Alabama Community College System State Student Complaint Process

In 2015, the Alabama Legislature granted oversight of the state’s public two-year institutions of higher education, collectively known as the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), to the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees. The Legislature further directed the Board to delegate authority to the System’s Chancellor for managing and operating the community and technical colleges. The Chancellor is supported in these duties by the staff of the System Office, formerly known as the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education.

Consumer and student complaints that are not resolved at the institutional level may be reviewed at the state level by the ACCS System Office.

ACCS is committed to supporting its member institutions and ensuring a high-quality educational experience for all students. The goal of the state student complaint process is to ensure that student concerns and complaints are addressed fairly and resolved promptly. Each institution within the Alabama Community College System is required to have its own procedures for addressing student grievances and complaints. Students must fully exhaust their institution’s official complaint/grievance process before escalating their complaint to the ACCS System Office.

Filing a Complaint with the Alabama Community College System

Students may file a consumer or student complaint with the Alabama Community College System by following these steps:

1. Exhaust Institutional Processes: Before filing a complaint with ACCS, students must first complete all available grievance and complaint procedures at their institution.
2. Submit an Official Complaint: If the complaint remains unresolved, the student may submit an appeal by completing the online ACCS Student Complaint Form.
3. Investigation: The Division of Student Success will review and investigate the complaint.
4. Institutional Response: The institution involved in the complaint has 15 days to provide a written response to any concerns raised during the investigation. The response may or may not include a resolution.
5. Adjudication: The Division of Student Success will review all information and issue a determination within 30 business days of receiving the complaint. A written report or letter will be provided to both the student and the institution, detailing any required corrective action or confirming that no policy violations were found.
6. Corrective Action (if necessary): If corrective action is required, the institution will have 30 days to comply or submit a plan for compliance.
7. Monitoring Compliance: The ACCS System Office will monitor the institution to ensure corrective action is completed.
8. Final Decision: The decision made by ACCS is final and cannot be appealed.

If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact the Alabama Community College System Office.