Student Complaint Information & Procedures for Online Education

Students Residing Outside New York State and Taking Distance Education Courses at SCCC 

Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and follows the complaint resolution policies and procedures outlined within the SARA Policy Manual and summarized at SARA Student Complaints.

Consumer protection complaints resulting from distance education courses, activities, and operations may be submitted in writing to the Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Patricia Munsch for investigation and resolution. Please refer to the College's Student Complaint Resolution Policyfor more information on the College's student complaint process. That policy outlines how students can have their complaints evaluated and appropriately addressed. A formal complaint is filed electronically on the MySCCC Question and Comment Form.

If a student is dissatisfied with the campus-based resolution, a concern may be submitted to System Administration of the State University of New York as outlined in SUNY Student Concerns. If still not satisfied, a complaint may be submitted, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, as outlined on the New York State Education Department page Filing a Complaint about a College or University. Please note, this does not include complaints related to grades or student conduct violations, both of which are to be fully addressed via campus processes, not through the NC-SARA complaint resolution procedures. 

As an NC-SARA member, SCCC has made a voluntary agreement with other member states to establish comparable national standards for institutions offering postsecondary distance education courses and programs. As a SARA participating institution, SCCC can enroll residents of other SARA participating states in its distance education courses and programs. SARA’s policies help protect students and provide benefits to both states and institutions carrying out distance education in multiple states.   

SCCC Internal Complaint Procedures 

Federal regulations require institutions delivering distance education courses to provide students and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with the state approval or licensing entity in the student's state of residency and any other relevant state official or agency that would appropriately handle a student complaint. 

Please note: SARA applies solely to distance education activity conducted across state lines. It does not apply to distance education activities inside New York State. Only those complaints resulting from distance education courses or activities offered to students in other SARA states come under the terms of SARA. Please note: Complaints from in-state students are to be resolved under the College's provisions, not those of SARA. 

Student Complaint Process 

Step 1: Complaints against the College resulting from distance education courses or activities offered to students in other SARA states should first go through the College's procedures for resolution of grievances. Please refer to the College's Student Complaint Resolution Policy for more information on the College's student complaint process. That policy outlines how students can have their complaints evaluated and appropriately addressed. 

Step 2: Complaint at the SUNY Level 

Next, students may choose to appeal the College’s decision by filing a complaint with the SUNY System Administration. Students attending a State University of New York (SUNY) may address their complaint to:  

State University of New York
Central Administration
State University Plaza  
Albany, NY 12246  
Web: SUNY Student Concerns 

If a person bringing a complaint resulting from distance education courses or activities offered to students in other SARA states is not satisfied with the outcome of the SUNY Administration decision, go on to Step 3. 

Step 3: New York State Education Department (NYSED) Complaint through NC-SARA

A final level of complaint review by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) will only be considered after reviews at the College and SUNY System level are completed.  For more information refer to the NYSED SARA Student Complaint Process.

The student may file an appeal with the SARA State Portal Entity in New York State by completing the Office of College and University Evaluation (OCUE) Complaint Form which can be found on the page NYSED Filing a Complaint About a College or University. Complainants should include documentation of the institution’s complaint determination, and if applicable, the results of a complaint appeal to SUNY System Administration. 

To learn how to appeal a decision to NYSED using the SARA Student Complaint webpage, refer to SARA Complaint Process. The complaint may be appealed to NC-SARA within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made. Refer to the NC-SARA Student Complaint instructions. 

For additional details, you can also view or download this pdf: New York SARA Student Complaint Process. 

Student Grades or Conduct 

Complaints regarding student grades or student conduct violations are governed entirely by College policy and the laws of the State of New York. Please refer to the College's Course Grade Grievance Procedure and the College's Student Code of Conduct for more information. 

In-Person Program Complaints 

Students, or prospective students, in New York who are enrolled in an in-person program may still use this website: Filing a Complaint About a College or University | New York State Education Department.

Programs Leading to Professional Licensure 

Any student planning to take an online course as part of a degree program that leads to professional licensure, should read the detailed information at the webpage for Professional Licensure Disclosures.