How do I submit a student complaint about a New Mexico public post-secondary institution or private post-secondary institution that is licensed or registered in New Mexico?
NMHED has authority to help facilitate resolution to student complaints, only after the student has utilized all internal complaint procedures at the educational institution. After receiving a Student Complaint Form, NMHED staff will review the form and attachments. NMHED may contact the student via email for additional information or clarification. Student complaints about grades or student conduct violations may not be appealed. If the initial review falls within the purview of NMHED we shall attempt to facilitate a resolution to the complaint by sending a copy of the complaint to the institution against which the complaint has been made. The institution must respond to the complaint within 10 business days of receipt. Please note that in some circumstances the NMHED may permit additional time for a response. All parties will be notified of the outcome of the complaint.
Note: A student must file a complaint with NMHED within three years of the student’s last date of enrollment.
The NMHED staff is available to assist with general questions about the complaint process by phone, however, all details regarding the complaint must be submitted in writing through the Student Complaint Form with any supporting attachments. To ensure information is complete and accurate, any details provided by phone will not added to the complaint form by the NMHED staff. Please allow 1-2 business days for the NMHED to review and respond to the complaint form submission.
CLICK HERE to download the NMHED Student Complaint Form.
Once complete, the form and supporting attachments should be emailed to the attention of the New Mexico Higher Education Department at: HigherEd.Info@hed.nm.gov.
How do I submit a student complaint about a Distance Education program at one of New Mexico's NC-SARA institutions?
CLICK HERE to learn more about NC-SARA.
The New Mexico Higher Education Department (NMHED) is New Mexico's state portal entity for NC-SARA. NMHED has authority to help facilitate resolution to student complaints about a New Mexico NC-SARA member institution after the student has utilized all internal complaint procedures at the educational institution. Only complaints resulting from distance education courses, activities and operations provided by NC-SARA participating institutions to students in other NC-SARA states or territories are covered by the NC-SARA complaint policies. Student seeking to file a non-NC-SARA complaint should review the process linked here. Complaints about grades or student conduct violations are not reviewed by NMHED.
The NC-SARA complaint must be appealed to NMHED within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made. The complaint must be made to the NMHED in writing using the Student Complaint Form.
After receiving a Student Complaint Form, NMHED staff will review the form and attachments. NMHED may contact the student via email for additional information or clarification. If the initial review indicates the complaint is covered under NC-SARA's complaint policies, NMHED shall attempt to facilitate a resolution to the complaint by sending a copy of the complaint to the institution against which the complaint has been made. NMHED shall also notify the NC-SARA State Portal Entity of the state in which the student is located that the department has received and is processing the complaint. Additional information regarding the steps of the complaint process can be found in Section 15 of 5.99.1 NMAC linked here.
The final disposition of a complaint resolved by the NMHED shall be communicated to all parties including the NC-SARA State Portal Entity in the state where the student is located.
CLICK HERE to download the NMHED Student Complaint Form.
Once complete, the form and supporting attachments should be emailed to the attention of the New Mexico Higher Education Department at: HigherEd.Info@hed.nm.gov.
If you have additional questions about the complaint process please contact our office via email at: HigherEd.Info@hed.nm.gov.
Regulations:
CLICK HERE to access 5.5.5 NMAC CLOSURE AND STUDENT COMPLAINT PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. 5.5.5 NMAC is New Mexico's administrative code pertaining to student complaints at New Mexico public institutions.
CLICK HERE to access 5.99.1 NMAC PUBLIC AND PRIVATE POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS OPERATING UNDER THE INTERSTATE DISTANCE EDUCATION ACT. 5.99.1 NMAC is New Mexico's administrative code pertaining to distance education and includes provisions relating to distance education student complaints.
CLICK HERE to access 5.100.6 NMAC REGISTRATION UNDER THE POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION ACT. 5.100.6 NMAC is New Mexico's administrative code pertaining to registration of private schools and includes provisions relating to student complaints.
CLICK HERE to access 5.100.7 NMAC LICENSURE UNDER THE POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION ACT. 5.100.7 NMAC is New Mexico's administrative code pertaining to licensure of private schools and includes provisions relating to student complaints.
Questions:
If you have questions about submitting a complaint through the New Mexico Higher Education Department please email HigherEd.Info@hed.nm.gov or call (505)476-8411.