Distance Education Compliance
Out-of-State Student Complaint Process for Distance Education Courses and Programs
Belmont Abbey College strives to provide a dynamic learning environment supported by sound policies, curricula, instruction, and support services. In compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, institutions offering distance education courses or programs must provide current and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with the college, accrediting agency, and state agencies that handle complaints in the students’ states of residence.
Students residing outside of the State of North Carolina while taking online courses from Belmont Abbey College who desire to resolve an academic grievance or complaint should follow the college’s student complaint policy found in the Student Handbook (pp. 33-34). Complaints should be addressed to Dr. David Williams, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Belmont Abbey College, 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Rd., Belmont NC28012, (phone) 704.461.6010, (email) davidwilliams@bac.edu.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Unresolved complaints may also be addressed with Belmont Abbey College’s institutional accrediting agency. Belmont Abbey College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate degrees.
The contact information for SACSCOC is:
1866 Southern Lane,
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
Telephone: 404-679-4500
Website: https://www.sacscoc.org/
Complaint Process for SACSCOC
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement-North Carolina
(SARA-NC) Complaint Process
Students may also file a complaint with SARA NC. SARA NC is the portal for the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority. Students should follow the SARA-NC Complaint process and use the SARA-NC Complaint Form.
SARA-NC Contact Information:
SARA North Carolina
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
P.O. Box 14103
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
T: 855-SARA-1-NC (727-2162)
T: 919-549-8614, ext. 4667
www.saranc.org
Complaint Form: http://www.saranc.org/docs/SARA-NC-ComplaintForm.pdf
Complaint Process: http://www.saranc.org/Complaint.html
NC Independent Colleges & Universities
If a grievance or complaint cannot be resolved through the University’s publicized process, students may file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice.
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
Online Complaint Process
Online Complaint Form
NC Post-Secondary
Students may also file a complaint with the North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints Unit.
First, review the NC Post-Secondary Education Student Complaint Policy (PDF), print out and complete the NC Post-Secondary Education Complaint Form and submit the complaint to:
North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
University of North Carolina System Office
910 Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688
Website: North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
Email: studentcomplaint@northcarolina.edu
Phone: (919) 962-4558
Students residing outside of North Carolina while taking online courses at Belmont Abbey College may also file a complaint with their state. Below is a list of agencies in each state responsible for handling complaints regarding out-of-state distance education programs:
| State | Agency | Contact information |
| Alabama | Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education | P.O. Box 302000 Montgomery, AL 36130-2000 Telephone: 334-242-1998 Fax: 334-242-0268Complaint Process |
| Alaska | Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education | Kierke Kussart Program Coordinator for Institutional Authorization 907-465-6741 EED.ACPE-IA@alaska.gov PO Box 110505 Juneau, AK 99811-0505Complaint Process |
| Arizona | Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education | 1400 W. Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85007Complaint Form |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Department of Higher Education | 425 Main St., Suite 400 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 371-2000 http://www.adhe.eduComplaint Form |
| California | California Department of Consumer Affairs | Consumer Information Center 1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N-112 Sacramento, California 95834 (833) 942-1120 email: dca@cda.ca.govhttps://www.dca.ca.gov/consumers/complaints/oos_students.shtml |
| Colorado | Colorado Department of Higher Education | 1560 Broadway, Suite 1600 Denver, CO 80202Complaint Process |
| Connecticut | Office of Higher Education | 61 Woodland Street Hartford, CT 06105‐2326 Telephone: 860-947-1822Complaint 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) 735-4090https://www.doe.k12.de.us |
| District of Columbia | District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission | 810 First Street, NE 9th Floor Washington, DC 20002Complaint 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.orgComplaint Process |
| Georgia | Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission | 2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220 Tucker, GA 30084-5305 Telephone: 770-414-3300 Fax: 770-414-3309Complaint Rules |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Post-secondary Education Authorization Program | P.O. Box 541 Honolulu, HI 96809Complaint Form |
| Idaho | Idaho Board of Education | 650 West State Street P.O. Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720‐0037 Telephone: 208-334-2270 Fax: 208-334-2632Complaint Process |
| Illinois | Illinois Board of Higher Education | 1 N Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333 Springfield, IL 62701-1377 Institutional Complaint Hotline: 217-782-2551Complaint 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) 464-4400https://www.in.gov/che/2376.htm Student Complaints:https://www.in.gov/che/student-complaints/ |
| Iowa | Iowa College Student Aid Commission | 430 East Grand Ave. 5th Floor Des Moines, IA 50309-1920 Telephone: 515-725-3400Complaint Process |
| Kansas | Kansas Board of Regents | 1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520 Topeka, KS 66612‐1368 Telephone: 785-296-3421Complaint Process |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education | Director of Postsecondary Licensing Council on Postsecondary Education 1024 Capitol Center Dr. Suite 320 Frankfort, KY 40601Complaint Process |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Board of Regents
Consumer Protection Division |
Consumer Protection Division Office of the Attorney General P.O. Box 94005 Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9005 Telephone: 1-800-351-4889Complaint Process |
| Maine | State of Maine Department of Education |
23 State House Station Augusta, Maine, 04333-0023https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/highered/sara |
| Maryland | Maryland Higher Education Commission | Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division 200 St. Paul Place Baltimore, MD 21202Complaint 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) 994-6950 SARAInquiries@dhe.mass.edu State SARA Website: www.mass.edu/saraComplaint 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 48909Complaint Form |
| Minnesota | Registration & Licensing Minnesota Office of Higher Education |
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350 St. Paul, MN 55108 Telephone: 1-800-657-3866Complaint Process |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation | 3825 Ridgewood Road Jackson, MS 39211-6453 Telephone: 601-432-6372 Fax: 601-432-6225Complaint 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: 573-751-6635Complaint Info |
| Montana | Montana University System Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education |
2500 Broadway P.O. Box 203201 Helena, MT 59620-3201 Telephone: 406-444-6570Complaint Process |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education | P.O. Box 95005 Lincoln, NE 68509-5005 Telephone: 402-471-2847Filing a Complaint |
| Nevada | Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education | 8778 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 115 Las Vegas, NV 89123Filing a Complaint |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Department of Education, Division of Higher Education, Higher Education | New Hampshire Department of Education 101 Pleasant Street Concord, New Hampshire 03301-3852 (603) 271-3494 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: 609-292-7225Complaint Process |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Higher Education Department | 2044 Galisteo St., Suite 4 Santa Fe, NM 87505 Telephone: 505-476-8400Complaint 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: 518-486-2779Filing a Complaint |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints | North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints c/o Student Complaints University of North Carolina Systems Office 910 Raleigh Road Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515-2688Phone: 919-962-4558 Email: studentcomplaints@northcarolina.edu |
| North Dakota | Director of Distance Education & State Authorization | 600 East Capital Ave. Bismarck, ND 58501-1217 Telephone: 701‐328‐2678Filing a Complaint |
| Ohio | Ohio Department of Higher Education | 25 South Front Street Columbus, OH 43215 Telephone: 614-466-6000Filing a Complaint |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education | 655 Research Parkway, Suite 200 Oklahoma City, OK 73104 Telephone: 405-225-9100Complaint Process |
| Oregon | Higher Education Coordinating Commission
|
ATTN: Complaints-ODA 775 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 Telephone: 503-947-5716Complaint Process |
| Pennsylvania | Bureau of Postsecondary & Adult Education Pennsylvania Department of Education |
333 Market Street, 12th Floor Harrisburg, PA 17126‐0333Complaint 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 |
| Rhode Island | Commissioner of Higher Education Rhode Island Office of Higher Education |
Shepard Building, Suite 524 80 Washington Street Providence, RI 02903 Telephone: 401-456-6008Complaint 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: 803-737-2297Complaint Form |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Board of Regents | 306 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 200 Pierre, SD 57501Complaint Form |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Higher Education Commission | Division of Postsecondary State Authorization 404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900 Nashville, TN 37243 Telephone: 615-741-3605Complaint Process |
| Texas | Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board | College Readiness & Success Division P.O. Box 12788 Austin, TX 78711-2788 Telephone: 512-427-6101Complaint Process |
| Utah | Utah Division of Consumer Protection | Utah Division of Consumer Protection 160 East 300 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 (801) 530-6601Complaint Process |
| Vermont | Vermont Department of Education | 120 State Street Montpelier, VT 05620‐2501 Telephone: 802-828-3135Complaint Process |
| Virginia | Virginia State Council of Higher Education | 101 N. 14th St., 10th Floor James Monroe Bldg. Richmond, VA 23219 Telephone: 804-225-2600Complaint 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) 709-4600workforce@wtb.wa.gov |
| 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: 304-558-4016Complaint Process |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Educational Approval Board | Department of Safety and Professional Services 1400 East Washington Avenue Room 112 Madison, Wisconsin 53703 (608) 266-2122Email: dsps@wisconsin.gov Website:https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/EducationalApproval/Default.aspx Student Complaints: https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/Programs/EducationalApproval/Student.aspx |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Department of Education | Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor 2300 Capitol Avenue Cheyenne, WY 82002‐0050Complaint Form |
Professional Licensure Disclosures
Who is affected by the Regulation on Public Disclosure by the United States Department of Education?
The New Regulation on Public Disclosures by the U. S. Department of Education affects all Higher Education Programs (traditional, online, hybrid), leading to a Professional Licensure and/or Certification.
What is a professional licensure program?
A Professional Licensure Program (PLP) is an academic program offered by institutions of higher learning designed, marketed and/or advertised to meet educational requirements: (1) for a specific license or certification; and (2) is required for employment in an occupation.
What is a professional licensure disclosure?
A professional licensure disclosure is a regulation of the U. S. Department of Education requiring all colleges and university to communicate publicly and directly to prospective and current students about:
(1) academic programs that will or will not fulfill educational requirements for specific professional licensure that is required for employment in that field; and
(2) academic programs that meet or do not meet the education requirements for licensure for each state and US territory regardless of the program’s delivery mode.
Belmont Abbey College has applied for membership with the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). This allows us to provide distance learning programs (both online and in the form of supervised field experiences) to residents of states other than North Carolina. However, NC-SARA membership does not grant reciprocity or exempt us from state professional licensing requirements. As a result, other states may not recognize North Carolina licensing and/or certification requirements as sufficient to obtain a license in other states.
Belmont Abbey College ensures that the curriculum design for programs leading to licensure meet the licensure/certification requirements in North Carolina and prepare students to apply for licensure examinations and/or certification. Each state and territory have different professional licensure and certification requirements. Other licensure requirements may include professional examinations, background checks, work experience, background checks, fingerprinting requirements, etc. Students who intend to return or move to any state other than North Carolina need to review their program’s professional licensure disclosures and consult with the state professional licensing board. The state professional licensing boards make the ultimate decision as to whether or not an individual will be eligible to sit for licensure based on the rules and regulations in place at the time the individual submits their application for licensure.
International Students: Before enrolling in any program at Belmont Abbey College, prospective students living and/or working outside of the United States should confirm with the appropriate certifying agency whether successful completion of any degree program at Belmont Abbey College will meet the credentialing requirements of the country in which they intend to seek employment.
Many licensure boards have requirements beyond successful degree completion to obtain a license. Please be advised that state laws, regulations, and policies may change at any time. Changes in requirements may impact the program’s ability to meet educational licensure requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to check with the licensing board(s) in their state of residence or in the state where they intend to obtain a license for the most recent information and requirements. Belmont Abbey College shall not be liable if the student cannot qualify for licensure or certification in any jurisdiction.
Disclosures by Program
Professional Licensure and Certification Programs at Belmont Abbey College work with partners at the state, national, and international levels to meet the United States Department’s requirements for professional licensure disclosures.
The list of Academic Programs at Belmont Abbey College leading to Professional Licensure or Certification are listed below.
| Program | Modality | States for which the institution has determined the curriculum meets the State educational requirements for licensure or certification | States for which the institution has determined the curriculum does not meet the State educational requirements for licensure or certification | States for which the institution has not made a determination whether the curriculum meets the State educational requirements for licensure or certification |
| Elementary Education (BA.)
Dr. Mary Stratton, Chair Phone: 704.461.7800 |
Face-to-face | NC:
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Phone: 984.236.2100 |
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY | |
| Nursing (BS)
Dr. Carolyn Harmon Phone: 704.461.5068 |
Face-to-face | The pre-licensure program is currently seeking North Carolina Board of Nursing Approval. The curriculum has been designed to meet these requirements. SACSCOC approval to initiate the program was issued in 2020.
North Carolina Board of Nursing Phone: 919.782.3211 |
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Nursing – Click this link to be directed to the “Nursing” Professional Licensure spreadsheet. |