State Authorization - Complaint Resolution

In all cases, students are advised to put their concerns in writing and carefully document the events that led to the complaint or grievance. Concerns should be expressed as soon as possible after the event occurs; some of the procedures have specific deadlines for filing grievances or complaints.

STEP 1 (Available to all UNC Charlotte students)

STEP 2 (Available to all UNC Charlotte students)

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
University of North Carolina System Office
910 Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688
Website: https://www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints/
Phone:  (919) 962-4558
Email:  studentcomplaint@northcarolina.edu

STEP 3 (For complaints regarding online courses or programs)

  • If the complaint is not resolved to the student's satisfaction after completing steps one and two AND the complaint pertains to online/distance education, students may also file a complaint through SARA North Carolina (SARA-NC).  SARA-NC is a program of the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority that serves as the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) portal entity in North Carolina.  Students should follow the SARA-NC Complaint Process and use the SARA-NC Complaint Form (PDF).  Please note:  SARA North Carolina does not accept complaints regarding grades or student conduct violations.

SARA North Carolina
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
P.O. Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
Toll Free Phone: (855) SARA-1-NC (727-2162)
Phone: (919) 549-8614, ext. 4667
Website: www.saranc.org
Email: complaint@saranc.org

STEP 4 (Available to all UNC Charlotte students)

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Commission on Colleges
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, GA 30033-4097
Telephone: 404.679.4500
Website: http://www.sacscoc.org

STEP 5 (For out-of-state students with complaints regarding online courses or programs)

  • If the complaint involves online learning and is not resolved to the student's satisfaction after completing steps one through four, students who reside outside the state of North Carolina may also appeal to the post-secondary education licensing agency in the state in which they reside.  Contact information for each state’s post-secondary education licensing agency is available on the State Regulatory Agencies page