Student Complaints
At Union Presbyterian Seminary, we strive to provide the best possible learning experience to all of our students, including our distance education and online students. We are committed to resolving student complaints in a fair and prompt manner. Should you have an academic or non-academic complaint, we ask that you pursue all avenues of complaint resolution within Union Presbyterian Seminary before going outside.
In the event that a student has a complaint about an online course, certificate, or degree program, we ask that the procedures in these policies be followed as outlined:
Community Grievance and Discipline Policy
The procedures for complaints are the same for all students including distant learning students. If a resolution has not been achieved, Union Presbyterian Seminary’s distance education/online students can contact the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia or contact the appropriate agency within their state.
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
Union Presbyterian Seminary works with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to resolve distance learning complaints from students receiving their education under the auspices of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA). Students who have been unable to resolve their complaint through Union Presbyterian Seminary’s policies and procedures can submit a student complaint form to SCHEV.
Filing a Complaint with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
State Authorization Unit for North Carolina
The State Authorization Unit of the University of North Carolina System Office serves as the official state entity to receive complaints concerning post-secondary institutions that are authorized to operate in North Carolina. If students are unable to resolve a complaint through the institution’s grievance procedures, they can review the Student Complaint Policy (PDF) and submit their complaint using the online complaint form at https://studentcomplaints.northcarolina.edu/form.
For more information contact:
North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 962-4550
To file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice, please visit The State Attorney General’s web page at: http://www.ncdoj.gov/complaint. North Carolina residents may call (877) 566-7226. Outside of North Carolina, please call (919) 716-6000. En Espanol (919) 716-0058. If you choose to mail a complaint, please use the following address:
Consumer Protection Division
Attorney General’s Office
Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001
Filing a Complaint from Other States
Out-of-state distance learning students who have been unable to resolve their complaint through the Union Presbyterian Seminary’s policies and procedures can submit a student complaint form to the state in which they live.
Filing a Complaint from Other States
If you believe the seminary is not in compliance with an accreditation standard, the accrediting agency can be contacted:
Union Presbyterian Seminary is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award master’s and doctoral degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Union Presbyterian Seminary may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling 404-679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, or call 404-679-4501, for questions about the accreditation of Union Presbyterian Seminary. The Commission directs schools to indicate that it is to be contacted only if there is concern that an institution is not in compliance with an accreditation requirement or standard.
Union Presbyterian Seminary is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of The Association of Theological Schools and is approved to offer the following degrees: Master of Arts in Christian Education, Master of Arts in Public Theology, Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Ministry. Union Presbyterian is approved for distance education and has an approved additional location in Charlotte, NC, that offers the Master of Arts in Christian Education, Master of Divinity, and the Doctor of Ministry. Questions about the accreditation status can be directed to the Commission at: The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, 10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275, USA. Telephone: 412-788-6505. Fax: 412-788-6510. The Commission can be contacted if there is a concern about an institution’s compliance with accreditation requirements or standards.
