Student Right to Know

Association of Theological Schools of the United States & Canada (ATS) – 

Students may elect to write to the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in the United States and Canada.  As stated in the ATS Procedures, Policies, and Bylaws:

The Commission has an obligation to the various publics it serves to give responsible consideration to complaints that may be made against any accredited school. The Board of Commissioners maintains policies and procedures for reviewing and responding to complaints. The complaint must be filed in writing, together with substantial documentation, as appropriate for the circumstance. The Board of Commissioners will determine if the complaint has standing with reference to any membership criterion or Standards of Accreditation of the Commission. If the complaint has standing, the Board of Commissioners will conduct an investigation. The Board of Commissioners will communicate its conclusions and actions to the institution and the party raising the complaint. The Board of Commissioners assumes no responsibility for or obligation to adjudicate individual grievances.

All letters to the Commission should be addressed to:

The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
The Commission on Accrediting
10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15275-1110

Federal regulations require the States to provide students the ability to file complaints against educational institutions located in their State.  Trinity encourages all students to first use all available grievance procedures provided by the institution before pursuing a complaint with a State agency.

State of Pennsylvania –

Complaints may be directed to:

Pennsylvania Department of Education

333 Market Street

Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333

Student Complaints website 

or

Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection

14th Floor, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, PA 17120

Attorney General Complaints website

State of North Carolina –

Degree programs of study offered by Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry have been declared by the appropriate state authority exempt from the requirements for licensure under provisions of North Carolina General Statutes Section (G.S.) 116-15 (d) for exemption from licensure with respect to religious education. Exemption from licensure is not based upon assessment of program quality under established licensing standards.

The State Authorization Unit of the University of North Carolina System Office serves as the official state entity to receive complaints concerning post-secondary institutions authorized to operate in North Carolina. If students are unable to resolve a complaint through the institution’s grievance procedures, they can review the Student Complaint Policy (PDF) and submit their complaint using the online complaint form at Student Complaints Site

For more information, contact:

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints

223 S. West Street, Suite 1800

Raleigh, NC 27603

(919) 962-4550

To file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice, please visit The State Attorney General’s web page at: NCDOJ site. North Carolina residents may call (877) 566-7226. Outside of North Carolina, please call (919) 716-6000. En Espanol (919) 716-0058. If you choose to mail a complaint, please use the following address:

Consumer Protection Division

Attorney General’s Office

Mail Service Center 9001

Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

Trinity Anglican Seminary’s policy in regards to sexual misconduct/harassment is to maintain a studying/work environment (including school- and work-related activities such as mission trips, class sessions, committee meetings, and school related social events) that is free from all forms of harassment or intimidation.  In addition, faxes, phone messages, and electronic communications of a harassing or intimidating nature are specifically prohibited by this policy.   

This policy covers all students (full-time, part-time, auditors in any modalities) and employees (Faculty, Regular, Part-Time, Temporary, Student, and Contract). Trinity Anglican Seminary prohibits any form of harassment; that is, verbal or physical conduct that downgrades, demeans, degrades, mocks, or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual, or that of his or her relatives, friends, associates, or other third parties, or because the individual has filed a valid harassment or workers’ compensation claim.  All employees must participate in a Sexual Misconduct Prevention Workshop. The certificate of completion will be kept in the individual’s employment file.

Such conduct is prohibited if it:  

1. Has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment;  
2. Has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or studies; or  
3. Otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment opportunities.   

In addition to the examples stated above, the following are examples of what may constitute sexual harassment. This list is not intended to be all-inclusive:  

• Discussing sexual activities; 
• Making inappropriate physical contact; 
• Granting or denying job favors to those who do or do not participate in consensual sexual activities; 
• Retaliating for ending a voluntary sexual relationship;
• Demeaning sexual questions or comments; 
• Making repeated requests for dates after being rejected;
• Making demeaning jokes;
• Making wolf whistles; 
• Leering or staring at a person’s body;
• Using conduct with the sole purpose of unreasonably interfering with another’s work performance;
• Creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment;
• Producing or possessing graphic material that defames, degrades, or shows hostility to an individual or group;
• Circulating improper materials, physically or electronically, through the workplace.

Policy and Procedure – Updated 10 April 2024

[Forthcoming Title IX report form]