Edward Waters University

State Authorization-related Student Complaint and Grievance Process

State Authorization

Edward Waters University (EWU) participates in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and the Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (FL-SARA) as an SACSCOC-accredited private, nonprofit institution.

Student Complaint Process

Edward Waters University (EWU) publishes appropriate and clear policies and procedures for addressing written student complaints. Known as the Grievance Process, this institutionally approved policy applies to both on-campus, distance-learning students, and is easily accessible as the process is published in the Student Handbook and the University Catalog, which are available on the University website. In addition, all new students participate in an Orientation Program where they receive an overview of the Student Handbook and University Catalog and they are instructed on how to access these documents on the University’s website. Further, EWU maintains records of student complaints and is able to make those records available to NC-SARA upon request.

Definition of Student Complaints

EWU recognizes written student complaints as a grievance. A student written complaint is defined as a documented expression of academic or non-academic grievance by a student or a group of students. The Grievance Process is decentralized between the Division of Academic Affairs and the Division of Student Success and Engagement. The Grievance Process applies to both on-campus and distance learning students and is published in the Student Handbook, the University Catalog, and is available on the EWU website. If the Grievance is academic, the process starts according to the information provided in the University Catalog, and ultimately handled by the Provost and Senior Vice President or designee (Associate Provost) in the Division of Academic Affairs. If the Grievance is non-academic, the process starts according to the information provided in the Student Handbook Hi] and handled by the Vice President or designee (Associate Vice President/Dean of Students) in the Division of Student Success and Engagement.

In the event the student feels the complaint was not managed properly by the institution, the student may submit his or her complaint to the following state contact:

Office of Articulation
Department of Education
articulation@fldoe.org
850-245-0427

OUT OF STATE DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENTS:

Complaint process for out-of-state distance education students participating under SARA Distance Education students, who have completed the internal institutional grievance process, and the applicable state grievance process, may appeal non-instructional complaints to the FLSARA PRDEC Council at FLSARAinfo@fldoe.org.

For additional information on the complaint process, please visit the FLSARA Complaint Process page.