Your experience as a distance education student is very important to us. State and federal regulations are in place to protect your rights and ensure that your voice is heard, including a clear process for addressing student complaints. However, before you take any formal steps, we encourage you to reach out to us directly. Our goal is to intervene on your behalf, address your concerns, and resolve issues quickly and effectively, so you can continue to focus on your studies without disruption.
- If you are experiencing an issue in an online course or program and are not satisfied after attempting to resolve the issue yourself with an instructor, staff member, or other individual, IU Online would like to help. Please complete this IU Online: Report Your Concern form to bring your concerns to our attention. An IU Online staff member will respond promptly.
- Students may also choose to follow the grievance process found in the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct
- Students who have exhausted the Code’s grievance process may seek resolution outside of the university as follows:
- Indiana Resident: You can reach out to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) for help. Keep in mind, ICHE will not assist with issues related to grades, academic penalties, or disciplinary actions.
- Non-Indiana Residents: Indiana University is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), which simplifies student access to online courses across state lines while maintaining quality standards. If your complaint can't be resolved by IU, you can file it with your State Portal Entity for further assistance. For more details, check out the NC-SARA Student Complaint Process.
- California Residents: California is not an NC-SARA member state. California students can contact the California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). You can file a complaint online at www.dca.ca.gov or call the DCA’s Consumer Information Center at (833) 942-1120. The DCA will review your complaint and find the right agency to handle it. You can also reach out to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE). Email them at bppe.enforcement@dca.ca.gov, call (888) 370-7589 and press 3 when prompted, or send a letter to P.O. Box 980818, West Sacramento, CA 95798-0818.
- Military Service Members Veterans, Military Family: If you are an active military service member, a veteran, or a family member of a current military service member or a veteran, you may file your complaint with the Defense Department.
Grade Complaints
Students seeking a grade change or appeal must follow the grievance process as outlined in the Code.
Other Types of Complaints
Students with complaints that do not involve an online course or program should follow the grievance process as outlined in the Code.
IU Community Members
If you are a member of the IU community but not a current student and have a concern, you may submit your complaint to the Indiana University Compliance & Policy Office.
For questions or additional information, please contact:
IU Online Compliance
812.855.1017
iuocomp@iu.edu