Institution Complaint Policy
In accordance with our mission as a Christian university, Carson-Newman has established a General Complaint and Grievance Policy as well as procedures to assist students in the resolution of student complaints and concerns which are of a general nature, and which are not covered by other university policies and procedures. Complaints or grievances regarding academics/grade appeals, discrimination/harassment, sexual harassment, or student behavior/discipline are addressed by other institutional policies and procedures. For those types of complaints and grievances, please see the appropriate sections within the University Catalog or the Eagle Student Handbook.
Regarding a general complaint or grievance, any student regardless of location and method of instructional delivery, who has a complaint about the action or inaction of a university employee or fellow student, may file a formal complaint with the Office of Student Services. The procedures adopted by the University have been established to assist students in the resolution of complaints or grievances in an expeditious, fair and impartial manner. When minor concerns or situations arise, students should first seek resolution with the individual or office most directly involved with whom the complaint exists.
Formal complaint procedure: When matters of significant or serious concern arise, the student who wishes to have the complaint reviewed and addressed by the University must submit a written complaint with the Office of Student Services using the General Complaint and Grievance Form. To begin the process, the student from their C-N email account must provide a brief explanation and request the General Complaint and Grievance Form by writing to studentservices@cn.edu. Full details of this process are made available in the Eagle Student Handbook.
1. The institution will only receive and review written complaints from the enrolled student of record.
2. The complaint must pertain to an action or inaction that occurred within 2 years at the time of the submission of the formal complaint.
3. The institution will not receive and review complaints that are anonymous or submitted on behalf of another individual.
4. The institution will only review complaints within the scope of its published policies and responsibilities.
If, after following the institutional policy and procedures for general complaints or grievances, a student may appeal to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
o All students must complete the institution complaint process before appealing to SACSCOC.
o Students who wish to file a complaint about the institution’s decision may appeal to SACSCOC. Please see the association’s website for more information at SACSCOC Complaint Policy
Carson-Newman University Policies for Certain Distance Education StudentsEnrolled Through the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (“SARA”)
The policies below apply to students who are:
• non-Tennessee residents in State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (“SARA”) states and who are enrolled in a distance education program/course or
• attending an out-of-state learning placement in a SARA state other than Tennessee
The nature of complaints to be addressed through these policies include violations of SARA policies and dishonest or fraudulent activity. These policies do not apply to complaints concerning student grades or student conduct violations. For more information on complaint subject matter see SARA Policy Manual Sections 4.2 and 4.3.
Additional Complaint Policies
• Tennessee Higher Education Commission (“THEC”)
o Students (as described above) must complete the institution complaint process before appealing to THEC.
o Students who are not satisfied with the institution’s resolution of their complaintmay appeal the institution decision to THEC using the Request for Complaint Review form. Additional information on the THEC complaint process is available at THEC Complaint Review Process. Students may also contact THEC.RCD@tn.gov with questions.
o The appeal to THEC must be filed within two (2) years of the incident about which the complaint is made.
o Out-of-state students may also contact their home state higher education authority; however, students may be referred to THEC. See State Portal Entity Contacts | NC-SARA for a listing of SARA states and contacts.
o Students residing in non-SARA states, currently California only, should consult their respective state of residence for further instructions for filing a complaint.
May 2025
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