Complaint Resolution

IllinoisState.edu/complaint-resolution

Federal regulations require institutions of higher education to make public contact information for filing complaints. The information below is intended to provide both institutional and external contact information to current and prospective students.

Harassment and Discrimination

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access addresses all issues related to the policies and procedures for addressing discrimination and harassment.

Refer to the Anti-Harassment and Non-Discrimination Policy Complaint Procedures for information on reporting and filing a complaint.

Concerns Regarding Faculty

When a student has an issue or complaint regarding a faculty member relating to an academic course or program the following steps are recommended:

1. Address the concern directly with the faculty member.

2. If the concern cannot be sufficiently addressed with the faculty member, the student should contact the Chair of the Department or Program Director.

3. If the concern cannot be sufficiently addressed with the Chair or Program Director, the student should contact the Office of the Dean of the College.

When addressing complaints with faculty, students are also encouraged to review the following documents:

• Code of Student Conduct

• Academic Dishonesty (Plagiarism)

• Final Course Grade Challenge Procedures

Concerns Regarding Staff Members

When a student has an issue or complaint regarding a staff member the following steps are recommended:

1. Address the concern directly with the staff member.

2. If the concern cannot be sufficiently addressed with the staff member, the student should contact the staff member’s direct supervisor.

Internal resource: Dean on Duty

All students have access to the Dean on Duty in the Dean of Students Office to ask for advice and assistance in navigating concerns and complaints. The Dean on Duty is available every Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. for walk-ins or phone consultations in the Students Services Building, Room 387 or call (309) 438-2008.

External Resources

• The State of Illinois - Illinois Board of Higher Education

• The Higher Learning Commission (Illinois State University’s regional accreditor)

Online or Distance Education Complaint Resolution

Students enrolled in Online or Distance Education are encouraged to contact:

• The Technology Support Center for technical problems.

• The instructor for academic concerns or referral to learning resources.

• The department chair or school director for concerns that cannot be resolved by the instructor or Technology Support Center.

If the issue cannot be resolved through the resources listed above, information regarding the complaint processes for each state of residence is listed in the Illinois State Consumer Guide.

University Ethics Office

Any student, faculty, or staff member who believes they have witnessed a violation of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act should report the violation immediately to the University Ethics Office at (309) 438-2339 or ethics@illinoisstate.edu.