Consumer Information

Consumer Information

Student Complaints & State Authorization

Emmaus University is committed to providing students with a clear process for addressing concerns and resolving complaints. Students are encouraged to first seek resolution through the University's established internal procedures.

The information below provides the appropriate steps for submitting an institutional complaint and, when applicable, pursuing a complaint through the State of Iowa or the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA).

Step 1

Emmaus University Student Concerns and Formal Complaint Process

Students should first attempt to resolve concerns informally with the faculty member, staff member, or other individual involved.

If the concern cannot be resolved through informal discussion, the student may pursue the matter through Emmaus University's Student Concerns Procedure and, when appropriate, submit a formal written complaint.

Formal complaints should be directed to the appropriate University administrator based on the nature of the concern:

Type of Complaint

University Office

Academic Issues

Vice President for Academic Affairs

Financial or Operational Issues

Vice President for Finance and Administration

Student Life Issues

Vice President for Student Life

Philosophical Issues

President

Accreditation Concern

Institutional Effectiveness

Students should consult the applicable Emmaus University Student Handbook and Academic Catalog for additional information concerning the Student Concerns Procedure and other applicable grievance or appeal procedures.

Students are expected to complete the University's applicable internal complaint or grievance process before pursuing an external complaint.

Step 2

State of Iowa Student Complaint Process

Emmaus University is located in Iowa. Students who have completed the University's internal complaint process and believe their complaint remains unresolved may review the complaint procedures established by the Iowa Department of Education.

Iowa Department of Education — Higher Education Student Complaints  —  https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/student-complaints

Students should review the Iowa Department of Education's requirements to determine whether a complaint falls within the Department's jurisdiction and what documentation is required.

Step 3

SARA Student Complaints

Emmaus University participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) for interstate distance education.

Students enrolled in distance education under SARA must first complete Emmaus University's internal complaint process.

For complaints covered by SARA that remain unresolved after completion of the University's internal process, students may review the SARA complaint process and contact the appropriate SARA State Portal Entity.

Because Iowa is Emmaus University's home state, the Iowa SARA State Portal Entity is responsible for receiving eligible SARA complaints involving Emmaus University in accordance with SARA policy.

NC-SARA Student Complaint Information  —  https://nc-sara.org/sara-student-complaints-0/

Iowa Higher Education Student Complaints  —  https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/student-complaints

State Portal Entity Information

Students may use the NC-SARA State Portal Entity Directory to locate current SARA contacts and information for participating states.

NC-SARA State Portal Entity Contacts  —  https://nc-sara.org/state-portal-entity-contacts/

Please note: For a SARA-covered complaint against Emmaus University, an out-of-state student's state of residence is not automatically the state responsible for resolving the SARA complaint. Emmaus University's home state is Iowa, and eligible unresolved SARA complaints involving Emmaus are handled through the applicable Iowa SARA complaint process.

State Authorization Information

Students seeking additional information regarding state authorization requirements and state-specific regulatory information may consult the NC-SARA State Authorization Guide.

NC-SARA State Authorization Guide  —  https://nc-sara.org/guide/state-authorization-guide/

Additional University Resources

Students should also consult the appropriate University publication for procedures applicable to specific types of concerns, including:

  • Emmaus University Academic Catalog
  • EU Global Campus Academic Catalog
  • Student Handbook
  • EU Global Campus Student Handbook

Specific academic matters, such as grade appeals, may be governed by separate University procedures and should be pursued through the applicable policy.