Three students walk down an aisle in a library, smiling and talking with one another. They are surrounded by bookshelves filled with books, and the well-lit hallway extends into the background. The setting conveys a welcoming and collaborative academic environment.

State Authorization

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

What is State Authorization?

Each State sets rules and regulations for its educational institutions that it expects all such educational institutions, regardless of physical location, to follow. State Authorization is a form of consumer protection that guarantees that all educational institutions will follow that state’s regulations.

Why does it matter to me?

State Authorization is your assurance that we will provide you with each of the following:

our accrediting agency
our contact information for filing complaints, and
the state agencies that handle complaints in your state of residence.

How do I make an academic grievance or complaint?

Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) students residing outside of North Carolina should first follow CVCC’s Student Complaint Process.

CVCC’s Student Complaint Process

» 5.3.6 Student Services Student Grievance

For further information, please contact:

Jonathan Loss, Dean of Enrollment Management
2550 US Hwy 70 SE
Hickory, NC 28602
[email protected]
(828) 327-7000, ext. 4526

Student Grievance Forms

Please complete the Student Grievance form that is automatically routed to the Director of Admissions, who will contact you for the next steps.

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints

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 Student Complaint Form. Questions or concerns can be directed to:

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
University of North Carolina System Office
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800
Raleigh NC 27603
(919) 962-4550

SACSCOC Student Complaint Process

If the North Carolina Community College System does not satisfactorily resolve your complaint, the next step is to file a complaint with Catawba Valley Community College’s accrediting agency. CVCC’s accrediting agency is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Students who file a complaint with the accrediting agency should follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure (PDF). The contact information for SACS is:

1866 Southern Lane Decatur
Georgia 30033-4097
(404) 679-4500
www.sacscoc.org

SARA-NC Complaint Process

SARA-NC is the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority. You may also file a complaint with SARA-NC. Students should follow the SARA-NC Complaint Process and use the SARA North Carolina Student Complaint Form.

SARA-NC Contact Information:

SARA North Carolina
State Education Assistance Authority
PO Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
(855) SARA-1-NC (727-2162)
(919) 549-8614, ext. 4667
[email protected]
www.saranc.org

If an issue cannot be resolved through the grievance procedures, a student who resides outside of the State of North Carolina may file a complaint with their state of residence. See tab below for more information.

Should a student need to file a complaint about a postsecondary school, a list of contacts to obtain forms and procedures can be found below.

Please note: Whenever possible this report used language provided by the state agency through the SHEEO Survey. In some cases, email correspondence and web site reviews were also incorporated.

Student Complaint Information by State and Agency
State	Agency Name	Link	Information About Complaint Process
Alabama	Alabama Commission on Higher Education-Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning	Alabama Commission On Higher Education	Complaints for out-of-state institutions are referred to the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education (ADPE) for response. Please see the ADPE link. For in-state institutions, contacts are posted to the ACHE website.
Alabama	Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education-Office of Private School Licensing Division	Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education
Alaska	Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education	Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
Arizona	Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education	Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
Arkansas	Arkansas Department of Higher Education	Student Grievance Form
Arkansas	Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education	Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education
California	Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education	How to File a Complaint
Colorado	Colorado Department of Higher Education	Filing a Student Complaint
Colorado	Division of Private Occupational Schools	Complaint Procedures
Connecticut	The Office of Financial and Academic Affairs for Higher Education	Office of Higher Education-Student Complaints
Delaware	Delaware Department of Education		The Delaware Department of Education will investigate complaints. Such complaints must be in writing and verified by the signature of the person making the complaint. Oral, anonymous or unsigned complaints will not be investigated. Until the web site is functional, please write or call for more information. The Delaware Department of Education; Teacher and Administrator Quality; John W. Collette Resource Center; 35 Commerce Way; Dover, DE 19904. The Delaware Department of Education phone number is (302) 857-3388.
District of Columbia	Education Licensure Commission	Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) Public Complaints
Florida	Commission for Independent Education Department of Education	File a Complaint
Georgia	Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission	Student Complaints
Hawaii	Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization	Student Complaint Process
Idaho	Idaho State Board of Education	Student Complaint Procedures
Illinois	Illinois Board of Higher Education	How to Register an Institutional Complaint with the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)
Indiana	Indiana Department of Workforce Development	Office for Career and Technical Schools (Proprietary Education)
Indiana	Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education	Student Complaints
Iowa	Iowa College Student Aid Commission	Student Complaint Form
Kansas	Kansas Board of Regents	Private Postsecondary Complaint Process
Kentucky	Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education	How to File a Consumer Complaint
Kentucky	Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education	Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education
Louisiana	Louisiana Board of Regents	Board of Regents-Students and Parents
Louisiana	Louisiana Board of Regents	Board of Regents-Proprietary Schools
Maine	Maine Department of Education, Office of Higher Education Services	Due Process Complaint Investigation Procedures
Maryland	Maryland Higher Education Commission	Student Complaint Process
Massachusetts	Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure Office of Private Occupational School Education	Information For Students – Office of Private Occupational School Education
Massachusetts	Massachusetts Department of Higher Education	Student Complaints
Michigan	Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs	File a Complaint with CSCL
Minnesota	Minnesota Office of Higher Education	Complaints About Private Colleges and Career Schools
Mississippi	Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation	Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
Mississippi	Commission on Proprietary School and College	Mississippi Office of Proprietary Schools
Missouri	Missouri Department of Higher Education	CBHE Policy on Complaint Resolution (PDF)
Montana	Montana University System, Montana Board of Education	Notification of Montana Postsecondary Educational Institution Complaint Process
Nebraska	Nebraska Department of Education, Private Postsecondary Career Schools	Nebraska Department of Education Forms
Nebraska	Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education	Student Complaints Against Postsecondary Institutions
Nevada	Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education	Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
New Hampshire	Department of Education, Division of Higher Education, Higher Education Commission	Complaint Resolution Procedures
New Jersey	New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Center for Occupational Employment Information	New Jersey Training Evaluation Unit (TEU)
New Jersey	Office of the Secretary of Higher Education	New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) OSHE Complaint Form Instructions
New Mexico	New Mexico Higher Education Department	Student Complaints
New York	Office of College and University Evaluation	Filing a Complaint About a College or University
New York	Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision, New York State Education Department	Student Rights
North Carolina	The University of North Carolina Board of Governors	Post-Secondary Education Complaints
North Carolina	The North Carolina Community College System (Office of Proprietary School Services)	Proprietary Schools
North Dakota	North Dakota State Board for Career and Technical	Private Career Schools
North Dakota	North Dakota University System	State Authorization and SARA
Ohio	The Ohio Board of Regents	Student Complaints
Ohio	Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools	Filing a Complaint
Oklahoma	Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education	Student Complaints
Oklahoma	Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology	Comments or Complaints Policy
Oklahoma	The Oklahoma Board of Private Schools		A form is available by request to the OBPVS Staff, but is not required. Unless a safety or other issue requiring an in-person investigation is alleged, a “Student,” complaint will be accepted and sent to the institution for a response that may then be forwarded to the complainant for further input. Nora Ann House, Director, 3700 N. Classen Blvd., Ste. 250, Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Oregon	Office of Degree Authorization	Office of Degree Authorization (ODA)
Oregon	Department of Education Private and Career Schools	File a Complaint
Pennsylvania	Department of Education	How to File a Complaint
Puerto Rico	Puerto Rico Council on Education	Puerto Rico Council on Education
Rhode Island	Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher	Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher: Students
South Carolina	South Carolina Commission on Higher Education	South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
South Dakota	Secretary of State	Summons and Complaint
Tennessee	Tennessee Higher Education Commission	Transcript Requests and Institution Complaints
Texas	Texas Workforce Commission	Career Schools and Colleges for Students
Texas	Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board	Student Complaints
Utah	Utah Division of Consumer Protection	Complaints
Vermont	Vermont State Board of Education	Complaint Resolution of Postsecondary Schools
Virginia	Private and Out-of-State Postsecondary Education, State Council of Higher Education	Student Complaints
Washington	Washington Student Achievement Council	Protecting Education Consumers
Washington	Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board	Complaints
West Virginia	West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission	West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Student Complaint Process (PDF)
West Virginia	West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education	West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Student Complaint Process (PDF)
Wisconsin	Wisconsin Educational Approval Board	File A Complaint
Wyoming	Wyoming Department of Education	Private School Licensing

Based upon the SHEEO (State Higher Education Executive Officers) “Compendium of (State Authorization) Laws and Regulatory Practices,” this summary was created with support from WCETs Cooperative for Educational Technologies) State Authorization Network. WICHE and SHEEO collaborated in directing the work of WCET (National Center for Higher Education Management Systems)

To view these (NCHEMS) documents, download Free Adobe reader at www.adobe.com.

Each state has a point of contact for higher education or postsecondary education.

CVCC students enrolled in an online course or program leading to professional licensure should contact the respective department at CVCC of the degree program that the student wants to pursue.