Student Complaint Resolution | Montgomery College, Maryland

Montgomery College makes every effort to resolve student complaints internally, using policies and procedures outlined in the current Montgomery College catalog or Student Handbook. Students are expected to fully utilize any and all of the outlined administrative procedures to address concerns and/or complaints in as timely a manner as possible.

If you are unsure how to address a concern after consulting the guide below, please contact the Director of ADA Compliance and Title IX Coordinator.

Kristen Roe
Phone: 240-567-4279
Email: Kristen.roe@montgomerycollege.edu

If this is an emergency or you need immediate help, contact the Office of Public Safety or 911.

In general, students are encouraged to approach their faculty member first to resolve their complaint. If the complaint cannot be resolved by the faculty member, then the student should address their complaint to the Department Chair. If the complaint still cannot be resolved, the complaint will be escalated to the Dean. Attempting to resolve a complaint at these levels will help assure timely resolution of student complaints.

NOTE: Comments made by a student in a course evaluation are not considered as the starting point for any of the complaint processes below.

Grade Appeal:
Academic Regulations and Standards , Policy and Procedure #53001, Section 9.44, Disputed Final Course Grades

Academic Dishonesty Violations:
Student Code of Conduct , Policy and Procedure #42001, Section VIII, Academic Dishonesty

Academic Appeals:
Academic Regulations and Standards , Policy and Procedure #53001, Section 9.90, Petition and Appeals

Do you suspect wrongdoing or abuse in the administration or conduct of Montgomery College athletic programs and activities?
Do you have questions about the types of athletic concerns you may report or how to report?

Four Options for Reporting Athletic Concerns
All reports are confidential to the extent permitted by law.

Contact a coach or member of the Athletic Department with your concern where you believe violations of policies or procedures have occurred or if you have a concern about the College’s athletic programs and activities.

OR

If you are not comfortable contacting a coach or any member of the Athletic Department, contact Kristen Roe in the Office of Compliance, Risk, and Ethics: 240-567-4279 or AthleticConcerns@montgomerycollege.edu

OR

Call EthicsPoint: 844-572-2198
Visit Montgomery College EthicsPointnew window to complete an online reporting form

You also have the option of reporting anonymously through this method.

Contact Public Safety and Emergency Management on campus: 240-567-3333

For further guidance, consult College Policy 45005–Student Concerns About Athletic Programs and Activities.

For questions or guidance about Student Complaint Resolution, please visit Student Complaints website.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
Disability Support Services, Grievance Procedure

Sexual Misconduct and Gender-based Discrimination:
Title IX, Reporting to the College

Equal Education Opportunity and Non-Discrimination:
Equal Education Opportunity and Non-Discrimination, Policy and Procedure #41002, Section III, Discrimination Complaint Procedure.

Students may also report incidents of discrimination to the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights:

Office for Civil Rights
Philadelphia Office
U.S. Department of education
The Wanamaker Building
100 Penn Square East, Suite 515
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3323
Phone: 215-656-8541
Fax: 215-656-8605
Email: OCR.Philadelphia@ed.gov

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA):

Student Cumulative Records, Policy and Procedure #41003, Section III C, Right to a Hearing

US Department of Educationnew window, Student Privacy Policy Office

Montgomery College's Student Privacy (FERPA) webpage

Criminal Activity and Public Safety Concerns:

Complaints involving matters of a criminal nature should be directed to the Office of Public Safety:

Germantown Campus: 240-567-7777
Rockville Campus: 240-567-5111
Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus: 240-567-1600

Dial 7-3333 from any campus phone or 240-567-3333 to reach a campus public safety office.

Public health concerns can be directed to the following: publichealth@montgomerycollege.edunew window

Financial Aid Concerns:
Student Financial Aid Policy and Procedure, Policy and Procedure #43001, Section IV. B, Appeals

Registration Concerns:
Academic Regulations and Standards, Policy and Procedure #53001, Section 9.90, Petition and Appeals

Parking and Transportation Concerns:
Complaints involving parking or transportation issues should be directed to the Transportation and Parking Office.

Student Behavior Concerns:
For behaviors of concern refer to the Behavioral Intervention Team (B.I.T.)

For Student Code of Conduct violation appeals, refer to Student Code of Conduct, Policy and Procedure #42001.

Non-Academic Concerns:
For bias incident concerns, please complete a Student Concern Feedback Form. If this is an emergency or you need immediate help, contact the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management or 911.

For non-academic concerns, customer service complaints, or if your concern is not listed above, please complete a Student Concern Feedback Form.

Unresolved Issues

If an issue cannot be resolved by the College, a student may file a complaint with the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) (PDF, ) . The link above provides information on MHEC's complaint policies and procedures.

Maryland Higher Education Commission
6 North Liberty Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-767-3300 or 800-974-0208

Unresolved complaints may also be filed with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)new window , the College's regional accrediting agency, once all other avenues have been exhausted. The link above provides information on MSCHE's complaint policies and procedures.

Middle States Commission on Higher Education
3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor West
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: 267-284-5000
Email: info@msche.org

As an institution participating in Federal student aid programs, Montgomery College is required to comply with Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Further Title 34 CFR 668.43 (b) states:

"The institution must make available for review to any enrolled or prospective student upon request, a copy of the documents describing the institution’s accreditation and its State, Federal, or tribal approval or licensing. The institution must also provide its students or prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accreditor and with its State approval or licensing entity and any other relevant State official or agency that would appropriately handle a student’s complaint."

Student Grievance Process for Out-of-State Students

Montgomery College students who reside outside of Maryland and wish to file a grievance should follow Montgomery College’s established student grievance processes listed above. Complaints regarding student grades or conduct violations are governed by the institution and the laws of the state of Maryland. If the College’s grievance process has been exhausted and the student remains unsatisfied with the outcome, the complaint process for distance education is available at this link: MHEC SARA Complaint Process (PDF, ) . The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) serves as the State Portal Agency responsible for implementing the SARA, which includes ensuring that the complaint procedures for out-of-state students are available and implemented for students, as needed.