Washington Administrative Code › Title 250 - Student Achievement Council › Chapter 250-61 - Regulations for Degree-Granting Institutions Act › Section 250-61-190 - Complaints

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
A student with a complaint against an authorized institution
				concerning loss of tuition and/or fees due to unfair or deceptive business
				practices or other violation of the standards for authorization detailed in the
				act and this chapter by the institution shall make a reasonable effort to
				resolve the complaint directly with the institution. If a mutually satisfactory
				solution cannot be reached, the following procedure shall be pursued:
(1) Upon receipt of a written complaint that
			 an institution has failed or is failing to comply with the provisions of the
			 act or this chapter, and documentation that the student has made a reasonable
			 effort to resolve the complaint directly with the institution, the executive
			 director shall notify the institution of the nature of the complaint and
			 request appropriate information and documentation relating to the specific
			 area(s) of the complaint.
(2)
			 Within five business days, the institution must either respond with the
			 requested information and documentation and a recommended resolution to the
			 complaint or acknowledge receipt of the request and provide a reasonable
			 estimate of the amount of time necessary to respond. If a recommended
			 resolution is acceptable to the complainant, the process is completed at this
			 point.
(3) If there is no
			 recommended resolution or the complainant is not satisfied with a recommended
			 resolution, the executive director will review the complaint to determine if
			 the complaint falls within the scope of authority of the council under the act
			 and this chapter and indicates a possible violation of the act and this
			 chapter.
(4) If a complaint is
			 found by council staff to be actionable, the council will negotiate with the
			 institution to find an appropriate resolution.
(5) Council staff will then issue a final
			 decision regarding the complaint and may require the institution to repay lost
			 tuition and fees to the student.
(6) If the institution is unsatisfied with
			 the final decision, the institution may request the council hold an
			 administrative hearing as provided in WAC
			 250-61-210.
(7) A complainant is not bound by the
			 council's determination of restitution and may pursue any other legal
			 remedy.
(8) Any complaints must be
			 filed within two years after the student's last recorded date of attendance in
			 order to be considered by the council, unless a school has discontinued all
			 Washington operations, in which case, complaints must be filed within one year
			 of discontinuance of all Washington operations. Only the student or the
			 student's legal guardian may file a complaint on behalf of the
			 student.
Statutory Authority:
				  RCW
				   28B.76.120 and
				  28B.85.020. 09-02-008, §
										250-61-190, filed 12/29/08,
				  effective 1/29/09. Statutory Authority: RCW  28B.80.370. 95-01-003, §
										250-61-190, filed 12/8/94,
				  effective 1/8/95; 86-24-003 (Order 7/86, Resolution No. 87-34), §
										250-61-190, filed
				  11/20/86.