Distance Learning Grievance Procedure
Palm Beach State College is committed to providing prompt and equitable resolutions to students' complaints in accordance with college policy, state statutes and federal regulations. If an in-state, out-of-state or prospective student believes their complaint has not been addressed satisfactorily after exhausting all available complaint procedures outlined by the College, they have the right to file an external complaint with the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), the College’s accreditation agency, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the Office of Civil Rights and, for distance education students, the FL‐SARA PRDEC Council:
- FLDOE: Contact the Division of Florida Colleges. Additional contact information is available at https://www.fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/fl-college-system/about-us/concerns-complaints.stml.
- SACSCOC: Should be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support the College's noncompliance with an accreditation requirement or standard. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500.
- A student may file a complaint of discrimination with the Office of Civil Rights at ocrcas.ed.gov.
Distance Education students, who have completed the applicable state grievance process and the internal PBSC institutional grievance process as described in the Student Handbook related to the subjects noted below, may appeal non‐instructional complaints to the FL-SARA PRDEC Council. For additional information on the complaint process, please visit the FL-SARA Complaint Process page.
- Academic Issues and Procedures
- Sexual Misconduct/Harassment Complaints
- Harassment/Discrimination Involving PBSC Personnel
- and the applicable state grievance process, as outlined above