928-523-5511
student.affairs@nau.eduFormal Complaint Resolution Process
Review and resolution process
Once a formal complaint is received by a Dean or Vice President, an attempt will be made to resolve the issue in a timely manner by working with the student and the appropriate university employees and offices to ensure a fair process. It is important to note that a student might not be satisfied with a complaint that is deemed “resolved.”
If a student is unsatisfied with all attempts to resolve the complaint, they can contact the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, who will help identify other resources available. This includes appeals that may be available from agencies external to the university, including the Arizona Board of Regents or the university’s accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Complaint definitions
Student:
An individual who is currently enrolled full-time or part-time or was enrolled at the institution within the previous 12 months (when the underlying facts and circumstances of the complaint first occurred) and who has not been suspended or dismissed. Parents, relatives, employers, agents, and others acting for or on behalf of a student are not students for the purposes of this procedure.
Student Complaint (formal):
Any written (paper/email or online form) complaint made and signed by a student that is received by a Dean, Senior Vice President, or the President after the complaint cannot be resolved (informally) at the department level.
Complaint tracking
To meet Federal regulations, a record of the formal student complaint and its disposition will be maintained in the office handling it. All formal written student complaints by Deans (including the Dean of Students), Vice Presidents, or the President will be tracked. Items to be collected include the date the complaint was received, student name, student user ID, a brief description of the complaint, a summary of action taken by the receiving office, resolution/outcome, date review completed, and notations of any changes to university policy, practice, etc. resulting from the complaint.
The Vice President of the Student Affairs office will annually collect information from the other offices and compile an Annual Institutional Summary of Student Complaints. The Vice President of Student Affairs will also review the data to identify any trends/issues that warrant further investigation, revision to existing policies, etc. Information on these issues shall be shared with the appropriate university offices for action.
The information tracked will be made available to regulatory agencies and accrediting bodies, including the Higher Learning Commission, as required in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.