At SUNY Old Westbury we are committed to providing prompt and fair resolutions to concerns arising from our processes and performance.
The processes outlined on this page are to be used to submit formal complaints about a particular office, service or condition of the College. Prior to engaging the processes outlined on this page, please be sure that you have already made every effort to resolve your question or situation with the department(s) or person(s) involved.
NOTE: The Student Complaint processes outlined on this page are not to be used in those instances where other specific processes are required by law or policy. Those exceptions are listed in the "Exceptions from this Process for Students" section on this page.
complete the online complaint form
A simple online form is available to begin the process to address the issue you are reporting. Students will need to login to the ConnectOW portal using their campus username and password.
- Once you submit the complaint form, you will receive a confirmation email verifying that it was received.
- Corresponding Vice President or their designee, will investigate your complaint. The investigation will seek to be thorough, timely, fair and resolute.
- To the extent practicable, all aspects of the investigation conducted in accordance with this procedure will be confidential. Involved parties may not retaliate against a student for filing a grievance.
- The investigator will attempt to resolve your complaint as quickly as possible. You will be informed of its progress as it moves along.
- Decisions of the Vice President are final.
contact the ombuds
If you want assistance or need an advocate, the Ombuds is here to help. The Ombuds assists students, faculty, and staff in determining options to help resolve conflicts and other concerns. They are a great resource for bringing parties to a win/win solution.
Exceptions from this Process for Students
For legal reasons, the process outlined on this page should not be used for:
- Academic Grievances: A student may appeal specific grades, probation and dismissal, and degree requirements by following the Academic Grievance Procedures.
- Discrimination or Harassment: The Discrimination and Harassment policy and procedure is designed to provide all members of the University community with a process for reporting incidents of discrimination or harassment, and to provide for prompt and effective response to and resolution of reports of discrimination or harassment.
- Title IX: In addition to the Discrimination and Harassment policy and procedure, the University conforms to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681), an all-encompassing federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
- Student Conduct: The Code for Student Conduct addresses issues of student conduct and the processes by which such incidents and complaints are made, addressed, and resolved.
- Criminal Activity/University Police: The University Police Department Manual of Rules includes the grievance process and related forms. Students seeking to initiate a complaint through this procedure should contact the Chief of University Police to do so.
Information on State, Regional Governance and Accrediting Bodies
SUNY Old Westbury participates in Federal student aid programs that are authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Participating institutions must be legally authorized to operate within the state in which it is located. 34 CFR § 600.9 requires states to have a “process to review and appropriately act on complaints concerning the institution including enforcing applicable State laws.” 34 CFR § 668.43(b) requires that institutions:
“make available for review to any enrolled or prospective student upon reuest, a copy of the documents describing the institution’s accreditation and its State, Federal, or tribal approval or licensing. The institution must also provide its students or prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accreditor and with its State approval or licensing entity and any other relevant State official or agency that would appropriately handle a student’s complaint.”
To comply with this regulation, SUNY Old Westbury provides the following information to our prospective and current students:
State University Plaza
Albany, NY 12246
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)
Out-of-State Students studying in Old Westbury online courses while residing outside of New York State should follow the SARA processes outlined on the Learning Online page.
267-284–5000
Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. Contact the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202.
NOTE: The Employee Complaint processes outlined on this page are not to be used in those instances where other specific processes are required by law or policy. Those exceptions are listed in the "Exceptions from this Process for Employees" section on this page.
Complete the Online Complaint Form
contact the ombuds
If you want assistance or need an advocate, the Ombuds is here to help. The Ombuds assists students, faculty, and staff in determining options to help resolve conflicts and other concerns. They are a great resource for bringing parties to a win/win solution.
Exceptions from this Process for Employees
- Faculty Rights and Responsibilities: The Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities was established to provide Faculty, Students, Programs, Schools and Administration a venue for resolution of issues, complaints, or grievances arising from alleged violations of the By-Laws on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities. Proceedings of the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities are intended to be non-punitive. The use of the procedures described in the By-Laws does not preclude the simultaneous or subsequent use of other existing procedures for resolving grievances
- Discrimination or Harassment: The Discrimination and Harassment policy and procedure is designed to provide all members of the University community with a process for reporting incidents of discrimination or harassment, and to provide for prompt and effective response to and resolution of reports of discrimination or harassment.
- Title IX: In addition to the Discrimination and Harassment policy and procedure, the University conforms to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681), an all-encompassing federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
- Criminal Activity/University Police: The University Police Department Manual of Rules includes the grievance process and related forms.