Texas Register

TITLE 19 EDUCATION
PART 1TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD
CHAPTER 1AGENCY ADMINISTRATION
SUBCHAPTER ESTUDENT COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
RULE §1.115Referral of Certain Complaints to Other Agencies or Entities
ISSUE 05/17/2013
ACTION Final/Adopted
Preamble Texas Admin Code Rule

Once the Agency receives a student complaint form, the Agency may refer the complaint to another agency or entity as follows:

  (1)Complaints alleging that an institution has violated state consumer protection laws, e.g., laws related to fraud or false advertising, shall be referred to the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General of Texas for investigation and resolution.

  (2)Complaints pertaining to an institution in the University of Texas System, Texas A&M University System, University of Houston System, University of North Texas System, Texas Tech University System, or Texas State University System may be referred to the appropriate university system for investigation and resolution. If a complaint is not referred to a university system for investigation and resolution, the Agency will notify the system, at least quarterly until final disposition of the complaint, of the status of any investigation unless the notice would jeopardize an undercover investigation.

  (3)If the Agency determines that the complaint is appropriate for investigation and resolution by the institution's recognized accrediting agency, the Agency may refer the complaint to the accrediting agency. If the Agency refers the complaint to such accrediting agency, the Agency may request the accrediting agency to send quarterly updates in writing to the Agency regarding the status of the investigation of the complaint and shall notify the Agency in writing of the outcome of the investigation/resolution process for the complaint. The Agency shall have the right to adopt any decision proposed or made or any course of action proposed or taken by the accrediting agency as the final resolution of the matter before the Agency. In the alternative, the Agency shall have the right to enter its own decision based on the investigative findings of the accrediting agency to the extent they are able to be provided. The Agency shall have the right to terminate the referral of the complaint to the accrediting agency at any time and may proceed to investigate and adjudicate the complaint.

  (4)If the Agency determines that the complaint is appropriate for investigation and resolution by an educational association to which the institution belongs, the Agency may refer the complaint to the educational association. If the Agency refers the complaint to such an educational association, the educational association shall send monthly updates in writing to the Agency regarding the status of the investigation of the complaint and shall notify the Agency in writing of the outcome of the investigation/resolution process for the complaint. The Agency shall have the right to accept, modify, or reject any decision proposed or made or any course of action proposed or taken by the educational association. The Agency shall have the right to terminate the referral of the complaint to the educational association if the Agency determines that the educational association is not appropriately addressing the complaint.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on April 30, 2013

TRD-201301710

Bill Franz

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: May 20, 2013

Proposal publication date: March 22, 2013

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6114



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