State Authorization Information

Out-of-state Students

NC-SARA

The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) is a non-profit organization established to ensure national standards for interstate postsecondary distance education programs and courses.  The State of New York is a member state, and SUNY Corning Community College is a SARA participating institution. Participation in SARA allows SUNY Corning Community College to provide distance education courses and programs to students outside of the state. SARA policies do not cover complaints related to grades or student conduct violations. To learn more about SARA, please visit NC-SARA. 

NC-SARA Complaint Process

SUNY Corning Community College is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and follows the complaint resolution policies and procedures outlined within the SARA Policy Manual and summarized here. Consumer protection complaints resulting from distance education courses, activities, and operations may be submitted to the Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment Management, Maarit Clay, at clay@corning-cc.edu for investigation and resolution. If a student is dissatisfied with the campus-based resolution, a concern may be submitted to System Administration of the State University of New York as outlined here. And, if still not satisfied, a complaint may be submitted, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, to the New York State Education Department as outlined here. Please note, this does not include complaints related to grades or student conduct violations, both of which are to be fully addressed via campus processes, not through the NC-SARA complaint resolution procedures.

SUNY Corning Community College is:

  • accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
  • authorized as an institution of higher education by the state of New York.
  • a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).
    • SUNY CCC may offer online courses to students in other SARA member states in accordance with the terms and provisions of SARA.
    • Currently forty-nine states plus the District of Columbia participate in SARA.
    • California does not participate in SARA.

The State a student resides in while completing an educational activity, such an online course, is the State that has authority to regulate the activity.

If you are located in California and wish to register for one of our online offerings, please inquire before registering to confirm whether SUNY CCC may offer those educational activities in your state by calling 607-654-5255.

As an out-of-state student, should you have a complaint, please submit a student complaint through the SUNY CCC complaint process. In the unlikely event that SUNY CCC is unable to resolve your complaint:

  • students in SARA member states may lodge an appeal with the New York State Department of Education within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made.
  • students in California may utilize the complaint process within their own state.

State Authorization

SUNY CCC is physically located in the state of New York and borders, within 30 miles, the state of Pennsylvania. State authorization is what allows SUNY CCC and other institutions to conduct certain educational activities outside of their home state. Every state has its own regulations that we must follow in order to conduct educational activities in that state.

International Students/Students Traveling Abroad

SUNY CCC makes every effort to comply with any foreign country's regulations concerning distance education, as far as can be determined. If you are participating in an online course/program from outside of the United States, please review your country's regulations regarding any limitations on online/distance education the country may impose.

 

COMPLAINTS

An individual who has a complaint about a program, service, or other aspect of this institution may utilize the following processes in seeking resolution of the concern:

  • Students who wish to convey a suggestion, concern, or complaint about a SUNY CCC class should first contact the instructor. If resolution is not achieved at this step, students should contact the Department Chair. If resolution is not achieved at this step, students should contact the Associate Dean of Instruction for the academic division.

  • Any member of the SUNY CCC community may file a complaint against a student for violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Complaints must be made in writing and directed to the Assistant Dean of Student Services.

  • Discrimination and harassment filing procedure and form to file.

Students who wish to convey a suggestion, concern, or complaint about other issues than listed above, should first contact the relevant office. If resolution is not achieved at this step, students should contact the supervisor in that office. If resolution is not achieved at that step, students should contact the Office of the Provost. If it is unclear which office should be the first step for submitting a suggestion, concern, or complaint, the Office of Student Development and Enrollment Management can direct the individual to the relevant office.

If students are not satisfied with the outcome of their complaints at the campus level, complaints should be directed to SUNY central administration: https://system.suny.edu/university-life/student-concerns/. 

Institutions delivering courses by distance education are required to provide students and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints. Students who are not satisfied with a SUNY central resolution could then file a complaint with the State Portal Entity, which is the Office of College and University Evaluation of NYSED. New York State Education Department has a process for filing a complaint against a college or university. For more information on New York State Education Department’s complaint procedures, please visit: http://www.nysed.gov/college-university-evaluation/filing-complaint-about-college-or-university

SUNY Corning Community College is an institutional participant in the SARA initiative (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements) related to distance education.

For more information regarding NC-SARA complaint process, please visit: https://www.nc-sara.org/sara-student-complaints-0