Process for Complaints
Savannah Technical College is committed to resolving student grievances, complaints, and concerns in an expeditious, fair, and equitable manner.
- For non-academic related complaints, students should follow this procedure.
- For academic-related complaints, including end-of-course grades, students should follow this procedure.
- For complaints from the general public, individuals should follow this procedure.
If a resolution is not reached at the College level, or if you believe the nature of the complaint or its impact on the system as a whole warrants immediate review by the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), please use the TCSG Program Integrity Complaint Form or contact the TCSG Student Affairs Coordinator at studentaffairs@tcsg.edu or call (404) 679-1692. Before submitting a complaint to TCSG, students should ensure they have followed the College’s appropriate complaint or grievance process.
State Authorization for Out-of-State, 100% Online Students
Savannah 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 and education leaders, accreditors, the U.S. Department of Education, and institutions –joined together in 2013 to establish the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA), which streamline regulations around distance education programs. Students may reference the NC-SARA website to verify that Savannah Technical College is authorized to offer Distance Learning courses in their state. Registration of students from states not included in NC-SARA may require additional time and information so please allow additional time for this process.
SREB
Savannah Technical College is a member of Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB), one of the four regional compacts which comprise NC-SARA. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. Savannah Technical College is authorized to provide online education to students who reside in 48 SARA member states. Certain online programs, which include internships, practicums, or other experiential requirements may trigger additional State Authorization requirements.
Complaint Process
Per NC-SARA procedures, any complaints pertaining to a Savannah Technical College online course or program should be filed with Savannah Technical College first; please refer to the Student Grievances General Policy and Procedure in the Savannah Technical College Catalog and Student Handbook. Complaints needing further investigation beyond the college level may be submitted to TCSG using the Program Integrity Complaint Form. Before submitting to TCSG, students need to follow the institution’s process exactly as it is written in the student handbook and catalog.
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.
Complaints Against SACSCOC or its Accredited Institutions
Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical 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 (www.sacscoc.org).
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) recognizes the value of information provided by students, employees, and others in determining whether an institution’s performance is consistent with SACSCOC standards for obtaining or maintaining accreditation. SACSCOC is also committed to ensuring that member institutions maintain appropriate grievance procedures and standards of procedural fairness and that these are applied appropriately and consistently. Reviewing formal, written complaints involving member institutions enables SACSCOC to address possible non- compliance with its Principles of Accreditation and policies, as well as to address possible violations of an institution’s own policies and procedures, if related to the Principles. If an individual should have concerns with Savannah Technical College compliance with SACSCOC Principles, please refer to the following SACSCOC policy: https://sacscoc.org/app/uploads/2020/01/ComplaintPolicy-1.pdf