The Phyllis J. Washington College of Education prepares individuals to become the professional educators and doers of our society. In that spirit, students are strongly encouraged to resolve issues (e.g., grading, communicating with a professor, course material accessibility, etc.) informally initially through direct communication with their professors. Formal complaints will be considered after the student first tries to resolve the matter informally. While academic advisors are an excellent resource for advice and support, students are expected to handle matters themselves. 

Informal Complaint Resolution

Complaints should be handled through direct communication (conversation or email) between the student and professor (or another individual). The majority of student complaints can be addressed in this manner. If, within a week, the issue remains unresolved, or if the professor is unresponsive, the informal complaint should be directed to the department chair. If, after a week the department chair is unable to resolve the matter or is unresponsive, students should submit a formal complaint to the college’s associate dean.

Formal Complaint Resolution

1. Students should submit formal complaints to the associate dean in writing using the online Student Complaints Form.
2. If, after a week, the associate dean is unable to resolve the matter or is unresponsive, the student should contact the Office of the Dean at (406) 243-4911.
3. Finally, in the event that the college’s dean is unable to resolve the matter or is unresponsive, the student should contact the Office of the Provost at (406) 243-4689.

Resources

• Other resources related to a variety of student concerns (safety, campus life, student conduct, discrimination, or harassment), may be found on the website maintained by the Office of the Provost. 

*To comply with federal regulations the college maintains a record of formal complaints and resolutions.