Institutional Complaint Process - MSMU
Institutional Complaint Process
Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles strives to provide remarkable service to its students, in an environment conducive to learning and academic excellence. The Mount is committed to ensuring that all student complaints are resolved using a clear, fair and reliable process. The University treats complaints seriously and ensures all processes are clear, prompt, confidential and fair to all parties.
It is important to note that there is a difference between a complaint and an appeal.
complaint
usually involves a concern, problem or issue alleging improper, unfair, or arbitrary treatment or it may involve issues of institutional or program quality.
An
appeal
is the response one might take regarding a disciplinary measure which is deemed unfair or excessive; or dissatisfaction with a grade; or progression, probation, or dismissal from a program. Appeals are made through established university procedures.
Based on the principle of solidarity found in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, students are strongly encouraged to first attempt to address all concerns with the party involved, before going to anyone else. If the concern is not resolved at that point, then they should take it to the next administration level. For example, the next level up from a faculty member is the program director/department chair. If the issue is still not resolved, then they should take it to the next level after that, and so on.
For example, if a student has an issue with one of their instructors, they should follow the process below:
When registering concerns or complaints, Mount students must follow the appropriate procedures. If a student does not address their concern in the proper order, they will be sent back to start at the beginning. If a student has any question about the applicable procedure to follow for a particular complaint, the student should contact the appropriate Academic Dean: Lacey Smith
lasmith@msmu.edu
or Stephanie Collazo
scollazo@msmu.edu
(Nursing).
University Academic Complaint Policies and Procedures
If a student has a complaint concerning any of the following matters, the student should follow the procedures outlined in each policy:
Disability Accommodations
{see
Disability Services myMSMU page
} – Students, who believe they have been subjected to discrimination on the basis of disability, or have been denied access to services or accommodations required by law, should contact the institution’s ADA Manager at
disability@msmu.edu
Academic Grievance Policy
(includes grade appeals) {see
Academic Policies myMSMU page
, Academic Grievance tab} – for complaints that have not been resolved on a lower level (Instructor and Department Chair/Program Director) regarding:
Admission into a major or program
Disqualification from a major, a program, or from the University
Student academic performance evaluations (grades)
All other instructional matters (e.g., deviating from a syllabus, instructor absences)
Students must submit a written complaint to the Chair of the Academic Grievance Committee -
academicgrievance@msmu.edu
Academic Integrity Policy and Appeals Procedure
{see
Academic Policies myMSMU page
, Academic Integrity tab} – for complaints regarding academic dishonesty, submit a written appeal to the Chair of the Academic Integrity Committee.
Personnel
Alice Bardan
Chair of the Academic Integrity Committee
abardan@msmu.edu
Julia Chang
Chair of the Grievance Committee
jchang@msmu.edu
Stephanie Collazo
Interim Dean of Nursing
scollazo@msmu.edu
Almond Moran
Disability Services Specialist
amoran@msmu.edu
Lacey Smith
Dean, Traditional Undergraduate Programs, Chalon
lasmith@msmu.edu
Peter Zaferes
Interim Dean, Weekend/Evening & Online College
pzaferes@msmu.edu
Provost’s Office
Provost’s Office
provostoffice@msmu.edu
Resolution Options Outside of the University
It is expected that students will fully utilize any/all of the University’s administrative procedures to address concerns and/or complaints in as timely a manner as possible. On occasion, however, a student may believe that these administrative procedures have not adequately addressed their concerns. In those select cases, the following government and state agencies may be contacted:
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
An individual may contact the
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
for review of a complaint. The bureau may be contacted at:
California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
P. O. Box 980818.
West Sacramento, CA 957-98-0818
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission
An individual may also file a complaint with the
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission
at the following link:
Office of Civil Rights
If you believe you have been discriminated or retaliated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age, you may file a complaint with the
Office of Civil Rights
at the following link:
State-by-State Consumer Protection Agencies
Students who live in a state other than California may also contact their State Consumer Protection Agency. See the following list of all
State Consumer Protection Agencies
For students residing in the state of Maryland,
Mount Saint Mary’s University is subject to investigation of complaints by the Office of the Attorney General or the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Complaints should be directed to:
Maryland Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
200 St. Paul St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-528-8662/888/743/0823 (toll free)
Financial Aid
Students who have an unresolved complaint about
Financial Aid
, may submit a complaint to the Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid at
Students may also contact a variety of other State agencies or State Boards, which are involved in the evaluation and approval of institutional programs, or in the granting of professional certification or licensure. These agencies include, but may not be limited to, the following:
Accreditation Council for Business School and Programs (ACBSP)
Board of Registered Nursing (BRN)
Department of Public Instruction
(teacher preparation programs):
Physical Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board
If you are currently enrolled, or anticipate enrollment, in an educational program that requires State agency or board authorization and/or licensure and do not see it listed here, please contact the Provost’s Office at
provostoffice@msmu.edu
for further information.
Site Menu
US