National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)
Guttman Community College has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). Several U.S. states and territories have entered into a voluntary agreement called the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) that establishes one set of national standards and regulations for offering certain out-of-state activities. SARA policies do not cover complaints related to grades or student conduct violations. A student may appeal the institution decision to the SARA State Portal Entity in New York State within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made after it has exhausted the internal processes.
NC-SARA Mission: NC SARA
Guttman Community College Internal Complaint Procedures
Guttman Community College distance education students based outside of New York State who have a consumer-protection-based complaint regarding a distance education program should first seek to resolve such a complaint within Guttman Community College.
- Students should refer to the Guttman Manual of Students Rights and Responsibilities for the process and procedures related to submitting complaints: Manual of Students’ Rights and Responsibilities – Guttman Community College
- Complaints regarding grades and general student conduct issues are not governed by the distance education complaint process.
- Consumer-protection-based complaints should be made during the semester of occurrence but no later than the last day of the following academic semester. The College will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within fifteen (15) days.
- If the student’s attempt at resolution is unsuccessful, the student may appeal the College’s decision regarding the student’s complaint to the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost (Provost@guttman.cuny.edu) within fifteen (15) days of being informed of the decision.
- A decision on the appeal will be issued within sixty (60) days with any proposed remedy, where applicable.
- Please note that anonymous complaints will not be addressed through this process.
NC-SARA Student Complaint Process
NC-SARA students have an avenue for filing complaints related to consumer protections and/or NC-SARA Policy with the institution. Note: NC-SARA complaints do NOT include complaints related to grades or student conduct violations. Additional information for filing complaints related to consumer protections can be found on the SARA Complaint Information webpage.
Consumer protection complaints, as outlined by the NC SARA Policy Manual, may be filed internally with the Office of Academic Affairs. Students should follow all internal processes, as guided by Academic Affairs, prior to filing a complaint with a state agency. (See Internal Complaint Procedures section above.)
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- If a student is unable to reach a resolution with Guttman Community College, the first step is to file a complaint with the City University of New York Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
- The Student Conduct, Advocacy & Referral can assist students with the complaint process.
- The City University of New York (CUNY)
Office of Student Advocacy and Referral
205 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
studentaffairs@cuny.edu
Student Conduct, Advocacy & Referral – The City University of New York
- The City University of New York (CUNY)
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- Students must file a complaint with CUNY before filing a complaint with the New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education: SARA Student Complaint Process. The deadline for filing a SARA-related complaint with NYSED is two years.
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- If a person bringing a complaint is not satisfied with the outcome of the institutional process for handling complaints, the complaint (except for complaints about grades or student conduct violations) may be appealed, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, to the SARA Portal Entity in the home state of the institution against which the complaint has been lodged.” (SARA Policy Manual).
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- Guttman Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the MSCHE complaint process is available via this link: MSCHE.
- Students must file a complaint with CUNY before filing a complaint with the New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education: SARA Student Complaint Process. The deadline for filing a SARA-related complaint with NYSED is two years.