Student Complaint Policy and Process
It is the policy of Sterling College to provide an effective and acceptable means for a student to bring problems or concerns to the attention of the institution for review and resolution. Institutional complaint procedures are recorded in the student handbook under Procedure for Addressing Complaints.
If you are not receiving a timely response from anyone on the list above, please contact the Director of Online Programs (wteufel@sterling.edu).
Academic Concerns
If you ever have concerns or complaints regarding Sterling College Online please address them in writing with the following people in this order:
- Your course instructor
- Your advisor (for many students, this is the registrar’s office)
- The department chair of the course in which you have a concern
- The Vice President of Academic Affairs
Other State Board Complaint Contacts
State Board of Education (Teacher Licensure)
785-296-3201
The appropriate Kansas State Board will review, investigate and resolve complaints. See the list at kansas.gov for additional relevant State of Kansas Agencies
State Consumer Protection Complaints
Complaints related to state consumer protection laws (for example: laws related to fraud or false advertising) shall be referred to the Consumer Protection division in the office of the Kansas Attorney General and shall be reviewed, investigated and resolved by that Unit:
http://ag.ks.gov/consumer-protection
Phone: 1-800-432-2310 or 785-296-3751
120 SW 10th Ave., 2nd Floor
Topeka, KS 66612)
Accreditation Standards Complaints
Allegations regarding noncompliance with accreditation standards, policies, and procedures may be sent to HLC, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604. The Commission’s complaint policy, procedure and the Complaint form may be found on their website at https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/complaints.html.
Unresolved Complaints
We sincerely hope that utilizing the list above will address any concerns that may arise. However, if you live outside Kansas and wish to file a complaint with your state, please consult the Kansas Board of Regents Complaint Form for SARA Institutions. This only applies to online students who reside outside of Kansas.