University of Northern Virginia

Most students will complete their education at UNVA without feeling the need to register a complaint against a staff member or the university. However, if a student believes that he or she has a reason to file a complaint, the university is obligated to listen. UNVA has established procedures to respond to student complaints in a fair and equitable manner.
If the Department Chair and the Vice President for Academic Affairs find that a faculty member's disputed action conflicts with federal or state laws/regulations, university, school, or department policy, or with the instructor's own stated policy, then a decision will be made in the student's favor. If the dispute is determined to be based upon a faculty member's professional judgment, such as the evaluation of a test, or performance in a class, the student is entitled to have, in turn, the Department Chair and the Vice President for Academic Affairs form an opinion about the dispute and advise the instructor of their opinion. But the faculty member, after considering the advice of the administrators, shall retain complete academic freedom to change his/her judgment.
These steps are to be followed when making an academic complaint:

In the case of course-related complaints or disputes, the student must first appeal to the instructor for a resolution of the matter and must do so within six weeks from the end of the quadmester.
If a complaint or dispute is not satisfactorily resolved, the student may appeal to the chair of the academic department in which the complaint or dispute is centered. If a formal complaint is to be registered, it should be made in writing stating the specific charges.
If the complaint or dispute is still unresolved after appeal to the Department Chair, the student may appeal in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will notify the faculty member of the complaint and the faculty member will provide a written explanation of the circumstances to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and to the student within a reasonable time, as specified by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
If a resolution of the matter is not reached, the student or the faculty member may appeal to the Academic Council. The Academic Council will evaluate the oral and written statements of the student and the faculty member. If the Academic Council does not have at least one student member, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will be asked to appoint a student representative to serve for each case. The Academic Council will then submit its recommendation to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The decision from the Vice President for Academic Affairs is final.