File a complaint against an Online College

There are many places a student may turn to file a complaint when they feel their rights have been violated in the online environment. These rights may include discrimination, financial liability and misappropriation of student funds by the financial aid department of said college, grievences with instructors, disability department and other administrative departments, accessibility issues and inappropriate content in the classroom. So where do you turn to get help?
Office for Civil RightsU.S. Department of Education400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20202-1100(202) 245-6800; 1-800-421-3481FAX: (202) 245-6840; TDD: (877) 521-2172E-mail: OCR@ed.govWeb: http://www.ed.gov/ocr The office for civil rights handles complaints including those in the online education environment.
WHAT TO DO
Anyone wishing to file a formal complaint with OCR should submit in writing the following information in a letter or on the Discrimination Complaint Form available from OCR enforcement offices (see listing): ·
name and address and a day phone number where you might be reached
· A general description of the person(s) or class of persons injured by the alleged discriminatory act(s)
· The name and location of the institution that committed the alleged discriminatory act(s); A description of the alleged discriminatory act(s)
Describe what occurred, how or when it occurred,
the basis for the alleged discrimination (race, color, national origin, or you can choose to fill out a complaint on line at:
http://www.ed.gov/ocr/complaintprocess.html.
Note: a complaint must be filed within 180 calender days the exception is to submit just cause why one is filing the claim late for consideration.


Office for Civil RightsDiscrimination Complaint Form

Before completing this form,please read the information describing its use:http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html
for complaint form go to http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/complaintform.cfm

United States Department of Education, Family Policy Compliance Office
If an University refuses to turn over all education records to students as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) you have options. It is strongly encouraged that you request your "complete education record(s) as defined by FERPA. By Federal Law, they have no more than forty five (45) days to submit everything that is maintained as part of that record. If (or when) an University fails to do this, complaints may be filed with the United States Department of Education, Family Policy Compliance Office, the law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing violations of FERPA.
Family Policy Compliance Office of US Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20202-5901
(202) 260-3887 - voice
(202) 260-9001 - FAX

FBI Internet Fraud Complaint Center
If you have been charged hidden cost or feel that money has been billed to you that is incorrect you can file a complaint against the online school through the FBI Internet Fraud Center.
To file a complaint read this first and accept the terms, then fill out form.
http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection
This is another government agency that will investigate fraud complaints. If you feel that the online school has committed fraud especially in instances of with holding diplomas as they state you owe them more money which does not match with the money paid to them or were approved for an accelerated scholarship program through a school and later find out that you owe the total amount this agency is responsible to the consumer to protect their rights.
use the complaint form button at bottom of page to file complaint
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer.htm

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DESIGN.
You should know your rights and the resposibility that a school must meet if you are a student with disabilities who uses adaptive devices. To learn more go to:
http://www.ed.gov/fund/contract/apply/clibrary/software.html

Online University Consortium
This is an excellent place to learn more about a schools accreditation
Online UC was founded by leading universities to help companies and employees secure quality online education, high return on investment and relevant degree programs from trusted institutions of higher education. www.onlineuc.net.. The Online UC website provides a directory of schools who have met a set of seven standards required for Consortium membership. An industry checklist is also available, which features criteria for choosing a quality online education.

These resources are an excellent place to get started, I will be posting more resources in the near future. What is important to remember is to file a complaint as soon as possible.