Suggestions/Complaints
Longwood University is committed to providing ample means by which students can share their concerns and suggestions and formally issue a complaint or grievance. The following table includes links to academic and non-academic procedures that are to be used for issuing an appeal, grievance, or petition and claim of discrimination, misconduct, and sexual misconduct. Refer to the table of contents to locate referenced sections in catalogs or handbooks.
| Office Name/Type of Complaint | Link to Information |
|---|---|
| Academic Suspension Appeals | Petition of Academic Suspension Procedures |
| Bias Incidents | Bias Response Reporting Procedure |
| Complaints about Faculty, Teaching and/or Curriculum |
If you have any questions about filing a faculty, teaching and/or curriculum complaint, please use this link to find a list of academic departments and programs and contact the following people in this order until the complaint is resolved.
|
| Complaints about Longwood Students | Student Handbook – Filing of Disciplinary Charges |
| Complaints about Staff Members |
If you have complaints about a staff member, please use this link to find a list of offices and services and contact the following people in this order until the complaint is resolved.
|
| Counseling and Psychological Services | Counseling and Psychological Services Complaints Procedure |
| Disability Resources | Disability Resources Grievance Procedure |
| Grade Appeals | See Grade Appeals in the Undergraduate or Graduate Catalog |
| Graduate Student Academic Appeals | See Academic Regulations in the Graduate Catalog |
| Hazing/Abusive Behavior | Student Handbook – Filing of Disciplinary Charges and Notification of Hearing |
| Modification of Degree Requirements | Policy on Modification of General Education or Additional Degree Requirements & Procedure for Petitioning |
| Parking Appeals | Parking Citation Appeals Procedures |
| Residency/Domicile appeals | See Expenses and Financial Policy, Qualifying for Virginia Tuition Rates in the Undergraduate or Graduate Catalog |
| Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals | Satisfactory Academic Progress and Appeal Process |
| Student-Athlete Grievances and Appeals | Student-Athlete Handbook – Grievance Procedures |
| Sexual Misconduct Complaints | Sexual Misconduct Reporting Options |
| Student Conduct Decision Appeals | Student Handbook – Appeal Process |
| Student Records Disputes | Student Records and Annual Notification Policy 1007 |
| Tuition Appeals | Tuition Appeals Procedure |
| Tuition Surcharge Complaints | 125% Credit Hour Threshold/Appeals |
Ideally, complaints about any function of the university are handled directly by the involved faculty or staff member and his/her direct supervisor in a timely manner. In the occasion that a student fails to receive resolution, the email address of sasuggestionscomplaints@longwood.edu can be used to formally submit a written complaint. Within 24 working hours, confirmation of receipt and assurance of routing to the appropriate office(s) for review and response can be expected.
Please include the following within the email:
- An overview of the problem including dates and names of individuals involved
- Any description of action(s) taken thus far in an attempt to resolve the matter
- Any supporting documentation or correspondence to support the complaint
In summary, the sasuggestionscomplaints@longwood.edu address should NOT be used to submit complaints or grievances regarding the following, as there are specific procedures for these areas:
- Appeals related to academic suspension, damage, grades, parking, residency/domicile, satisfactory academic progress, student athlete policy, student conduct decisions, and tuition
- Complaints of discrimination; student misconduct including hazing; sexual misconduct
- Disability Resource grievances
Please see the Documentation of Written Student Complaints Policy 3411 and the Student Handbook for additional information regarding student complaints, appeals, and grievances.
Filing a Complaint with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
Longwood University accepts the oversight of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), the Commonwealth’s coordinating body for higher education, in resolving complaints from students taking distance education under the aegis of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). If a student has exhausted the avenues provided by Longwood and the complaint has not been resolved internally, the student can submit a Student Complaint Form to SCHEV. The form and more details on the formal SCHEV student complaint procedure can be found on the SCHEV Student Complaints web page.
Filing a Complaint in All Other States
If a distance learning student residing out-of-state while enrolled in a Longwood course has exhausted the student complaint avenues provided by Longwood and the complaint has not been resolved internally, the student can submit a complaint about Longwood University with the state in which the student resides.