Students with a complaint against a faculty member have the opportunity to take grievances through two channels. For academic issues, such as grades, returning homework on time, adhering to the syllabus, quality of instruction, etc., students should seek to resolve the complaint directly with the faculty member. The next step would be to meet with the appropriate academic Department Chair. If still unresolved, the student may meet with the appropriate Associate Dean of Instruction. If necessary, a final appeal may be made to the VP of Academic Affairs. For other complaints, such as discriminatory harassment or other inappropriate interpersonal behavior, students should contact the Human Resources Office.
NC-SARA
The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) is a non-profit organization established to ensure national standards for interstate postsecondary distance education programs and courses. The State of New York is a member state, and SUNY Corning Community College is a SARA participating institution. Participation in SARA allows SUNY Corning Community College to provide distance education courses and programs to students outside of the state. SARA policies do not cover complaints related to grades or student conduct violations. To learn more about SARA, please visit NC-SARA.
NC-SARA Complaint Process
SUNY Corning Community College 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 on it's own page. Consumer protection complaints resulting from distance education courses, activities, and operations may be submitted to the Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment Management, Maarit Clay, at clay@corning-cc.edu for investigation and resolution. 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. You can view this process on their webpage. And, if still not satisfied, a complaint may be submitted, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, to the New York State Education Department. An outline of this process can viewed on their website. 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.
SUNY Corning Community College is an institutional participant in the SARA initiative (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements) related to distance education.
For more information regarding NC-SARA complaint process, please visit: https://www.nc-sara.org/sara-student-complaints-0
If, after attempting to resolve an issue through SUNY CCC's grievance procedures, an issue relative to non-compliance with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) standards for accreditation, requirements of affiliation, policies or procedures, or the institution’s own policies or procedures, is not resolved, please see the MSCHE policy on types of complaints that can be sent to MSCHE, the accrediting body for SUNY CCC.