Complaints

Decorative Image of Person typing on keyboardThe Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE or the Commission) provides opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and members of the public to submit a number of different types of complaints:

  1. Complaints Involving Applicant or Member Institutions
  2. Third-Party Comments for Institutions Under Review
  3. Whistleblower Complaints (involving wrongful conduct of Commission representatives while in their service to the Commission)
  4. Complaints Against the Commission (involving the Commission’s compliance with its own policies and procedures or requirements for federal recognition).

Please select the appropriate button below to find more information about each type of complaint, the corresponding policy, and applicable submission form.

Special process considerations will be made for incarcerated individuals and individuals with web accessibility needs. For more information, please select the Special Process Considerations button below.

Update: Our Complaints and Third-Party Comments Form has recently been updated. If you experience technical difficulties or have questions, please contact [email protected].

Complaints

The Commission accepts complaints involving an applicant or member institution’s compliance with the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation, Requirements of Affiliation, Commission policies and procedures, or the institution’s own policies and procedures.

To submit a complaint, please use the Complaint form. All documentation must be submitted in English and in PDF format.

For further information, consult the Commission’s Complaints Involving Applicant and Member Institutions Policy and Procedures.

Submit a Complaint

Third-Party Comments

The Commission accepts comments from all interested individuals about the quality of an applicant or member institution when the institution is approaching a scheduled accreditation review. Third-party comments are intended to be an opportunity for individuals to offer more generalized information that is not necessarily specific to individual circumstances.

To identify institutions that are currently engaged in a scheduled review, please visit the following pages:

To submit a third-party comment, please use the Third-Party Comment form. Documentation is not required; however, if you choose to attach documents, all documentation must be submitted in English and in PDF format.

For further information, consult the Commission’s Third-Party Comments for Institutions Under Review Policy and Procedures.

Submit a Third-Party Comment

Complaints Against the Commission

The Commission accepts complaints about the Commission’s compliance with its own policies and procedures or federal regulations.

Complaints Against the Commission do not require submission of a particular form. Instead, Complaints Against the Commission must (1) be submitted in writing to the President of the Commission, via [email protected], (2) state clearly the nature of the complaint including the relevant facts and circumstances, and (3) be signed.

For further information, consult the Commission’s Complaints Against the Commission Policy.

Whistleblower Complaints

The Commission accepts whistleblower complaints involving wrongful conduct of Commission representatives while engaged in their service to the Commission.

Please note that the whistleblower complaint process should only be utilized when the wrongful conduct involves a representative acting on behalf of the Commission and in their service to the Commission. Many Commission representatives also work for institutions or other entities. The whistleblower complaint process should not be used for any complaint against a Commission representative when the Commission representative is acting in their role with another institution or entity. If you have a complaint involving an institution, please utilize the Complaints Involving Applicant and Member Institutions form, and if you have a Complaint against the Commission or Commission staff, please utilize the Complaints Against the Commission process.

To submit a whistleblower complaint, please complete the Whistleblower Complaint form and email the completed form to [email protected].

For further information, consult the Commission’s Whistleblower Policy and Procedures.

Submit a Whistleblower Complaint

Special Process Considerations

If you are representing or are an incarcerated individual or an individual with web accessibility needs, we understand that access to a computer may be limited or restricted. In that case, please mail the complaint and supporting material to the following address: 

Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Attn: Complaints
1007 North Orange Street
4th Floor, MB #166
Wilmington, DE 19801