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Distance Education Complaint Procedure

Distance Education Complaint Procedure

Complaint Resolution
The mission of Life University is to empower each student with the education, skills, and values needed for career success and life fulfillment based on a vitalistic philosophy. Life University takes all student and consumer complaints very seriously. The University works with students to resolve all complaints in an expeditious, fair, and pleasant manner. The complaint process provides students a path to discuss academic and non-academic concerns or register formal complaints or grievances. This process can also be used to address alleged violations of State consumer protection laws that include but are not limited to fraud and false advertising, alleged violations of State laws or rules relating to the licensure of post-secondary institutions, complaints relating to the quality of education, or other State or accreditation requirements. Post-secondary institutions participating in federal student financial aid programs are required to maintain formal grievance procedures. 

Students are encouraged to resolve issues within the University.
Complaints should first be filed internally to the appropriate Life University authority and then, if necessary, to external authorities.

Complaint Resolution related to Academic Matters
Concerning academic questions or complaints, the student should first go to the instructor involved. If questions are not satisfactorily handled or the complaint adequately handled, the student should go to the instructor’s immediate supervisor (the assistant dean/division chair). The next step in the student complaint process is for the student to go to the associate dean of the college in which the student is enrolled, and then to the dean of the appropriate college if needs are not satisfactorily met through the associate dean. If students wish to appeal the decision of the dean, they should contact the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will make the final decision.

Complaint Resolution related to Non-Academic Matters
Students with grievances relating to non-academic matters should confer with the Dean of Students. Dean of Students will facilitate a review of the issue as it relates to Life University policy. The role of the Dean of Students is to facilitate a resolution to each issue presented as well as ensure that each individual is treated fairly and in accordance with all Life University policies, procedures and standards of conduct. If a resolution cannot be achieved, the Dean of Students may refer the student to the appropriate department to determine what additional steps may be available.

Complaint Resolution related to Title IX
In keeping with its mission, Life University is dedicated to cultivating and maintaining an environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. Sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination is prohibited by federal law and by University policy. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities, including various forms of sexual misconduct and discrimination for failure to conform to sex-stereotypes. Title IX applies to every member of the Life University community. Anyone with a complaint of discrimination should contact the Title IX Coordinator, Leigh Parker in the Executive Office, by phone at: 770-426-2686 or by email at: leigh.parker@life.edu. 

Related Online Forms 

View Student Handbook here 


Complaint Resolution related to Distance Education
Life University participates with NC-SARA and is fully authorized to offer distance education. SARA consumer protection provisions require the Institution’s Home State, through its SARA Portal Entity, to investigate and resolve allegations of dishonest or fraudulent activity by the state’s SARA-participating institutions, including the provision of false or misleading information.

The student should begin the complaint process with the institution and if resolution is not found, the student may file a complaint with the State of Georgia by contacting the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission. 

Click here for NC-SARA Student Complaints Process Infographic

Listing of NC-SARA States


AlabamaMarylandOregon
AlaskaMichiganRhode Island
ArizonaMinnesotaSouth Carolina
ArkansasMississippiSouth Dakota
ColoradoMissouriTennessee
GeorgiaMontanaTexas
HawaiiNebraskaVermont
IdahoNevadaVirginia
IllinoisNorth CarolinaWashington
IndianaNorth DakotaWest Virginia
IowaNew HampshireWisconsin
KansasNew MexicoWyoming
LouisianaOhioWashington, DC
MaineOklahoma

Complaint Resolution by State
Students/consumers residing outside of Georgia in a Non-SARA state (not listed above) may file a complaint with the appropriate consumer protection agency in the state they live in.

Listing of  State Consumer Protection Offices


Complaint Resolution by Accreditor
If the student/consumer is not satisfied with the resolution provided by the University and the state, they may file a complaint with the University accreditation agency. Accrediting agencies will only review issues addressing significant non-compliance with agency standards, policies, or procedures. This is to be considered a last resort effort. If the student/consumer has not followed all of the preceding steps they will be directed by the agency to start at the University.

Life University has accreditation with the following agencies:

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
404.679.4501
https://sacscoc.org

Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE)
8049 North 85th Way
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-4321
480.443.8877
www.cce-usa.org

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training (CAATE)
6836 Austin Center Blvd., Suite 250
Austin, TX 78731-3193
512.733.9700
http://caate.net

United States Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html?src=rt