Complaints must go through Wellesley’s own procedures for resolution of grievances first. The specific course of action depends on the nature of the complaint or grievance. Students who wish to submit a petition to the Academic Review Board should first consult with their class dean and then complete the online petition. Policies and procedures that may apply to a particular grievance include but are not limited to:
Students with grievances or a need for support outside specific academic policies have a number of student life resources available to them, including a compliance hotline, the Office of Nondiscrimination and the Ombuds Office.
All Wellesley, remote courses provide students with the opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on each course via student evaluation questionnaires at the end of the term.
For questions about professional licensure for teachers see the Education Department.
Other policies and procedures are available on the Student Handbook website.
What to do if Wellesley cannot resolve your complaint
For Massachusetts Residents
After you have exhausted the complaint procedures described above, if your complaint has not been resolved, you may file a consumer complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) by using the consumer complaint form.
For Online Students Located in Non-SARA Member States and Territories (e.g., California, Guam, etc.)
Students residing in California may file a complaint about distance education as follows:
California Department of Consumer Affairs
Consumer Information Center
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N-112
Sacramento, California 95834
Telephone: 833- 942-1120
dca@dca.ca.gov
Students residing in Guam
Because Wellesley does not have a physical presence in Guam, the College is not required by the Guam Council on Postsecondary Institution Certification to obtain approval from the Council to offer its programs to residents of Guam. Therefore, the College complies with Guam regulations concerning postsecondary distance education.
For Online Students Located in SARA Member States and Territories
After you have exhausted the complaint procedures described above, if your complaint has not been resolved, you may file a complaint with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) by using the SARA complaint form. The DHE SARA complaint form should be used by students who are located in SARA member states and territories. This includes all students who are located in SARA member states and territories for the purposes of completing out-of-state learning placements, such as internships, practica, clinical experiences, etc. in SARA member states and territories outside Massachusetts. Learn more about SARA.
Additional information from the DHE’s SARA complaint website is below:
The SARA complaint process is as follows:
Students must first attempt to resolve their complaint using internal administrative procedures offered by the SARA institution.
After all administrative remedies have been exhausted with the MA-SARA institution, the student may submit a SARA Complaint via the URL below.
The Department shall send a copy of the complaint to the institution that is the subject of the complaint;
Within 30 days of the date that the Department sends a copy of the complaint to the institution, the institution must provide a written response to the student and the Department.
Find more information about DHE’s complaint processes.
Wellesley College has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.