Complaint Procedures

Students enrolled in online courses and programs are able to follow the same procedure as on-campus students if a grievance with the University arises. The actual procedure will depend on the nature of the complaint, and must be submitted online via the student’s university email as described below.

General Student Information

Students should consult the Office of Student Affairs for general information regarding student issues, academic concerns, records, and filing complaints. Complaints should be sent in writing to deanofstudents@csu.edu.

Harassment/Discrimination

Students that believe they have been subject to discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment, should contact the Equal Employment Opportunity. To file a complaint or make a report, contact: Title IX Officer, (773) 995-3582.

Grade Issues

Students with concerns regarding faculty, staff, grades, advising, and other academic related issues should follow the appropriate department grievance procedure within each College. Typically students will be referred to:

  • Their instructor. If a student is dissatisfied with the results of that discussion, students should then contact:
    • The appropriate department chair.
    • If still dissatisfied, the student would be referred to a Student Relations Committee/College Grievance Committee.
    • If still dissatisfied, students may wish to contact their dean.

Students may not approach other offices of the university to address grade disputes. In very rare instances, an appeal may be made to Academic Affairs, but only after all college-level processes have been exhausted.

Students with concerns regarding faculty, staff, grades and other academic related issues should follow the appropriate department grievance procedure within each College. Typically students will be referred to:

  • Their instructor. If a student is dissatisfied with the results of that discussion, students should then contact:
  • The appropriate department chair. If still dissatisfied, the student would be referred to a Student Relations Committee/College Grievance Committee. Students may wish to contact:
  • Their dean, and then if necessary, contact the Provost.

Registration Issues, Records, Transcripts

Students with questions or concerns regarding registration should contact: CSU-Registrar@csu.edu

Financial Aid Issues

Students with questions or concerns regarding financial aid should contact: csu-finaid@csu.edu

Disability Issues

Concerns regarding access for individuals with disabilities should be referred to: Coordinator of Disability Services, nking23@csu.edu

Judicial Affairs Issues

The Director of Judicial Affairs is responsible for the enforcement of the Student Code of Conduct. Any student accused of violating the Student Code of Conduct has the right to a hearing before any final determination or sanctions are issued.

Judicial Affairs questions or concerns should be directed to dcato@csu.edu.

ITD Help Desk

The Office of Information Technology Division (ITD) is committed to create and maintain IT service delivery that drives innovation, to provide its faculty, staff, and students with an integrated, secured, and advanced technology infrastructure that is broadly-accessible to people who need it when they need it and where they need it.

The Help Desk provides the following services/support:

  • Student Administrative System Support
    • Cougar Connect
  • Access Remote Access and VPN
  • Provide Access to systems
  • Change Your Password
    • Password Reset (Email & Active Directory)
  • Policy and Account Information

ITD Services Contact Information

Course Management System (Moodle)

The Office of Online Instruction and Instructional Technology (OOIIT) is responsible for online learning at CSU; as such, it provides training to students on how to use Moodle, the learning management system (LMS) currently used by the university.

To contact the OOIIT: elearning@csu.edu

Library and Instruction Services (CSU Library)

The CSU Library offers reference services and much more. The contact information is as follows:

Anonymous Reporting

The University recognizes there may be instances when individuals will want to report anonymously regarding activities in violation of university policies, local, state and federal laws. The University has provided a means for anonymous reporting via a 24-Hour Hotline supported by University Police at (773) 821-2882.

State of Illinois and HLC Complaint Procedure

Chicago State University, as a participant in Title IV Federal Financial Aid under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, is required to direct students to the Illinois Board of Higher Education for assistance with unresolved complaints. Chicago State University also must make available to students or prospective students, upon request, a copy of the documents describing the institution’s accreditation and state authorization.

Students may contact the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) with complaints that were not resolved through the student complaint procedure described above by accessing the IBHE online complaint system.

Students may also file a complaint with Chicago State University’s accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, by following the HLC’s complaint procedure.

Complaint Resolution Process for SARA States

National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements

States operating under the State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) have agreed to allow their SARA state portal agency investigate and resolve any complaints that have not been resolved through an institution's own procedures for resolution of grievances. The SARA Complaint Resolution Process is taken directly from Section 4.2 of the NC-SARA State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements Policies and Standards.

Participating SARA States: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming.

Students from participating SARA states may contact the Illinois Board of Higher Education (the Illinois SARA portal agency) with complaints that were not resolved through the student complaint procedure described above by accessing the IBHE online complaint system at https://complaints.ibhe.org/

State Contact Information for Student Complaints

In addition to the above University procedures for addressing student grievances, the US Department of Education requires that each institution offering online programming provide contact information for students who wish to file complaints through their home state. States participating in SARA may file a complaint through the Complaint Resolution Process for SARA States listed above. Contact information for states not participating in the State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) can be found below.

*This list includes contact information for states not participating in the State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico and should not be construed as informative of the states in which Chicago State University is licensed or required to be licensed. States, through the relevant agencies or Attorney Generals Offices, will accept complaints regardless of whether an institution is required to be licensed in that state.

California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education

PO Box 980818

W. Sacramento, CA 95798-0818

Email: bppe@dca.ca.gov

Website

Connecticut Department of Higher Education

61 Woodland Street

Hartford, CT 06105-2326

Email: edinfo@ctohe.org


Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection

165 Capitol Avenue, Room 110

Hartford CT 06106

Email: trade.practices@ct.gov

Website

Consumer Complaint Hotline: 800.842.2649

Delaware Higher Education Office

Carvel State Office Building, 5th Floor

820 N. French StreetWilmington, DE 19801-3509

Email: dheo@doe.k12.de.us

Phone: 800.292.7935


Delaware Attorney General Consumer Protection Wilmington

820 N. French Street, 5th floor

Wilmington, DE 19801

Email: consumer.protection@state.de.us

District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Education Licensure Commission

810 First Street, NE, 9th Floor

Washington, DC 20002

Florida Commission on Independent Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400

Email: Commissioner@fldoe.org

Hawaii State Board of Education

PO Box 2360Honolulu, Hawaii 96804

Email: ocp@dcca.hawaii.gov

Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education

1024 Capital Center Dr., #320

Frankfort, KY 40601-7512


Kentucky Board of Proprietary Education

911 Leawood Drive

Frankfort, KY 40601-3319

Student Complaint Procedure

Office of Consumer Protection

1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 200

Frankfort, KY 40601

Tel: (502) 696-5389

Email: consumer.protection@ag.ky.gov

Maine Department of EducationComplaint Investigator

23 State House StationAugusta, ME 04333-0023

Phone: 207.624.6600

Maine Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division

6 State House StationAugusta, ME 04333

Website

Massachusetts Board of Higher Education

One Ashburton Place

Room 1401

Boston, MA 02108

New Jersey Commission on Higher Education

PO Box 542Trenton, NJ 08625

Website


New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development

1 John Fitch Plaza

PO Box 110

Trenton, NJ 08625-0110

Email : schoolapprovalunit@dol.state.nj.us

Conflict Resolution Questionnaire

New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs124 Halsey Street

Newark, New Jersey 07102

Website

New York Office of College and University Evaluation

New York State Education Department

5 North MezzanineAlbany, NY 12234

Email : ocueinfo@mail.nysed.gov

Student Complaint Procedures

New York Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision

New York State Education Department

99 Washington Avenue, Room 1613 OCP

Albany, New York 12234


Student Complaint Procedures

New York State Department of State Division of Consumer Protection Consumer Assistance Unit5 Empire State Plaza, Suite 2101

Albany, New York 12223-1556

Student Complaint Procedures

North Carolina Community College System Office of Proprietary Schools

200 West Jones St.Raleigh, North Carolina 27603

Complaint Procedures

North Carolina Consumer Protection Attorney General’s Office

Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

Website

Pennsylvania Department of Education

333 Market StreetHarrisburg, PA 17126-0333Phone: 717.783.6788

Office of Attorney General Bureau of Consumer Protection

14th Floor, Strawberry SquareHarrisburg, PA 17120

Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education

PO Box 1900San Juan, PR00910-1900

Phone: 787.641.7100

Puerto Rico Department of Justice

PO 9020192

San Juan, PR00902-0192

Commissioner of Higher Education

RI Office of Higher Education

80 Washington Street, Suite 524

Providence, RI 02903

Student Complaint Procedures

Rhode Island Department of Attorney General

Consumer Protection Unit

150 South Main Street

Providence, RI 02903

Website

South Carolina Commission on Higher Education

1333 Main Street, Suite 200

Columbia, SC 29201

Student Complaint Procedures

Utah Division of Consumer Protection

160 East 300 South

Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

Email : consumerprotection@utah.gov

Website

Wisconsin Educational Approval Board

30 W. Mifflin St., 9th Floor, PO Box 8696

Madison, WI 53708

Email : eabmail@eab.state.wi.us

Website