Accreditation
St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting, The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS), which has approved the Master of Divinity (M. Div.) degree program.
Association of Theological Schools
10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1103.
Tel: 412.788.6505
Fax: 412.788.6510
Policy for Complaints Concerning Academic Matters
Any student with a grievance relating to academic policy, program requirements, financial aid, or any other area of the functions of St Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary should submit a written complaint to the Chief Academic Officer within sixty days of the alleged offense. The Chief Academic Officer will review the matter or send it on to the appropriate party for review. A written response will be sent to the student. A record of all such complaints will be maintained for review by the Association of Theological Schools.
Students may also choose 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 (p. 29): “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 on Accrediting 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
Complaints or grievances take three forms:
For assistance in determining the appropriate complaint or grievance procedure for initiating a complaint against St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, enrolled or prospective students should contact:
Katherine Cardell - Registrar
178 St. Tikhon's Rd., Waymart, PA 18472
570-561-1818 x105
katherine@stots.edu
Students should attempt to resolve a complaint using St. Tikhon’s petition or complaint process. For more information please see the Student Concerns page: https://stots.edu/studentconcerns.
SARA Complaint Process
Students must first exhaust the institution's internal grievance procedures before filing a complaint with the state. Students may lodge a complaint with the Pennsylvania Department of Education against any institution located in Pennsylvania. Complaints may be filed by students from any state with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), which serves as the SARA State Portal Entity (SPE)
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Division of Higher Education, Access, and Equity
607 South Drive, Floor 3E
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Phone: 717-783-6786
Email: RA-HigherEducation@pa.gov
SARA complaint process information:
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/education/programs-and-services/instruction/postsecondary-and-adult-education/state-authority-of-distance-education/state-authorization-reciprocity-agreement-sara