State Authorization and Complaint Procedures

State Authorization

South Piedmont Community College has been approved by North Carolina to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). SARA represents an agreement between all affiliated states, districts, and territories and indicates that each institution adheres to comparable national standards for interstate post-secondary education opportunities for learners. SPCC is able to offer online distance education classes to students residing in affiliate states and territories which includes 49 states (all but California), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

State Authorization is a legal issue dealing with a college’s adherence to state requirements for colleges to secure authorization to offer instruction in that state. Compliance with individual state requirements is now part of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, Amended 2010. Institutions offering distance education courses or programs must provide current and prospective students with the contact information for filing complaints with the college, its accrediting agency, and with the state agencies that handle complaints in the students’ state of residence.

The State Authorization Federal Regulation Chapter 34, ß 600.9(c)

If an institution is offering post-secondary education through distance or correspondence education to students in a State in which it is not physically located or in which it is otherwise subject to State jurisdiction as determined by the State, the institution must meet any State requirements for it to be legally offering distance or correspondence education in that State. An institution must be able to document to the Secretary the State’s approval upon request.

Student Complaint Procedures

In compliance with state regulations and with the U.S. Department of Education, South Piedmont Community College desires to resolve student complaints in a fair, timely and effective manner. Students who desire to resolve a grievance should follow South Piedmont’s Student Grievance Policy and Procedure which can be found in the SPCC Student Handbook (pg. 64-65). Please use the following link to access the digital grievance form: SPCC Grievance Form

Students should exhaust all possible avenues of complaint resolution before going outside of the college. For assistance with the grievance procedure, students may contact:

Elaine Clodfelter, Director of Student Advocacy and Accountability
Email: eclodfelter@spcc.edu
Office: 704-272-5302
PO Box 126, Polkton NC 28135

The State Authorization Unit of the University of North Carolina System Office serves as the official state entity and acts as the clearinghouse to receive complaints concerning post-secondary institutions that are authorized to operate in North Carolina. If students are unable to resolve a complaint through the institution’s grievance procedures, they can review the Student Complaint Policy (PDF) and submit their complaint using the online complaint form at https://studentcomplaints.northcarolina.edu/form. For more information, send an email to: studentcomplaint@northcarolina.edu or review information at North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaint Website.

NC Office of Post-Secondary Education Complaints

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

Website: https://www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints/
Email: studentcomplaint@northcarolina.edu

For Out-of-State Online Students Grievance

South Piedmont Community College students residing outside the state of North Carolina who desire to resolve a student grievance are encouraged to follow South Piedmont’s internal grievance procedure as shown in the SPCC Student Handbook (pg. 64-65). If an issue cannot be resolved internally, a complaint may be filed with SARA North Carolina, with the student’s home state, or with South Piedmont Community College’s accrediting agency SACSCOC. Please see contact information below.

Contact information for SARA North Carolina:
SARA North Carolina Director
NCSEAA
c/o SARA North Carolina
PO Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
Phone: (855) 727-2162, toll free
Fax: (919) 248-6667

Email: complaint@saranc.org
SARA North Carolina Website
Student Complaint Process
Student Complaint Form

SACSCOC Complaint Procedures

South Piedmont Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diploma, and certificates. The Commission may be contacted for the following reasons: 1) to learn about the accreditation status of South Piedmont Community College; 2) to file a third party comment at the time of the South Piedmont Community College decennial review; 3) to file a complaint against South Piedmont Community College for significant non-compliance with a standard or requirement.

Contact information for SACSCOC:
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
Phone: (404) 679-4500
SACSCOC Website
SACSCOC Complaint Policy

Out-of-State Student Grievance Information:

State	Agency	Contact information
Alabama	Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education	P.O. Box 302000 Montgomery, AL 36130-2000 Telephone: 334-242-1998 Fax: 334-242-0268 Alabama Student Complaint Process
Alaska	Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education	P.O. Box 110505 Juneau, AK 99811‐0505 Alaska Student Complaint Process
Arizona	Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education	1400 W. Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85007 Arizona Student Complaint Form
Arkansas	Arkansas Department of Higher Education	425 Main St., Suite 400 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 371-2000 Arkansas Department of Higher Education Arkansas Student Complaint Form
California	California Department of Consumer Affairs	Consumer Information Center 1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N-112 Sacramento, California 95834 (833) 942-1120 dca@cda.ca.gov California Department of Consumer Affairs Complaints California Student General Online Complaint Form
Colorado	Colorado Department of Higher Education	1560 Broadway, Suite 1600 Denver, CO 80202 Colorado Student Complaint Process
Connecticut	Office of Higher Education	61 Woodland Street Hartford, CT 06105‐2326 Telephone: 860-947-1822 Connecticut Student Complaint Process
Delaware	Delaware Department of Education	Delaware Department of Education Accountability and Performance The Townsend Building 401 Federal Street, Suite 2 Dover, Delaware 19901 (302) 735-4090 Delaware Department of Education
District of Columbia	District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission	810 First Street, NE 9^th Floor Washington, DC 20002 District of Columbia Student Complaint Process
Florida	Florida Department of Education	Commission for Independent Education 325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414 Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400 Fax: 850-245-3238 cieinfo@fldoe.org Florida Student Complaint Process
Georgia	Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission	2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220 Tucker, GA 30084-5305 Telephone: 770-414-3300 Fax: 770-414-3309 Georgia Student Complaint Rules
Hawaii	Hawaii Post-secondary Education Authorization Program	P.O. Box 541 Honolulu, HI 96809 Hawaii Student Complaint Form
Idaho	Idaho Board of Education	650 West State Street P.O. Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720‐0037 Telephone: 208-334-2270 Fax: 208-334-2632 Idaho Student Complaint Process
Illinois	Illinois Board of Higher Education	1 N Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333 Springfield, IL 62701-1377 Institutional Complaint Hotline: 217-782-2551 Illinois Student Complaint Process
Indiana	Indiana Board for Proprietary Education	Board for Proprietary Education Indiana Commission for Higher Education 101 West Ohio Street Suite 300 Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-4206 (317) 464-4400 Indiana Board for Proprietary Education Agency Overview Indiana Board for Proprietary Education Student Complaint Indiana Student Complaint Process
Iowa	Iowa College Student Aid Commission	430 East Grand Ave. 5^th Floor Des Moines, IA 50309-1920 Telephone: 515-725-3400 Iowa Student Complaint Process
Kansas	Kansas Board of Regents	1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520 Topeka, KS 66612‐1368 Telephone: 785-296-3421 Kansas Student Complaint Process
Kentucky	Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education	Director of Postsecondary Licensing Council on Postsecondary Education 1024 Capitol Center Dr. Suite 320 Frankfort, KY 40601 Kentucky Student Complaint Process
Louisiana	Louisiana Board of Regents Consumer Protection Division Office of the Attorney General	Consumer Protection Division Office of the Attorney General P.O. Box 94005 Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9005 Telephone: 1-800-351-4889 Louisiana Student Complaint Process
Maine	State of Maine Department of Education	23 State House Station Augusta, Maine, 04333-0023 Maine Student Complaint Form
Maryland	Maryland Higher Education Commission	Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division 200 St. Paul Place Baltimore, MD 21202 Maryland Student Complaint Process
Massachusetts	Massachusetts Board of Higher Education	Alex Nally SARA Coordinator Massachusetts Department of Higher Education One Ashburton Place, Room 1401 Boston, MA 02108 617-994-6910 SARAInquiries@dhe.mass.edu Massachusetts State SARA Website Massachusetts Student Complaint Process
Michigan	State of Michigan	Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau Administrative Services Section-Complaint Intake P.O. Box 30018 Lansing, MI 48909 Michigan Student Complaint Form
Minnesota	Registration & Licensing Minnesota Office of Higher Education	1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350 St. Paul, MN 55108 Telephone: 1-800-657-3866 Minnesota Student Complaint Process
Mississippi	Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation	3825 Ridgewood Road Jackson, MS 39211-6453 Telephone: 601-432-6372 Fax: 601-432-6225 Mississippi Student Complaint Process
Missouri	Missouri Department of Higher Education	205 Jefferson Street P.O. Box 1469 Jefferson City, MO 65102‐1469 Telephone: 1-800-473-6757 Fax: 573-751-6635 Missouri Student Complaint Info
Montana	Montana University System Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education	2500 Broadway P.O. Box 203201 Helena, MT 59620-3201 Telephone: 406-444-6570 Montana Student Complaint Process
Nebraska	Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education	P.O. Box 95005 Lincoln, NE 68509-5005 Telephone: 402-471-2847 Nebraska Student Filing a Complaint
Nevada	Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education	8778 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 115 Las Vegas, NV 89123 Nevada Student Filing a Complaint
New Hampshire	New Hampshire Department of Education, Division of Higher Education, Higher Education	101 Pleasant Street Concord, NH 03301 Telephone: 603-271-3494 New Hampshire Student Filing a Complaint
New Jersey	New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education	20 West State Street, 4th Floor P.O. Box 542 Trenton, NJ 08625-0542 Telephone: 609-292-7225 New Jersey Student Complaint Process
New Mexico	New Mexico Higher Education Department	2044 Galisteo St., Suite 4 Santa Fe, NM 87505 Telephone: 505-476-8400 New Mexico Student Complaint Form
New York	Office of College and University Evaluation New York State Education Department	89 Washington Ave., Room 969 EBA Albany, NY 12234 Telephone: 518-474-1551 Fax: 518-486-2779 New York Student Filing a Complaint
North Carolina	North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints	North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints c/o Student Complaints North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints223 S. West Street, Suite 1800 Raleigh, NC 27603 (919) 962-4550 North Carolina Complaints studentcomplaints@northcarolina.edu Filing a Complaint
North Dakota	Director of Distance Education & State Authorization	600 East Capital Ave. Bismarck, ND 58501-1217 Telephone: 701‐328‐2678 North Dakota Student Filing a Complaint
Ohio	Ohio Department of Higher Education	25 South Front Street Columbus, OH 43215 Telephone: 614-466-6000 Ohio Student Filing a Complaint
Oklahoma	Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education	655 Research Parkway, Suite 200 Oklahoma City, OK 73104 Telephone: 405-225-9100 Oklahoma Student Complaint Process
Oregon	Higher Education Coordinating Commission	ATTN: Complaints-ODA 775 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 Telephone: 503-947-5716 Oregon Student Complaint Form
Pennsylvania	Bureau of Postsecondary & Adult Education Pennsylvania Department of Education	333 Market Street, 12th Floor Harrisburg, PA 17126‐0333 Pennsylvania Student Complaint Form
Puerto Rico	Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education	P.O. Box 19900 San Juan, PR 00910-1900 Telephone: 787-641-7100 Fax: 787-641-2573 Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education Student Complaint
Rhode Island	Commissioner of Higher Education Rhode Island Office of Higher Education	Shepard Building, Suite 524 80 Washington Street Providence, RI 02903 Telephone: 401-456-6008 Rhode Island Student Complaint Process
South Carolina	South Carolina Commission on Higher Education Academic Affairs & Licensing	1122 Lady St., Suite 300 Columbia, SC 29201 Telephone: 803-737-2260 Fax: 803-737-2297 South Carolina Student Complaint Form
South Dakota	South Dakota Board of Regents	306 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 200 Pierre, SD 57501 South Dakota Student Complaint Form
Tennessee	Tennessee Higher Education Commission	Division of Postsecondary State Authorization 404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900 Nashville, TN 37243 Telephone: 615-741-3605 Tennessee Student Complaint Process
Texas	Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board	College Readiness & Success Division P.O. Box 12788 Austin, TX 78711-2788 Telephone: 512-427-6101 Texas Student Complaint Process
Utah	Utah Division of Consumer Protection	Utah Division of Consumer Protection 160 East 300 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 (801) 530-6601 Utah Student Complaint Process
Vermont	Vermont Department of Education	120 State Street Montpelier, VT 05620‐2501 Telephone: 802-828-3135 Vermont Student Complaint Process
Virginia	Virginia State Council of Higher Education	101 N. 14th St., 10th Floor James Monroe Bldg. Richmond, VA 23219 Telephone: 804-225-2600 Virginia Student Complaint Process
Washington	Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board	Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board 128 10th Avenue SW P.O. Box 43105 Olympia, Washington 98504-3105 (360) 709-4600 workforce@wtb.wa.gov Complaint Process
West Virginia	West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Community & Technical College System of West Virginia	1018 Kanawha Blvd. East, Suite 700 Charleston, WV 25301 Telephone: 304-558-4016 West Virginia Student Complaint Process
Wisconsin	Wisconsin Educational Approval Board	Department of Safety and Professional Services 1400 East Washington Avenue Room 112 Madison, Wisconsin 53703 (608) 266-2122 dsps@wisconsin.gov Wisconsin Educational Approval Board Wisconsin Student Complaint Process
Wyoming	Wyoming Department of Education	Hathaway Building, 2^nd Floor 2300 Capitol Avenue Cheyenne, WY 82002‐0050 Wyoming Student Complaint Form

State Portal Entity Contact

Professional Licensure

Students who do not live in North Carolina and are considering a program at South Piedmont Community College that leads to licensure or certification should contact the appropriate individual listed for a specific program.

The mailing address for each program that leads to professional licensure is below:
4209 Old Charlotte Highway
Monroe, NC 28110

Students may review the list of licensure disclosures located here – Professional Licensure Disclosures by State.

Basic Law Enforcement Technology (BLET)
Mike Smith
Email: jsmith@spcc.edu
Office: 704-290-5884
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

CDL Class B
Gabriela Danley
Email: gdanley@spcc.edu
Office: 704-290-5212
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Computed Tomography
Mez Chen
Email: mchen@spcc.edu
Office: 704-701-0480
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Early Childhood Education
Tonya Silas
Email: tsilas@spcc.edu
Office: 704-290-5864
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Troy “Sam” Bishop
Email: tbishop@spcc.edu
Office: 704-290-5817
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Firefighter Training
Troy “Sam” Bishop
Email: tbishop@spcc.edu
Office: 704-290-5817
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

General Medical Sonography
Britney Smith
Email: bsmith@spcc.edu
Office: 704-290-5209
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

HVAC-R
Ben Dorfield
Email: bdorfield@spcc.edu
Office: 704-272-5365
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Mammography
Mez Chen
Email: mchen@spcc.edu
Office: 704-701-0480
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Mez Chen
Email: mchen@spcc.edu
Office: 704-701-0480
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Certified Nurse Aide (CNA I)
Donna Lee
Email: dlee@spcc.edu
Office: 704-290-5217
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Nursing – ADN, CNA II, LPN, LPN Refresher
Britney Stegall
Email: bstegall@spcc.edu
Office: 704-290-5826
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Phlebotomy
Lori Laney
Email: llaney@spcc.edu
Office: 704-290-5825
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Real Estate
Stephanie Gilbert
Email: sgilbert@spcc.edu
Office: 704-993-2404
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by State

Therapeutic Massage
Tim Reischman
Email: treischman@spcc.edu
Office: 704-290-5867
Information on Professional Licensing Boards by Stat