Complaint ProcessComplaint Process

Complaint Process

In compliance with U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) rules, an institution offering distance education must provide enrolled and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accrediting agency and with the appropriate state agency for handling complaints in the student's state. California University of Pennsylvania desires to resolve prospective and current student grievances, complaints and concerns in an expeditious, fair, and amicable manner.  Students residing outside of the State of Pennsylvania while attending California University of PA, who desire to resolve a grievance should follow the university’s student grievance procedure.  However, if it is felt the issue cannot be solved by the university, a complaint may be filed with your state.  The information below provides contact information for each state agency.  California University of PA is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

 

ALABAMA

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Consumers can file consumer complaints with the Consumers Affairs Section of the Alabama Office of Attorney General. The consumer hotline number is 1-800-392-5658 and the link to the complaint form is http://www.ago.state.al.us/Page-Consumer-Protection-File-a-Complaint

ALASKA

  • Complaints against postsecondary institutions may be filed with the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education, http://www.akadvantage.alaska.gov. Contact person is Coordinator, Institutional Authorization, 907-465-6741. In addition, consumers can file consumer complaints with the Consumer Protection Unit of the Alaska Office of Attorney General. The link to the complaint form ishttp://www.law.state.ak.us/pdf/consumer/FORM_complaint.pdf.

ARIZONA

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Consumers can file complaints with the Arizona Consumer Information and Complaints Division of the Arizona Attorney General's Office. The telephone number is 1-800-352-8431 and the link to the complaint form is http://www.azag.gov/consumer/complaintformintro.html

ARKANSAS

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, http://www.adhe.edu. Contact person is Coordinator of Institutional Certification, 501-371-2012. In addition, consumers can file complaints with the Arkansas Attorney General Consumer Protection Division. The phone number is 1-800-482-8982. The link to the complaint form is at http://www.ag.arkansas.gov/consumers_consumer_complaints.html

CALIFORNIA

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education which is part of the Department of Consumer Affairs, http://www.bppe.ca.gov  Contact person is Deputy Bureau Chief, 916-431-6905. The BPPE has a complaint form for students to complete which is available at http://www.bppe.ca.gov/forms_pubs/complaint.pdf There is no separate consumer complaint process.

COLORADO

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Colorado Department of Higher Education which is authorized to investigate student complaints involving deceptive trade practices. Contact information is Degree Authorization Act Officer, 303-866-2723, Colorado Department of Higher Education/Colorado Commission of Higher Education, http://highered.colorado.gov/CCHE.html In addition, students can file consumer complaints with the Colorado Attorney General's Office. The link to the complaint process ishttps://www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov/departments/consumer_protection/file_consumer_complaint The phone number for the Attorney General's office is 303-866-4500.

DELAWARE

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection handles general consumer complaints. The complaint process is available at http://www.ct.gov/dcp/cwp/view.asp?a=1629&Q=274424 and complaints can be faxed to 860-713-7239.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

GEORGIA

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission.  Complaints can be filed with the NPEC at 2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220, Tucker, Georgia 30084, 770-414-3300. The complaint process is available athttp://www.gnpec.org/forms/pdf%20files/ComplaintProcess.pdf There is no separate consumer complaint process.

HAWAII

  • No established consumer complaint process for students enrolled in public postsecondary institutions could be found.

IDAHO

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. The Idaho Office of Attorney General Consumer Protection Division handles consumer complaints. The description of their complaint process and form is available at There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. The Idaho Office of Attorney General Consumer Protection Division handles consumer complaints. The description of their complaint process and form is available athttp://www.ag.idaho.gov/consumerProtection/forms/ComplaintFormInformation.html Their phone number is 800-432-3545.

ILLINOIS

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. The Consumer Protection Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General's office handles consumer complaints. The description of their complaint process and complaint form is available athttp://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/filecomplaint.html The address for submitting complaints is Office of Illinois Attorney General, Consumer Protection Bureau, 500 South Second Street, Springfield, Illinois 62706.

INDIANA

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in public postsecondary institutions which are publicly funded. Consumers can file complaints with the Consumer Protection Division of the Indiana Office of the Attorney General. The link to the Consumer Protection Division of the Indiana Office of the Attorney General is http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/2434.htm The link to the online complaint form is http://12.186.81.50/ConsumerComplaintForm/ConsumerComplaintForm.htm. The link to the printable complaint form ishttp://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/files/complaint.pdf Consumers can also request a complaint form by calling 1-800-382-5516 or (317) 232-6330.

IOWA

KANSAS

KENTUCKY

LOUISIANA

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Louisiana Board of Regents PO Box 3677, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3677. The contact point is the Associate Commissioner for Planning, Research and Performance, Louisiana Board of Regents.  An individual may file a written complaint with the Board of Regents. Board of Regents' staff.

MAINE

MARYLAND

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Consumers can file consumer complaints with the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Maryland Attorney General. The link to the complaint form is:http://www.oag.state.md.us/Consumer/complaint.htm

MASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

  • No established consumer complaint process for students enrolled in public postsecondary institutions could be found.

MINNESOTA

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=205 phone 651-259-3975 or 651-259-3976. In addition, The Minnesota attorney general has a consumer fraud complaint process that includes complaints relating to scholarship and financial aid scams. A Consumer Report Form can be downloaded from the AG's website. The link is: http://www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Complaint.asp

MISSISSIPPI

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. A general consumer complaint process is provided by the attorney general's office. Complaints should be addressed to: Consumer Protection Division, Office of the Attorney General, P.O. Box 22947, Jackson, Mississippi 39225-2947

MISSOURI

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. The attorney general has provisions for filing general consumer complaints, which can be found at: http://ago.mo.gov/consumercomplaint.htm

MONTANA

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Attorney General, Department of Justice, P.O. Box 201401, Helena, MT 59620; Phone: (406) 444-2026; Fax: (406) 444-3549; E-mail: contactdoj@mt.gov Montana State Board of Regents, http://mus.edu

NEBRASKA

NEVADA

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education, Attn: Student Complaints, 3663 East Sunset Road, Suite 202, Las Vegas, NV 89120, http://www.cpe.state.nv.us/CPE%20Complaint%20Info.htm  There is no separate consumer complaint process.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Executive Director, N.H. Postsecondary Education Commission, 3 Barrell Court, Suite 300, Concord, NH 03301. There is no separate consumer complaint process.

NEW JERSEY

  • No established consumer complaint process for students enrolled in public postsecondary institutions could be found.

NEW MEXICO

NEW YORK

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. A complaint of consumer fraud on the part of the institution should be directed to the Office of the New York State Attorney General, Justice Building, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223.

NORTH CAROLINA

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Post-Secondary Education Complaints, c/o Assistant Director of Licensure and Workforce Studies, University of North Carolina General Administration. 910 Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688, telephone (919) 962-4558. There is no separate consumer complaint process.

NORTH DAKOTA

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Office of Attorney General,Consumer Protection & Antitrust Division, Gateway Professional Center, 1050 East Interstate Ave. Ste. 200, Bismarck, ND 58503-5574, phone (701)328-5570, fax (701)328-5568.

OHIO

  • No established consumer complaint process for students enrolled in public postsecondary institutions could be found.

OKLAHOMA

  • No established consumer complaint process for students enrolled in public postsecondary institutions could be found.

PENNSYLVANIA

  • There does not appear to be any complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office handles consumer related complaints. http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/Complaints.aspx

RHODE ISLAND

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Students with complaints involving possible illegal or criminal activity are referred to the local or the Rhode Island State Police, and complaints of discriminatory practices are referred to the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights.

SOUTH CAROLINA

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Nonpublic Institution Licensing, South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, 1333 Main Street, Suite 200, Columbia, SC 29201. The complaint process is available athttp://www.che.sc.gov/AcademicAffairs/License/Complaint_procedures_and_form.pdf While the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs handles consumer complaints, the information on its website indicates it refers complaints to the agency with direct jurisdiction, which in this case would be the South Carolina CHE

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

  • No established consumer complaint process for students enrolled in public postsecondary institutions could be found.

UTAH

VERMONT

WASHINGTON

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Higher Education Coordinating Board following the Board's website at the link below. Information as to how and where to file is included. Complaints are submitted to dainfo@hecb.wa.gov.http://www.wsac.wa.gov/ConsumerProtection. It is possible to bring a complaint regarding a school to the State Office of the Attorney General where the complaint pertains to a business operating in Washington.

WEST VIRGINIA

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Consumer complaints may be filed with the Attorney General's office. Attorney General, Capitol Complex Building 1, Room E-26, 1900 Kanawha Blvd E, Charleston, WV 25305; phone 304-558-2021.

WISCONSIN

  • Complaints involving out-of-state institutions may be filed with the Educational Approval Board which has the authority to investigate a student complaint http://eab.state.wi.us/resources/complaint.asp In addition, complaints may be filed with the Attorney General's office.

WYOMING

  • There is no complaint procedure specific to students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Consumers may complain to the Consumer Protection Unit of the Wyoming Attorney General's office at http://attorneygeneral.state.wy.us/consumer.htm