Online Student Complaint System

York College provides all students the ability to lodge complaints electronically using this system.

Examples of complaints that may be made using this system include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Employee misconduct
• Student misconduct
• Academic complaints (e.g., grades, class, schedules, or professors)

All complaints are taken seriously and will be reviewed by the appropriate departments responsible for such submissions. Any response or actions required will be handled during normal business hours.

Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct: If you experience or witness someone else experiencing sexual misconduct or discrimination, please contact York College’s Office of Diversity and Compliance.

Support Requests: If you have a technology need or issue or if you have a need for services like custodial, facilities, or other there are self-service portals in place to address these kinds of service needs: Contact IT for technology needs at ext. 5311 or contact Buildings & Grounds at ext. 2200.

If you wish to make a complaint, other than described above, you may proceed with this system.

Forms

If you wish to make a complaint regarding alleged misconduct by an employee of the College, please complete the Faculty/Staff Complaint Form.

If you wish to make a complaint regarding academics (e.g., grades, class, schedules, or professors), please complete the Student Complaint Form.

Addendum to Complaint Policy

In addition to the above-referenced process, York College has a policy for student complaints regarding online programs. The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is a private non-profit organization of which York College is a member. NC-SARA consumer protection provisions require the institution's home state, through its SARA State Portal Entity, to investigate and resolve allegations of dishonest or fraudulent activity by the state's SARA-participating institutions, including the provision of false or misleading information. Examples of fraudulent activity include the following:

1. Veracity of recruitment and marketing materials;
2. Accuracy of job placement data;
3. Accuracy of information about tuition, fees, and financial aid;
4. Complete and accurate admission requirements for courses and programs;
5. Accuracy of information about the institution’s accreditation and/or any programmatic/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 Agencies;
7. Accuracy of information about whether the institution’s course work will transfer to other institutions; and
8. Operation of distance education programs consistent with practices expected by institutional accreditors (and, if applicable, programmatic/specialized accreditors) and/or the C-RAC Guidelines for distance education.

A student has the right to lodge a complaint or grievance. York College is committed to ensuring that all student concerns and complaints are addressed without prejudice and resolved promptly. Student complaints relating to consumer protection laws offered under the terms and conditions of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) must first be filed with the institution to seek resolution.

The student should begin the complaint process with the institution, i.e., York College. If the resolution is not found, the student will contact the institution's home state, SARA State Portal Entity. To this end, a student should initiate any complaint with the department Chair overseeing the online program. The complaint should also go to the Dean of the School, who oversees the department and program. The Dean and the Chair will meet with the student and the leaders of the relevant program to gather information and resolve the complaint by ending any offending actions within or by the program. Students wanting to appeal the Dean's decision can appeal to CUNY Central by contacting the following office: City University of New York, Office of the General Counsel, 205 East 42nd Street – 11th Floor, New York, NY 10017, ogc@cuny.edu.  Please visit CUNY Office of General Counsel for more information.

If no resolution occurs at this level, the student can take their complaint to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) – except for complaints about grades or student conduct violations – within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made.  Students can read the NYSED complaint procedures online.  You also can contact NYSED at the following address: New York State Education Department, Office of College and University Evaluation, Supervisor of Higher Education Programs, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY. 12234, (518) 474-1551, IHEAuthorize@nysed.gov  Please review the SARA complaint process for more information.