Grievance Procedures

Hawthorn University seeks to provide a positive learning experience for all students and offers many resources to assist students in meeting their educational goals. In the event that there is a problem or complaint, students are requested to first contact the individual at the school with whom they have an issue. Additional information about the complaint process can be found in the catalog and Student Handbook. Matters that are unable to be resolved directly will be forwarded to Dr. Dorothy Germano, President, and Chief Academic Officer, for further review and hopefully resolution.

The following list is provided to assist you if you have not resolved your complaint or issue directly with Hawthorn University. You may then file a complaint with the appropriate agency in your state of residence:

State Lists and Agencies

Alabama
Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education – Office of Private School Licensing http://www.accs.cc/complaintform.aspx P.O. Box 302130, Montgomery, AL. 36130, 135 South Union Street, Montgomery, AL.

Alaska
Alaska Commission On Postsecondary Education, P.O. Box 110505, Juneau, Alaska 99811-0505. Phone: (907) 465-6741, Fax: (907) 465-5316.

State of Alaska Office of the Attorney General, 1031 W. 4th Ave., Suite 200, Anchorage, AK 99501-5903.

Arizona
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education,  1400 W. Washington Street, Room 260, Phoenix, AZ 85007. Phone: (602) 542-5709, Fax: (602) 542-1253.

Arkansas
Arkansas Department of Higher Education 114 East Capitol, Little Rock AR 72201

California
California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, 2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95833.  Phone: (916) 431-6924, Fax: (916) 263-1897 or www.bppe.ca.gov or (888) 370-7589.

Colorado
Colorado Department of Higher Education, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1600, Denver, Colorado 80202. Phone: (303) 866-2723, Fax: (303) 866-4266.

Connecticut
Connecticut Office of Higher Education, 61 Woodland Street, Hartford, CT 06105-2326. Phone: (860) 947-1800, Email: [email protected]

Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford CT 06106. Email:[email protected], Fax: (860) 707-1966.

Delaware
Delaware Higher Education Office, The Townsend Building, 401 Federal St., ste 2, Dover, DE 19901. Email:[email protected], Phone: Phone: (302) 735-4120 or (800) 292-7935, Fax: (302) 739-5894.

Delaware Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, Carvel State Office Bldg., 820 N. French Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. Email: [email protected], Fax: (302) 577-6499.

District of Columbia
Education Licensure Commission, District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education, 810 First Street, NE, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20002. Phone: (202) 727-6436.

Florida
Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education, 325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400. Email: [email protected], Fax: 850-245-3238.

Georgia
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, 2082 E. Exchange Pl. #220, Tucker, GA 30084-5334. Phone: (770) 414-3300, Fax: (770) 414-3309.

Hawaii
Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, P.O.Box 541, Honolulu, Hawaii 96809.

Idaho
Idaho State Board of Education,  Attn: State Coordinator for Private Colleges and Proprietary Schools, 650 West State Street, P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0037. Email: [email protected], Phone: (208) 332-1587, Fax (208) 334-2632.

Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, 954 W. Jefferson, 2nd Floor, P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0010.

Illinois
Illinois Board of Higher Education, 431 East Adams, 2nd Floor, Springfield, Illinois 62701-1404. Email:[email protected], Phone: (217) 557-7359.

Indiana
Indiana Commission for Higher Education, 101 West Ohio Street, Suite 550, Indianapolis, IN 46204-1984. Email: [email protected], Phone: (317) 464-4400 ext. 0.

Office of the Indiana Attorney General, Email: [email protected], Phone: (317) 232-6201.

Iowa
Iowa Student Aid Commission, 430 East Grand Ave, FL 3, Des Moines, IA 50309-1920. Phone: (515) 725-3400 or (877) 272-4456 for the Information Service Center, Fax: (515) 725-3401.

Kansas
Kansas Board of Regents, 1000 SW Jackson, Suite 520, Topeka, KS 66612-1368. Phone: (785) 296-3421.

Kentucky
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, 1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 320, Frankfort, KY 40601-7512.  Email: [email protected]

Louisiana
Office of the Attorney General, State of Louisiana, Consumer Protection Section, P.O. Box 94005, Baton Rouge, LA 70804. Phone: (800) 351-4889, Fax: (225) 326-6465.

Maine
Maine Department of Education, 23 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0023. Phone: (207) 624-6600, Fax: (207) 624-6700.

Attorney General’s Consumer Information and Mediation Service, 6 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333. Phone: (207) 626-8849 or (800) 436-2131, Email: [email protected]

Maryland
Complaints by Maryland residents against the University should be directed to: Maryland Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, 200 St. Paul St., Baltimore, MD 21202. (410) 528.8662 or (888) 743-0823 (toll free).

Massachusetts
Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, One Ashburton Place, Room 1401, Boston, MA 02108. Phone (617) 994-6950.

Michigan
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau, Enforcement Division, P.O. Box 30018, Lansing, MI 48909. Phone: (517) 241-9202.

Minnesota
Minnesota Office of Higher Education, Registration & Licensing, 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350, St. Paul, MN 55108-5227. Phone: (651) 259-3975 or (800) 657-3866, Email: [email protected]

Mississippi
The Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation (MCCA) states that complaints against out-of-state institutions not authorized by the MCCA should be directed to the authorizing/licensing agency in the institution’s home state. The MCCA is located at 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211-6453. Phone: (601) 432-6372, Fax: (601) 432-6225.

Mississippi Consumer Protection Division, Office of the Attorney General, P.O. Box 220, Jackson, Mississippi 39205. Phone: 601-359-3680.

Missouri
Missouri Department of Higher Education, 205 Jefferson Street, P.O. Box 1469, Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469. Phone: (573) 751-2361 or (800) 473-6757, Fax: (573) 751-6635, Email: [email protected]

Montana
Montana Board of Regents, Office of Commissioner of Higher Education, Montana University System, 2500 Broadway Street, P.O. Box 203201, Helena, MT 59620-3201.  Phone: (406) 444-6570.

Montana Department of Justice, Office of Consumer Protection, P.O. Box 200151, Helena, MT 59620-0151. Phone: (406) 444-4500 or (800) 481-6896, Email: [email protected]

Nebraska
Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, P.O. Box 95005, Lincoln, NE 68509-5005. Phone: (402) 471-2847.

Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, 2115 State Capitol, Lincoln, NE 68509. Phone: (800) 727-6432, Fax: (402) 471-3297, Email: [email protected]

Nevada
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education, 8778 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 115, Las Vegas, Nevada 89123. Phone: (702) 486-7330.

New Hampshire
New Hampshire Department of Education, Coordinator, Dispute Resolution and Constituent Complaints, 101 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301. Phone: (603) 271-2299, Email: [email protected]

New Jersey
New Jersey Commission on Higher Education, 20 West State Street, 4th floor, PO Box 542, Trenton, NJ 08625-0542. Phone: (609) 292-4310, Fax: (609) 292-7225

New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of One-Stop Coordination and Support, Office of Oversight and Compliance, Attn: Rosemarie E. Hufner – Supervisor, P.O. Box 055, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0055.

New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Division of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 45025, Newark, New Jersey 07101. Phone: (973) 504-6200 or (800)-242-5846, Email: [email protected]

New Mexico
New Mexico Higher Education Department, 2048 Galisteo, Santa Fe, NM 87505.

New York
New York Office of College and University Evaluation, New York State Education Department, EBA Room 969, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234.  Phone: (518) 474-1551, Email: [email protected]

North Carolina
North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints, c/o Assistant Director of Licensure and Workforce, University of North Carolina General Administration, 910 Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688. Phone:  (919) 962-4558.

North Dakota
Director of the North Dakota University System Online, North Dakota University System, 600 E Boulevard Ave Dept 215, Bismarck, ND 58505-0230. Phone: (701) 328-2960. Email: [email protected]

North Dakota Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, Gateway Professional Center, 1050 E. Interstate Ave. Suite 200, Bismarck, ND 58503-5574.
http://www.ag.state.nd.us/cpat/PDFFiles/SFN7418.pdf

Ohio
Ohio Board of Regents, 30 East Broad Street, 36th floor, Columbus, OH 43215-3414. Phone: (614) 387-1215.

Ohio Attorney General, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., 14th floor, Columbus, OH 43215-3400. Phone: (614) 4986 or (800) 282-0515.

Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, 655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73104. Phone: (405) 225‐9100.

Oregon
Oregon Office of Degree Authorization, 1500 Valley River Drive, Suite 100, Eugene, OR 97401. Phone: (541) 687‐7478.

Oregon Department of Justice, 1515 SW 5th Ave., Suite 410, Portland, Oregon 97201. Phone: (971) 673-1880.

Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Education, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333. Phone: 717.783.8228, Email: [email protected]

Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education, P.O. Box 1900, San Juan, PR 00910-1900. Phone: (787) 641-7100, ext. 2047.

Puerto Rico Department of Justice, P.O. Box 9020192, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902-0192.

Rhode Island
Commissioner for Higher Education, Shepard Building, 80 Washington Street, Providence, RI 02903. Phone: (401) 456-6000.

South Carolina
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, Academic Affairs and Licensing, 1122 Lady Street, Suite 300, Columbia, SC 29201. Phone (803) 737-2260.

South Dakota
South Dakota Board of Regents, 306 E. Capitol Ave, Suite 200, Pierre, SD 57501-2545. Phone: (605 773 3455. Email: [email protected]

South Dakota Office of Attorney General, Division of Consumer Protection, 1302 E Hwy 14 Suite 3, Pierre, SD 57501-8053. Phone: (605) 773-4400 or (800) 300-1986.

Tennessee
Tennessee Higher Education Commission, Division of Postsecondary School Authorization, Parkway Towers, Suite 1900, 404 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243-0830, Attn: Complaints.  Phone: (615) 741-5293.

Texas
Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools and Colleges, 101 East 15th Street, Room 226T, Austin, Texas 78778-0001. Phone: (512) 936-3100, Fax: (512) 936-3111.

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, College Readiness and Success Division, P.O. Box 12788, Austin, Texas 78711-2788. Phone: (512) 427-6101, Email: [email protected]

Utah
Utah Division of Consumer Protection, 160 East 300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. Phone: (801) 530-6601  or (800) 721-SAFE. Email: [email protected]

Vermont
Vermont Agency of Education, Legal Unit Administrator, 219 North Main Street, Suite 402, Barre, VT 05641. Phone: (802) 479-1111.

Virginia
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 101 N. 14TH St., 10TH FL, James Monroe Bldg., Richmond, VA 23219. Phone: (804) 371-2285.

Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands Department of Education, Office of the Commissioner, 1834 Kongens Gade, St. Thomas, V.I. 00802. Phone: (340) 774-0100, Fax (340) 779-7153, Email: [email protected]

Washington
Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, 128-10th Avenue SW, P.O. Box 43105, Olympia, WA 98504-3105. Phone: (360) 709-4642, Email: [email protected]

Washington State Office of the Attorney General, 1125 Washington Street SE, P.O. Box 40100, Olympia, WA 98504-0100. Phone: (360) 753-6200.

West Virginia
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, 1018 Kanawha Blvd E., Ste 700, Charleston, WV 25301-2800. Phone: (304) 558-2101, Fax: (304) 558-5719.

Wisconsin
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board, 201 West Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Madison, WI 53703. Phone: (608) 266-1996, Email: [email protected]

Wyoming
Wyoming Department of Education, 2300 Capitol Avenue, Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor, Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050. Phone: (307) 777-7675.

Wyoming Attorney General, 123 Capitol Building, 200 W. 24th Street, Cheyenne, WY 82002. Phone: (307) 777-5833 or (800) 438-5799.