Harper College

How to File a Complaint

The College offers a variety of avenues for formal complaint procedures, depending on the nature of your concern or complaint.

If you have an immediate concern for safety, contact the Harper College Police Department at 847-925-6330.

If you are concerned that any person might engage in violence,you can report a concern online and it will be routed to the appropriate college staff for review. This is where you can also report concerns about other students, including disruptive behavior or violations of College rules. Examples of the kinds of things you should report to the College including:

  • Others' behavior that hinders you from going to class or studying
  • Theft or vandalism
  • Harassment, stalking, fighting
  • Alcohol or drug use
  • Weapons or threats

Even if you are not sure whether or not you should report something, you are encouraged to err on the side of caution. The College has trained professional staff who can evaluate these reports and take appropriate action.

If you have been a victim of sexual or gender-based misconduct by any person, please review the College's Sexual or Gender-based Misconduct Policy (Title IX) information, where you can also file a report about sexual harassment/misconduct. Our first concern is for your safety and well-being, but we also encourage you to file a formal complaint with the campus and/or police depending on what outcomes you are seeking.

If the complaint pertains to a faculty or staff member's decision, you can follow the Academic Complaint Process (if it pertains to an academic issue) or the Non-Academic Complaint Process (if it is not academic in nature). These processes are outlined at the end of the Student Code of Conduct. Be advised that both of these processes require that you first have a conversation with the faculty or staff member with whom you have a concern, within 10 school days of the concern arising.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can provide your written complaint and the resolution that you seek to the Chair, Coordinator, or Director of the department. You may also request a meeting with that individual. You should receive a written response from him/her within 10 school days of providing your complaint.

If you are not satisfied with that response, you can continue the complaint process in writing to the Dean and then ultimately the Provost whose decision is final.

If the complaint pertains to discrimination by a College employee towards you, you may file a complaint under the College's Anti-Discrimination procedures, outlined in the Student Handbook. Contact the Student Conduct Officer or the Employee Relations Manager with any questions about this process, or to initiate a complaint.

Review the Reporting Options and Tips for Documenting Incidents for more information. It is most helpful for reports to be made in first-person and in a timely fashion.

If you have exhausted the campus complaint options and you still have a complaint, you can file a complaint with the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Last Updated: 12/14/23