State Authorizations/NC-SARA

Virginia is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) and Radford University participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. SARA establishes national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education programs among member states. The agreement creates a system for institutions offering distance education to receive authorization from states other than their home state, by placing the responsibility for regulation, quality assurance, and student protection on the institution's home state. The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is the organization tasked with implementing SARA.

Student Complaint Process for Online and Distance Education Students (NC-SARA)

Radford University participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) through the Commonwealth of Virginia. In accordance with SARA policy, the University provides the following information regarding the resolution of student complaints for students enrolled in distance education programs.

What is a SARA Complaint?

A SARA complaint is a formal written complaint alleging that an institution operating under SARA policies has violated SARA requirements or consumer protection standards related to interstate distance education. The SARA Complaint Process can be found here: https://nc-sara.org/sara-student-complaints-0/”

SARA policies apply to students enrolled in distance education programs who reside outside the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Steps for Resolving a Complaint

Step 1: Institutional Resolution
Students must first attempt to resolve their complaint through Radford University’s established internal complaint procedures. Information about the University’s student complaint process is available here:
https://www.radford.edu/dean-of-students/student-advocacy/student-complaints.html

Students are expected to fully exhaust all available institutional remedies before pursuing a SARA-related complaint.

Step 2: Appeal to the Virginia SARA State Portal Entity (SCHEV)
If a complaint cannot be resolved through the University’s processes, students may appeal the decision to the SARA State Portal Entity for Virginia:

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)
Darlene Derricott
01 North 14th Street, 9th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804-225-2621

SCHEV is responsible for reviewing and resolving SARA complaints for Radford University.

Step 3: Timeline for Filing
Complaints must be submitted to SCHEV within two years of the incident giving rise to the complaint.

Types of Complaints Covered by SARA

SARA complaint procedures apply to issues related to consumer protection in distance education, including, but not limited to:

• Accuracy of recruitment, marketing, and advertising materials
• Accuracy of tuition, fees, and financial aid information
• Completeness and accuracy of admissions requirements
• Accuracy of information regarding accreditation or programmatic approval
• Representation of professional licensure or certification requirements
• Transferability of academic credit

Complaints Not Covered by SARA

The following matters are not governed by SARA complaint procedures and are handled solely through institutional processes:

• Student grades and academic evaluations
• Student conduct and disciplinary matters

Additional Information on SARA Complaint Policies

Radford University adheres to the complaint resolution policies and procedures established by NC-SARA.  please visit Get more detailed information about SARA student complaints, including frequently asked questions and additional guidance.

Other Complaint Resources

Students residing outside of Virginia may also consult complaint procedures for their state of residence. The State Authorization Network maintains a directory of state agencies and complaint processes.

Academic Integrity

The University Honor Pledge provides the foundation for a university community in which freedom, trust, and respect can prevail. In accepting admission to the University, each student makes a commitment to support and uphold the Honor Pledge without compromise or exception.

"I shall uphold the values and ideals of Radford University by engaging in responsible behavior and striving always to be accountable for my actions while holding myself and others to the highest moral and ethical standards of academic integrity and good citizenship as defined in the Standards."

Standards of Student Conduct at Radford University

As of fall 2018, Turnitin Feedback Studio is available through the University wide learning management system, Desire to Learn, D2L.  Turnitin is a suite of tools that promotes Academic Integrity by checking papers for Plagiarism, has tools for instructor to provide rich student feedback and also a Grammar Checker tool to enable students to be more successful.  

Information about Turnitin student resources are available from Turnitin through the Radford University View the available Turnitin student resources.