Student Complaint Information

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) participates in federal student aid programs that are authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Participating institutions must be legally authorized to operate with the state in which it is located.

Title 34 CFR §600.9 requires states to have a "process to review and appropriately act on complaints concerning the institution including enforcing applicable State laws." Title 34 CFR §668.43(b) requires that institutions: "make available for review to any enrolled or prospective student upon request, a copy of the documents describing the institution's accreditation and its State, Federal, or tribal approval or licensing. The institution must also 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."

To comply with this regulation, UMB provides the following information to our prospective and current students.
 
UMB makes every effort to resolve student complaints internally, using policies and procedures outlined by the University and/or by their school/program. It is expected that students will fully utilize any and all of such administrative procedures to address concerns and/or complaints in as timely a manner as possible.

For procedures regarding:

In the unlikely event that an issue cannot be resolved by the University, students may file a complaint with their respective state licensing authority. For students living in Maryland, the Maryland Higher Education Commission is the applicable agency.
 
For online students who do not reside in Maryland, the state agency would generally correspond with the student's state of residence. These agencies should be contacted only after the student has registered a complaint with the University and has not received a response to the request for resolution. Contact information for all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories is set forth below.
 
Unresolved complaints also may be filed with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the University's regional accrediting agency, once all other avenues have been exhausted. The link above provides information on its complaint policies and procedures.

Middle States Commission on Higher Education
3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: 267-284-5000
Email: info@msche.org Spanish: españolinfo@msche.org
General link: www.msche.org

State Authorizations

The U.S. Department of Education requires higher education institutions to obtain authorization for distance education instruction or programs provided in states other than their own. The University of Maryland, Baltimore's current authorization status and more information about state authorizations is listed here.

Student Complaint Information by State and Agency ▾

  • Alabama
    Alabama Commission on Higher Education
    Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
    PO Box 302000
    Montgomery, AL 36130-2000
    Telephone: (334) 242-1998
    Fax: (334) 242-0268

    Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education
    Office of Private School Licensing Division

  • Alaska
    Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
    PO Box 110505
    Juneau, AK 99811-0505
    Telephone: (907) 465-6741
    Email: EED.ACPE-IA@alaska.gov
  • Arizona
    Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
    1400 West Washington, Room 260
    Phoenix, AZ 85007
    Telephone: (602) 542-5709
    Fax: (602) 542-1253
     
  • Arkansas
    Arkansas Department of Higher Education
    114 East Capitol
    Little Rock, AR 72201
    Telephone: (501) 372-2000
    Email: ADHE_Info@adhe.edu

    Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board certification does not constitute an endorsement of any institution or program. Such certification merely indicates that certain criteria have been met as required under the rules and regulations implementing institutional and program certification as defined in Arkansas Code §6-61-301.
     
  • California
    Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
    PO Box 980818
    West Sacramento, CA 95798-0818
    Telephone: (916) 431-9659
    Fax: (916) 263-1895
    File a complaint here

  • Colorado
    Colorado Department of Higher Education
    1560 Broadway, Suite 1600
    Denver, CO 80202
    Telephone: (303) 866-2723
    Fax: (303) 866-4266
    File a complaint here

  • Connecticut
    Office of Financial and Academic Affairs for Higher Education
    61 Woodland St.
    Hartford, CT 06105-2326
    Telephone: (860) 947-1822
    File a complaint here
     
  • Delaware
    Delaware Department of Education
    Teacher and Administrator Quality
    John W. Collette Resource Center
    35 Commerce Way
    Dover, DE 19904
    Telephone: (302) 857-3388

    The Delaware Department of Education will investigate complaints. Such complaints must be in writing and verified by the signature of the person making the complaint. Oral, anonymous, or unsigned complaints will not be investigated. Until the website is functional, please write or call for more information.
     
  • District of Columbia
    Office of the State Superintendent of Education
    Education Licensure Commission
    810 First Street, NE, 9th Floor
    Washington, DC 20002
    Telephone: (202) 727-6436
    Fax: (202) 727-2834
     
  • Florida
    Commission for Independent Education
    Florida Department of Education
    325 W. Gaines St., Suite 1414
    Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
    Telephone: (850) 245-0505
    Fax: (850) 245-3238
    Email: cieinfo@fldoe.org
      
  • Georgia
    Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
    2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220
    Tucker, GA 30084-5305
    Telephone: (770) 414-3300
    Fax: (770) 414-3309
     
  • Hawaii
    Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs
    Office of Consumer Protection
    Leiopapa A Kamehameha Building
    235 South Beretania St., Suite 801
    Honolulu, HI 96813
    Telephone: (808) 587-3222
     
  • Idaho
    Idaho State Board of Education
    State Coordinator for Private Colleges and Proprietary Schools
    PO Box 83720
    Boise, ID 83720-0037
    Telephone: (208) 332-1587
    Email: harv.lyter@osbe.idaho.gov
      
  • Illinois
    Illinois Board of Higher Education
    431 East Adams, 2nd Floor
    Springfield, IL 62701-1414
    Telephone: (217) 782-2551
    Fax: (217) 782-8548
    Email: info@ibhe.org
    Institutional Complaint Hotline: (217) 557-7359

    Students seeking to register a complaint about an institution are required to submit the complaint in writing. Complaint processing as relates to maintenance of institutional approvals is described in 23 Illinois Administrative Rules Sections 1030.70 and 1030.80.
     
  • Indiana
    Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education
    Indiana Commission for Higher Education. ATTN: Complaints
    101 West Ohio St., Suite 550
    Indianapolis, IN 46204-1984
    Telephone: (317) 464-4400, Ext. 0
    Email: complaints@che.in.gov
      
  • Iowa
    Iowa College Student Aid Commission
    603 E. 12th St., 5th Floor
    Des Moines, IA 50319
    Telephone: (515) 725-3400
    Fax: (515) 725-3401

  • Kansas
    Kansas Board of Regents
    1000 SW Jackson, Suite 520
    Topeka, KS 66612-1368
    Telephone: (785) 296-4917
    Fax: (785) 296-7052

  • Kentucky
    Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
    Director of Postsecondary Licensing
    1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 320
    Frankfort, KY 40601
    Telephone: (502) 573-1555
    Fax: (502) 573-1535
    Email: consumercomplaints@ky.gov
     
  • Louisiana
    Louisiana Board of Regents
    PO Box 3677
    Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3677
    Telephone: (225) 342-4253
    Fax: (225) 342-9318

    For academic degree-granting institutions, Louisiana relies on the Consumer Affairs Division of the Attorney General's Office at (225) 326-6200.
     
  • Maine
    Maine Department of Education, Office of Higher Education Services
    23 State House Station
    Augusta, ME 04333-0023
    Telephone: (207) 624-6600
    Fax: (207) 624-6700

    Complaints shall be addressed in writing with specific facts and allegations and signed by the complainant. The school shall be notified of any complaints that are to be investigated.
    Maine Attorney General
    Consumer Protection Division
    6 State House Station
    Augusta, ME 04333

    Contact the Consumer Protection Division here

  • Maryland
    Saint Francis University's MHS, MMS, and MHRM distance education programs are registered with:
    Maryland Higher Education Commission
    6 North Liberty St., 10th Floor
    Baltimore, MD 21201
    Fax: (410) 332-0270
    Telephone: (410) 260-4500

    Individuals who wish to submit a complaint may use the following contact information:
    Maryland Attorney General
    Consumer Protection Division
    200 St. Paul St.
    Baltimore, MD 21202
    Telephone: (410) 528-8662 or toll free (888) 743-0823
    See the student complaint process or more information here
  • Massachusetts
    Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
    Office of the General Counsel
    One Ashburton Place, Room 1401
    Boston, MA 02108
    Telephone: (617) 994-6950
    Fax: (617) 727-0955
     
  • Michigan
    Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
    Bureau of Commercial Services, Licensing Division
    Proprietary School Unit, PO Box 30714
    Lansing, MI 48909
    Fax: (517) 373-3085
     
  • Minnesota
    Minnesota Office of Higher Education
    Registration & Licensing
    1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
    St. Paul, MN 55108
    Telephone: (651) 259-3975 or toll free (800) 657-3866
    Email: info.ohe@state.mn.us

  • Mississippi
    Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
    3825 Ridgewood Road
    Jackson, MS 39211-6453
    Telephone: (601) 432-6372
    Fax: (601) 432-6225
     
  • Missouri
    Missouri Department of Higher Education
    205 Jefferson St., PO Box 1469
    Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
    Telephone: (573) 751-2361
    Fax: (573) 751-6635
    Email: info@dhe.mo.gov
      
  • Montana
    Montana University System, Montana Board of Regents
    Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education
    2500 Broadway St., PO Box 203201
    Helena, MT 59620-3201
    Telephone: (406) 444-6570

  • Nebraska
    Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
    PO Box 95005
    Lincoln, NE 68509-5005

    The policies regarding student complaints are listed on our website with a notation that they are not final. The Coordinating Commission for Post-Secondary Education (CCPE) intends to have a section on the website that walks students through the process; in the meanwhile, please call our office at (402) 471-0030. Please note that institutions offering courses or programs that are exclusively online are not required to seek authorization from CCPE. If students have complaints about such institutions, we refer them to the home state of the institution or the Nebraska Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
     
  • Nevada
    Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
    3663 East Sunset Road, Suite 202
    Las Vegas, NV 89120
    Telephone: (702) 486-7330
    Fax: (702) 486-7340
     
  • New Hampshire
    Department of Education, Division of Higher Education
    Higher Education Commission
    101 Pleasant St.
    Concord, NH 03301-3493
    Telephone: (603) 271-0256
     
  • New Jersey
    New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education
    20 W. State St., 4th Floor, PO Box 542
    Trenton, NJ 08625-0542
    Telephone: (609) 292-4310
     
  • New Mexico
    New Mexico Higher Education Department
    2048 Galisteo St.
    Santa Fe, NM 87505-2100
    Telephone: (505) 476-8400
    Fax: (505) 476-8453
     
  • New York
    Office of College and University Evaluation
    New York State Education Department
    5 North Mezzanine, 89 Washington Ave.
    Albany, NY 12234
    Telephone: (518) 474-3852
    http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/spr/COMPLAINTFORMINFO.html
     
  • North Carolina
    Post-Secondary Education Complaints
    c/o Assistant Director of Licensure and Workforce Studies
    University of North Carolina General Administration
    910 Raleigh Road
    Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688
    Telephone: (919) 962-4558
    Email: studentcomplaint@northcarolina.edu
     
  • North Dakota
    North Dakota State Board for Career and Technical Education
    Department of Career and Technical Education
    State Capitol, 15th Floor
    600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 270
    Bismarck, ND 58505-0610
    Phone: (701) 328-2678
    Fax: (701) 328-1255
    Email: cte@nd.gov

    Currently complaints are filed with the North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and are then handed to the Attorney General. That policy is under review and revision. Please call CTE at 701-328-2678 for more information.
     
  • Ohio
    Ohio Board of Regents
    30 East Broad St., 36th Floor
    Columbus, OH 43215-3414
    Telephone: (614) 387-1215
     
  • Oklahoma
    Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
    Academic Affairs Office
    655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
    Oklahoma City, OK 73104
    Telephone: (405) 225-9100

  • Oregon
    Office of Degree Authorization
    1500 Valley River Drive, Suite 100
    Eugene, OR 97401
    Telephone: (541) 687-7478
     
  • Pennsylvania
    Division of Higher & Career Education
    Pennsylvania Department of Education-Postsecondary and Adult Education
    333 Market Street, 12th Floor
    Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
    Telephone: (717) 783-8228
    Fax: (717) 722-3622

  • Rhode Island
    Rhode Island Department of Education
    Shepard Building, 80 Washington St.
    Providence, RI 02903
    Telephone: (401) 456-6000

  • South Carolina
    Nonpublic Institution Licensing
    SC Commission on Higher Education
    1122 Lady St., Suite 300
    Columbia, SC 29201
    Telephone: (803) 737-2260
    Fax: (803) 737-2297
    Email: reshleman@che.sc.gov
     
  • South Dakota
    Office of Attorney General, Division of Consumer Protection
    1302 E. Highway 14, Suite 3
    Pierre, SD 57501-8053
    Telephone: (605) 773-4400
    Fax: (605) 773-7163
     
  • Tennessee
    Tennessee Higher Education Commission
    Division of Postsecondary School Authorization
    Parkway Towers, Suite 1900
    404 James Robertson Parkway
    Nashville, TN 37243-0830
    Telephone: (615) 741-5293
    Fax: (615) 532-8845
     
  • Texas
    Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
    Academic Affairs and Research
    PO Box 12788
    Austin, TX 78711-2788
    Telephone: (512) 427-6101

  • Utah
    Utah Division of Consumer Protection
    160 East 300 South, 2nd Floor, PO Box 146704
    Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6704
    Telephone: (801) 530-6601
    Fax: (801) 530-6001

  • Vermont
    Vermont State Board of Education
    120 State St.
    Montpelier, VT 05620-2501
    Telephone: (802) 828-3135
     
  • Virginia
    Private and Out-of-State Postsecondary Education
    State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
    101 N. 14th St., 10th Floor, James Monroe Building
    Richmond, VA 23219
    Telephone: (804) 225-2600
    Fax: (804) 225-2604

  • Washington
    Washington Student Achievement Council
    PO Box 43430
    Olympia, WA 98504-3430
    Telephone: (360) 753-7866
     
  • West Virginia
    West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
    1018 Kanawha Blvd. East, Suite 700
    Charleston, WV 25301-2800
    Telephone: (304) 558-2101
    Fax: (304) 558-5719

  • Wisconsin
    Wisconsin Educational Approval Program
    30 W. Mifflin Street, 9th Floor, PO Box 8696
    Madison, WI 53708-8696
    Telephone: (608) 266-1996
    Fax: (608) 264-8477
     
  • Wyoming
    Wyoming Department of Education
    2300 Capitol Avenue, Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor
    Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050
    Telephone: (307) 777-6210

    If the complaint involves an issue relative to authorization, the Wyoming Department of Education contacts the institution to ensure that the institution is compliant with Wyoming State law. For complaints not related to authorization, the complainant is encouraged to try to resolve the issue through their institution's formal grievance procedures. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the complainant may also be referred to the Consumer Protection Division of the Wyoming Attorney General's Office. Please contact the Wyoming Department of Education.

U.S. Territories

  • American Samoa
    Department of Protection and Advocacy
    Attn: Dr. L. Tagoilelagi
    Executive Office Building
    Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
    Tel: (684) 633-2441
    Fax: (684) 633-7286
     
  • Federated States of Micronesia
    No information available

  • Guam
    Office of the Attorney General
    287 West O'Brien Drive,
    Hagåtña, GUAM 96910
    Telephone: (671) 475-3324, ext. 171
    Fax: (671) 472-2493
     
  • Marshall Islands
    Attorney General
    Email: agoffice@ntamar.net

  • Northern Mariana Islands
    State Higher Education Agency, Northern Marianas College
    Attn: Dr. Carmen Fernandez, President
    POB 501250
    Saipan MP 96950-1250
    Tel: (670) 234-5498 Ext. 1000
    Fax: (670) 234-1270
    Email: nmc@nmcnet.edu

    Office of Attorney General
    Edward T Buckingham
    Juan A Sablan Memorial Building, Capital Hill,
    Caller Box 10007
    Saipan, MP 96950

  • Palau
    No information available

  • Puerto Rico
    Puerto Rico Council on Education
    PO Box 19900
    San Juan, Puerto Rico 00910-1900
    Telephone: (787) 724-7100
    Fax: (787) 725-2150
     
  • U.S. Virgin Islands
    Government of the United States Virgin Islands
    Department of Education, Office of the Commissioner
    1834 Kongens Gade
    St. Thomas, VI 00802
    Telephone: (340) 776-0675

    Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs
    Attn: Consumer Affairs
    Golden Rock Shopping Center,
    3000 Estate Golden Rock, Suite 9
    St Croix, VI 00820
    Telephone: (340) 713-2754