While students are encouraged to use the informal procedures described above, students may also initiate the Formal Complaint process, as outlined in the Complaints Policy in the Student Handbook/Catalog to resolve a complaint. All complaints are taken seriously. The procedure for handling complaints from current students encourages informal conciliation, facilitates early resolution, and maintains individual privacy and confidentiality. Please note that complaints regarding the sexual misconduct policy should be referred to the Title IX Coordinator at titleixcoordinator@usa.edu. Complaints related to academic dismissals or professional misconduct should follow the procedures outlined in the Student Handbook/Catalog.
Formal Complaint: The Formal Complaint process requires students to complete the Student Complaint Form located at MyUSA, Student Services, Complaints Policy, which the student submits to the Office of Student Affairs at usastudentaffairs@usa.edu. The Office of Student Affairs directs the complaint to the responsible party to investigate and attempts to resolve the complaint. The Office of Student Affairs provides a written summary of any resolution to the student, generally within 30 days after receipt of the written complaint.
Request for Reconsideration: The student may submit a request for reconsideration of the Office of Student Affairs’ decision, in writing to usastudentaffairs@usa.edu, within seven days after response to the formal complaint is issued to the student. Requests for reconsideration should be addressed to the President.
Requests for reconsideration are forwarded to the President or their designee. For purposes of a request for reconsideration, the President or designee reviews the existing record from the previous investigation. A request for reconsideration is granted only if the student can provide evidence that the Office of Student Affairs, or designee, did not follow the procedure as outlined in this policy or there is relevant and material evidence that, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, could not have been produced or was improperly excluded at the review of the initial decision. The President, or designee, provides a written response to the request for reconsideration to the student, generally within 30 days, at the conclusion of the process.
Confidentiality
All information submitted as part of a student complaint will be treated as confidential and will be available only to the appropriate/involved parties. The student should also respect the need for confidentiality throughout the complaint process. A student who submits a complaint should be aware that complete confidentiality cannot always be guaranteed if effective action is to be taken. USAHS accepts and endeavors to resolve anonymous complaints; however, anonymous complaints may make the matter harder to investigate and resolve.
No retaliation
No adverse action will be taken against a student as the result of the submission of a complaint through the USAHS complaint procedure. This protection against retaliation shall apply even if the findings of an investigation do not support the nature of the report, so long as the report was filed in good faith; however, students who knowingly file misleading or false reports or without a reasonable belief as to truth or accuracy, will not be protected by this policy.