State Authorization for Distance Education

State Authorization for Distance Education

Kennebec Valley Community College is a member of NC-SARA, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA oversees reciprocity agreements which facilitate the KVCC student’s participation in distance education, and on-site experiences outside the State of Maine, such as internships, externships, practicums, field experiences, and clinical experiences.

Professional Licensure Disclosure Statement

Kennebec Valley Community College cannot confirm that its courses or degree programs meet the requirements for professional licensure outside of the State of Maine. The College strongly encourages prospective and current students to contact the appropriate or applicable licensing board(s) in states in which they may wish to pursue licensure, prior to beginning any program of study.

Inquiries regarding the applicability of licensure programs to the states in which our distance students reside may be directed to academicaffairs@kvcc.me.edu .

 SARA State Student Complaint Process

SARA consumer protection provisions require colleges and universities to investigate and resolve allegations of dishonest or fraudulent activity by a provider, including the provision of false or misleading information. Examples of types of student complaints that may be brought to a SARA portal entity include, but are not limited to, complaints regarding accuracy of job placement data, tuition or fee information, accreditation, whether a program meets professional licensing requirements, or course transfer information.

If you are a student in an online course and you have concerns and/or complaints, please contact the Academic Affairs office: academicaffairs@kvcc.me.edu . Grade appeals and student conduct appeals are not allowed under SARA.

After exhausting the formal complaint process of the Kennebec Valley Community College, students participating in a distance education experience may seek further action through the following Maine Department of Education process:

1. Students should file a complaint through SARA that includes documentation that the student has exhausted the formal complaint process at host post-secondary institution. The State of Maine Complaint Form should be used by any current student or former student enrolled in a distance education degree program or are participating in an on-site experience outside the State of Maine (internships, externships, practicums, field experiences, and clinical experiences), who seek to file a complaint against a degree-granting institution approved to operate under the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).
2. The Maine DOE reviews the complaint and supporting documents. The Maine DOE may request further documentation from the participating SARA institution mentioned in the complaint.
3. Maine DOE determines if the resolution of the host institution is acceptable. If so, the complaint process is concluded, and previous resolution is sustained. If the previous resolution is found not acceptable by the Maine DOE, then the complaint will be further investigated until resolved.
4. Students receive a final disposition letter from the Maine DOE.