Office of the University Ombuds

Office of the Ombuds
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5295 USA
(269) 387-0718

Formal Student Complaint Form

Western Michigan University is devoted to your success and happiness as a Bronco. Whether you're in Kalamazoo, studying abroad or enrolled in one of our Extended University Programs, 51¸£ÀûÉç is here to assist you with any complaints, concerns or problems you may encounter as a student. The University tracks, monitors and evaluates the student complaint process in order to make institutional improvements where needed.

Before filing a complaint through the form below, consider this official definition of a complaint as you decide whether to use this form:

Any concern that 51¸£ÀûÉç has violated a law, policy or incorrectly applied an established practice. Complaints may be academic or non-academic in nature. Complaints do not supersede or replace misconduct or grievance procedures already in place. 

Also take note of these more specific complaint procedures and forms that may be applicable to your situation:

  • For instances of protected class discrimination, harassment, or retaliation (this includes sexual misconduct), use the Office of Institutional Equity's incident reporting form. This page also houses the ADA Accommodation request form.
  • Grade appeals.
  • Hardship withdrawal appeal.
  • Non-attendance appeal.
  • Program dismissal appeal.
  • Use  to request a fix from maintenance, custodial, or landscaping services.
  •  to request assistance with technology-related issues. Alternatively, you can contact the OIT Help Desk at (269) 387-4357.
  • Late add fee appeal.
  • Satisfactory academic progress appeal.
  • Tuition charge refund appeal.
  • Complaints or concerns arising from the Student Code should be directed to the Office of Student Conduct.
  • Issues related to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) should be directed to the Registrar’s Office.
  • Issues related to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) should be directed to the HIPAA Privacy and Contact Officer.
  • Issues related to human resources and employment matters should be directed to Human Resources. 
  • Issues regarding research misconduct should be directed to the Office of the Vice President for Research.
  • Issues related to the NCAA, MAC, other athletic conference, or other athletic matters should be directed to the
  • Issues related to work related safety and environmental concerns on campus should be directed to the Environmental Safety and Emergency Management Office.
  • Issues related to Public Safety Officers should be directed to the
  • Issues related to faculty members should be directed to the chairperson/director of the faculty member’s department/school, except as otherwise provided in other 51¸£ÀûÉç’s policy or requirements (such as the 51¸£ÀûÉç Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Violence, Intimate Violence and Stalking Policy and Procedures).
  • Issues of suspected unethical financial related activity or fraud may anonymously be directed to 

If any of the above resources do not apply to your situation, please use the form below to submit a complaint.

Submit a Complaint

Any student may make an anonymous report without disclosing their name, identifying the parties involved, or requesting any action. An anonymous submission of a complaint may limit the University’s ability to respond or take further action and will be taken as a "report only" complaint.

Have you attempted to resolve the problem with the party directly responsible for it? (required)
If you haven't yet attempted to resolve the problem directly, read this:
The Office of the Ombudsman encourages every student to try and resolve issues directly with those that are responsible for creating the issue. For example, if you believe your professor has violated a university policy, you should speak with them before going to the department chair, college dean, or Ombudsman. If you take this route and receive a resolution that is not fair, reasonable, or satisfactory, then come back to submit this form.
If you're not sure who is responsible for solving this problem, read this:
If you are unsure who is responsible for solving the problem you have, read through all of the resources listed above and see if any of them are appropriate for your situation. If not, please continue on to fill out the form.
Continue
Category of your complaint (select all that apply):
Definitions of complaint categories are available by clicking the link just below the categories.
Click here for complaint category definitions
  • Academic (Graduation/Audit/Commencement) â€“ A complaint that relates to the graduation audit, graduation, or the commencement ceremony.
  • Academic (Instruction/Classroom/Grades) – Any complaint that arises in the classroom or instruction sphere of the university, including complaints about instructors, grades, syllabi, etc.
  • Academic (Other) â€“ Any complaint that arises in the academic sphere of the University that is not covered by the other two categories.
  • Communication – When some vital information has failed to be disseminated correctly or viably.
  • Discrimination – A discriminatory complaint arises when a complainant feels that they have not been treated equitably due to a protected identity that they hold. 
  • Facilities/Housing/Parking – Any complaint that pertains to on-campus buildings, residence halls, other facilities, or parking.
  • Financial – A financial complaint concerns any fines, fees, or bills that a student believes has been assessed to them in error, but the definition also includes complaints about financial aid.
  • Health and Cleanliness – Any complaint that has to do with hygiene, health, wellness, or cleanliness belonged to this category.
  • Interpersonal Conflict – Any verbal, physical, or emotional abuse that occurs between two individuals.
  • Law/Policy – Any complaint that claims that a law or policy that the institution is bound to has been broken, unsatisfactorily met, or gone entirely unfulfilled. 
  • Workplace/Employment – A workplace complaint involves a student’s on-campus part time job. 
  • Other – A complaint that does not fit into any of the primary categories.
(Please know that it can be difficult to resolve complaints if involved persons cannot be asked to explain or respond to your complaint. Retaliation of any kind is strictly prohibited and should be reported.)
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