As prescribed by the Montana University System (MUS) Complaint Procedure, current and prospective students of the MUS are encouraged to first address complaints through the applicable institution’s complaint or review procedures.
At Helena College, the following procedures are in place:
- For general complaints, course complaints, or assignment grade disputes, refer to the Student Complaint Procedures in the Student Code of Conduct
- For concerns about safety, report an incident or concern.
- For concerns about discrimination or protected-class harassment, report an incident or concern.
- For concerns about privacy of student records, refer to FERPA Policy 300.2
Complaints that remain unresolved after engaging in the above-referenced processes may be further pursued in the following manners:
- An individual adversely affected by the final decision of the Dean/CEO may appeal the decision to the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Board of Regents pursuant to Board of Regents Policy 203.5.2.
- Complaints concerning broad institutional academic practices, such as those that raise issues regarding an institution's ability to meet accreditation standards, may be filed with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
- An unresolved program integrity complaint may be directed to the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education for review and referral to the appropriate agency, or for resolution (Board of Regents’ Policy 221).
- Complaints concerning consumer protection violations should be directed to the Montana Department of Justice Office of Consumer Protection.
- Individuals enrolled in an online or distance course with the Montana University System and residing outside of the State of Montana may also have an opportunity to utilize the complaint processes in their state of residence. See the list of information regarding the complaint processes of other states.
