Student Complaint Resolution

FIT participates in federal student aid programs that are authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Participating institutions must be legally authorized to operate in the state in which they are located. Title 34 CFR § 600.9 requires states to have a “process to review and appropriately act on complaints concerning the institution including enforcing applicable State laws.” Title 34 CFR § 668.43(b) requires that institutions: “make available for review to any enrolled or prospective student upon request, a copy of the documents describing the institution’s accreditation and its State, Federal, or tribal approval or licensing. The institution must also provide its students or prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accreditor and with its State approval or licensing entity and any other relevant State official or agency that would appropriately handle a student’s complaint.”

To comply with this regulation, FIT provides the following information to our prospective and current students to help them identify potential misconduct and understand the proper channels for reporting it.

FIT makes every effort to resolve student complaints internally, using policies and procedures outlined in the online College Policy Library.

It is expected that students will fully utilize any and all of such administrative procedures to address concerns and/or complaints in as timely a manner as possible. Students may utilize FIT’s reporting system, STOPit, to report suspected violations of law or college policy, or can choose to report by following the specific procedures outlined in the policy that applies to the suspected violation. (STOPit is not intended to report real-time emergencies or threats. If you need to report an emergency, call the Office of Public Safety at 212-217-7777 or dial 911.) 

For specific reporting procedures regarding:

Academic Affairs Student Concerns
Submit an Academic Affairs Student Concern form or email [email protected].

Academic Grade Appeal 
Refer to the Grade Appeal policy.

Academic Integrity Violations
Refer to the Academic Honor Code policy.

Syllabi, Textbooks, and Required Course Materials
Refer to the Syllabi, Textbooks, and Required Course Materials policy.

Other Academic Complaints 
Refers to incidents of unprofessional behavior and other complaints that are not of an academic grade or integrity concern. Contact the department chair or academic dean for assistance.

Code of Student Conduct Violation 
Contact the Dean of Students and refer to the Code of Student Conduct policy.

Americans with Disabilities Act
Refer to the Disability Accommodations and Support Services policy. 

Disability Accommodations for Service and Support Animals
Refer to the Disability Accommodations for Service and Support Animals policy.

Discrimination or Sexual/Discriminatory Harassment
Refer to the Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment policy. 

Affirmative Action 
Refer to the Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment policy.

Title IX, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence
Refer to the Sexual Misconduct Response policy.

Chosen Name
Refer to the Chosen Name policy.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Refer to the FERPA policy.

Criminal Activity
Complaints involving matters of a criminal nature, such as assault, battery, and theft should be directed to the Department of Public Safety at (212) 217-4999.

Other Complaints
Refers to incident of unprofessional behavior and other complaints that are not covered by any other policies noted above. Contact the department director or the divisional vice president.

Corrective Action

Resolution of student complaints may include the following corrective actions: actions for the benefit of the student; direct disciplinary action against any employee of the College; and/or a change in rules, policies, or practices related to the provision of academic services and education.

Each administrative area responsible for handling the complaint ensures that any corrective actions arising from complaints are implemented and, where appropriate, reasonable steps are taken to prevent a similar complaint reoccurring.

The complainant will be notified of any corrective action imposed that directly relates to the complainant.

External Complaint Options

In the unlikely event that an issue cannot be resolved by the College, students may file a complaint with outside agencies noted below. These agencies should be contacted only after the student has registered a complaint with the College and has not received a response to the request for resolution – see list below.

The Fashion Institute of Technology is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and follows the complaint resolution policies and procedures outlined within the SARA Policy Manual and summarized here: Student Complaint Process. Consumer protection complaints resulting from distance education courses, activities, and operations may be submitted to the applicable Dean's Office for investigation and resolution. If a student is dissatisfied with the campus-based resolution, a concern may be submitted to System Administration of the State University of New York as outlined here: Student Concerns. And, if still not satisfied, a complaint may be submitted, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, to the New York State Education Department as outlined here: Filing a Complaint About a College or University.

Unresolved complaints may also be filed with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the College’s regional accrediting agency, once all other avenues have been exhausted. The link above provides information on its complaint policies and procedures.

Contact Information for External Agencies

New York State Division of Human Rights
State Headquarters
New York State Division of Human Rights
Old Fordham Plaza, 4th floor
Bronx, NY 10458

Tel:  (718) 741-8400
Fax: (718) 741-3214

Manhattan
New York State Division of Human Rights
20 Exchange Place, 2nd floor
New York, NY 10005

Tel:  (212) 480-2522
Fax: (212) 480-0143 

New York State Division of Human Rights
Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building
163 West 124th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10027

Tel:  (212) 961-8650
Fax: (212) 961-4425

Albany
New York State Division of Human Rights
Empire State Plaza
Corning Tower, 28th floor
Albany, NY 12220

Tel:  (518) 474-2705
Fax: (518) 473-3422

Long Island
New York State Division of Human Rights
175 Fulton Avenue, Suite 404
Hempstead, NY 11550

Tel:  (516) 538-1360
Fax: (516) 483-6589

New York State Division of Human Rights
State Office Building
250 Veterans Memorial Highway, room 2B49
Hauppauge, NY 11788

Tel:  (631) 952-6434
Fax: (631) 952-4920

Brooklyn
New York State Division of Human Rights
55 Hanson Place, room 304
Brooklyn, NY 11217

Tel:  (718) 722-2856
Fax: (718) 722-2869

Office of Sexual Harassment
New York State Division of Human Rights
Office of Sexual Harassment
55 Hanson Place, Suite 347
Brooklyn, NY 11217

Tel:  (718) 722-2060 or (800) 427-2773
Fax: (718) 722-4525

Office of AIDS Discrimination
New York State Division of Human Rights
Office of AIDS Discrimination
20 Exchange Place, 2nd floor
New York, NY 10005

Tel:  (212) 480-2522
Fax: (212) 480-0143

United States Department of Labor
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
201 Varick Street, room 750
New York, NY 10014

Tel:  (212) 337-2006
Fax: (212) 620-7705

New York District Office
26 Federal Plaza, room 36-116
New York, NY 10278

Tel:  (212) 264-7742
Fax: (212) 264-8166

State Campus
Building 12, room 500
Albany, NY 12240

Tel:  (518) 457-2746
Fax: (518) 457-6908

United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
EEOC National Headquarters
1801 L Street, NW
Washington D.C. 20507

Tel:  (202) 663-4900
Fax: (202) 663-4912

EEOC Field Office
6 Fountain Plaza, Suite 350
Buffalo, NY 14202

Tel:  (706) 551-4441
Fax: (716) 551-4387

Office of Civil Rights
OCR National Headquarters
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Civil Rights
Customer Service Team
Mary E. Switzer Building
330 C Street, SW
Washington D.C. 20202

Tel:  (800) 421-3481
Fax: (202) 205-9862

Office for Civil Rights
New York Office
2 Old Slip, 26th floor
New York, NY 10005

Tel:  (646) 428-3800
Email: [email protected]