| Policy on filing accreditation complaints with the Council on Education:
The COE will review complaints related to college compliance with the accreditation standards. Complaints and/or comments must be written, addressed to the COE, and signed with a personal signature for consideration/investigation. Contents of complaints/comments will be shared with the school/college, and the COE. The school/college will be given the opportunity to respond to the complaint/comment and that response will be used by the COE in resolving the complaint.
The COE is interested in sustained quality and continued improvement in veterinary medical education programs, but does not intervene on behalf of individuals or act as a court of appeal for individual matters of admission, appointment, promotion or dismissal of faculty, staff, or students. |
32.1. Third Party Comment/Complaints
The COE provides opportunity for interested parties to submit, in writing, comments concerning college qualifications for accreditation. The Council publishes a notice of its plans to conduct a comprehensive site visit seeking reasonable assurance or accreditation status in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. This notice indicates the deadline for receipt of third-party comment. Comment must address the Standards for accreditation.
32.2. Complaints Directed at a College and its Accreditation Status
Students, faculty, constituent veterinary medical associations, veterinary state boards, and other interested parties may submit an appropriate signed complaint to the COE regarding an accredited veterinary or developing college which has made application for accreditation. The COE will take every responsible precaution to protect the identity of the complainant from being revealed to the college; however, the Council cannot guarantee confidentiality of the complainant.
An appropriate complaint is defined as one alleging: 1) an accredited or pending college program is not in compliance with the Standards of accreditation and 2) the practice, condition, or situation of a continuing or pervasive nature, as opposed to an unfair or arbitrary act of an individual or an act isolated in nature. In accord with the role of COE, matters will be addressed in an investigative manner rather than as a mediator. Only written signed complaints will be considered by the COE. The COE strongly encourages all parties to attempt resolution of complaints before they are brought to the Council. If the complaint includes issues already being addressed by other entities, the Council will take no action on the complaint until such adjudication or litigation is concluded.
Any written complaint by a third party (individual i.e. faculty, staff, students, public, or organization) concerning the quality or ethical conduct of an accredited college of veterinary medicine will be received by staff, who will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within seven (7) working days. AVMA staff will make a preliminary investigation of the initial complaint and report to the COE Executive Committee within 30 days. As part of this review, the staff will determine whether the complaint is appropriate for review by the Council, i.e. the complaint is related to items which have specific impact on the educational process and/or the Standards.
The Council is not the appropriate body to review allegations of malpractice.
After review of the complaint and the report of the staff investigation, the Executive Committee will report its findings to the Council and the complainant within 30 days from receipt of the staff report. If, in the judgment of the Executive Committee, the complaint appears to be of sufficient substance to affect the accreditation status of the college, it will be investigated further by the Council. Upon completion of the investigation, the Council will take appropriate action to bring the accreditation status of the college into conformity with the established classifications. If an investigation of the complaint by the Council is deemed necessary, it should be completed within a period of not more than six (6) months after receiving the report from the Executive Committee.
If an adverse decision is made concerning the accreditation classification of a college, the college shall have the right of appeal. In any case, the college complained against will be informed of the nature and source of the complaint and the resultant action, if any, contemplated by the Council before such action is taken. The complainant will be notified in writing of the results of the investigation and any action taken.
32.3. Complaints Directed at the COE and its Accreditation Activities
Interested parties may submit an appropriate, signed complaint to the COE regarding failure of the Council to follow policies and procedures, failure of the Council to use sound professional judgment in applying the standards for accreditation, or failure of the Council to consider all evidence in accreditation decisions. Complaints received addressing other COE activities will not be considered. The COE will determine whether the information submitted constitutes an appropriate complaint and will proceed according to policy.
- The COE will acknowledge receipt of the information within seven (7) days and provide the complainant with the policy and procedures manual.
- Within 60 days, the COE will collect additional information internally, if necessary, and conduct an initial screening to determine whether the complaint has merit.
- Within 90 days of receipt of the complaint, the COE will inform the complainant of the results of the internal screening.
- If the complaint is determined to have merit, the appropriate COE committee will consider the complaint in closed session if the discussion will involve specific individuals or colleges; otherwise, the complaint will be discussed in open session. These actions will occur at the next scheduled COE meeting.
- The COE will consider changes in policy and procedure if indicated, and initiate the change process in a timely manner.
- The COE will inform the complainant of any actions taken within 30 days of the COE meeting.
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= AVMA/SAVMA Members Only
