Every state has the authority to regulate which postsecondary institutions offer education within its boundaries, including online programs and courses. The need to seek state authorization for online learning depends on a combination of each state’s laws and the activities that a course, program, or institution is conducting in that state.
UNC Charlotte participates in the national State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA, see additional information below) and is, therefore, authorized to offer online programs and courses in all its member states and territories. Details on state authorization at UNC Charlotte can be found at the School of Professional Studies State Authorization page.
SARA Complaint Resolution Procedures: UNC Charlotte
UNC Charlotte’s State Authorization Student Complaint Resolution Procedures can be found at the School of Professional Studies State Authorization page. With all student complaints, students are advised to put their concerns in writing and carefully document the events that led to the complaint or grievance. Concerns should be expressed as soon as possible after the event occurs; some of the procedures have specific deadlines for filing grievances or complaints.
The Student Assistance and Support Services (SASS) unit in the Dean of Students Office can provide guidance about grievances and appropriate avenues to express concerns about University experiences. If a complaint cannot be resolved to the student’s satisfaction through the institution’s complaint process, students may file a complaint with the North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints unit.
If the complaint is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction after completing the above steps AND the complaint pertains to online/distance education, students may also file a complaint through SARA North Carolina (SARA-NC), or in the state in which they reside (if residing outside North Carolina). Please note: SARA North Carolina does not accept complaints regarding grades or student conduct violations.
Students may also file a complaint with UNC Charlotte’s regional accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
SARA Student Complaint Process
Section 4.5 of the NC-SARA Policy Manual also provides complaint resolution procedures. To access these procedures, please visit SARA North Carolina (SARA-NC). Generally, complaints against an institution operating under SARA policies go first through the institution’s own procedures for resolution of grievances.
If a person bringing a complaint is not satisfied with the outcome of the institutional process for handling complaints, the complaint (except for complaints about grades or student conduct violations) may be appealed, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made. The resolution of the complaint by the institution’s home state SARA State Portal Entity, through its SARA complaint resolution process, will generally be final.
While final resolution of complaints (for purposes of adjudication of the complaint and enforcement of any resultant remedies or redress) resides in certain cases with institutions (complaints about grades or student conduct violations), or more generally with the relevant institution’s home state SARA State Portal Entity (all other complaints), the regional compact(s) administering SARA may consider a disputed complaint as a “case file” if concerns are raised against a SARA member state with regard to whether that state is abiding by SARA policies.