Student Complaints and Appeals


The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a large and dynamic multi-campus university. We know that occasionally students will face a challenge or matter that requires assistance or intervention from one or more campus offices or individuals. This website was created to assist students with finding the right people and procedures to get their questions answered and their concerns resolved.

At UCF, students are our most important constituents. They are also vital partners in ensuring the effectiveness of our institution and its learning environments. To promote appropriate communication between students and the many campus entities with which they interact, UCF has created a number of venues where students can share feedback with appropriate parties. Students are encouraged to pursue informal resolution to grievances whenever possible. In most cases, unless otherwise defined by university policy, this entails bringing the issue to the attention of the person or office where the concern arises. If dissatisfied with the response, the student may contact the appropriate area supervisor, director, department chair, or dean for resolution. If a grievance cannot be resolved through informal means, a student may file a formal written complaint.

The University of Central Florida considers grievances filed using the following university procedures to be formal written student complaints.

 

Academic Appeals

Academic appeals procedures are also published in the Undergraduate Catalog and the Graduate Catalog, except those pertaining specifically to MD student appeals or appeals related to UCF course sections of co-listed courses offered at the UCF Downtown campus.

Appeal Type Responsible UCF Unit Filing Information Posted Policy/Regulation
Academic Appeals – Undergraduate College of Undergraduate Studies Follow procedures listed in The Golden Rule Student Handbook, Section 4, Student Academic Appeals. UCF Regulation 5.016: Student Academic Appeals
Academic Appeals – Graduate College of Graduate Studies Follow procedures listed in The Golden Rule Student Handbook, Section 5, College of Graduate Studies: Student Academic Appeals or Appeals of Graduate Program Actions or Decisions UCF Regulation 5.016: Student Academic Appeals

UCF Regulation 5.017: Appeals of Graduate Program Actions or Decisions

Academic Appeals – College of Medicine College of Medicine Follow procedures listed in the College of Medicine M.D. Student Catalog under the “Grade Appeal” section UCF COM Policy 9.9.3: Grading Policy and Appeals Process
Academic Appeals – UCF Downtown Co-listed Courses UCF Downtown Follow procedures listed online at UCF Downtown Academics, under the “Co-Listed Courses” section Student Academic Appeals for UCF Students Enrolled in UCF Downtown Co-listed Courses
Academic Misconduct Appeals Office of Student Conduct Students found by the university to be “in violation” as a result of an academic misconduct hearing may appeal the finding(s) and sanction(s) imposed by the Director of the OSRR using the Academic Misconduct Appeal Form. UCF Regulation 5.015:
Student Academic Behavior Standards

 

Non-Academic Appeals

Appeal Type Responsible UCF Unit Filing Information Posted Policy/Regulation
Student and Student Organization Conduct Appeals Office of Student Conduct Students or student organizations found by the university to be “in violation” as a result of a student conduct hearing may appeal the finding(s) and sanction(s) imposed using the Student Conduct Appeal Form. UCF Regulation 5.010: Student Conduct Appeals

UCF Regulation 5.013: Organization Conduct Review Process; Sanctions; Appeals

UCF Online Eligibility Appeals UCF Online Students may appeal their ineligibility to change to a UCF Online academic plan by submitting a Petition Form to request converting to a UCF Online Program. UCF Online Student Guidelines
Housing and Residence Life Appeals Housing and Residence Life
  • Students Employed by UCF’s Housing and Residence Life who wish to appeal a termination should read the procedures in the UCF Housing Protocol Guide located on the Housing SharePoint site.
Community Living Guide: Student Conduct Appeal Process

Housing Agreement Terms

Parking Citation Appeals Parking and Transportation Services

Student Government Association
UCF Regulation 6.007: Traffic/Parking Regulation and Enforcement
Student Fee Appeals Student Account Services
  • Students who desire to appeal a Late Payment Fee and/or a Late Registration Fee may make their appeal to the Fee Appeals Committee by initiating a Fee Appeals Committee Petition.
  • Students taking undergraduate courses are assessed a surcharge when attempting a course for a third time or more. Guidelines and appeal filing information are available on the UCF Student Account Services “Third Attempt Fee Appeals” webpage.
UCF Regulation 4.019: Fee Policy – Payments, Refunds, and Release of Fee Liability
Student Financial Aid Appeals Office of Student Financial Assistance UCF Regulation 4.020: Student Financial Aid

 

Other Complaints

 

Complaint Type Responsible UCF Unit Filing Information Posted Policy/Regulation
Alleged Discrimination Grievances, including Title IX Office of Institutional Equity Discrimination grievance investigation procedures are provided in detail on the website of UCF’s Office of Institutional Equity. Individuals with concerns that they have been subjected to discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment and related interpersonal misconduct, should contact OIE. The Intake and Complaint Form can be used for this purpose. Additional resources are also available, including the following:

UCF Regulation 3.001: Nondiscrimination; Affirmative Action Programs

UCF Regulation 3.0134: Complaints and Grievances Alleging Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment or Retaliation

UCF Policy 2-004:  Nondiscrimination

UCF Policy 2-012: Title IX Grievance Policy

UCF Policy 2-014: Amorous Relationships Prohibition

UCF Policy 2-015: Reporting Requirements Related to Nondiscrimination

UCF Policy 2-016: Remedial Measures, Prevention, and Education Related to Nondiscrimination

Alleged FERPA Violations Registrar’s Office If you have concerns or believe your rights under FERPA may have been violated, please contact the Registrar’s Office by e-mailing registrar@ucf.edu with the subject line “FERPA Concern.” Student Rights to Privacy: FERPA
Alleged Misconduct by a UCF Employee, Contractor, or Agent University Compliance, Ethics, and Risk Office Students wanting to report potential misconduct by a UCF employee, contractor, or agent may file an anonymous report through UCF IntegrityLine at 855-877-6049 or the online reporting form. UCF Policy 2-700.1: Reporting Misconduct and Protection from Retaliation
Alleged Unprofessional Conduct or Misconduct by UCF Police Personnel Police Department Follow the detailed complaint resolution procedures including a Citizen Complaint/Concern Form on the UCF Police Department website. UCF Police Department Internal  Investigation and Discipline Procedures
Complaints regarding UCF Health Center Privacy Practices or HIPAA Compliance Student Health Services A written complaint may be submitted to the HIPAA Privacy Officer via the UCF Health Center HIPAA Privacy Request Form. UCF Student Health Services Notice of Privacy Practices
Complaints regarding University Libraries University Libraries The UCF Libraries Complaint Form should be used to file a complaint with University Libraries which includes the John C. Hitt Library, Curriculum Materials Center, Universal Orlando Foundation Library (Rosen), Addition Financial Downtown Campus Library and UCF Connect Libraries. UCF Libraries Complaint Procedure
Complaints regarding the College of Medicine Health Sciences Library Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library The Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library Feedback Form should be used to file a complaint with the Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library. UCF Health Sciences Library Complaint Procedure
College of Medicine Student Mistreatment College of Medicine Student Services The College of Medicine reporting process for student mistreatment is detailed on the COM Student Services website under Student Mistreatment. UCF COM Policy 3.6.1: Student Mistreatment
Complaints regarding UCF IT technology services UCF IT The UCF IT Complaint Form should be used to file a complaint with UCF IT services or any of the individual units of UCF IT. UCF IT Complaint Form
Complaints regarding Digital Learning reporting units:

  • Center for Distributed Learning
  • UCF Mobile Strategy
  • UCF Online (other than eligibility)
  • UCF Continuing Education
Division of Digital Learning (DDL) The Division of Digital Learning complaint form should be used to file a complaint for any of the operating units in the Division. UCF DDL Complaint Procedure
Indoor Air Quality Environmental Health and Safety Department Indoor Air Quality Concern Form UCF Policy 3-122: Campus Safety and Health Policy
Safety Concerns Environmental Health and Safety Department  Safety Concerns Form UCF Policy 3-122: Campus Safety and Health Policy

 

Special Circumstances

If the concern pertains to activity at a UCF Connect location, students should seek guidance from UCF Connect Administration on how to file a complaint.


Reporting a Student of Concern

To report a formal student conduct complaint, please utilize the appropriate reporting mechanism identified above. To report a student of concern, please use the Student of Concern Reporting Form. If the matter is urgent and it is after regular business hours, you may consult with the UCF Counseling Center Crisis Hot-line. If there is an imminent risk of harm or danger, please dial 911.

The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (OSRR) will take reasonable steps to maintain the privacy of those who complete a Student of Concern Report, if requested. If the circumstances don’t allow privacy to be maintained, this will be discussed with the person making the referral prior to disclosure to the student if possible. On occasion, due to the nature of the reported concern, the reporter may be evident to the student of concern.


Florida State University System Board of Governors Student Complaint Procedure

The University of Central Florida is one of twelve state universities that comprise the Florida State University System governed by a statewide Board of Governors (BOG). The BOG’s internal policy is to respect the processes each university has established to address student complaints and to require that students exhaust all appropriate internal university processes before seeking an external review. However, after a student has exhausted all internal university processes, provided there is no avenue for external appellate review by a court, the BOG’s complaint form may be completed and submitted by those students asserting noncompliance with state law or Board regulations. The complaint form is posted at http://www.flbog.edu/contact/.

The Florida Board of Governors State University System contact information is 200 West College Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32301. Phone: (850) 245-0466. Fax: (850) 245-9685.

The University of Central Florida supports the rights of students to file grievances, lodge complaints, and make appeals in a safe environment UCF has established reasonable complaint policies and procedures that are well-publicized and administered fairly. Unless otherwise redirected, these apply to all UCF students regardless of the physical location where a course is offered and includes those enrolled in online experiences.


Postsecondary Reciprocal Distance Education Council (FL-SARA PRDEC) Student Complaint Process

All student complaints and appeals must first follow the appropriate UCF procedure listed above and the Florida State University System procedure. If a UCF distance education student is not satisfied with the outcome of the institutional and the state process, a formal written complaint that the terms of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)–or of laws, standards or regulations incorporated by SARA–are being violated may be filed.

UCF students located in a SARA member state may file complaints with the FL-SARA PRDEC at FLSARAinfo@fldoe.org. Please visit the FL‐SARA Complaint Process page for more information. Resolution of the complaint by the Florida SARA PRDEC is final.

Whereas California is not currently a SARA member state, UCF students located there may file complaints with the institution and state agency complaint process listed above.


SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) Student Complaint Procedure

Students should first attempt to resolve their complaints through the appropriate process listed above. If not satisfied with the outcome, students may file a complaint with UCF’s institutional accreditor, SACSCOC.

For complaints that address significant, documented, alleged non-compliance with the SACSCOC accreditation standards, policies or procedures, complete the Commission’s Complaint Form and send two print copies to the President, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097. To access the Commission’s complaint policy, procedures, and the Complaint Form, please see Complaint Procedures Against the Commission or Its Accredited Institutions.

Please read the document carefully before submitting a complaint. The SACSCOC complaint process is not intended to be used to involve the Commission in disputes between individuals and member institutions or to cause the Commission to interpose itself as a reviewing authority in individual matters; nor does the policy allow the Commission to seek redress on an individual’s behalf. The primary purpose of the SACSCOC complaint procedure is to acquire valuable information regarding an accredited institution’s possible non-compliance with accreditation standards, policies and procedures rather than to resolve individual disputes. Complaints must be tied to specific standard numbers from The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement.


Resources

The following resources may also be useful to students seeking informal resolution to a particular concern:

UCF Colleges

Select UCF Administrative and Service Units

A UCF student who is unsure of who is responsible for handling his or her particular concern may contact one of the offices below for assistance with identifying the appropriate venue for seeking an informal or formal resolution: