Student Complaints Process
1. Academic Appeals or Non-Academic Complaints
Students who desire to file academic appeals related to their program must follow the appeal procedures outlined in the applicable Doctor of Medicine or Health Professions Student Handbooks. For non-academic complaints, students should refer to the Student Non-Academic Complaint and Formal Grievance Policy. Students should report non-academic complaints using the Concerns in the Learning Environment Reporting Form.
2. Compliance Complaints
EVMS has a Compliance Program whereby all members of the EVMS community (students, faculty, staff, visitors, Board members, etc.) may report ethics and compliance concerns such as violation of laws, regulations, EVMS policies, discrimination or harassment, and student or employee mistreatment. The Compliance Program is administered by the EVMS Office of Institutional Compliance. Complaints may be made to the EVMS Office of Institutional Compliance by phone at 757.446.6008, or by written or verbal report through the EVMS Ethics and Compliance Hotline: 1.800.461.9330 (anonymous reporting available). If the issue is related to patient services, complaints may be made to the EVMS Privacy Line, 757.451.6298. For more information about EVMS and EVMS Medical Group Compliance Programs, please see the EVMS Compliance Programs/Reporting web page or view the Compliance Reporting/Anti-Retaliation Policy.
3. State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)
SCHEV is the regulating body for all Virginia institutions of higher education. Once a student has exhausted all available grievance options for a complaint, a complaint can be filed with SCHEV, who will investigate all matters that fall within SCHEV’s authority. For more information, please see the SCHEV student complaints web page.
SCHEV also oversees the participation of eligible Virginia institutions in the State Authorization for Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), which establishes national standards for postsecondary distance education courses and programs. Student complaints related to distance education first go through the EVMS procedures outlined above. If a student is not satisfied with the institutional process, the complaint may be appealed:
- For students from SARA states. EVMS is a participant in SARA and accepts the authority of SCHEV in resolving complaints made by distance education students from SARA states. Students may, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, appeal to SCHEV. Note, however, that complaints regarding student grades or student conduct violations are governed entirely by institutional policy and the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The resolution of the complaint by SCHEV will be final. For more information about filing a complaint with SCHEV, please see the SCHEV student complaints web page.
- For students from non-SARA member states. Students residing in California, a non-SARA member state, may file a formal complaint with their home state by using this form.