State Authorization

State Authorization is a form of consumer protection that guarantees that all educational institutions will follow that state’s regulations.

Catawba College is approved by SARA-NC to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. A “State authorization reciprocity agreement”, SARA, is an agreement between two or more States that authorizes an institution located and legally authorized in a State covered by the agreement to provide postsecondary education through distance education or correspondence courses to students in other States covered by the agreement. Catawba College has not been subject to sanctions or other adverse actions by a state entity or accrediting agency.
 

STATES IN WHICH CATAWBA COLLEGE SERVES DISTANCE LEARNING STUDENTS

States regulate which institutions can offer education to its citizens. Catawba College must comply with the state regulation requirement based on the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. To meet this requirement, Catawba College has joined NC-SARA to serve students in states outside of North Carolina.

The states in which the college is authorized to serve students are listed below. If you reside in a state not on this list, you are not eligible to register for online classes at Catawba College at this time. If you have questions, please contact the Director of Online Programming.

California is not part of NC-SARA. As an out-of-state private institution, Catawba College is not under the purview of the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education. Catawba College is not in compliance with California regulations to offer online/distance learning programs to California residents.

STATE AUTHORIZATION BY STATE: 

1. Student Complaint Information by State and Agency - PDF 
2. State Agency List - https://nc-sara.org/guide/agency-list

SUPERVISED FIELD EXPERIENCE

Courses and programs incorporating a “supervised field experience” are covered by the provisions of SARA. Under SARA a “supervised field experience” means a student learning experience under the oversight of a supervisor, mentor, faculty member or other qualified professional, located in the host state, who has a direct or indirect reporting responsibility to the institution where the student is enrolled, whether or not credit is granted. Examples include practicum, student teaching, or internships. However, see below regarding programs for licensed professions.

GRIEVANCE RESOLUTION

As required by Federal regulations, Catawba College provides for current and prospective students the contact information for filing student complaints with the appropriate agency in the state where the student resides.  For grievances involving any aspect of your online educational experience:

1. Catawba College strives to providing quality and supportive learning environments, and is committed to responding to student complaints promptly.  We encourage students to utilize our Academic Grievance Procedure (below). This process asks that you first try to reach a resolution with the instructor or other party involved in the issue, before taking the issue to the department chair, immediate supervisor, and, finally, the Provost’s Office. For questions or more information, please contact:
   
   Earl B. Givens, Jr.
   Interim Vice-Provost
   Hedrick Administration Building, 237A
   704.637.4212
   ebgivens15@catawba.edu
   2300 W Innes Street
   Salisbury, NC  28144

   For non-academic issues and complaints, students are advised to follow our grievance procedure and Title IX policy and procedure (catawba.edu/titleix) 
   
   Grievance Procedure for Non-Academic Complaints and Issues:  A student may report their complaint to the Associate Provost’s Office, Room 237A in Hedrick Administration, 704-637-4279. The student complaint must be in writing and include: the nature of the student complaint; date(s) of alleged incident(s); information about attempts to resolve the student complaint; and the results of such attempts. The complaint must be filed within 10 class days of the incident. The student will sign a release form to permit appropriate persons to review and investigate confidential information or documentation in the complaint.

   The Associate Provost shall determine the appropriate administrative review for the student complaint.  When appropriate, the Associate Provost will convene a Grievance Committee. If the Associate Provost decides that a review is not warranted, they will contact all involved parties in writing, informing them of the decision and the reasons thereof.

   If deemed necessary, a Grievance Committee will convene in a timely manner (within 15 class days) and review the student's complaint. Complaints will generally, but not always be resolved in this time frame. If the student complaint is not resolved in this time frame, the complainant will be kept informed of when they might be resolved and the reasons for the delay. A summary of the panel's finding will be forwarded to all panel members and the student, informing them of the decision.  

   Most grievances and complaints can be resolved through this process. To register complaints regarding the results of this process, students may contact the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights. More information regarding this process can be found on the OCR Website  or through How To File a Discrimination Complaint.
   
   Academic Grievances:
   The specific procedure for due process of the resolution of a complaint is as follows

   • The parties shall first attempt to resolve the grievance between them. 
   • If no resolution of the grievance is achieved, a party may appeal her/his complaint to the chair of the department in whose department the complaint originated for further attempt at resolution. 
   • If the grievance still is not resolved, a party may appeal her/his complaint in writing to the Provost of the College for further attempt at resolution. The Provost may hear the complaint his or herself, or appoint an administrative designee to do so. A complaint regarding a final grade must be made in writing to the Provost of the College within 40 calendar days of the next regular (non-summer) date of registration after the end of the semester in which the grade was earned. In the case of I grades, a party must make the complaint in writing within 40 calendar days after the I grade was changed. The letter should confirm that steps 1 and 2 were accomplished.
   • If the grievance is yet unresolved, the Provost of the College may convene an ad hoc Academic Grievance Panel (AGP). A party does not enjoy the privilege of self-referral to an AGP or of any other administrative recourse. 
2. If Catawba College’s resolution procedures does not lead to a satisfactory resolution of the grievance, students may utilize the:
   1. NC Independent Colleges & Universities Complaint Process by following the instructions in of Consumer Protection Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice. Grievances can be submitted electronically or by mail:
      
      File Complaint Electronically
      Or, mail to: 
      Consumer Protection Division
      Attorney General’s Office
      Mail Service Center 9001
      Raleigh, NC 27699-9001
      Telephone for NC Residents: 877.566.7226 
      Telephone for Outside of NC: 919.716.6000
      En Español: 919.716.0058
      https://ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint/
      
      
   2.  SACSCOC Student Complaint Process
      

      

      Catawba College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Students may follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure (this link includes a copy of the Student Grievance Form). The contact information for SACSCOC is:
      
      Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
      1866 Southern Lane
      Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
      Telephone: 404.679.4500
      http://sacscoc.org/
      
      
   3. SARA-NC Complaint Process
      Catawba College is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement – North Carolina (SARA-NC) which is the portal for North Carolina. Students may follow the SARA-NC Complaint Process and use the SARA-NC Complaint Form (PDF). SARA-NC does not resolve complaints about student grades and student conduct violation. These complaints fall under the jurisdiction of institutional policy. The contact information for SARA-NC is:
      
      North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
      c/o SARA North Carolina
      PO Box 41349
      Raleigh, NC  27629
      Telephone: 855.SARA.1.NC (727-2162)
      Telephone: 919.549.8614, ext. 4667
      Email: complaint@saranc.org
      www.saranc.org

If a student wishes to contact the state portal entities for his or her home state, contact information for state authorization liaisons in each SARA state can be found on the NC-SARA website. A step-by-step process for filing a SARA student complaint is outlined on the NC SARA site.

PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE

Disclaimer Statement:  NC-SARA does not deal with professional licensing board approval for any courses or programs leading to professional licensure. If you are not a resident of North or South Carolina, and you are taking an online course or program leading to professional licensure, Catawba College cannot guarantee whether the course or program meets requirements for professional licensure in your state. Prior to beginning your course of study, please consult with the academic department offering the program to receive individualized assessment and advice.

For information regarding licensure programs in Teacher Education:
Dr. Kimberly Creamer Associate Dean School of Education
2300 W. Innes St., Salisbury, NC 28144
(704) 637-4462
kcreamer14@catawba.edu

State-by-State Licensing Board Contact Information – Education

Professional Licensure General Disclosure:  Catawba College’s curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure of certification in North Carolina.  The curriculum does not meet the state educational requirements for licensure of certification in other states and/or territories (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and California).  If you currently live or intend to practice in a state other than North Carolina, please contact the Director of Online Programming for specific evaluation and direct disclosure about your state.

For information regarding licensure programs in Nursing:
Dr. Valerie Rakes
2300 W. Innes St., Salisbury, NC  28144
(704) 645-4860
vnrakes18@catawba.edu

State-by-State Licensing Board Contact Information – Nursing (https://www.ncsbn.org/contact-bon.htm)

Professional Licensure General Disclosure:  Catawba College’s curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure of certification in North Carolina.  The curriculum does not meet the state educational requirements for licensure of certification in other states and/or territories (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and California).  If you currently live or intend to practice in a state other than North Carolina, please contact the Director of Online Programming for specific evaluation and direct disclosure about your state.

RELATED INFORMATION

• Accreditation

• Provost's Office