The Office of the Ombudsman of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (“the Office”) serves as an intermediary among the state’s institutions of higher education, the Legislature, and the public regarding institutional governance and student success. The Office receives and, if necessary, investigates complaints submitted via this website regarding an institution of higher education’s failure to comply with the sections of law outlined below. The Office also coordinates the compliance monitoring function under Texas Education Code Section 61.035.
The Office receives complaints and feedback in two primary ways:
- Complaints under specific statutes for public institutions of higher education (“Statutory Complaints”):
- 51.315 General Education Curriculum Review
- 51.3522 Faculty Council or Senate
- 51.3525 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives
- 51.3541 Responsibility of President/CEO for annual evaluations
- 51.9431 Grievance, hiring, and discipline authority of President/CEO
- 61.0522 General Education Curriculum Advisory Committee
- Feedback that is outside of the Statutory Complaint process. In the case of such feedback, we may contact the institution or others about specific issues or provide a compilation of information to the identified institution on a periodic basis.
The Office may also use information that it receives in the Compliance Monitoring function. Any information received may be reviewed on an overall risk basis and may be taken into consideration for planning and project development or reviewed as an individual issue.
Please note that an individual who knowingly submits a false complaint shall be held responsible for any investigation costs incurred by the Office resulting from the false complaint. The Office may refuse to investigate a future complaint filed by an individual who is found to have knowingly filed a false complaint.