Online Education Complaint Process
In compliance with U.S. Congressional House Rule (HR) 668.43 (b) and U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) rules, an institution offering distance education must “provide its students or prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accreditor and with its State approval or licensing entity and any other relevant State official or agency that would appropriately handle a student's complaint.”
In-State Students
Shippensburg University encourages all current, former, and prospective students, regardless of their residency, to first submit any grievances, complaints, or concerns directly to Shippensburg University as follows:
- For grievances, complaints, or concerns related to particular class students should first contact their faculty member to resolve the matter, in accordance with the procedures and policies outlined in Shippensburg University’s undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
- For grievances, complaints, or concerns unrelated to a particular class
complete the Online Education Complaint Form.
If students feel the issue cannot be solved by the university, a complaint may be filed with Shippensburg University’s state approval and licensing entities, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Education, or its accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Out-of-State Students
Students located outside Pennsylvania while attending Shippensburg University may also choose to contact the appropriate higher education entity in their state, a list of which is maintained by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO).
Maryland
For students located in Maryland, note that the institution is subject to investigation of complaints by Maryland’s Office of the Attorney General or the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Students located in Maryland should direct complaints to Maryland Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, 200 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, 410-528-8662 or 888-743-0823 (toll-free).
Utah
For students located in Utah, please direct complaints to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection:
https://consumerprotection.utah.gov
Additional Assistance
If you have any questions or need additional information, contact Shippensburg University’s Office of Workforce Development at pcde@ship.edu or (717) 477-1502.
