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Michigan State University
Michigan State University

Office of Accreditation, Assessment, Curriculum, and Compliance
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Consumer Protection

Consumer Protection

Michigan State University (MSU) discloses the following information to enrolled and prospective students in accordance with federal law. For further information, Office of Financial Aid staff is available on a full-time basis; their contact information may be found at finaid.msu.edu/about/contact.

Schedule of Courses
MSU’s Schedule of Courses provides the instructional address and Campus Map location where academic instruction takes place for each individual course. The information is available by semester, course number and section code, and location.

25Live
25Live provides detailed information regarding MSU lecture halls, class labs, computer labs, technology rooms, and other learning spaces. 25Live includes specifics related to accessibility, special accommodations, Ethernet, wireless access, audio-visual, room size, furnishing, etc. for each instructional location.
The University Committee on Curriculum (UCC) shall exercise the faculty's delegated authority to review and approve or reject all changes in undergraduate and graduate curricula and degree requirements recommended by the University Committee on Undergraduate Education and/or the University Committee on Graduate Studies. The policies and procedures related to academic governance may be accessed at this webpage.
Information concerning MSU's current educational programs and course descriptions is available at the Academic Programs Catalog. This includes information about instructional, laboratory, and other physical facilities that relate to the academic programs, as well as faculty and other instructional personnel. Academic Programs, the University catalog, provides information related to institutional/program accreditations and approvals (enter "accreditation" in the search box), as well as transferring courses and credits to MSU (enter "transfer" in the search box). University-approved articulation and consortium agreements are available for reference here. The policies and procedures related to academic governance may be accessed here.

Michigan State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Review MSU’s Statement of Accreditation Status issued by the HLC here. 

Some individual programs, schools and colleges are recognized by the accrediting agencies in their respective fields. Information about the accreditation of individual programs, schools and colleges is included in program descriptions in the Academic Programs Catalog.

The university is a member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, Association of American Universities, American Council on Education, American Council of Learned Societies, Association of Graduate Schools, Council of Graduate Schools, Big Ten Academic Alliance (formerly Committee on Institutional Cooperation) and International Association of Universities.

The University Policy on Alcohol and Controlled Substances can be accessed here. The Annual Security Report provides information about alcohol and other drug health risks, drug alcohol laws and penalties, and campus alcohol and other drug education and counseling resources. Additional information specifically addressing student conduct related to alcohol and other drugs can be found in Spartan Life.

The following links provide information about MSU policies and sanctions related to copyright infringement and unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, including disciplinary action taken against students who engage in illegal downloading or unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials using MSU information technology systems. The information also includes a notice that informs students that unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material may subject the students to civil and criminal liabilities. A summary of the penalties for violation of federal copyright laws is also provided.

Information concerning the cost of attending MSU is available from the Office of the Controller. These costs consist of tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and any additional costs for a program in which the student is enrolled or expresses an interest.

The Office of Financial Aid website includes information about the following: need-based and non-need-based federal, state, local, private, and institutional financial assistance programs available to students; eligibility requirements and procedures for applying for aid; criteria for selecting recipients and determining amount of award; methods and frequency of disbursements of aid; financial aid terms and conditions, including terms applicable to employment provided as part of a financial aid package; rights and responsibilities of students receiving Title IV, HEA loans; the availability of financial aid for study abroad programs; how financial aid is handled when students withdraw; and whom to contact for questions regarding financial aid. Federal notices concerning the terms and conditions of federal student loans, entrance and exit counseling information, drug violation penalties, and the code of conduct for financial aid professionals and advisory disclosure are available here.

IV, HEA Programs – Study Abroad
A student’s enrollment in a program of study abroad approved for credit by MSU may be considered enrollment at MSU for the purpose of applying for assistance under the title IV, HEA programs. For more information regarding financial assistance that may be available for students enrolled in MSU’s study abroad programs, see this webpage.
The Board of Trustees of Michigan State University ("Board") is a constitutional body corporate, created by and existing under Article VIII, Section 5 of the Constitution of the State of Michigan. The State Constitution provides that the Board has "general supervision" of the University. This information may be found at Michigan Legislature Article VIII, Sec. 5.
Graduation data of degree-seeking, full-time undergraduate students at MSU is available at ir.msu.edu/grad-rates. Information concerning retention rates is available at the IPEDS Data Center.
In compliance with the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act, information on men's and women's athletic programs at MSU is available here. The report includes the number of participants by gender for each team, operating and recruiting expenses, coaches' salaries, revenues, and athletically related student aid. A copy of the report is available online on the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education Equity in Athletics Disclosure website here. A paper copy of the report may be obtained by contacting the MSU Office of Institutional Research at (517) 355-9271.
Notification procedures to be followed when a student residing in on-campus housing has been reported missing for more than 24 hours are available in this document.
The Destination Survey Report provides post-graduation outcomes of MSU baccalaureate degree recipients, including the types of graduate and professional education programs in which graduates enrolled. The report is prepared using information obtained annually from students who received a baccalaureate degree, offering a snapshot of their progress during the transition out of college.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that gives students the right to review their education records, to request amendment of their records, to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information, and to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education. Additional information regarding student rights under FERPA is available here. This information includes MSU procedures for reviewing and requesting amendment of education records, notice of the types of information MSU has designated as directory information, and students' right to opt-out of directory information. The Michigan State University Access to Student Information guidelines, a copy of the annual notice and notification of directory information, and other FERPA resources may be accessed through the Michigan State University FERPA webpage. If you have any questions about your rights under FERPA, reach out to ferpa@msu.edu.

Federal regulations require MSU to publicly disclose, for each educational program designed to meet the educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation (or advertised as meeting those requirements), information about whether program completion would meet those requirements in a state. These public disclosure requirements apply to all programs, regardless of their modality (i.e., on-ground, online, and hybrid programs). MSU discloses the required information related to the educational requirements for professional licensure and certification in the table at this link.

All current and prospective students are encouraged to contact the applicable professional licensure/certification boards in their respective states for additional information regarding professional licensure/certification requirements, including, without limitation, information regarding any non-educational requirements (such as work experience, background clearance, or examination by outside entities, such as bar examinations).

The information in the table should not be construed as guaranteeing that any particular professional licensure/certification authority will approve a student’s application; nor should the information in the table be read to imply that other requirements for professional licensure/certification do not exist or that other requirements for professional licensure/certification have been determined to have been met by MSU’s program/course, or that any necessary approvals for clinical or other experiential learning placements are secured by virtue of a student’s enrollment at MSU.

State professional licensure/certification requirements are subject to change at any time.

  • Refund of Course Fees and Tuition
  • Financial Aid Refund Policy
    • Return of Funds Policy for Title IV Aid Recipients Who Withdraw
    • Refund Rules for Other Fees, Taxes, Assessments
    • The Engineering Program Fee, Science and Technology Fee, Health Science Program Fee and Broad College of Business Program Fees or the differential is refunded in the same percentage as course fees when withdrawing from the University or dropping from above 4 credits to 4 credits or less.
    • Student government taxes, FM Radio tax, and The State News assessments are refundable upon presentation of the appropriate receipt at the respective organization's office.
    • Late Registration Fees - will not be refunded.
    • Residence Hall Housing Fees are refunded on a pro-rata basis, based on certain variables. In some instances, the cost of room and board may be prorated as of the day following departure, if proper check-out procedures have been followed. Details and procedures are found in the On-Campus Housing Handbook: Terms and Conditions.
    • University Apartment Rent Refunds - Tenants will be held to their lease end date, so no proration will occur if they move out early. Refunds for tenants who have been officially released from their lease will be prorated as of the day following the official check out time.

In general, all fees collected by Michigan State University and their respective refund policies shall be subject to judicial review as provided in Student Rights and Responsibilities at Michigan State University.

MSU, in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (a federal law known as the “Clery Act”), publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which provides MSU students and employees (both current and prospective) with information about the campus, police and public safety resources, reporting crimes, fire and medical emergencies, crime and fire prevention, victim support services, the law and University policies, campus facilities, residence hall security, crime statistics, fire statistics, the crime and fire log, the University's Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy, the MSU Drug and Alcohol Policy and more. You can access the report here. A hard copy of this document may be obtained by contacting Maja Myszkowski, Clery Act Compliance Coordinator, at (517) 353-2620 or email at clery@msu.edu.
The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) provides disability-related information and referrals; documents disability and conducts needs assessments; facilitates reasonable accommodations; and provides disability-related technical assistance, auxiliary aids/services, and advocacy and training. Visit the RCPD website for additional information on services and resources available to students with disabilities.
Information about student body diversity, including the number of enrolled full-time students by gender and race/ethnicity, is provided in the Common Data Set. The number of undergraduate students who receive a Federal Pell Grant is available at nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT CONFLICT AND GRIEVANCE SYSTEMS
The University encourages students and prospective students initially to address complaints relating to MSU institutional policies and consumer protection issues with personnel in the office, department or college that caused the alleged grievance. Senior University administrators will be involved, as needed, to resolve the complaints. To learn more about the conflict and grievance systems at MSU, visit this Office of the University Ombudsperson webpage.
 

STATE OF MICHIGAN
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Postsecondary Schools is the agency designated to review complaints against institutions of higher education providing distance education. Complaints concerning MSU’s distance education activities regulated by Michigan's Higher Education Authorization and Distance Education Reciprocal Exchange Act (2015 PA 45) may be directed to Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Postsecondary Schools, P.O. Box 30726, Lansing, MI 48909 through the process described at www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/wd/pss.

Complaints concerning consumer protection violations may be directed to the Office of the Attorney General of the State of Michigan, Consumer Protection Division, P.O. Box 30213, Lansing, MI 48909-7713 or secure.ag.state.mi.us/complaints/consumer.aspx.

HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION
Michigan State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The HLC is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Students may submit a complaint about an HLC-accredited institution using the HLC complaint process for filing complaints that remain unresolved after engaging in the above-referenced process. Complaints concerning broad institutional academic practices, such as those that raise issues regarding the University's ability to meet accreditation standards, may be forwarded to the Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, Illinois 60604; 800-621-7440 / 312-263-0456; info@hlcommission.org. 

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR STATE AUTHORIZATION RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS (NC-SARA)
 A student living in a SARA reciprocity agreement state who is not satisfied with the outcome of the institutional conflict and grievance process and resolution was not found may file a student complaint using the NC-SARA Student Complaint Process on the NC-SARA website.

CALIFORNIA is not a participating SARA reciprocity state. A student living in California who is not satisfied with the outcome of institutional compliance and grievance process and resolution was not found may file a student complaint with:

California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education
PO Box 980818
West Sacramento, CA 95798-0818

If you have questions or need assistance with filing a complaint, please email bppe.enforcement@dca.ca.gov or call (888) 370-7589, press 3 when prompted.

How to File a Complaint with the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education.

Complaint Form

Website: www.bppe.ca.gov

The University does not award credit for prior learning experiences or experiences from the military.

Campus Bus System
The Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) bus system is free for all students during fall and spring semesters along all on-campus routes. These routes serve all university apartments, residence halls, commuter lots and main campus facilities. Most on-campus routes run until 2:30 a.m. after which the Night Owl service provides late night transportation at a discounted student rate. In addition to the free on-campus routes, there are also routes that extend to the surrounding off-campus areas of East Lansing, Lansing, Okemos and Haslett. For off-campus routes, students can pay per ride or purchase passes.

Student Parking and Driving Regulations (Vehicle, Motorcycle, Moped and/or Bicycle)
Students who drive a vehicle on campus are subject to the Student Parking & Driving Regulations. The complete Student Parking & Driving Regulations, including a map of campus parking areas, is available online at the Parking Services website.. The regulations should be read carefully as they are strictly enforced. Violation fines are as much as $100. Late and delinquent fees, towing costs and storage fees are additional.

Requirements and fees for registration, hours that students may drive on campus, and the fine schedule are subject to change.

For assistance or clarification, visit the MSU Parking Office at 1120 Red Cedar Road, call (517) 355-8440, or visit the Parking Services website.
MSU policies regarding vaccinations are available at the University Physician website.

University students who are U.S. citizens and eligible to vote have two options for voting:

  • Register to vote using your student address.
  • Register to vote using your permanent home address.

Students attending a college or university in Michigan can register to vote in local, state, and federal in Michigan if they choose to do so. New residents can register to vote and must be a resident of their city or township for at least 30 days by Election Day.

To be eligible to vote, you must be:

  • A U.S. citizen
  • At least 17.5 years old (18 when you vote)
  • A Michigan resident (at the time you register)
  • A resident of your city or township for at least 30 days (when you vote)

Michigan Voter Registration and Application and Instructions can be found at ED-121: Michigan Voter Registration Application and Change of Address Form.

For additional information on how to register to vote in Michigan or register to vote anywhere in the U.S., visit the MSUvote website.

MSUVOTE
Michigan State University
Student Services Building
556 E. Circle Drive, Suite 101
East Lansing, MI 48824
Email: spartansvote@gmail.com