State Authorization is a legal issue dealing with a college’s adherence to state requirements for colleges to secure authorization to offer instruction in that state. Institutions offering distance education courses or programs must provide current and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with the college, its accrediting agency, and with the state agencies that handle complaints in the student’s state of residence.
Recent amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 include changes in regulation for State Authorization that may impact online, distance, and correspondence education providers. The relevant language includes: If an institution is offering postsecondary education through distance or correspondence education to students in a State in which it is not physically located or in which it is otherwise subject to State jurisdiction as determined by the State, the institution must meet any State requirements for it to be legally offering postsecondary distance or correspondence education in that State. An institution must be able to document to the Secretary the State’s approval upon request. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1001 and 1002)
Southeastern Community College is currently authorized, licensed, registered, exempt or not subject to approval in the following states: Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Exemptions/Authorizations for states not listed are currently in progress which include Alabama and Florida. The college will endeavor to seek authorization in any state as needed per enrollment of students in online courses offered by the institution.
The U.S. Department of Education requires institutions to provide disclosure to consumers residing in all states. Please refer to the Student Compliant Information by State and Agency and the State Portal Entity Liaisons for more details.
Filing a Compliant
Southeastern Community College is a member of the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). Students are advised to begin the process at the institutional level.
SCC is dedicated to resolving student complaints in a timely, fair, and amicable manner. Distance Learning students attending SCC who would like to resolve an academic or non-academic complaint should follow the student grievance process.
If assistance is needed with a non-academic complaint, please contact:
Colene Faulk
Dean of Student Services
4564 Chadbourn Hwy., Whiteville, NC 28472
colene.faulk@sccnc.edu
910.788.6269
Students who wish to file a grade appeal should follow the grade appeal process, located in the Catalog and Student Handbook. If assistance is needed with an academic complaint, please contact:
Dr. Brandon Jenkins
Executive Vice President/Chief Academic Officer
4564 Chadbourn Hwy., Whiteville, NC 28472
brandon.jenkins@sccnc.edu
910.788.6381
If a complaint cannot be resolved through the institution’s complaint process, students may file a complaint with the North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints unit. Please review the NC Post-Secondary Education Student Complaint Process, complete the online NC Post-Secondary Education Complaint form, and submit the complaint to:
North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
University of North Carolina System Office
223 S. West Street
Suite 1800
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: 919-962-4550
Students may also file a complaint through SARA-NC, the portal for North Carolina. Students should follow the SARA-NC Complaint Process and use the SARA-NC Complaint Form. For more information contact:
SARA North Carolina
North Caroline State Education Assistance Authority
P.O. Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
T: 855 SARA-1-NC (727-2162)
T: 919 549-8614 Ext. 4667
For more information about the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement in North Carolina, visit the SARA-NC website.