Student Complaint Procedures for Online Students

Dean College is required to provide current and prospective online learning students with contact information for filing complaints.

Process

1. Students must first attempt to resolve their complaint by working with the party or parties involved.
2. If the situation remains unresolved, students are encouraged to meet with the School Dean who oversees the area in question. 
3. If the complaint is still not resolved, students complete the online complaint form.

Please note that complaints can be of an academic or non-academic nature.

If an issue cannot be resolved internally, you may file a complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE). Depending on where you are located, the DHE provides two different complaint forms for students based on their location.

For Massachusetts Residents and Online Students in Non-SARA Member States and Territories

After the student has completed Dean College’s complaint procedures (made available above), if the complaint has not been resolved, the student may file a complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) by using the general complaint form. The DHE general complaint form should be used by students who are located in:

• Massachusetts
• Non-SARA Member States of Territories (e.g., California, Guam, etc.)

In addition, students located in California and Guam may wish to contact their home agencies directly to file a complaint as well:

California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education

Island of Guam

For Online Students Located in SARA Member States and Territories

After the student completed Dean College’s complaint procedures (made available above), if the complaint has not been resolved, the student may file a complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) by using the SARA complaint form. The DHE SARA complaint form should be used by students who are located in SARA member states and territories. This includes all students who are located in SARA member states and territories for the purposes of completing out-of-state learning placements, such as internships, practice, clinical experiences, etc. in SARA member states and territories outside Massachusetts.

Additional information from the DHE’s SARA complaint website is below:

The SARA complaint process is as follows:

1. Students must first attempt to resolve their complaint using internal administrative procedures offered by the SARA institution.
2. After all administrative remedies have been exhausted with the institution, the student may submit a SARA Complaint via the URL below.
3. The Department shall send a copy of the complaint to the institution that is the subject of the complaint.
4. Within 30 days of the date that the Department sends a copy of the complaint to the institution, the institution must provide a written response to the student and the Department.

More information about DHE’s complaint process can be found here.