State Authorization

State Authorization

U.S. Department of Education regulation 600.9(c) requires that if an institution is offering distance education in a state where it is not physically located, the institution must meet individual state requirements for offering distance education to students within that state.

Accreditation

WCC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
404-679-4500
www.sacscoc.org

Complaint Process

Click here to view a summary of WCC’s Student Grievance Process.

If you have a complaint, you should attempt to resolve the complaint through WCC’s Student Grievance Process.

Student Complaint Form

If you have questions about WCC’s complaint process, please contact:

Image of Scott Johnson
Scott Johnson, EdS
Dean of Student Services
Phone: 336-838-6141
sajohnson366@wilkescc.edu

Wilkes Community College
PO Box 120
Wilkesboro, NC 28697

Students also may file a complaint at the state level or with WCC’s accrediting agency. Information about these complaint options is listed below. In most cases, the student is required to exhaust all complaint avenues by using the college’s internal procedure before a complaint can be filed at the state or accrediting agency level. As such, students are advised to first attempt to resolve complaints with WCC using the Student Grievance Process.

Student Grievance Contact Information for Individual States, including phone numbers, email addresses, and/or links to state education agencies, is available below:

    SARA
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Alabama Commission on Higher Education - Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
    Student Grievance Procedure

    ACCS Private School Licensing Division
    Student Grievance Procedure (complaints for out-of-state institutions are referred to the ACCS Private School Licensure)

    Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
    Phone: (907) 465-2962
    Fax: (907) 465-5316
    Student Grievance Procedure

    No information found.

    Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
    Phone: (602) 542-5709
    Fax: (602) 542-1253
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Arkansas Department of Higher Education
    Phone: (501) 371-2000
    Email: ADHE_Info@adhe.edu
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
    Phone: (916) 431-6959
    Fax: (916) 263-1895
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Colorado Department of Higher Education
    Phone: (303) 866-2723
    Fax: (303) 866-4266
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education
    Phone: (860)947-1801
    Email: webmaster@ctdhe.org
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Delaware Department of Education
    Phone: (302) 735-4000
    Fax: (302) 739-4654
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Florida Department of Education
    Phone: (850) 245-0505
    Fax: (850) 245-9667
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
    Phone: (770) 414-3300
    Fax: (770) 414-3309
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
    Phone: (808) 933-0910
    Fax: (808) 933-8845
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Idaho Board of Education
    Phone: (208) 334-2270
    Fax: (208) 334-2632
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Illinois Board of Higher Education
    Phone: (217) 782-2551
    Fax: (217) 782-8548
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Indiana Commission for Higher Education
    Phone: (317) 464-4400
    Fax: (317) 464-4410
    Email: complaints@che.in.gov
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Iowa College Student Aid Commission
    Phone: (515) 725-3400
    Fax: (515) 725-3401
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Kansas Board of Regents
    Phone: (785) 296-4917
    Fax: (785) 296-7052
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
    Phone: (502) 573-1555
    Fax: (502) 573-1535
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Louisiana Board of Regents
    Phone: (225) 342-4253
    Fax: (225) 342-9318
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Proprietary Schools
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Maine Department of Education
    Phone: (207) 624-6600
    Fax: (207) 624-6700
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Maryland Higher Education Commission
    Phone: (410) 260-4500
    Fax: (800) 974-0203
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Massachusetts Board of Higher Education
    Phone: (617) 994-6950
    Fax: (617) 727-0955
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity
    Phone: (517) 373-1820
    Fax: (517) 373-2129
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Minnesota Office of Higher Education
    Phone: (651) 642-0567
    Fax: (651) 642-0675
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
    Phone: (601) 432-6372
    Fax: (601) 432-6225
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Missouri Department of Higher Education
    Phone: (573) 751-2361
    Fax: (573) 751-6635
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Montana University System, Montana Board of Regents
    Phone: (406) 444-6570
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
    Phone: (402) 471-2847
    Fax: (402) 471-2886
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
    Phone: (702) 486-7330
    Fax: (702) 486-7340
    Student Complaint Form

    New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission
    Phone: (603) 271-3494
    Student Grievance Procedure

    New Jersey Commission on Higher Education
    Phone: (609) 588-3226
    Email: nj_che@che.state.nj.us
    Student Grievance Procedure

    New Mexico Higher Education Department
    Phone: (505) 476-8400
    Fax: (505) 476-8453
    Student Grievance Procedure

    New York Office of College and University Evaluation
    Phone: (518) 474-2593
    Fax: (518) 486-2779
    Student Grievance Procedure

    North Carolina Community College System, Office of Proprietary School Services
    Phone: (919) 807-7146
    Fax: (919) 807-7164
    Student Grievance Procedure

    North Dakota State Board for Career and Technical Education
    Phone: (701) 328-3180
    Fax: (701) 328-1255
    Student Grievance Procedure

    The Ohio Department of Higher Education
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
    Phone: (405) 225-9100
    Email: communicationsdepartment@osrhe.edu
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
    Phone: (614) 466-2752
    Fax: (614) 466-2219
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Oregon Department of Education - Private and Career Schools Office
    Phone: (503) 947-5600
    Fax: (503) 378-5156
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Program Services
    Phone: (717) 783-6137
    Fax: (717) 783-6139
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Puerto Rico State Department- Board of Postsecondary Education
    Phone: (787) 722-2121
    Fax: (787) 641-2573
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education
    Phone: (401) 456-6008
    Student Grievance Procedure

    South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
    Phone: (803) 737-2260
    Fax: (803) 737-2297
    Student Grievance Procedure

    South Dakota Board of Regents
    Phone: (803) 737-2260
    Fax: (803) 737-2297
    Complaint Form (this is a broad complaint form, not just to address postsecondary institutions)

    Tennessee Higher Education Commission
    Phone: (615) 741-3605
    Fax: (615) 741-6230
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
    Phone: (512) 427-6101
    Student Grievance Procedure

    No information found.

    Utah Division of Consumer Protection
    Phone: (801) 530-6601
    Fax: (801) 530-6001
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Vermont Agency of Education
    Phone: (802) 828-3135
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Private & Out-of-State Postsecondary Education, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
    Phone: (804) 371-2285
    Fax: (804) 225-2604
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board
    Phone: (360) 753-7869
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Office of the State Superintendent of Education
    Higher Education Licensure Commission
    1050 First St. NE, Fifth Floor
    Washington, DC 20002
    Student Grievance Procedure

    West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
    Phone: (304) 558-4016
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
    Phone: (608) 266-1996
    Fax: (608) 264-8477
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Wyoming Department of Education
    Phone: (307) 777-5712
    Student Grievance Procedure

    Students may also file a complaint against a SARA North Carolina institution.

    You can contact SARA North Carolina at:

    NCSEAA
    Attn. Director of SARA North Carolina, NCSEAA
    P.O. Box 41349
    Raleigh, NC  27629
    (855) SARA-1-NC (727-2162)
    (919) 549-8614, ext. 4667
    Email: complaint@saranc.org
    www.saranc.org

    WCC is a member of the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). Students located in North Carolina may file a complaint with the North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints unit. Students should review the NC Post-Secondary Student Complaint Policy, then complete the NC Post-Secondary Education Student Complaint Form.

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

    NC Post-Secondary Education Complaints Website

    If a student has evidence of an institution’s non-compliance with SACSCOC standards, policies, and procedures, the next step would be to file a complaint with WCC’s accrediting agency. Students who file a complaint with the accrediting agency should follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure (PDF). The contact information for SACS is:

    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
    1866 Southern Lane
    Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
    Phone: 404-679-4500

    SACSCOC Website

    Professional Licensure

    Certain areas of study at WCC prepare students to sit for professional licensure or certification examinations that are required to work in North Carolina. If you are considering a program at WCC that leads to licensure or certification and you plan to work outside of North Carolina, please use the contact information on your desired program’s webpage to reach out and discuss available options.

    Licensure by State

    It is highly recommended you also contact the state in which you plan to practice to verify any state requirements before beginning your program.

    Program Disclosures

    You may view the disclosure for each program or certificate to know which WCC program curriculum meets or does not meet state educational requirements for professional licensure or certification.