Student Grievances
Student Grievances may be submitted on the college website: Student Grievances
The procedures for grievances can be found in the student handbook: Student Handbook
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)
Atlanta Technical College participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.
Atlanta Technical College is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NCSARA), which authorizes colleges to enroll students in states other than Georgia in online courses. Atlanta Tech has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. Atlanta Tech can only enroll students in online programs from states that are also members of NC-SARA. Please check the website, National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, to see if your state is a member of NC-SARA.
Out-of-state Online Students
Any complaints pertaining to a Atlanta Technical College online course or program should be filed with Atlanta Technical College in accordance with the Student Catalog & Handbook.
Complaints requiring further investigation beyond the College level may be submitted to TCSG using the Student/Academic Complaint Form. Before submitting to TCSG, students need to ensure they have followed the institution’s process.
A student may appeal to the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC) if the institution’s and TCSG’s resolution is not satisfactory; however, please note that the Commission will not investigate a complaint unless the student has exhausted all available grievance procedures outlined by the institution. GNPEC does not resolve complaints about student grades and student conduct violations. These complaints fall under the jurisdiction of institutional policy.
The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is a national initiative that establishes uniform standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education. SARA simplifies the process for institutions to provide online courses across state lines and ensures consistent consumer protections for students. If you are an online student residing in a SARA-participating state, you have specific rights and a formal process for addressing complaints related to distance education.
SARA Student Complaint Procedure and Policy
Learn about the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) complaint process, including your rights as an online student and the steps to resolve concerns. This resource explains the types of complaints that fall under SARA, how to begin with your institution’s grievance process, and when to escalate to your state’s SARA portal entity. Read the SARA Student Complaint Procedure and Policy.
GA-SARA Online Student Complaint Form
The U.S. Department of Education’s “Program Integrity” regulations require that each state have a student complaint procedure in order for public and private higher education institutions to be eligible for Title IV funds. GA-SARA is responsible for monitoring all written and signed student complaints against degree-granting institutions authorized to operate in Georgia through SARA. If, after exhausting internal grievance procedures, the institution of higher education has not responded to the complainant’s satisfaction, or a satisfactory remedy has not been found, the complainant may contact GA-SARA for further investigation into the issue. View the GA-SARA Online Student Complaint Form.
Atlanta Technical College has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). NC-SARA is a nonprofit organization that helps expand students’ access to educational opportunities and ensure more efficient, consistent, and effective regulation of distance education programs.
Recognizing the growing demand for distance education opportunities, higher education stakeholders – including state regulators, education leaders, accreditors, the U.S. Department of Education, and institutions – joined together in 2013 to establish the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA), which streamlines regulations around distance education programs.
SARA consumer protection provisions require the institution’s home state, through its SARA State Portal Entity, to investigate and resolve allegations of dishonest or fraudulent activity by the state’s SARA-participating institutions, including the provision of false or misleading information. A student has the right to lodge a complaint or grievance. The student should begin the complaint process with the institution, and if a resolution is not found, the student should contact the institution’s home state SARA Portal Entity. NC-SARA maintains a directory of State Portal Entity (SPE) Contacts and SARA Student Information Process Information by State. Here is an overview of How to File a SARA Student Complaint. The SARA Student Complaint procedure and policy can be found here. Students can also access the GA-SARA Online Student Complaint Form.