Grievance Procedure
As most issues are resolved through our University’s Internal Grievance process, students who wish to process a grievance or perceive that their rights may have been denied may seek assistance through the Ombudsman’s Office.The Ombudsman staff is responsible for answering student inquiries and serving as a liaison between the student and the University departments where communication has broken down or is not yielding resolution. The Ombudsman staff provides students with information about University policies, regulations, and procedures. If problems occur, an Ombudsman staff member initiates a resolution of such problems and guides students through the University’s Grievance Procedure.
Many issues can be resolved through discussion with the appropriate instructor or staff member, and students are encouraged to make contact at the first indication of a problem or concern. If this fails to yield adequate resolution, students may submit their complaints verbally or in writing to the appropriate departmental supervisor. In the event that these steps do not yield a satisfactory resolution, students may file a written appeal with the campus Appeals Board through the Ombudsman’s Office or with the Vice President of Policy and Administration.
Students wishing to meet with the campus Ombudsman should contact the Office of the Ombudsman to schedule an appointment. You can reach the AIU Office of the Ombudsman by email at ombudsman@aiuniv.edu. The Associate Ombudsman for AIU Online is Brandie Riegle.
The Atlanta Campus Ombudsman, Jessica Epstein, can be reached by calling (404) 965-6527 or via email jepstein@aiuniv.edu.
The Houston Campus Ombudsman, Jamie Mike, can be reached by calling (832) 201-3640 or via email jmike@aiuniv.edu.
A student should refer to the “Agreement to Submit to AIU's Grievance Procedure" section of the Policies and Disclosures section of his/her Enrollment Agreement for important terms and conditions regarding this Grievance Procedure and other rights. Nothing in the student’s Enrollment Agreement prevents him/her from presenting any issue to an accrediting agency or government agency authorized to hear such issue prior to submitting such matter under this Grievance Procedure. In addition, if a student has not reached a resolution with the University, he/she may file a complaint with the state where their campus is located.
AIU Atlanta campus studentsmay contact the State of Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, 2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220, Tucker, GA 30084-5305; 770-414-3300; https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-complaints
AIU Houston campus students may contact the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Office of General Counsel, P.O. Box 12788, Austin, TX 78711-2788 or via email at StudentComplaints@thecb.state.tx.us. THECB student complaint information is codified under 19 TAC §§1.110-1.120. An overview of the complaint procedure, how to submit a complaint, and the complaint form can be found here.
AIU students enrolled online only: If the complaint cannot be resolved after exhausting the institution’s grievance procedure, the student may file a complaint with the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education. The student must contact the State Board for further details. The State Board address is 1740 West Adams Street, Suite 3008, Phoenix, AZ 85007, phone #602-542-5709, website address: www.azppse.gov.
AZ SARA Complaint Process for Online Students: AIU is a SARA participating institution. The Arizona SARA Council (AZ SARA) has jurisdiction over Arizona SARA-approved institutions in relation to non-instructional complaints. Instructional complaints, such as grade grievances, and those related to student conduct are not reviewed by the Council and should not be submitted for review. Online students who reside in SARA states (currently all but California) may file a complaint with AZ SARA only after the student has first utilized AIU’s grievance process and the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education’s complaint process. Eligible complaints may be submitted to AZ-SARA at azsara.arizona.edu/complaint-process.
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