State Authorization
Wayne Community College, WCC, is a participant in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements and through this participation is authorized to offer online courses to residents of SARA-member states and territories.
U.S. Department of Education regulation 600.9(c) requires that if an institution is offering distance education in a state where it is not physically located, the institution must meet individual state requirements for offering distance education to students within that state.
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 and 2020.
Distance Learning Student Complaint Process for In State and Out of State Students
Wayne Community College desires to resolve student grievances, complaints and concerns in an expeditious, fair and amicable manner. Students residing in or outside of the State of North Carolina while attending WCC who desire to resolve a grievance should follow the College’s Student Grievance Procedure.
Additionally, Wayne Community College has a Student Complaint Form and Process for issues where the grievance process is not applicable.
Wayne Community College Contact:
Joanna Morrisette
Associate Vice-President of Academic and Student Services
919-739-6725
jmmorrisette@waynecc.edu
P.O. Box 8002, Goldsboro, NC 27533-8002
NC Office of Post-Secondary Education Complaint Process
Students located in North Carolina may file a complaint with the North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints unit. First review the NC Post-Secondary Student Complaint Policy (PDF). Then print and complete the NC Post-Secondary Education 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
Telephone (919) 962-4550
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement-North Carolina (SARA-NC) Complaint Process
Students located outside North Carolina may file a complaint with SARA-NC. Students should follow the SARA-NC Complaint process and use the SARA-NC Complaint Form.
SARA-NC Contact information:
Terrence R. Scarborough, M.P.A. – Director of SARA North Carolina
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
c/o SARA North Carolina
P.O. Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
Telephone: 929-248-4667
Email: complaint@saranc.org
Website: www.saranc.org
Additional resources for students located outside North Carolina:
Accreditor Complaints
Wayne Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The regional accreditor (SACSCOC) has a complaint process available if an individual has evidence that an institution significantly violates the established standards. Please review and complete the Accreditor’s Student Complaint Process and Form – (pdf) to submit a complaint to SACSCOC.
Accreditor Contact:
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, GA 30033
(404) 679-4500
sacscoc.org
Wayne Community College is working to achieve compliance as established in HEOA 600.9 (c).
If an institution is offering postsecondary 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 postsecondary distance or correspondence education in that State. An institution must be able to document to the Secretary [of Education] the State’s approval upon request. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1001 and 1002)