Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1100

Telephone: 800-421-3481
FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: [email protected]

Some student concerns or complaints may pertain to alleged violations of state consumer protection laws, such as fraud and false advertising; alleged violations of State laws or rules relating to the licensure of postsecondary institutions; quality of education; or other state or accreditation requirements. In such instances, you may contact the offices noted above in this section.