Columbia Southern University (CSU) is dedicated to providing exceptional academic and student support services. Students who wish to file a complaint with Columbia Southern University are encouraged to review the Academic and Non-Academic Complaint and Grievance policies in the Student Handbook and follow the procedures outlined therein. The Office of Student Resolution and Conduct will review the complaint and coordinate resolution as appropriate. For more information, please review the Office of Student Resolution and Conduct page on the website. Students with alleged harassment or discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran’s status should contact the Title IX Coordinator.
If an issue cannot be resolved internally, students may file a complaint with CSU’s accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), a state agency, or, if applicable, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Students who wish to file a complaint with an agency, should review the contact information listed below and the complaint process required by each agency. These external agencies may require the student to exhaust the institution’s internal complaint procedures prior to filing a complaint with the agency.
Registering a Complaint with The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
SACSCOC recognizes the value of information provided by students, employees, and others in determining whether an institution’s performance is consistent with SACSCOC standards for obtaining or maintaining accreditation. SACSCOC is also committed to ensuring that member institutions maintain appropriate grievance procedures and standards of procedural fairness and that these are applied appropriately and consistently. Reviewing formal, written complaints involving member institutions enables SACSCOC to address possible non- compliance with its Principles of Accreditation and policies, as well as to address possible violations of an institution’s own policies and procedures, if related to the Principles. To review the policy, visit SACSCOC Complaint Policy.
Registering a Complaint with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Students may file a complaint by following the VA Complaint Policy, which states, “Any complaint against the school should be routed through the VA GI Bill® Feedback System. The VA will then follow up through the appropriate channels to investigate the complaint and resolve it satisfactorily.”
Registering a Complaint with State Agencies
Students may file a complaint with the Private School Licensure Division (PSL) of the Alabama Community College System by submitting the online school complaint form. Please visit the PSL Complaints page to view the procedures for submitting complaints.
CSU is an approved institutional participant in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). Students whose complaints are not otherwise resolved through CSU’s internal grievance process, and who reside in a SARA member-state may appeal their complaint to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) which oversees SARA institutions in Alabama for review after exhausting CSU’s internal grievance process. ACHE’s contact information for complaints is as follows:
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
NC-SARA State Portal Agency
P.O. Box 3020000
Montgomery, AL 36130-2000
NC-SARA Student Complaint Form
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site.
