Distance Education State Authorization

Academics Matter

Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary education. In addition, NC-SARA allows students in participating states and territories to enroll in online distance education classes at FTCC. While California is currently not a member of NC-SARA, FTCC has authorization or exemption to offer purely (100%) distance education programs to its residents, including online programs. Students enrolled in online/distance courses at FTCC who have a grievance about grades, College decisions, or other FTCC procedures should follow the College’s Grade Appeals process (pp. 63-64) and Student Grievances Policy and Procedure (pp. 65-66), which are available to view in the Student Handbook. In addition, please refer to the College Catalog regarding the Grade Appeals process (p. 45) and Grievances (p. 47).

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Rosemary Kelly, Associate Vice President for Student Services
P.O. Box 35236
2201 Hull Road
Fayetteville, NC 28303
Phone: 910-678-8325
Email: kellyr@faytechcc.edu

Discrimination Issues

Students should follow the process outlined in the Student Grievance Policy also found in the Student Handbook.  Go to pages 58-66  to view the Student Grievance process, including discrimination, and Grade Appeals process.

Accreditation

Fayetteville Technical Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC Complaint Procedures are available for review by all FTCC students and students may file a complaint with SACSCOC.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, GA 30033
Phone: 404-679-4500
Website: http://www.sacscoc.org/

If a complaint cannot be resolved through the institution’s grievance procedures, students may file a complaint with The University of North Carolina System Office. Please review the Student Complaint Policy (PDF), and complete the online Student Complaint Form and submit the complaint to:

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: (919) 962-4550
Website: www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints/

If an issue cannot be resolved internally, the student may file a complaint with his/her state. For students residing outside North Carolina, each SARA-member state has a liaison office. Also, you may contact the state agency in your respective state of residence regarding complaint processes.

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: http://www.ncdoj.gov/complaint or access the NC DOJ online fillable complaint form. 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

In compliance with the new regulations, an institution offering distance education must provide enrolled and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accrediting agency and with the appropriate state agency for handling complaints in the student’s state. While FTCC strives to provide the highest quality education opportunities available, conflicts may arise. It is our aim to resolve any grievances, complaints, and concerns in an expeditious, fair, and amicable manner. If an issue cannot be solved by FTCC’s internal processes, you may choose to file a complaint with your state of residence. 

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement – North Carolina (SARA NC)

SARA North Carolina is a program of the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority. The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is an agreement among member states and districts that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of post-secondary distance education courses and programs. The primary objectives of SARA NC are to make it easier for institutions in North Carolina to provide online and distance education options to students in other states and to provide basic protections for those students. SARA is overseen by a national council and administered by four regional higher education compacts, MHEC, NEBHE, SREB and WICHE. The four SARA agreements of those compacts are collectively treated as a plural, the Agreements. North Carolina has been accepted as a member state of SARA, through the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB).

If an issue cannot be resolved to your satisfaction, you may file a complaint with SARA-NC the authorizing agency for North Carolina on the SARA NC Complaint Process and Complaint Form. 

North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
c/o SARA North Carolina
P.O. Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
www.saranc.org
E-Mail: information@saranc.org

(855) SARA1NC, toll free
(855) 727-2162, toll free
(919) 248-6667, fax

Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). However, NC-SARA does not deal with professional licensing board approval for any courses or programs leading to professional licensure. These courses or programs, listed below, are designed to prepare a student for potential licensure/certification in the State of North Carolina. Prospective out-of-state students are advised to consult with the appropriate FTCC program contact, prior to enrollment, regarding any questions of meeting licensure/certification requirements in your respective state of residence. Contact information for each program that leads to licensure/certification has been provided below.

Students may view the disclosures for each program or certificate to know which state(s) Fayetteville Technical Community College curriculum programs:

• meets state educational requirements for licensure or certification, and
• does not meet state educational requirements for licensure or certification, and
• the institution has not made a determination whether the program curriculum meets, or does not meet, state educational requirements for licensure or certification.