Student Complaint Process and TTC Fees and Refunds

Subject:  Uniform Procedures for Student Complaints Related to Accreditation or Regarding Violations of State Law Not Resolved at the Institution

Students or prospective students who wish to file a complaint related to accreditation or regarding violations of state law not resolved at the institution may submit a Student Complaint Form to the Tennessee Board of Regents at 1415 Murfreesboro Road, Suite 340, Nashville Tennessee 37217, or by going on line and filing out the form electronically at http://www.tbr.edu/contact/default.aspx?id=2936. Under Tennessee’s open records law, all or parts of complaints will generally be available for review upon request from a member of the public.

Complaints regarding accreditation can also be made by contacting the Council on Occupational Education, 7840 Roswell Road, Suite 325, Atlanta, Georgia 30350, telephone: 1-800-917-2081 (www.council.org).

Complaints of fraud, waste or abuse may be made by email at reportfraud@tbr.edu or by calling the Tennessee Comptroller’s Hotline for Fraud, Waste and Abuse at 1-800-232-5454. 

Guideline TTC 023  

Subject:  Uniform Procedures for Complaints by Students at Tennessee Technology Centers 

The purpose of this guideline is to provide a procedure through which students of the Tennessee Technology Centers may submit a complaint if the student has a concern regarding a situation or condition at the TTC and the student believes he/she has been treated unfairly or inequitably.

I. Limitations on Scope and Use of Process 

Allegations of sexual or racial harassment or discrimination shall be processed in accordance with TBR Guideline P-080, Discrimination & Harassment - Complaint & Investigation Procedure.  Grade appeals should comply with the appropriate grade appeal process.  Matters regarding student discipline are processed in accordance with the student disciplinary policies and rules found at TBR Policy 3:02:00:01, General Regulations on Student Conduct and Disciplinary Sanctions, Policy 3:02:01:00, Student Due Process Procedures, and Rule 0240-3-21-.01, et. seq., of the rules published by the Tennessee Secretary of State.  Students should also consult the student handbook.  Appeals of traffic or parking citations should  be processed as specified by each institution.

In order to resolve concerns in a timely manner, complaints must be presented within ten (10) school days after the occurrence of the event claimed to have given rise to the complaint.  Any complaint not presented within the time provided will not be considered.

II. Process

It is the philosophy of the TTCs that many complaints can be resolved through open and clear communication, and should be resolved at the lowest level possible.  Therefore, the student should first discuss the complaint with the instructor, administrator or student involved in the matter in an attempt to resolve the concern.

If the concern cannot be resolved through informal discussion, the student may file a written complaint with the office of (Student Services).  The (Student Services Coordinator) will meet with the student, investigate the complaint, consult other TTC personnel or students as needed, determine an appropriate resolution, and notify the student, in writing, of the outcome.

If the student is not satisfied with how the (Student Services Coordinator) attempted to resolve the issue, the student may appeal to the Director within five (5) school days of receipt of the (Students Services Coordinator’s) letter.  The Director may discuss the matter with the student and the (Student Services Coordinator), and any other personnel he/she feels appropriate.  The Director will provide a written decision to the student within five (5) days of receipt of the appeal.  The Director’s decision will be final.

Guideline No. TTC-080 

Subject:  TTC Fees and Refunds

This guideline compliments and implements provisions of Guideline B-060 (Fees, Charges and Refunds), relative to the TTCs.  All provisions of B-060 shall otherwise remain in effect for the TTCs.  The purpose of the following provisions is to ensure uniform administration of fees and refunds at the TTCs, and to establish related procedures between the TTCs and Lead Institutions.

I. FEE ASSESSMENT

The amount of fees assessed to a student should be determined by an individual other than the one who collects the fees.  Fees assessed shall be in accordance with the current Fee Schedule approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents.  Fee schedules shall be made readily available to students and prospective students through the use of bulletin boards, advertisements and school publications.  The fee assessment shall be as follows:

A. Regular Students – All students, whether residents or non-residents, shall pay the appropriate fees based upon the number of hours the student is scheduled to attend in the term. Students who enroll concurrently in two or more programs/classes will be assessed fees appropriate to the number of hours scheduled to attend in each program/class.

B. Secondary Students (Public Schools) – The TTC will negotiate the appropriate fees with each local public school system for secondary students enrolling at the TTC.

C. Secondary Students (Non-Public Schools) – Students enrolled in state-recognized home schools or private schools will be assessed fees in accordance with the current fee schedule.

D. Special Industry Students – Students shall not be individually assessed fees for special industry training.   All charges will be made to the receiving industry(s) and shall be credited to the school’s appropriate Grants and Contracts revenue account.

II. FEE COLLECTIONS

A. Payment of Fees

Before any student is counted as enrolled, fees must be paid.  Maintenance fees may be waived only in accordance with TBR Guideline B-060.  After a student has properly completed the enrollment form and has been approved for the courses designated on the form, the amount of applicable fees will be determined according to the fee schedule.  Fees shall be paid according to provisions provided in Policy No. 4:01:03:00 with the students being furnished a pre-numbered receipt.

B. Depositing of Fees

After payments for fees are made, the individual collecting the fees will prepare a report of students’ names and fees collected at the end of the collection period and present the report and fees to the assigned individual in the school’s business office.  The assigned individual in the business office shall accept the fees and sign report verifying the accuracy of the count.  The individual collecting the fees shall receive a copy of the verified report as a receipt.  Fee collections shall be deposited in accordance with TBR Policy 4:01:01:10 by the TTC staff into the local depository account established for the TTC.  A copy of the report detailing student names and fees collected, accompanied by a copy of the deposit slip shall be transmitted to the business office of the Lead Institution.

C. Bad Check Collections

A student paying enrollment fees with a check that is dishonored must redeem the check within ten (10) calendar days from receipt of the notice. Notice should be sent by the technology center to the student no more than three (3) working days from receipt of notice of a bad check from the bank. Notice by certified mail is optional. The technology center will have five (5) working days after the expiration of the ten (10) calendar days to pursue any additional collection efforts deemed necessary. Immediately after the five (5) working days, the student will be deleted if the check has not been redeemed in full.  If the student pays the bad check within the allotted time period, he/she will be assessed a return check fee in accordance with TBR Guideline B-060 in addition to his/her fee payment. Enrollment fees including returned check fees for students de-enrolled for bad checks should be reversed.

III. REFUNDS OF FEES

A. Eligibility for Refunds

1. Change in a full-time student’s schedule which results in reclassification to a part-time student;

2. Change in a part-time student’s schedule which results in a class load of fewer hours;

3. Voluntary withdrawal of the student from the school;

4. Cancellation of a class by the school; or

5. Death of the student.

Students administratively dismissed will not be eligible for refunds.

B. Calculation of the Refund

1. Full Refund

a. 100% of fees will be refunded for classes cancelled by the school.

b. 100% of fees will be refunded for drops or withdrawals prior to the first official day of classes.

c. 100% of fees will be refunded in the case of death of  the student during the term.

2. Partial Refunds

a. A refund of 75% may be allowed if a program is dropped or a student withdraws within the first 10% of the class hours.

b. A refund of 50% may be allowed if a program is dropped or a student withdraws within the first 20% of the class hours.

c. No refund may be permitted after 20% of the class hours has been completed.

C. Processing of Refunds

The TTC will be responsible for determining the amount of student refunds and will process refunds in accordance with TBR Guideline B-060 and the Council on Occupational Education (COE) standards.

1. Refunds, when due, will be made without requiring a request from the student.

2.  Refunds, when due, will be made within 30 days of the last day of attendance when the student has informed the institution in writing prior to withdrawal.

3. If the student drops out without notice to the institution, the refund will be processed 30 days from the date the institution terminates the student or determines withdrawal by the student. All refunds, however, must be made within 60 days of the student’s last day of attendance.

4. Retention of tuition and fees collected during pre-registration or in advance for a student who does no commence class will not exceed $100.

5. An update will be made to the accounting system by the TTC or Lead Institution with a transaction resulting in the reduction of revenues from the appropriate fee account.

IV. OTHER FEE AND CHARGE CONSIDERATIONS

A. Agreements/contracts may be executed with a third party (federal agency, corporation, institution, etc.), but not with the individual student, to deliver routine courses at a fixed rate or for the cost of delivering the course and may provide for fees not to be charged to individual students.  The amount charged to or paid by the third party is credited to the appropriate Grants and Contracts and/or fee revenue account.

B. Fees established for general interest classes and activities shall be sufficient to cover the total cost incurred in providing instruction.

C. Agreements with public school systems to provide instruction to secondary students will include a provision to outline the specific fee(s) negotiated with the local school systems.