Student Complaints

The Dean of Students Office is committed to providing students with information and referrals to processes that they can use to address their concerns.

MSU Denver is committed to providing an exceptional educational experience that is transparent, efficient, stimulating, and fair. Current or prospective students enrolled in distance/online programs should follow MSU Denver’s student complaint procedures or contact Student Contact Resolution Services to have issues resolved in an expeditious, fair, and amicable manner. Distance/online students may complete these procedures via telephone, internet video conferencing, or email.

For the President’s Policy Statement pertaining to student complaints, please see the Student Complaints Statement in the University Policy Library.

In compliance with U.S. Congressional House Rule (HR) 668.43 (b) and U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) rules, MSU Denver must “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.”

MSU Denver is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If after following the MSU Denver complaint procedures a resolution has not been reached, a complaint may be filed with external entities based on the student’s state of residence.

The Colorado Department of Higher Education offers a landing page for filing complaints.

Colorado Residents:

1. Colorado Department of Higher Education, listed in the Directory of State Authorization Agencies and Lead Contacts (list made available through SHEEO). Resolution of the complaint by the Colorado Department of Higher Education is final.
   • Heather Delange
     Director, Office of Private Post-Secondary Education
     Colorado Department of Higher Education
     1600 Broadway, Suite 2200
     Denver, CO 80202
     [email protected]
2. If all other avenues provided have been exhausted, unresolved complaints may be filed with the Higher Learning Commission, the University’s accreditor. MSU Denver’s accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission.
   • Higher Learning Commission
     230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
     Chicago, IL 60604
     Telephone: 800-621-7440
     [email protected]
     www.hlcommission.org

Non-Colorado Residents:

1. Students living outside Colorado but within *SARA member states submit complaints through the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE). Determine a state’s SARA membership status, then find CDHE in the Directory of State Authorization Agencies and Lead Contacts (list made available through SHEEO).
2. Students living outside Colorado within *non-SARA member states submit complaints through the agency within the student’s state of residence. Determine a state’s SARA membership status, then find the agency in the Directory of State Authorization Agencies and Lead Contacts (list made available through SHEEO).

*SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements) is a national initiative which establishes distance/online education standards so that colleges and universities may offer courses and programs across state lines. See how MSU Denver participates in State Authorization.