The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)

Roger Williams University is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and adheres to all requirements, guidelines and reporting requirements.

The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is a nonprofit organization that helps expand students’ access to educational opportunities and ensure more efficient, consistent, and effective regulation of distance education programs.

Recognizing the growing demand for distance education opportunities, higher education stakeholders – including state regulators and education leaders, accreditors, the U.S. Department of Education, and institutions – joined together in 2013 to establish the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA), which streamline regulations around distance education programs.

In partnership with , NC-SARA helps states, institutions, policymakers, and students understand the purpose and benefits of participating in SARA. Today, more than 2,200 institutions in 49 member states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands all voluntarily participate in SARA.

Why NC-SARA Matters:

  • Improves distance education program quality nationwide.
  • Makes it easier for students to access distance education programs across state lines.
  • Reduces costs and bureaucracy for states and institutions.
  • Improves coordination between states on higher education opportunities.
  • Provides valuable oversight of distance education programs.
  • Shares out-of-state learning experience data like clinical hours and practice teaching.

Student Complaint Process

Every student deserves a positive educational experience. Sometimes a student’s experience may not be what they anticipate, and the student may have a concern or a complaint.

SARA consumer protection provisions require the institution’s home state, through its SARA State Portal Entity, to investigate and resolve allegations of dishonest or fraudulent activity by the state’s SARA-participating institutions, including the provision of false or misleading information.

A student has the right to lodge a complaint or grievance. The institution should ensure that all concerns and complaints of students are addressed fairly and are resolved promptly. Student complaints relating to consumer protection laws offered under the terms and conditions of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), must first be filed with the institution to seek resolution. 

The student should begin the complaint process with the institution and if resolution is not found, the student would contact the institution’s home state SARA Portal Entity. NC-SARA maintains a directory of SARA .

Click the link below to access more details regarding this process.