Common Title IV Student Complaint Process notification language for community and technical colleges to use in publications and websites:
Notification of Title IV Student Complaint Process
The Higher Education Act (HEA) prohibits an institution of higher education from engaging in a “substantial misrepresentation of the nature of its educational program, its financial charges, or the employability of its graduates.” 20 U.S.C. §1094(c)(3)(A). Further, each state must have “a process to review and appropriately act on complaints concerning the institution including enforcing applicable state laws.” 34 C.F.R. § 600.9. The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) maintains a process to investigate complaints of this nature brought by community and technical college students in the state of Washington. For information, contact SBCTC Student Services, PO Box 42495, Olympia, WA 98504-2495, studentservices@sbctc.edu, (360) 704-4315 or visit sbctc.edu.
To submit a complaint, please create an account though the SBCTC Consumer Protection Title IV Student Complaint Portal.
Students located outside of Washington State who are enrolled in distance education courses may submit complaints to the Washington Student Achievement Council at wsac.wa.gov/student-complaints and the state contacts below after completing Peninsula College’s institutional complaint resolution process.
State Contacts by Location
The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has authority to investigate student complaints against specific schools. WSAC may not be able to investigate every student complaint. Visit wsac.wa.gov/student-complaints for information regarding the WSAC complaint process.