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Online and Distance Education


Guilford College is committed to meeting the needs of students. That is why we are an approved institution under the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). This assures that we meet comparable national standards for interstate post-secondary distance education courses and programs across state lines.

One primary objective of our agreement with NC-SARA is to make it easier to provide online and distance education options to students in other states. The agreement also provides basic protections for students and requires us to provide current and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with the College, its accrediting agency, and with state agencies that handle complaints in the student’s state of residence.

Students are advised to begin the complaint process at the institutional level. When communicating specific concerns, complaints, and grievances, students are encouraged to follow established policies and procedures outlined in the Guilford College Student Handbook, and the Guilford College Academic Catalog. The general Student Grievance Policy outlines the steps to file a grievance and the steps of the College’s response. Links to all instructions and forms for providing feedback, including grievances, incident reports and appeals can be found on the Feedback page of the Guilford College website. 

Grievance Resolution
Provost’s Office
210 Founders Hall
Guilford College
Greensboro, NC 27410
336.316.2186
provost@guilford.edu

Online and Distance Education Complaint Form

 


Additional Information for Students

Guilford College Accreditation

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint process, you may also choose to file a complaint with Guilford College’s accrediting agency.

Guilford College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate and masters degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Guilford College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website.

Students who file a complaint with the accrediting agency should follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure.

Online students living in North Carolina

N.C. Post-Secondary Education Complaints

The State Authorization Unit of the University of North Carolina System Office serves as the official state entity to receive complaints concerning post-secondary institutions that are authorized to operate in North Carolina. Complaints received against post-secondary institutions licensed in the state of North Carolina, including Guilford College, will be forwarded to the appropriate agency for action. If you are unable to resolve your complaint through Guilford’s grievance procedures, please consult the NCPS-EC Student Complaint Policy. The complaint form can be found at https://studentcomplaints.northcarolina.edu/form.

North Carolina Office of PostSecondary Education Complaints
℅ Student Complaints
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800; Raleigh, NC 27603
919.962.4550
https://www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints/

Complaint Process for North Carolina Department of Justice

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint process at Guilford College, you may choose to file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the N.C. Department of Justice. To file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the N.C. Department of Justice, please visit the State Attorney General’s webpage. North Carolina residents may call 877.566.7226. Outside of North Carolina, please call 919.716.6000.

If you choose to mail a complaint, please use the following address:

Consumer Protection Division
Attorney General’s Office 
9001 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

Out-of-State Students

SACSCOC Student Complaint Process

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint process, you may also choose to file a complaint with Guilford College’s accrediting agency. Information about the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure can be found above.

SARA-NC Complaint Process

Students may also choose to file a complaint through SARA-NC. SARA-NC is the portal for the state of North Carolina. Students should follow the SARA-NC Complaint process and complete the Student Complaint Form available as a PDF here. The contact information for SARA-NC is:

SARA North Carolina
N.C. State Education Assistance Authority
PO Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
Toll-free: (855) SARA-1-NC (727-2161)
919.248.4667
http://www.saranc.org/
information@saranc.org

If a student wishes to contact the state portal entities for his or her home state, contact information for state authorization liaisons in each SARA state can be found on the NC-SARA website. State by state contact information for agencies responsible for receiving student consumer complaints is available online.

Student Complaint Information by state and agency

Professional Licensure Disclosures

In order to comply with U.S. Department of Education regulations, all higher-education institutions are required to advise students as to whether their curriculum provides them with the eligibility to apply for a professional license and/or certification in the state for which they plan to practice. If you are not a resident of North Carolina, and you are taking an online course or program leading to professional licensure, Guilford College cannot guarantee whether the course or program meets requirements for professional licensure in your state. Guilford College recommends that you consult with the appropriate licensing agency or board in your state or territory prior to beginning your course of study.

Normal inquiries or concerns such as those involving admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc. should be addressed directly to the appropriate office at Guilford College:

David P. Hildreth, Ph.D. Lincoln Financial Professor
Chair of Education Studies Department
Guilford College
5800 W. Friendly Avenue
Greensboro, NC 27410
dhildret@guilford.edu
336.316.2363


David P. Hildreth, Ph.D. Lincoln Financial Professor
Chair of Education Studies Department
Guilford College
5800 W. Friendly Avenue
Greensboro, NC 27410
dhildret@guilford.edu
336.316.2363