Information for Out-of-State Students

Carson-Newman welcomes students from many different areas of the United States, Canada and world-wide. In compliance with the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008, the U.S. Department of Education conducted a Negotiated Rule Making Process in 2010, and institutions 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.

Accrediting Body Grievance Procedure
Carson-Newman is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees. The Commission expects individuals to attempt to resolve issues through all means available to the complainant, including following the institution's own published grievance procedures, before submitting a compliant to the Commission. Therefore, the Commission’s usual practice is not to consider a complaint that is currently in administrative proceedings, including institutions' proceedings, or in litigation. In order to be considered, formal complaints must be submitted in writing using the Commission’s Complaint against Institutions: Information Sheet and Form, signed and sent to the attention of the President of SACSCOC by the complainant, as indicated on the SACSCOC Website:
To file a complaint against an institution accredited by the SACSCOC, complete the Commission’s Complaint Form and send two print copies to the President, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097. (To access the Commission’s complaint policy, procedures, and the Complaint Form, please see Complaint Procedures Against the Commission or Its Accredited Institutions.)
Complaint Process for Out-of-State Students

Out-of-state distance learning students who would like to file a complaint with a state agency may do so with the state in which they reside. Find your state listed below to access the information for contacting the state agency responsible for complaints regarding out-of-state distance education programs.

The University department responsible for overseeing student complaints is the Office of Academic  Affairs: 

Contact: 
Naomi Larson, Associate Provost
865-471 - 3471
Email: nlarsen@cn.edu

If after following the college procedure the issue cannot be resolved internally and the student seeks additional resolution, students can refer to the contacts below for the appropriate state agency or accrediting body.

Out-of-State Student Grievance Contact Information

Alabama

Alabama Commission on Higher Education
phone: 334-242-1998  fax: 334-242-0268
http:///www.ache.state.al.us/

Alaska

Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
phone:  907-465-2962  fax: 907-465-5316
http://akadvantage.alaska.gove

Arizona

Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
phone:  602-542-5709  fax: 602-542-1253
http://azppse.state.az.us/student_info/compliance.asp

Arkansas

Arkansas Department of Higher Education
phone: 501-371-2000
email: ADHE_Info@adhe.edu
http://azppse.state.az.us/student_info/compliance.asp

California

Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
phone: 916-431-6959  fax: 916-263-1895
http://azppse.state.az.us/student_info/compliance.asp

Colorado

Colorado Department of Higher Education
phone: 303-866-2723  fax: 303-866-4266
http://highered.colorado.gov/Academics/Complaints/default.html

Connecticut

Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education
phone: 860-947-1801
email: webmaster@ctdhe.org
http://www.ctregents.org

Delaware

Delaware Department of Education
phone: 302-735-4000  fax: 302-739-4654
http://www.doe.k12.de.us/

Florida

Florida Department of Education
phone: 850-245-0505  fax: 850-245-9667
http://www.fldoe.org/cie/complaint.asp

Georgia

Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
phone: 770-414-3300  fax: 770-414-3309
http://www.fldoe.org/cie/complaint.asp

Hawaii

Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
phone: 808-933-0910  fax: 808-933-8845
http://hawaii.gov/dcca/ocp/consumer_complaint

Idaho

Idaho Board of Education
phone: 208-334-2270  fax: 208-334-2632
http://www.boardofed.idaho.gov/priv_col_univ/student_complaint.asp

Illinois

Illinois Board of HIgher Education
phone: 217-782-2551  fax: 217-782-8548
http://www.ibhe.state.il.us/consumerinfo/complaint.htm

Indiana

Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education
phone: 317-232-1320  fax: 317-233-4219
http://www.in.gov/cpe/2329.htm

Iowa

Iowa College Student Aid Commission
phone: 515-725-3400 fax: 515-725-3401
http://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/

Kansas

Kansas Board of Regents
phone: 785-296-4917  fax: 785-296-7052
http://www.in.gov/cpe/2329.htm

Kentucky

Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
phone: 502-573-1555  fax: 502-573-1535
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/013/001/020.htm (section 13)

Louisiana

Louisiana Board of Regents
phone: 225-342-4253  fax: 225-342-9318
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/013/001/020.htm

Maine

Maine Department of Education
phone: 207-624-6600  fax: 207-624-6700
http://www.maine.gov/education/

Maryland

Maryland Higher Education Commission
phone: 410-260-4500  fax: 800-974-0203
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/013/001/020.htm

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Board of Higher Education
phone: 617-994-6950  fax:  617-727-0955
http://www.mass.edu/forstudents/complaints/complaintprocess.asp

Michigan

Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth
phone:  517-373-1820  fax: 517-373-2129
http://www.michiganps.net/complaint.aspx

 Minnesota

Minnesota Office of Higher Education
phone: 651-642-0567  fax: 651-642-0675
http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=1078

Mississippi

Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
phone: 601-432-6372  fax: 601-432-6225
http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca

Missouri

Missouri Department of Higher Education
phone: 573-751-2361  fax: 573-751-6635
http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=1078

Montana

Montana University System, Montana Board of REgents
phone: 406-444-6570
email:  emorrison@montana.edu
http://mus.edu/board/

Nebraska

Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
phone: 402-471-2847  fax: 402-471-2886
http://www.ccpe.state.ne.us/PublicDoc/CCPE/

Nevada

Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
phone: 702-486-7330  fax: 702-486-7340
http://www.cpe.state.nv.us/CPE%20Complaint%20Info.htm

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission
phone: 603-271-3494
email: patricia.moquin@pec.state.nh.us
http://www.education.nh.gov/highered/

New Jersey

New Jersey Commission on Higher Education
phone: 609-588-3226
email: nj_che@che.state.nj.us
http://www.state.nj.us/bpu/assistance/complaints/

New Mexico

New Mexico Higher Education Department
phone: 505-476-8400  fax: 505-476-8453
http://hed.state.nm.us/Complaint_3.aspx

New York

Offfice of College and University Evaluation
phone: 518-474-2593  fax: 518-486-2779
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/spr/COMPLAINTFORMINFO.html

North Carolina

The Board of Governors, The University of North Carolina
phone: 919-962-4558

North Dakota

Department of Career and Technical Education
Educational Equity, Private Postsecondary Institutions, and Special Populations
phone: 701-328-3180  fax: 701-328-1255
http://www.nd.gov/cte/

Ohio

Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
phone: 614-466-2752  fax:  614-466-2219
http://scr.ohio.gov/ConsumerInformation/FilingaComplaint.aspx

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
phone: (405) 225-9100
Email: communicationsdepartment@osrhe.edu
http://www.okhighered.org/

Oregon

Department of Education - Private and Career Schools Office
phone: 503-947-5600  fax: 503-378-5156
http://ode.state.or.us

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Program Services
phone: 717-783-6137  fax: 717-783-6139

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Council on HIgher Education
phone: 787-641-7100  fax: 787-641-2573

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education
phone: 401-456-6008
email: dgrossman-garber@ribghe.org
http://www.ribghe.org

 South Carolina

South Carolina Commission on HIgher Education
phone: 803-737-2260  fax: 803-737-2297 http://www.che.sc.gov/AcademicAffairs/License/Complaint_procedures_and_form.pdf

South Dakota

South Dakota Office of the Attorney General
phone: 605-773-3215  fax: 605-773-4106
http://atg.sd.gov/Consumers/HandlingComplaints/ConsumerComplaintForm.aspx

Texas

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 
phone: 512-427-6101
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us

 Utah

Utah Division of Consumer Protection
phone: 801-530-6001
http://consumerprotection.utah.gov/complaints/index.html

Vermont

Vermont State Board of Education
phone: 802-828-3135
Email: DOE-EdInfo@state.vt.us
http://education.vermont.gov/

Virginia

Private & Out-of-State POstsecondary Education, Stat Council of Higher Education for Virginia
phone: 804-371-2285  fax: 804-225-2604
http://www.schev.edu/forms/StudentComplaintInformation.pdf

Washington

Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board
phone: 360-753-7869
Email: DAinfo@hecb.wa.gov
http://www.hecb.wa.gov/

Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. - Education Licensure Commission
phone: 202-442-4343
http://app.dcra.dc.gov/about/index_bpla_education.shtm

West Virginia

West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
phone: 304-558-4016
Email: canderson@hepc.wvnet.edu
http://wvhepcnew.wvnet.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=224

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
phone: 608-266-1996  fax: 608-264-8477
http://eab.state.wi.us/resources/complaint.asp

Wyoming

Wyoming Department of Education
phone: 307-777-5712
Email: samantha.mills@wyo.gov
http://edu.wyoming.gov