Student Complaint Procedures

File a formal complaint

Purpose

The Dean of Students Office is committed to treating all members of the University community fairly in regard to their personal and professional concerns. The primary objective of the student complaint guidelines is to ensure that students voices can be heard and they receive a response from the appropriate person regarding concerns they raise through the student complaint procedures.

Definitions

For these purposes, an issue or concern is defined as dissatisfaction or disagreement with any decision by the institution; it’s faculty, staff or administration which affects Georgia Southern students. A written student complaint is one that is submitted by a student in writing either (1) to the Office of the Dean of Students through the electronic Student Complaint Form or (2) to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX through their electronic reporting forms. Complaints to the Office of the Dean of Students under this process must be made by the affected student and must state how the action/decision directly impacts them.  Students cannot file complaints for other individuals or groups of students under this process.

Institutional Complaint Process

When appropriate, students should initially seek to resolve issues and concerns within the office/unit from which the concern originates. If resolution at the origin point is not appropriate, is not possible, or has failed, students can file a written complaint. Complaints involving allegations of harm based on the student’s membership in a legally protected class and complaints of retaliation based on participation in legally protected activity should be filed with the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX following the instructions on their website: https://www.georgiasouthern.edu/president/eeo-titleix/ . All other student complaints should be filed with the Office of the Dean of Students following the link above.  If students have any questions or concerns about the appropriate avenue for submitting complaints, staff within the Office of the Dean of Students are happy to assist.   

The student must file a written statement of the alleged complaint with as much detail as possible, including the remedy sought. The Dean of Students Office will assist the student in presenting their complaint in writing to the source closest to the origin point and most likely to achieve resolution. If the student is not satisfied with the response from this source, they (or the Office of the Dean of Students if appropriate) may present the complaint in writing to the next-level supervisor. For example, if the first source is a faculty member, the next-level supervisor would be the department chair.   If the issue is not resolved at this level, the complaint process will follow the chain of command of the department in question until a resolution is found or all possible sources of resolution at the institutional level are exhausted.

Regardless of the decision concerning the complaint, no member of the University community may harass or retaliate against a student who has filed a complaint under the university complaint guidelines. Such actions of harassment or retaliation are explicitly forbidden by the university.

After completing the guidelines described above, if a student feels that their situation has not been resolved at the institutional level, the student may seek resolution outside of the institution. Please search for how to file an Application for Discretionary Review with the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

Accreditation

Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associates, baccalaureate, masters, educational specialists and doctorate degrees. Georgia Southern University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Georgia Southern University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404)-679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Normal inquiries about the institution, such as admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc. should be addressed directly to the institution and not to the SACSCOC office. The Commission should be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support an institution’s significant non-compliance with a SACSCOC accreditation requirement or standard.

Last updated: 8/5/2024