Student Appeals & Complaints
At SMU, various policies reflect the SMU community’s collective judgment about the academic, disciplinary, and academic honesty policies and procedures that best serve the interests of students and the overall academic community. Students sometimes might seek waiver of, deviation from, or appeal of these policies or applications of these policies. Visit the SMU Student Handbook for procedures for different types of student appeals or complaints available to undergraduates at SMU.
NC-SARA Student Complaints Process
Southern Methodist University operates under the approval of “NC-SARA”, National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. As required by the NC-SARA student complaint process, a student must first attempt to resolve their complaint at the institution level. If a student is not satisfied with the outcome of the institutional grievance process, the student may appeal, within two years of the incident, to the SARA portal agency of the institution’s home state (Texas).
For all complaints regarding Texas degree-granting postsecondary institutions participating in SARA, complete the Student Complaint and Release Form and email the form to Student.Complaints@highered.texas.gov. For more information regarding Texas’ student grievance process, please see the THECB website.
Non-SARA Member Out-Of-State Student Complaint Contact Information
For those student complaints not resolved at the institutional level who have followed all grievance procedures and protocols defined by the University, and do not reside in a SARA member state, they may seek advisement from the appropriate office in the student’s state of residence (see list of agencies below). However, students residing in the state of Texas or in a SARA member state should follow the complaint procedures outlined above.
Note: This list includes contact information for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories and should not be construed as informative of what agencies regulate the institution or in what states the institution is authorized to operate. States, through the relevant agencies or Attorneys General Offices will accept complaints regardless of whether an institution is authorized to operate in that state. Also, the University does not maintain the state and territory websites, and information may change without the University’s knowledge.
ALABAMA
In writing:
Alabama Community College System
Attn: Division of Academic and Student Affairs
PO Box 302130
Montgomery, AL 36130-2130
By phone:
334-293-4500
Online:
ALASKA
In writing:
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
PO Box 110505,
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0505
By phone:
800-441-2962
ARIZONA
In writing:
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
1400 W. Washington, Room 260
Phoenix, AZ 85007
By phone:
602.542.5709
ARKANSAS
In writing:
Arkansas Division of Higher Education
114 East Capitol
Little Rock, AR 72201-3818
By phone:
501.371.2000
CALIFORNIA
In writing:
California Department of Consumer Affairs
Consumer Information Center
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N-112
Sacramento, California 95834
By phone:
833.942.1120
COLORADO
In writing:
Colorado Department of Higher Education
Commission on Higher Education
1300 Broadway Rd., Second Floor
Denver, CO 80203
By phone:
303.862.3001
CONNECTICUT
In writing:
Connecticut Office of Higher Education
450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 707
Hartford, CT 06103-1841
By phone:
860.947.1800
DELAWARE
In writing:
Delaware Department of Education
The Townsend Building
401 Federal St., Suite 2
Dover, DE 19901-3639
By phone:
302.735.4000
Online:
FLORIDA
In writing:
Commission for Independent Education
325 W. Gaines St., Suite 1414
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400
By phone:
850.245.0505
Online:
GEORGIA
In writing:
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 E. Exchange Pl., Suite 220
Tucker, GA 30084
By phone:
770.414.3300
HAWAII
In writing:
Business Registration Division of the Hawaii Department
of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
PO Box 40
Honolulu, HI 96810
By phone:
808.587.4272
IDAHO
In writing:
Idaho State Board of Education
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0037
By phone:
208.334.2270
Online:
ILLINOIS
In writing:
Illinois Board of Higher Education
1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333
Springfield, IL 62701-1377
By phone:
217.557.7359
INDIANA
In writing:
Board for Proprietary Education Indiana Commission for Higher Education
101 W. Ohio St., Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46204
By phone:
317.464.4400
IOWA
In writing:
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
475 SW fifth St., Suite D
Des Moines, IA 50319
By phone:
515.725.3400
Online:
KANSAS
Online:
KENTUCKY
In writing:
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
1024 Capital Center Dr., Suite 320
Frankfort, KY 40601-8204
By phone:
502.573.1555
LOUISIANA
In writing:
State of Louisiana Board of Regents
1201 N. Third St., Suite 6-200
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
By phone:
225.342.4253
Alternate contact:
In writing:
Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Section
P.O. Box 94005
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9005
By phone:
225.326.6464 or 800.351.4889
MAINE
In writing:
Maine State Board of Education (MSBE)
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
By phone:
207.624.6846
Online:
MARYLAND
In writing:
Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC)
6 N. Liberty St., 10th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
By phone:
410.767.3301
Alternative contact:
In writing:
Maryland Office of the Attorney General
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
By phone:
410.576.6300 or 888.743.0023; TDD 410.576.6372
MASSACHUSETTS
In writing:
Massachusetts Board of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place, Suite 1401
Boston, MA 02108-1696
By phone:
617.994.6950
MICHIGAN
In writing:
Michigan Department of Education
PO Box 30008
Lansing, MI 48909
By phone:
517.373.9235
Online:
MINNESOTA
In writing:
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Dr., Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108
By phone:
651.259.3975 or 800.657.3866
MISSISSIPPI
In writing:
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
3825 Ridgewood Rd.
Jackson, MS 39211
By phone:
601.432.6372
MISSOURI
In writing:
Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development
205 Jefferson St.
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
By phone:
573.751.2361
MONTANA
In writing:
Montana Board of Regents
Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education – Montana University System
560 N. Park Ave.
PO Box 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
By phone:
406.449.9124
NEBRASKA
In writing:
Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
PO Box 95005
Lincoln, NE 68509-5005
By phone:
402.471.2847
NEVADA
In writing:
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
3663 E. Sunset Road, Suite 202
Las Vegas, NV 89120
By phone:
702.486.7330
NEW HAMPSHIRE
In writing:
New Hampshire Department of Education
101 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301-3494
By phone:
603.271.3494
NEW JERSEY
In writing:
New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
1 John Fitch Plaza, 10th Floor
PO Box 542
Trenton, NJ 08625-0542
By phone:
609.292.4310 or 609.984.2709
NEW MEXICO
In writing:
New Mexico Higher Education Department
2044 Galisteo St., Suite 4
Santa Fe, NM 87505-2100
By phone:
505.476.8400
NEW YORK
In writing:
New York State Education Department
Office of College & University Evaluation Education Bldg.
5 North Mezzanine, 89 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234
By phone:
518.474.2593
NORTH CAROLINA
In writing:
North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
910 Raleigh Rd.
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688
By phone:
919.962.4538
Alternative contact:
In writing:
Consumer Protection Division
Attorney General’s Office
Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001
By phone:
877.566.7226 or 919.716.6000 (En Espanol (919) 716-0058)
On the Internet:
NORTH DAKOTA
In writing:
North Dakota University System
Core Technology Services
2000 44th St. SW, Suite 301
Fargo, ND 58103
By phone:
unknown
Online:
OHIO
In writing:
Ohio Department of Higher Education
25 South Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215
By phone:
614.466.6000
OKLAHOMA
In writing:
Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education
655 Research Pkwy, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73104-3603
By phone:
405.225.9100 or 405.225.9142
OREGON
In writing:
Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission
Office of Private Postsecondary Education
225 Capitol St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
By phone:
503.378.5690
PENNSYLVANIA
In writing:
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market St., 12th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
By phone:
717.783.6785
PUERTO RICO
In writing:
Consejo de Educacion Superior de Puerto Rico/Puerto Rico Council on Higher Ed.
PO Box 19900
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00910-1900
By phone:
787.724.7100 ext. 2022 or ext. 2016
RHODE ISLAND
In writing:
Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner
560 Jefferson Blvd.
Warwick, RI 02886-1304
By phone:
401.736.1100
SOUTH CAROLINA
In writing:
Nonpublic Postsecondary Institution Licensing
1333 Main St., Suite 200
Columbia, SC 29201
By phone:
803.737.3918
SOUTH DAKOTA
In writing:
South Dakota Secretary of State
Capitol Building
500 E. Capitol Ave, Suite 204
Pierre, SD 51501-5070
By phone:
605.773.3215
Online:
TENNESSEE
In writing:
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Parkway Towers, Suite 1900
404 James Robertson Pkwy
Nashville, TN 37243-0830
By phone:
615.741.5293 or 615.253.8857
TEXAS
In writing:
Texas Workforce Commission
Career Schools and Colleges-Rm 226-T
101 East 15th Street
Austin, TX 78778-0001
By phone:
1.800.558.8321
Online:
Texas Alternate Contact #1:
In writing:
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Office of General Counsel
P.O. Box 12788
Austin, TX 78711-2788
By phone:
512.427.6101
On the Internet:
Texas Alternate Contact #2:
In writing:
Texas Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711-2548
UTAH
In writing:
Utah System of Higher Education State Board of Regents
60 South 400 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1284
By phone:
801.321.7200 or 1.800.418.8757
Online:
VERMONT
In writing:
Vermont Agency of Education
219 North Main St., Suite 402
Barre, VT 05641
By phone:
781.425.7713 or 802.479.1030
Online:
Vermont Alternate Contact:
In writing:
Vermont Attorney General’s Office
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609-1001
By phone:
802.828.3171
VIRGINIA
In writing:
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
James Monroe Building
101 N. 14th St., 10th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
By phone:
804.225.2600
WASHINGTON
In writing:
Washington Student Achievement Council
PO Box 43430
Olympia, WA 98504-3430
By phone:
360.753.7869 or 360.753.7866
WASHINGTON D.C.
In writing:
Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Higher Education Licensure Commission
1050 First St. NE
Washington, DC 20002
By phone:
202.727.6436
WEST VIRGINIA
In writing:
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
1018 Kanawha Boulevard East, Suite 700
Charleston, WV 25301
By phone:
304.558.2101
WISCONSIN
In writing:
State of Wisconsin
Educational Approval Program
P.O. Box 8366
Madison, WI 53708-8366
By phone:
608.266.1996
WYOMING
In writing:
Wyoming Department of Education
122 W. 25th St., Suite E200
Cheyenne, WY 82002
By phone:
307.777.7675
Online:
AMERICAN SAMOA
In writing:
Office of Protection and Advocacy
Attn: Dr. Peter Tinitali
Executive Office Building
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
By phone:
684.699.2441
GUAM
In writing:
Office of Attorney General
287 W O’Brien Dr.
Hagatna, Guam 96910
By phone:
671.475.3324
Online:
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
In writing:
State Higher Education Agency, Northern Marianas College
POB 501250
Saipan MP 96950-1250
Northern Mariana Islands Alternate Contact:
In writing:
Office of Attorney General
Juan A Sablan Memorial Bldg.
Capital Hill,
Caller Box 10007, Saipan, MP 96950
By phone:
670.234.5498
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
In writing:
Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs
Golden Rock Shopping Center,
3000 Estate Golden Rock, Suite 9, St. Croix, VI 00820
By phone:
340.713.2754