NC-SARA
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements

Why NC-SARA Matters:

• Improves distance education program quality nationwide.
• Makes it easier for students to access distance education programs across state lines.
• Reduces costs and bureaucracy for states and institutions.
• Improves coordination between states for higher education opportunities.
• Provides valuable oversight of distance education programs.
• Shares out-of-state learning experience data like clinical hours and practice teaching.

Before you begin your chosen licensure program:

Do you have intent on being licensed outside the State of Tennessee? If so, do the following:

• Dyersburg State Community College offers courses, associate degree and certificate programs that may lead to professional licensure and/or certification. Students who complete one of the programs of study listed below at Dyersburg State Community College have met the curricular requirements to apply for credentialing in Tennessee. Requirements for other states may vary. If you currently live in a state other than Tennessee or intend to move to another state and you intend to use the education completed at Dyersburg State Community College to seek professional licensure in your state, be aware there may be additional requirements for obtaining licensure. Please contact the appropriate licensing body in the state where you intend to seek licensure regarding the requirements in that state.

• Academic Licensure and Programmatic Accreditation Notification

• Contact the Program Director listed below to discuss our program’s curriculum.

Grievance Resolution and State Portal Contact Information

Dyersburg State Community College students can find the Student Grievance Policy and Procedures including grade appeal procedures in the Dyersburg State Community College Catalog.

To file a complaint with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) complete the THEC Request for Complaint Review Form, or contact Julie Woodruff.

Julie Woodruff
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
312 Rosa L. Parks Ave., 9th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
julie.woodruff@tn.gov
615-253-8857

SACSCOC Complaint Contact Information

Dyersburg State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees and certificates. Questions about the accreditation of Dyersburg State Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (http://www.sacscoc.org/).

Students who file a complaint with the accrediting agency should follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure.

NC-SARA Complaint Contact Information

If a student wishes to contact the state portal entities for his or her home state, contact information for state information liaisons in each SARA state can be found on the NC-SARA website. State by state contact information for agencies responsible for receiving student consumer complaints is available online.

Normal inquiries or concerns such as those involving admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc. should be addressed directly to the appropriate office at Dyersburg State Community College.

Accreditation

Dyersburg State Commuity College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees and certificates. Questions about the accreditation of Dyersburg State Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (http://www.sacscoc.org/).

Students who file a complaint with the accrediting agency should follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure.

Continuity Plans

Dyersburg State Community College has multiple measures to ensure the college can operate effectively in a crisis.

Dyersburg State Community College follows all SACSCOC required standards for Closing a Program, Site, Branch, or Institution using the campus Substantive Change Policy, SACSCOC Policy.

The school’s Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) is designed to deal with actual or potential emergencies or crises on campus. Contact Chief Michael Peeler, DSCC Chief of Campus Police & Security, for more information.

DSCC has partnered with the National Student Clearinghouse to provide an electronic transcript request option.

Online Students Living in Tennessee

Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) serves as the official state entity to receive complaints concerning post-secondary institutions that are authorized to operate in Tennessee. Complaints received against post-secondary institutions licensed in the state of Tennessee, including Dyersburg State Community College, will be forwarded to the appropriate agency for action.  If you are unable to resolve your complaint through Dyersburg State Community College’s grievance procedures, please consult the THEC Request for Complaint Review. The complaint form can be found here. If you have any questions regarding the complaint process, you may contact Julie Woodruff at julie.woodruff@tn.gov or 615.253.8857.

If you are not a Tennessee resident, check the Out of State Student State Authorization to make sure the state you reside in has authorized DSCC to offer online degree programs in your state.

Complaint Process for Tennessee Department of Justice

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint process at Dyersburg State Community College, you may choose to file a complaint with the Tennessee Department of Justice. To file a complaint with the Tennessee Department of Justice, please visit the Department of Justice Complaints webpage.