Online Programs: State Authorization and Consumer Protection Information
91Ó°ÊÓ has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). 91Ó°ÊÓ is also authorized by the New York State Education Department to participate in and offer online education programs under this State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). Colleges and universities that are SARA members may provide online education to residents of SARA member states and territories. This includes 49 states (every state except California), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
91Ó°ÊÓ’s institutional accrediting body, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), has also approved our degree programs to be offered in a distance education format. Additional information about MSCHE and 91Ó°ÊÓ’s accreditation status is available on our Accreditation Information page.
91Ó°ÊÓ’s participation in the NC-SARA provides online distance education students with consumer protection provisions that are part of SARA’s terms and conditions. An overview of the NC-SARA student complaint process can be found . For additional information about NC-SARA and the SARA, visit .
SARA policies do not cover complaints related to grades or student conduct violations.
Students may appeal the institution's decision to the SARA State Portal Entity in New York State within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made.
Online Student Complaint Process
Students enrolled in online 91Ó°ÊÓ programs must first direct their complaint to 91Ó°ÊÓ for review, investigation and resolution. Many common complaints or concerns can be addressed through the College’s Student Formal Complaint Process. Additionally, documented complaints of heightened significance can be addressed through 91Ó°ÊÓ’s Student Formal Complaint Process. Both of these 91Ó°ÊÓ complaint processes are available on the Student Policies and Procedures page.
If the complaint remains unresolved after all institutional procedures have been exhausted, complaints may be directed to the New York SARA State Portal Entity. Students have two years from the date of the incident about which the complaint is made to appeal to the SARA State Portal Entity. Please note, complaints regarding grade appeals or conduct are exclusively subject to 91Ó°ÊÓ procedures and will not be addressed by the State Portal Entity. For more information on NC-SARA complaints for online students, please see the .
New York State Education Department (NYSED) SARA State Portal Entity
As the SARA State Portal Entity, the NYSED Office of College and University Evaluation reviews and evaluates student complaints regarding distance learning programs offered by New York State institutions that are members of SARA. For more information on their complaint procedures, please visit their .