SWIHA encourages students who have a concern to first seek to understand by speaking with the individual the concern is with. Staff has an open-door policy and makes every effort to be available for students, listen to concerns, and determine the best course of action for all involved. The student is encouraged to speak to the staff member’s direct supervisor if the concern cannot be rectified on an individual level or if the subject matter pertains to a specific policy, procedure, or concern in that supervisor’s department.
Should concerns not be addressed at a department level, SWIHA requests students attending classes on-campus or online to send documented concerns and complaints via email or postal mail to Brad Boute, Dean of Academic and Operational Compliance if the complaint has not been adequately addressed by the appropriate department. You may mail your concerns to 1538 E. Southern Ave., Tempe, AZ 85282. Concerns will be addressed within seven days from receipt of the written complaint. You may contact Student Services for current contact information on other SWIHA staff members.
If the complaint cannot be resolved after exhausting the institution’s grievance procedure, the student may file a complaint with the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education. The student must contact the State Board for further details. The State Board address is 1740 West Adams ST., Suite 3008, Phoenix, AZ 85007.
Distance Education students, who have completed the internal institutional grievance process and the applicable state grievance process, may appeal non-instructional complaints to the AZ SARA Council. For additional information on the complaint process, please visit the AZ SARA Complaint page: https://azsara.arizona.edu/complaints.
A student may consider contacting the SWIHA’s national accrediting body, The Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET) should they still feel their complaint has not been adequately addressed at the school or state level. The student has the right and is encouraged to submit a complaint to ACCET in writing via the online form on the ACCET website or by scanning the QE.
The online form will require the following information:- Name and location of the ACCET institution
- A detailed description of the alleged problem(s)
- The approximate date(s) that the problem(s) occurred
- The names and titles/positions of all persons involved in the problem(s), including faculty, staff, and/or other students
- What was previously done to resolve the complaint, along with evidence demonstrating that the institution’s complaint procedure was followed prior to contacting ACCET
- The name, email address, telephone number, and mailing address of the complainant. If the complainant specifically requests that anonymity be maintained, ACCET will not reveal his or her name to the institution involved
- The status of the complainant with the institution (e.g., current student, former student)
Please include copies of any relevant supporting documentation (e.g., student’s enrollment agreement, syllabus or course outline, correspondence between the student and the institution).
Note: Complainants will receive an acknowledgment of receipt within 15 business days.