State Authorization

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. 

Institutions offering distance education courses or programs must provide current and prospective students with the contact information for filing a complaint with the college, its accrediting agency, and with state agencies that handle complaints in the students' location. 

In compliance with state and federal regulations, Wilson Community College is working towards state authorization in states where its students are located.

If you wish to enroll in one of our online offerings and are located in a state other than North Carolina, please inquire before enrolling to determine if we are exempt or have authorization to offer online courses in your state. The college is unable to enroll students in an online course from a state for which it does not have authorization.

Wilson Community College offers programs that lead to a license or certification in the state of North Carolina. To adhere to U.S. Department of Education regulations regarding distance education and professional licensure, WCC is required to make the following disclosures regarding professional licensure outside the state of North Carolina. 

Disclosures are provided for all states and indicate whether the program meets licensure requirements, does not meet licensure requirements, or has not yet been determined for that state.

General Disclosure seeks to identify whether the Wilson Community College program meets the specific state, province, or territory educational requirements for licensure. Each program listed below contains a link to this information with professional licensure board contact information for each state, province, or territory. For questions concerning your program, please see the contact listed at the top of each disclosure.

Institution Complaint Information

Wilson Community College desires to resolve student complaints in an expeditious and fair manner. Students who desire to resolve a grievance should follow the College's Student Complaint Procedure which is outlined in the College Catalog. Please try to exhaust all possible avenues of complaint resolution before going outside of the college. For assistance with the grievance procedure, please contact the Vice President of Student Development.

Amy Noel
Vice President of Student Development
Wilson Community College
902 Herring Avenue
Wilson, NC 27893
252-246-1275
Email: anoel@wilsoncc.edu
Website: www.wilsoncc.edu

State Agency Complaint Process

If the complaint cannot be resolved after exhausting the grievance procedure at Wilson Community College, the individual may file a complaint with the state in which they are located.

In North Carolina, the University of North Carolina System Office (UNC-System Office) is the agency that handles such complaints. The Student Complaint Process (PDF) and the Student Complaint Form may be found at the NC Post-Secondary Education Complaints website. Please review their policy, print and complete the form, and mail it to:

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: 919-962-4550
Website: North Carolina Post Secondary Education Complaints

State Authorization Liaisons per State

In compliance with federal Department of Education regulations, Wilson Community College has provided student complaint and state agency contacts below.

State Authorization Student Complaint Agency by State
State Authorization Liaison Contact by State

SARA-NC State Portal Information

Students not located in North Carolina and enrolled in a North Carolina institution that operates under SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement) North Carolina may submit complaints to the state portal agency, North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), only after completing the Wilson Community College complaint process. SARA North Carolina's Complaint Process and Complaint Form (PDF) may be found on the SARA North Carolina website. SARA North Carolina Portal Liaison Contact Information: 

Terrence R. Scarborough, M.P.A., Director of SARA North Carolina
Email: terrence@saranc.org
Phone: 919-549-8614 extension 4667
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
c/o SARA North Carolina
PO Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
Phone: 855-SARA-1-NC (855-727-2162)
Email: information@saranc.org
Website: www.saranc.org

Accreditor Information

If, for some reason, the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved, the next step would be to file a complaint with Wilson Community College’s accrediting agency. Wilson Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. Students who file a complaint with the accrediting agency should follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure. The contact information for SACSCOC is:

SACSCOC
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
Phone: 404-679-4500
Website: www.sacscoc.org