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PLEASE NOTE: An institution of higher education’s Board of Trustees is responsible for establishing and enforcing the policies necessary for the management of the institution under its authority. Therefore, in accordance with Massachusetts Board of Higher Education policy and regulations, upon receipt of a complaint/inquiry concerning an institution, Board staff will refer the complaint/inquiry to the institution for clarification and response. The Board of Higher Education attempts to provide an avenue for informal resolution of matters concerning institutions and cannot require an institution to take any specific action in a matter. The Board cannot provide you with legal advice.

To initiate a complaint about a college or university operating in Massachusetts, please complete and submit the complaint form below, or download a copy of the form (PDF Word Document) to complete and return via mail or fax. If you have any questions regarding completing a form or on the status of a submitted complaint/inquiry, please contact the Department of Higher Education’s legal office at (617) 994-6963.

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Disclosures

You must agree to both sets of conditions below before submitting a complaint/inquiry to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education:

  • Confidentiality Statement — Under most circumstances, the text of your complaint/inquiry and the institution’s response will be considered public records, copies of which are available to any member of the public upon request. However, your name, address, phone number, and any other information that identifies you will not be disclosed. Furthermore, no part of your complaint/inquiry or the institution’s response will be provided in response to a request that asks specifically for a complaint/inquiry submitted by you.
  • Authorization & Waiver — By signing and submitting this form, I hereby acknowledge that I am authorizing the Department of Higher Education to transmit this complaint to the institution for its response and that I am giving the Department of Higher Education the authority to review any of my student or personnel records or other relevant documents that may constitute the institution’s response to this complaint. I hereby request and authorize representatives of the institution to disclose fully to the Board and Department of Higher Education, and their authorized representatives, all information and records relating to me that are relevant to my complaint/inquiry, including any personally-identifiable student education records which may pertain to the subject of the complaint. I waive any and all personal privileges which may attach to such information only to the extent necessary for the proper review of my complaint and the institution’s response by the Department of Higher Education and, if necessary after consultation with me and as required by 610 CMR 2.11(1), for Massachusetts institutions only, the Office of the Attorney General; otherwise, any such information shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed.

Do you agree to the Confidentiality Statement and the Authorization & Waiver above? If you do not agree, close your browser window, and your form data will be discarded.

Institution of Complaint
Complaint/Inquiry Detail
Have you discussed the matter directly with the institution?*
If yes, how did you contact the institution? (Check all that apply)
Have you contacted another agency about your complaint?*
Have you contacted an attorney about your complaint?*
Do you have documents you wish to submit to support the facts set forth in any of your responses in this form?

 

 

Student Complaints