Complaints Regarding Distance Education Programs

RIT distance education students who have a consumer protection complaint regarding a distance education program should first seek to resolve the complaint within the RIT college in which the student is registered:

Consumer protection-based complaints must be made to the RIT contact person listed above for the college that offers the student's program. Complaints should be made during the semester of occurrence, but must be made no later than the last day of the following academic semester. The RIT contact person for the college offering the distance program will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within fifteen (15) days. If the student's attempt at resolution within the RIT college is unsuccessful, the student may appeal the college's decision by contacting the RIT Vice Provost within fifteen (15) days of being informed of the decision. A decision on the student's appeal will be issued within sixty (60) days along with any proposed remedy, if applicable. 

Complaints regarding grades and student conduct violations are not part of the distance education complaint process. They are governed entirely by institutional policy and the laws of New York State. For more information, see the following RIT policies:
Final Course Grade Disputes
Student Conduct Process

When submitting complaints to regulatory bodies, there are different avenues for distance education students completing their RIT education in New York State and those completing their RIT education outside of New York State. Distance education students should follow the process below which represents their individual situation:

Distance Education Students Located in New York State

Student complaints not resolved at the institutional level who have followed all grievance procedures and protocols defined by the University, and reside in the state of New York, have the right to file a complaint with the NYS Office of College and University Evaluation. Information for distance education students regarding how to file a complaint can be found on the New York State Education Department website.

Distance Education Students Located Outside of New York State

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) States

If a student bringing a complaint is located outside of New York State, in a state or territory that participates in NC-SARA, and is not satisfied with the outcome of the institutional process for handling complaints, the complaint (except for complaints about grades or student conduct violations) may be appealed, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, to the SARA Portal Entity in the home state of the institution against which the complaint has been lodged. All states except California are NC-SARA members.

The SARA Portal Entity Contact for New York State is:

NC-SARA State Portal Contact: Andrea Richards
Supervisor of Higher Education Programs
New York State Education Department
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234
518.474.1551
IHEauthorize@nysed.gov

Non-State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) States

For those student complaints not resolved at the institutional level who have followed all grievance procedures and protocols defined by the University, and do not reside in a SARA member state or territory, advisement may be sought from the appropriate office in the student’s state/territory of residence, listed below.

CALIFORNIA
California Department of Consumer Affairs
Consumer Information Center
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N-112
Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: 833-942-1120

AMERICAN SAMOA
American Samoa Office of Protection & Advocacy
Attn: Dr. Peter Tinitali
Executive Office Building
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
Phone: 684-699-2441

GUAM Guam Office of Attorney General
287 W O’Brien Dr.
Hagatna, Guam 96910
Phone: 671-475-3324
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
State Higher Education Agency, Northern Marianas College
POB 501250
Saipan MP 96950-1250

Northern Mariana Islands Alternate Contact:
Northern Mariana Islands Office of the Attorney General
Juan A Sablan Memorial Bldg.
Capital Hill
Caller Box 10007, Saipan, MP 96950
Phone: 670-234-5498

Additional Information about Complaint Procedures

New York State Education Department complaint procedures:
www.nysed.gov/college-university-evaluation/filing-complaint-about-college-or-university

NC-SARA complaint procedures:
https://www.nc-sara.org/student-complaints