Student Complaint Procedure & Incident Report

In compliance with the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) conducted a Negotiated Rule Making Process in 2010. This process concluded that institutions offering distance education opportunities must provide enrolled and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints or an incident report with its accrediting agency and with the appropriate state agency for handling complaints in the student’s state.

College Complaint Process

Southwestern Oregon Community College’s Student Handbook offers a “Complaint and Investigation Process.” Students attending Southwestern can utilize this procedure to attempt to resolve any issue:

• There is an informal and formal process. It is always recommended to attempt to resolve the issue first using the informal process.
• Reports of concern or incidents can be submitted using the Complaint Form.

Complaint Processes for State, Federal & Other Governing Entities

If a student cannot resolve the issue utilizing Southwestern’s process, they can refer to the contacts below for the appropriate state agency or accrediting body.

• STATE (HECC): The state Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) is also a resource for students attending a community college in Oregon. Higher Education Coordinating Commission: Student Complaints
• REGIONAL (NWCCU): Southwestern Oregon Community College is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Their complaint process is available online.
• FEDERAL (OCR): Students may also contact the federal Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and utilize their process to attempt to resolve an issue: How to File a Discrimination Complaint with OCR | U.S. Department of Education