Virginia Wesleyan University has a comprehensive set of policies, programs, and procedures for responding to student complaints. The Senior Vice President, or designee, is responsible for responding to student complaints and/or letters of concern from students and parents regarding matters of campus life. These complaints are maintained electronically by the Senior Vice President. The Vice President for Academic Affairs, in a similar manner, addresses questions and concerns regarding the academic program. Records of these complaints are maintained in the Vice President for Academic Affairs Office. In cases involving a staff member, and when the situation warrants, the Director of Human Resources will be informed and consulted, and records will be maintained accordingly.
The following VWU resources contain additional information on complaints and procedures.
Responses to complaints will be managed in a prompt and efficient manner and in a fashion that will best address the issue presented. In most cases, a response will be provided within seven days from the receipt of the concern.
In some cases, students may pursue the grade review process adopted by the Faculty Assembly, and that process shall begin with a letter written to the Vice President for Academic Affairs by the concerned student. Letters written by students may also become part of the information utilized by the Community Arbitration System for alleged violations of University regulations, and by the Honor Council in cases involving alleged infractions of the University’s Honor Code.
To register a complaint against Virginia Wesleyan University for any reason unrelated to accreditation, please contact the President’s Office at 757-455-3215 or by email at officeofthepresident@vwu.edu.
Once all institutional processes have been exhausted and the complaint has not been resolved, students may file a formal complaint with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). SCHEV can be contacted at 804.225.2600 or through the SCHEV Student Complaint Process at SCHEV.edu.
To file a complaint against Virginia Wesleyan University for alleged non-compliance with an accreditation standard or requirement, please consult Complaint Procedures against SACSCOC or its Accredited Institutions at SACS.org. Please note that the SACSCOC complaint process is not intended to be used to involve the Commission in disputes between individuals and member institutions or to cause the Commission to interpose itself as a reviewing authority in individual matters; nor does the policy allow the Commission to seek redress on an individual’s behalf.
The primary purpose of the SACSCOC complaint procedures is to acquire valuable information regarding an accredited institution’s possible non-compliance with accreditation standards, policies, and procedures. Normal inquiries about the University should be addressed directly to the University and not to SACSCOC.
Complaints against an Institution operating under NC-SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements) policies go first through the Institution’s own procedures for resolution of grievances. If a complaint is not resolved at the institutional level, the student may appeal to the institution's NC-SARA state portal entity as noted on the NC-SARA website.
The Virginia State Approving Agency (SAA), is the approving authority of education and training programs for Virginia. Our office investigates complaints of GI Bill beneficiaries. While most complaints should initially follow the school grievance policy, if the situation cannot be resolved at the school, the beneficiary should contact our office via email at saa@dvs.virginia.gov.