Gallaudet University is committed to excellence in teaching and learning. In keeping with the U.S. Department of Education's Program Integrity Rule, Gallaudet University is required to provide all prospective and current students with contact information of the regional accreditation agency, and the state agency or agencies that handle complaints against post-secondary education institutions that have a physical presence (e.g., internships, distance education). Students are encouraged to utilize the institution's internal complaint or grievance review policies and procedures prior to filing a complaint with the state agency or agencies.

If you are a student and believe you have grounds for a grievance, you should first make an attempt in good faith to resolve the problem through early informal discussion of the matter with the Gallaudet academic, administrative or staff member directly involved. If further recourse is needed, contact the school leader of your school in which you are enrolled.


The university also maintains a website on the Student Grievance Policies and Procedures. This site contains a link to the Student Grievance Guidelines that includes information on the definition of grievable actions and informal and formal grievance procedures.

In the unlikely event that an issue cannot be resolved by Gallaudet University, students may file a complaint with the District of Columbia's Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) which is the licensing authority in Washington, D.C.

Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Higher Education Licensure Commission
1050 1st St. NE, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
Telephone: (202) 727-6436

Unresolved complaints may also be filed with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the University's regional accrediting agency, once all other avenues have been exhausted.

Middle States Commission on Higher Education
3624 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: (267) 284-5000

Gallaudet University is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). SARA is a voluntary agreement among its member states and U.S. territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance-education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. As of 2018, 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are members of SARA. California is currently the only states not yet part of SARA.

As an institutional member of NC-SARA, Gallaudet is authorized to deliver online programs in other NC-SARA member states. Gallaudet is exempt from seeking specific authorization from California.

For more information about NC-SARA and student complaint processes go to http://nc-sara.org/content/sara-and-students. The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements Policy and Operations Manual is also available (https://www.nc-sara.org/resources/guides).

Complaint resolution contacts for all states is also available.

As per Section 668.43(b) of the Code of Federal Regulations requires institutions of higher education authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act to "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."

Out-of-State Complaint Resolution Contacts

By State


Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming


Complaints/Grievances

Students that have a complaint or grievance should first decide what sort of complaint they have.

  • Against another student - see the Office of Student Conduct
  • About a financial aid decision, rule or regulation - see the Financial Aid Office to initiate the financial aid appeal process
  • About facilities, including accessibility problems - Submit a work request
  • About computer equipment or technology - File a HelpDesk ticket
  • About a course grade - Resolve grade complaints through contacting these individuals in order: professor, department chair, dean, and provost.
  • About sexual harassment or discrimination - see the EEO/Title IX officer
  • About accommodation or accessibility for a disability - see the Office for Students with Disabilities
  • About a violation or misapplication of campus policy or procedure - file a grievance with the Student Grievance coordinator

Other resources

The Office of the Ombuds provides conflict management resources to all members of the campus community, including students. The Ombuds provides a confidential, neutral, informal and independent place to develop options, obtain referrals, clarify university policies and procedures, and find solutions to problems.

Gallaudet University and the Clerc Center have a Whistleblower Hotline to support the Board of Trustees' mandate to report possible misconduct.

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