Complaint Procedure

Complaint Procedure

Complaint procedures

We are committed to and strive to provide the best possible academic experience for all of our students. It is our mission to resolve any and all student complaints in a fair and prompt manner. The information contained on this page provides you with procedures you should follow if you have an academic or non-academic complaint. We ask that you exhaust all avenues of complaint resolution through the institution before involving an outside state or agency

Academic complaint procedure

In the event that you have a complaint about an online course, certificate, or degree program, we ask that the following procedures be followed:

• We ask that you follow the student grievance procedure outlined in the School of Health Professions Handbook and the handbook specific to your program. We ask that you attempt to resolve your issue with the lowest administrative level and work up through the administrative oversite ranks if the matter remains unresolved. If your complaint is academic, this means that you would first speak with your professor, then the program director, and then with the Dean's office of the school, as prescribed in the complaint procedure.
• If all campus-based procedures have been attempted, and the complaint has not been resolved, the student may complain directly to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
• If you are an out-of-state student and have a complaint you feel has not been resolved through these grievance procedures, you may file a complaint with the state in which you reside. In compliance with the Federal Department of Education regulations, we are providing this list of state agencies with contact information for each state: Student Complaint Information by State

Honor system

Upon enrollment at EVMS Online, you are subject to the provisions of the Honor System. Review the Honor Code to understand possible violations, reporting of violations, and all other matters related to the Honor Code. You will be asked to electronically acknowledge this Honor Code throughout your matriculation at scheduled intervals that include but are not limited to offer acceptance, registration, and orientation.

Non-academic complaint procedures

We encourage you to visit the Legal and Compliance website to locate and review more information regarding institutional legal and compliance policies. 

Harassment and Discrimination

Students who have experienced discrimination, harassment, or sexual harassment should read and follow the guidelines and complaint processes for Equal Opportunity and Title IX. 

While we would like the opportunity to address your formal Title IX Complaint, you are not required by law to file a complaint with us before filing a complaint with the US Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. Thus, if you have made a formal complaint and are unsatisfied with the institutions handling of that complaint, or you wish to make a complaint directly to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), you may call 800.421.3481 or use their online complaint process.

Reporting Compliance Concerns

Each individual has a personal responsibility to comply with applicable laws and regulations, and all policies and procedures, as well as to report any activity that appears to violate any applicable law or regulation. Potential areas of non-compliance include financial, research, education, or patient services. Residents and students engaged in institution-sponsored educational activities, regardless of the location, are subject to policies, procedures, regulations and compliance requirements.

PATIENT COMPLAINTS should be made to the Macon and Joan Brock EVMS Medical Group at Old Dominion University Privacy Line at 757.451.6298.

Other reports may be made first, to the appropriate supervisor, department head, or next higher level of management. Or, if that is not feasible;

To the Institutional Compliance, 757.446.6008 or by written or verbal report through the Ethics and Compliance Hotline: 1.800.461.9330 (anonymous reporting available).

EVMS will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, raises compliance questions or reports suspected compliance violations.

General issues that could warrant a complaint

While you are a student at EVMS or EVMS School of Health Professions it is unlikely you will encounter an issue that would warrant a formal complaint procedure. However, you are welcome to review examples of issues that could warrant a complaint as outlined by the state authorization reciprocity agreement (SARA) policies and standards. The following examples that may arise in regard to alleged fraudulent activity or more general complaints include but are not limited to:

• Veracity of recruitment and marketing materials
• Accuracy of job placement data
• Accuracy of information about tuition, fees and financial aid
• Complete and accurate admission requirements for courses and programs
• Accuracy of information about the institution’s accreditation and/or any programmatic/specialized accreditation held by the institution’s programs
• Accuracy of information about whether course work meets any relevant professional licensing requirements or the requirements of specialized accrediting bodies
• Accuracy of information about whether the institution’s course work will transfer to other institutions
• Operation of distance education programs consistent with practices expected by institutional accreditors (and, if applicable, programmatic/specialized accreditors) and/or the C‐RAC Guidelines for distance education.