Any student or staff member with a complaint in regards to Hastings Beauty School can request an Internal Complaint Form from a Hastings Beauty School staff member. The completed form should be turned into the school Director. Hastings Beauty School will respond to the complaint in writing, within ten business days of receiving the complaint. If the complainant is not satisfied with the Director’s resolution, he/she may request a Complaint Committee Administrator. A Complaint Committee will be made up of one student (randomly selected), one Advisory Board member, one member of the Board of Directors, and one Hastings Beauty School Instructor. The Complaint Committee will investigate the complaint and the school’s original response, and respond to the Complainant with 45 business days of the committee receiving the complaint. If the Complainant is not satisfied with the response of the Complainant Committee, he/she may contact the following agencies:
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108-5227
Board of Cosmetology Examiners
1000 University Avenue West Suite 100
Saint Paul, MN 55104
National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences
3015 Colvin Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Student Complaint Statute
136A.8295 STUDENT COMPLAINTS.
Subdivision 1. Authority.
The office has the authority to review and take appropriate action on student complaints from schools covered under the provisions of sections 136A.822 to 136A.834.
Subd. 2. Complaint.
A complaint must be in writing, be signed by a student, and state how the school’s policies and procedures or sections 136A.822 to 136A.834 were violated. Student complaints shall be limited to complaints that occurred within six years from the date the concern should have been discovered with reasonable effort and after the student has utilized the school’s internal complaint process. Students do not have to utilize a school’s internal complaint process before the office has authority when the student is alleging fraud or misrepresentation. The office shall not investigate grade disputes, student conduct proceedings, disability accommodation requests, and discrimination claims, including Title IX complaints.
Subd. 3. Investigation.
The office shall initiate an investigation upon receipt of a complaint within the authority of subdivision 2. A school involved in an investigation shall be informed of the alleged violations and the processes of the investigation. A school involved in an investigation shall respond to the alleged violations and provide requested documentation to the office. Upon completion of an investigation, the office shall inform the school and the student of the investigation outcome.
Subd. 4. Penalties.
If violations are found, the office may require remedial action by the school or assign a penalty under section 136A.832. Remedial action may include student notification of violations, adjustments to the school’s policies and procedures, and tuition or fee refunds to impacted students.
Subd. 5. Appeals.
Any order requiring remedial action by the school or assigning a penalty under section 136A.832 is appealable in accordance with chapter 14. The request for an appeal must be made in writing to the office within 30 days of the date the school is notified of the action of the office. The court shall award costs and reasonable attorney fees in a contested chapter 14 hearing to the office if: (1) the office substantially prevails on the merits in an action brought under this section; and (2) the school has a net income from student tuition, fees, and other required institutional charges collected from the last fiscal year of $1,000,000 or greater.
Subd. 6. Disclosure.
Schools must disclose on their website, student handbook, and student catalog the student complaint process under this section to students.
Subd. 7. Private information.
Student complaint data are private data on individuals, as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12. The office may disclose student complaint data to law enforcement officials or in connection with a legal or administrative proceeding commenced to enforce a requirement of law.