Complaints / Grievance Policy
and State Authorization Information
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Students, staff and faculty have the right to express any concerns they might have with any aspect of their educational experience. Adhere to the following steps when addressing these concerns:
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If anyone in the Seminary community has a misunderstanding or dispute with another person in our learning community, they first must address their concern directly with that person as misunderstandings can often be cleared up best at their source.
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Faculty members encourage students to ask them any questions about a course syllabus, grade, assignments in the course or any communications which remain unclear.
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Likewise, staff or faculty address their concerns to their direct supervisor for clarification.
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If a matter remains unresolved, community members may address academic matters to the Dean of their program and administrative matters to the Director of Administration.
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An item is only considered as a formal complaint if a community member indicates in their communication to our President, Academic Deans or Director of Administration that they believe Thirdmill Seminary is not following its own policies, the standards of its accreditors, US state or federal laws.
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The Academic Dean or Director of Administration will confirm receipt of a complaint and copy the President of the Seminary within two business days. The complaint will be brought to the next scheduled meeting of the appropriate faculty committee (see Organization of the Faculty above).
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Once the Committee of the faculty meets and acts, the community member will be informed of their decision by the person who received their formal complaint within two business days of the committee’s action.
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If the matter remains unresolved, the community member may appeal in writing to the President of the Seminary by email to gperry@thirdmillseminary.org. The President will confirm receipt of the appeal within two business days and inform the community member that their appeal will be considered at the next meeting of the Executive Committee of the faculty. Once a final decision is reached, the President will inform the community member within two business days.
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If a student or other community member remains unsatisfied with the response of Seminary to the matter, they may file a complaint with the Florida Department of Education’s Commission for Independent Education, or the respective commission in the state where they reside (see list below).
Florida
Florida Commission for Independent Education
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414 Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Phone: 850-245-0505
Contact info - https://www.fldoe.org/contact-us/
Student Concerns
To voice a concern, write a letter to the address above or send an e-mail containing information found at this site https://www.fldoe.org/policy/cie/student-concerns.stml to CIEINFO@fldoe.org.
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Thirdmill Seminary State Authorization
Authorization is provided for unaccredited institutions of higher learning by the following states either through general or specific approval, registration, or exemption. If your state is not listed here, the seminary is not yet authorized to provide online higher education degrees. Contact us at admissions@thirdmillseminary.org if you have any questions.
Alabama
Status: Exempt, received private school certificate of exemption
Commission on Higher Education
Department of Postsecondary Education, Office of Private School Licensing Division
PO Box 302000 Montgomery, AL 36130-2000
Phone: 334-293-4653
Student Complaint Process (page 4)
https://www.ache.edu/wp-content/State%20Auth/federal-reg.pdf
Georgia
Status: Exempt, religious school exemption
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 E. Exchange Pl. #220, Tucker, GA 30084-5305
Phone: 770.414.3300
Complaint Rules
https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-resources/complaints-against-institution/gnpec-complaint-rules
Mississippi
Status: authorization not required for online distance education, subject to periodic review
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211-6453
Phone: 601.432.6198
Student Complaint Process
http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca/student_complaint_process.asp
Ohio
Status: authorization not required for online distance education
Ohio Department of Higher Education
25 South Front Street, Columbus, OH 43215-4183
Phone: 614.728.3095
Student Complaints
https://highered.ohio.gov/students/current-college-students/student-complaints/student-complaints
Oklahoma
Status: authorization not required, subject to periodic review
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73104
Phone: 405.225.9100
Student Complaints
https://www.okhighered.org/current-college-students/complaints.shtml
Tennessee
Status: authorization or exemption not required, subject to periodic review
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 615.253.7458
Request for Complaint Review
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Seminary for the Third Millennium
316 Live Oaks Blvd.
Casselberry, FL 32707
Thirdmillseminary.org
Updated and posted 10.22.2022