The Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation (Commission or MCCA) has the authority to address possible violations of its standards and regulations, policies and procedures, as well as address possible violations of an institution’s own policies and procedures.

1. The complaint must be submitted in writing within two (2) years of the alleged violation and must
1. Be submitted on the Commission’s Student Complaint Form
2. Contain a detailed description of the claim, including dates, times, and full names of all involved, as well as the actions taken by both the student and the institution to resolve the matter, and relevant documentation; and
3. Be signed by the student attesting to the truth and accuracy of the complaint.
2. The student must have exhausted all available grievance procedures established by the institution.
3. The Commission will acknowledge receipt of the formal complaint within five (5) to ten (10) working days of receipt.
4. The student recognizes that the Commission will not investigate anonymous complaints and that by signing the complaint form, the student further acknowledges that the Commission may share the information provided with the institution or other relevant organizations or state agencies in order to help resolve the matter.
5. The Commission will attempt to issue a written finding within ninety (90) days of receipt of the complaint. The student and institution will be notified in writing of the outcome of the investigation.

A formal complaint with the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation must be submitted using the MCCA Student Complaint Form within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made. The process does not apply to complaints related to student grades or discipline/conduct matters.

MAIL MCCA STUDENT COMPLAINT FORM AND PERTINENT DOCUMENTATION TO:

Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211

• If a student believes that an institution has violated state or federal law, he/she may wish to contact the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office at 550 High St, Jackson, MS 39201; Phone: (601) 359-3680
• If a student believes that an institution has acted in a discriminatory manner, he/she may wish to contact the United States Department of Education: Office for Civil Rights at https://ocrcas.ed.gov.
• Disability discrimination falls under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
• Race discrimination in schools falls under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• Sex discrimination and harassment falls under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Please note the following:

The Commission will facilitate an investigation if the matter being disputed falls within its jurisdiction. If the complaint is outside of the Commission’s jurisdiction, it may be forwarded to the appropriate agency or division.

A complaint filed with the Commission is not considered an appeal of the institution’s decision. The Commission does not guarantee a resolution resulting from the submission of the complaint or its investigation into the allegation.

The Commission will notify the institution’s chief executive officer and/or the chief academic officer or other appropriate person that a complaint has been submitted and request a response regarding the allegations.

If preliminary findings indicate a violation of the Commission’s rules and regulations by the institution, the Commission shall attempt to resolve the complaint through mediation.

Students should not submit original documents as they may not be returned. Depending on the nature of the complaint, investigation and facilitation could require several weeks to months to complete.