Distance Learning Complaint Process for Out-of-state Students
MICA believes that we must conduct our programs and activities with the highest ethical standards. Our entire community, students, faculty, administrators, and staff is held to these standards. In particular, MICA expects all community members to acknowledge and uphold our standards related to, honesty, integrity, legal regulations, specialized professional codes of ethics, and generally acceptable standards of personal conduct.
To assure these objectives, students' interactions with MICA are governed by a variety of policies that address harassment, discrimination, academic ethics and progress, tuition and financial aid among other issues. All of MICA's policies and handbooks may be found on MICA's Policies & Handbook page. Specific policies related to graduate education are located on online on the graduate students policy page. Many of these policies specify procedures for handling alleged violations.
If a student wishes to file a complaint or a grievance related to their experience at MICA they must follow the grievance/complaint policies established by MICA. If the grievance/complaint is not resolved via MICA policy and a student has exhausted our internal grievance procedures, the student may file a complaint with the appropriate agency in the state where the student resides. The Student Grievance Contact Information for Individual States provides phone numbers, emails and/or links to state education agencies.
MICA is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104; 267-284-5000. The MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Commission's policy on filing complaints can be found on its website.
MICA Distance Education Student Complaints
MICA is a participant in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA).
Out-of-state students enrolled in a MICA distance education program may, after the student has exhausted the institution's procedures for the resolution of grievances, and within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, file a written complaint to the Maryland Higher Education Commission, in a form prescribed by the Secretary of Higher Education.
A complaint may include, but is not limited to, allegations that the institution provided false or misleading:
- Recruitment or marketing materials;
- Job placement data;
- Information about tuition, fees, or financial aid;
- Information about admission requirements;
- Information about the institution's accreditation;
- Information about whether course work meets relevant professional licensing requirements or the requirements of specialized accrediting bodies; and
- Information about the transferability of coursework to other institutions.
Additional details on the MHEC complaint
Student Grievance Contact Information for Individual States
The complaints process mandated by MICA's SARA participation does not preclude a student from filing a complaint with their state of residence. Contact information for each state's relevant agency is available via the State Higher Education Executive Officers website.
State Authorizations
As stated in the catalogue, documents granting accreditation or state authorization approval to MICA are available for review in the records office during regular business hours.
California residents enrolled in online programs can file complaints at www.dca.ca.gov or call toll-free 833-942-1120