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General Concerns and Complaints


Office

Â鶹´«Ă˝ values your voice and wants you to feel safe in expressing concerns or complaints. GHC is committed to maintaining an environment where students feel safe and supported in raising issues.  The following steps outline how to escalate your concerns and complaints appropriately.

Step 1

If you have a concern related to a GHC course or department, first contact the instructor or staff member directly to discuss your concern. Propose possible solutions and work collaboratively to find a resolution that is satisfactory to both parties.

If you would like to speak to the supervisor of a GHC staff or instructor, see the organizational charts attached on the President’s Cabinet page to identify the supervising person, find their contact information in the Directory and reach out to them to discuss your concerns.

If you wish to speak with the supervisor of a GHC staff or faculty member, consult the college’s organizational charts, available on the President’s Cabinet section of the GHC website. Use the college Directory to locate appropriate contact information.

Step 2

If you are not able to find a satisfactory resolution, further steps in the complaint process are included in the student handbook, which will refer you to , Student complaint, grievance and grade appeal process.

WAC 132B-125-500

Student complaint, grievance, and grade appeal policy and procedures.

The purpose of these procedures is to provide guidelines, which enable a student to express and resolve misunderstandings, complaints, or grievances in a fair and equitable manner. Students have the right to receive clear information and fair application of college policies, standards, rules and requirements and are responsible for complying with them in their relationships with college personnel. This grievance procedure emphasizes an informal resolution, which promotes constructive dialogue and understanding.

(a) A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction with the performance of a college employee or with the implementation of policy and procedure. The goal is to informally resolve the complaint with the employee most closely responsible for the policy, procedure or action. The college employee and student shall make a good faith effort to resolve the issue on a one-to-one basis. (If the complaint is about a grade, follow the grade appeal process below.) Both parties should openly discuss the concern, attempt to understand the other's perspective, explore alternatives and attempt to arrive at a satisfactory resolution.

(b) The college recognizes that in some cases a student will be unwilling or unable to speak directly with the employee. In such cases, the student may proceed to step one of the grievance process. In general, a student wishing to express a complaint should do so no later than three weeks from the time the student became aware of the concern.

(c) For assistance in identifying the appropriate person a student should contact, the office of the vice president for student services is available to assist in that determination.

(d) The following are guidelines for determining who a student should contact with a complaint regarding:

(i) Academic/instruction: Faculty/dean/vice president instruction;

(ii) Accommodations: Coordinator of disability support services/dean of student access and support;

(iii) Bookstore: Bookstore manager/vice president administrative services;

(iv) Problem student conduct: Student conduct officer;

(v) Discrimination/harassment: Title IX coordinator/human resources;

(vi) Facilities: Chief of campus operations/vice president for administrative services;

(vii) Financial aid: Assistant dean of financial aid/dean of student access and support;

(viii) Other: Vice president for student services office for most appropriate contact.

(a) A grievance is a formal procedure instituted when a complaint is not resolved through the informal complaint process. It involves taking the concern to a person other than the employee involved such as a supervisor, dean or vice president. For assistance in identifying the specific person, a student should contact the vice president for student services office. The following procedures shall be used when a student initiates the grievance process.

(b) A discussion with the dean/vice president or supervisor who shall attempt to resolve the matter promptly and fairly. The student may be asked to express the grievance in writing. Written grievances should include an explanation of what has happened, the nature of the student's concern, what the student and/or others have done about it to date and what resolution the student seeks.

(c) The supervisor will investigate and may:

(i) Render an immediate decision;

(ii) Ask the staff members for a written response;

(iii) Request a meeting of one or both parties individually or together; and/or

(iv) Request supporting materials prior to rendering a decision. In the case of a written grievance, the supervisor will provide a written decision within fifteen instructional days of receipt of the written grievance. If an investigation requires more time, the deadline may be extended to a mutually agreed future date.

(A) If the student feels a satisfactory resolution was not achieved in step two, they may appeal to the president of the college within five instructional days of receipt of the written decision. The president may amend, modify, reverse or accept the recommendation of the vice president. The decision of the president shall be final.

(B) In general, a student wishing to express a complaint should do so no later than three weeks from the time the student became aware of the concern. In any event, with the exception of discrimination and harassment, informal complaints and formal grievances must be filed within one academic quarter of the inciting event. Timely initiation of a complaint rests with the student.

(C) The appropriate vice president may suspend this rule under exceptional circumstances such as extended illness or leave of a party to the complaint. When either party to the complaint is no longer present at the college and does not expect to return, the vice president will give the absent party reasonable opportunity to reply to the complaint before making a decision.

(a) Before a student can file a formal or written grade appeal, they should try to resolve the issue directly with the instructor. Grade appeals should occur within one quarter of issuance of the grade. In any event, appeals will not be considered beyond one year of the grade report.

(b) If direct discussion with the faculty does not resolve the grade dispute to the student's satisfaction the student, within ten instructional days after meeting with the faculty, shall take the matter to the vice president for instruction. The student shall express the appeal in writing. The written appeal should include the course and instructor involved, an explanation of why the student believes the grade received is unfair or unwarranted, what steps the student has taken with the faculty member to resolve the issue, and what resolution the student seeks.

(c) The vice president for instruction will attempt to investigate the appeal and will:

(i) Review the course syllabus;

(ii) Meet with the course instructor; and

(iii) May request and review other supporting documentation prior to rendering a decision. Within ten instructional days of receiving the written appeal, the vice president of instruction will provide a written decision. If an investigation requires more time, the deadline may be extended to a mutually agreed future date.

(d) If the student feels satisfactory resolution was not achieved in step three, they may, within five instructional days of receipt of the written decision, notify the vice president for instruction to request a hearing before the academic review committee. The vice president for student services or designee will chair the committee.

(i) If anyone on the academic review committee perceives a conflict of interest, they will recuse themselves from the committee for the duration of the appeal. Students are to be given an opportunity to talk with the committee chairperson regarding any concerns about committee membership.

(ii) As soon as possible, the academic review committee (with a minimum attendance of six individuals) will meet with the student, instructor, the vice president of instruction and relevant parties to hear the points at issue in the appeal. The committee will provide its written decision to all parties within five instructional days following the hearing. The decision is final and may not be reviewed further.

(a) The student grievance procedure described in this section is not intended to cover complaints of discrimination or sexual harassment. The college has separate specific procedures for such complaints. See the vice president for student services for information on those specific procedures.

(b) A student may not use the provisions of these sections as the basis for filing a grievance based on the outcome of summary or other disciplinary proceedings described in earlier sections of this student rights and responsibilities code or for resolution of specific categories of student complaints where other procedures are required.

(c) Federal and state laws, rules and regulations, in addition to policies, regulations and procedures adopted by the state board for community college education or the board of trustees of Community College District No. 2 shall not be grievable matters.

The appropriate supervisor shall keep all written statements or transcripts as follows:

(a) Complaints for one year from the initial complaint;

(b) Grievances for six years from the initial complaint;

(c) Grade appeals for five years following the last quarter attended by the student. At that time, the files shall be destroyed. [Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.50.140(13). WSR 21-12-008, § 132B-125-500, filed 5/19/21, effective 6/19/21.]

Step 3

If you are unable to resolve your complaint internally and would like to request intervention from an external agency, you may contact any of the following:

  1. The (WSAC) has authority to investigate student complaints against specific schools. WSAC may not be able to investigate every student complaint. See: WSAC complaint process.
  2. The regional accrediting association for GHC is the (NWCCU), which is recognized by the and the .
  3. The Department of Education from your current state of residence.

State Contacts by Location

Online students residing in Alabama may also file a complaint with:

Timothy Vick
Director of Operations and Fiscal Services

P.O. Box 302000
Montgomery, Alabama 36130
334.353.9153
tim.vick@ache.alabama.gov

Online students residing in Alaska may also file a complaint with:

Kierke Kussart
Program Coordinator Institutional Authorization

P.O. Box 110505
Juneau, AK 99811-0505
907.465.6741
kierke.kussart@alaska.gov

Online students residing in Arizona may also file a complaint with:

Lanna Dueck
Executive Director

2323 W. 14th Street
Tempe, AZ 85281
480.517.8226
lanna.dueck@riosalado.edu

Online students residing in Arkansas may also file a complaint with:

Alana Boles
Program Director for Private Career and Out-of-State Education

423 Main Street, Suite 400
Little Rock, AR 72201
501.371.2060
alana.boles@sdhe.edu

Online students residing in California may also contact:


2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95833
(916) 431-6959

Online students residing in Colorado may also file a complaint with:

Heather Delange
Academic Policy Officer

1560 Broadway, Suite 1600
Denver, CO 80202
303.866.4209
heather.delange@dhe.state.co.us

Online students residing in Connecticut may also file a complaint with:

Christon R. Kurker-Stewart, Esq.
Academic Affairs

State of Connecticut
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 510
Hartford, CT 06103-1841
Telephone: 860.947.1820
Fax: 860.947.1310
ckurker-stewart@ctohe.org

Online students residing in Delaware may also file a complaint with:

Nick A. Buono
Education Specialist

Delaware Department of Education
The Townsend Building
401 Federal Street, Suite 2
Dover, DE 19901
302.735.4193
nicholas.buono@doe.k12.de.us

Online students residing in the District of Columbia may also file a complaint with:

Angela H. Lee
Executive Director

Postsecondary Education
Office of the State Superintendent of Education
1050 First St. NE
5th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
202.724-2095
Angela.Lee@dc.gov

Online students residing in Florida may also file a complaint with:

Morgan Champion
Director, Postsecondary Reciprocal Distance Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
850.245.3212
morgan.champion@fldoe.org

Online students residing in Georgia may also file a complaint with:

Patricia “Pat” Neri
GA-SARA Coordinator

2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220
Tucker, GA 30084
770.414.3235
GASARA@gnpec.org

Online students residing in Hawaii may also file a complaint with:

Bobbi Lum-Mew
Program Administrator

Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 541
Honolulu, HI 96809
808.586.7327
hpeap@dcca.hawaii.gov

Online students residing in Idaho may also file a complaint with:

Valerie Fenske
Idaho Private Colleges & Proprietary Schools Coordinator

PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0037
208.332.1587
valerie.fenske@osbe.idaho.gov

Online students residing in Illinois may also file a complaint with:

Nkechi Onwuameze, PhD
Assistant Director for Academic Affairs
Illinois SARA Coordinator

1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333
Springfield, Illinois 62701-1377
217.557.7382
sara@ibhe.org

Online students residing in Indiana may also file a complaint with:

Ken Sauer
Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer

101 W. Ohio Street, Suite 550
Indianapolis, IN 46204-1984
317.232.1090
academics@che.in.gov

Online students residing in Indiana may also file a complaint with:

Ken Sauer
Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer

101 W. Ohio Street, Suite 550
Indianapolis, IN 46204-1984
317.232.1090
academics@che.in.gov

Online students residing in Kansas may also file a complaint with:

Jennifer Armour
Associate Director

Kansas Board of Regents
1000 SW Jackson, Suite 520
Topeka, KS 66612-1368
(785)430-4288
jarmour@ksbor.org  

Online students residing in Kentucky may also file a complaint with:

Sarah Levy
Director of Postsecondary Licensing

1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 320
Frankfort, KY 40601
502.573.1555
sarah.levy@ky.gov

Online students residing in Louisiana may also file a complaint with:

LeAnn Detillier
Assistant Commissioner for Program Administration

1201 N. Third St., Suite 6-200
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
225.342-4253
LeAnn.Detillier@la.gov

Online students residing in Maine may also file a complaint with:

Angel Loredo
Higher Education Specialist

23 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0023
207.624.6846
angel.loredo@maine.gov

Online students residing in Maryland may also file a complaint with:

Michael J. Kiphart
Director of Academic Affairs

6 N. Liberty Street, 10th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-767-3041
michael.kiphart@maryland.gov

Online students residing in Massachusetts may also file a complaint with:

Alex Nally
SARA Coordinator

One Ashburton Place, Room 1401
Boston, MA 02108
617.994.6910
SARAInquiries@dhe.mass.edu

Online students residing in Michigan may also file a complaint with:

James R. Farhat, Specialist
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau

P.O. Box 30018
Lansing, MI 48909
517.241.4274
517.373.2162 fax
farhatj@michigan.gov

Online students residing in Minnesota may also file a complaint with:

Betsy Talbot

1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
Saint Paul, MN 55108
651.259.3965
Betsy.Talbot@state.mn.us

Online students residing in Mississippi may also file a complaint with:

Menia Dykes
Director of Accreditation

3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211
601.432.6372
mdykes@mississippi.edu

Online students residing in Missouri may also file a complaint with:

Leroy Wade
Assistant Commissioner

205 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
573.751.2361
leroy.wade@dhe.mo.gov

Online students residing in Montana may also file a complaint with:

Joe Thiel
Director of Academic Policy and Research

Montana University System
P.O. Box 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
406.422.8455
jthiel@montana.edu

Online students residing in Nebraska may also file a complaint with:

Kathleen L. Fimple, Ph.D.
Academic Programs Officer

P.O. Box 95005
Lincoln, NE 68509-5005
402.471.0030
Kathleen.Fimple@nebraska.gov

Online students residing in Nevada may also file a complaint with:

Crystal Abba
Vice Chancellor for Academic & Student Affairs

2601 Enterprise Road
Reno, NV 89512
775.784.4901
crystal_abba@nshe.nevada.edu 

Online students residing in New Hampshire may also file a complaint with:

Michael D. Seidel
Director of the Division of Higher Education
Higher Education Commission

101 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301-3494
michael.seidel@doe.nh.gov

Online students residing in New Jersey may also file a complaint with:

Eric Taylor, Esq.
Director, Office of Licensure

20 W. State St., 4th FL
P.0. Box 542
Trenton, NJ 08625
609.984.3738
eric.taylor@oshe.nj.gov

Online students residing in New Mexico may also file a complaint with:

Jeneva iRosi
General Counsel

2044 Galisteo Street Suite 4
Santa Fe, NM 87505-2100
505.476.8402
Jeneva.LiRosi@state.nm.us 

Online students residing in New York may also file a complaint with:

Owen Donovan
Supervisor, Higher Education Programs

89 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234
518.474.1551
IHEauthorize@nysed.gov

Online students residing in North Carolina may also file a complaint with:

Terrence R. Scarborough, M.P.A.
Director of SARA-NC

P.O. Box 14103
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
919.549.8614, ext. 4660
tscarborough@ncseaa.edu

Online students residing in North Dakota may also file a complaint with:

Dr. Richard Rothaus
Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs

600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 215
Bismark, ND 58505-0230
701.328.4136
richard.rothaus@ndus.edu  

Online students residing in Ohio may also file a complaint with:

Matt Exline
Assistant Director of Program Approval Operations

25 South Front Street
Columbus, OH  43215
614.728.3095
mexline@regents.state.oh.us 

Online students residing in Oklahoma may also file a complaint with:

Daniel Archer
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

655 Research Parkway, Ste. 200
P.O. Box 108850
Oklahoma City, OK 73101-8850
405.225.9142
darcher@osrhe.edu

Online students residing in Oregon may also file a complaint with:

Sean Pollack
Program Administrator

255 Capitol Street NE
Salem, OR 97310
503.947.5925
sean.pollack@state.or.us  

Online students residing in Pennsylvania may also file a complaint with:

Gina Wetten
Higher Education Associate II
Department of Education

333 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17126
717.265.7723
giwetten@pa.gov

Online students residing in Rhode Island may also file a complaint with:

Paula Szulc
Associate Commissioner for Student Success

560 Jefferson Blvd.
Warwick, Rhode Island 02886-1304
401.736.1100
Paula.Szulc@riopc.edu

Online students residing in South Carolina may also file a complaint with:

Clay Barton

1122 Lady Street, Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201
803.737.7781
Cbarton@che.sc.gov

Online students residing in South Dakota may also file a complaint with:

Katie Hubbart
Academic Affairs Specialist
South Dakota SARA Coordinator

306 East Capitol Ave., Suite 200
Pierre, SD 57501
605.773.3455
Katie.Hubbart@sdbor.edu

Online students residing in Tennessee may also file a complaint with:

Julie Woodruff
Assistant Executive Director and Lead Attorney for DPSA

404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900
Nashville, TN 37243
615.253.8857
julie.woodruff@tn.gov

Online students residing in Texas may also file a complaint with:

Jessica Acton
Program Director, Academic Quality and Workforce

P.O. Box 12788
Austin, TX 78711
512.427.6214
jessica.acton@thecb.state.tx.us

Online students residing in Utah may also file a complaint with:

Cynthia “Cyd” Grua
Office of the Commissioner for Higher Education

Board of Regents Building, The Gateway
60 S 400 W
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
801.321.7152
cgrua@ushe.edu

Online students residing in Vermont may also file a complaint with:

Cassandra Ryan
School Finance Analyst

120 State St.
Montpelier, VT 05620
802.479.8545
Cassandra.Ryan@vermont.gov

Online students residing in Virginia may also file a complaint with:

Darlene Derricott
Director of Academic Services

101 N. 14th Street, 9th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
804.2252621
DarleneDerricott@schev.edu

If, after exhausting the Â鶹´«Ă˝ Student Complaint Process, Washington State online students are not satisfied with the resolution of their complaint, they may file a with:

The (SBCTC).  The SBCTC maintains a process to investigate complaints 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, (360) 704-4315 or visit .

Online students residing in West Virginia may also file a complaint with:

Mark Stotler
Director of Academic Programming

1018 Kanawha Blvd. East, Suite 700
Charleston, WV 25301
304.558.0262
mark.stotler@wvhepc.edu

Online students residing in Wisconsin may also file a complaint with:

Monique Currie
Policy Advisor

Wisconsin Technical College System Office
4622 University Ave., PO Box 7874
Madison, WI 53707-7874
608.266.2449
Monique.Currie@wtcsystem.edu 

Online students residing in Wyoming may also file a complaint with:

Larry Buchholtz
Fiscal Operations Team Manager
State of Wyoming

2300 Capitol Ave., 5th Floor, Suite B
Cheyenne, WY 82002
307.777.7068
larry.buchholtz@wyo.gov