NC-SARA

Jackson State Community College is a proud member of NC-SARA. The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is an agreement among member states, districts, and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate postsecondary distance education.

"NC-SARA ensures quality standards for distance education programs"

For High Schools

Jackson State Community College is a proud member of NC-SARA. The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is an agreement among member states, districts, and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate postsecondary distance education.

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:

• Jackson State Community College has not determined whether or not the curriculum meets the State educational requirements for licensure or certification for states outside of Tennessee. We recommend you contact the appropriate licensing agency in the U.S. States and territories where licensure is intended. This will enable you to obtain the most up-to-date information about licensure requirements.
• Contact the Program Director listed below to discuss our program’s curriculum.

State Portal 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.

Grievance Resolution

For Online and Distance Education Issues, Concerns, and/or Complaints

Jackson State Community College students can find the Student Grievance Policy and Procedures including grade appeal procedures, in the 2024-2025 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

SARA-NC Complaint Process

Students may also choose to file a complaint through NC-SARA Tennessee.  Students should follow SARA Tennessee Student Complaint Process and use the NC-SARA Complaint form (PDF). The contact information for SARA-NC is:

SARA Tennessee
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
312 Rosa L. Parks Ave., 9th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243

Agency Contact
Julie M. Woodruff
(615) 253-8857
julie.woodruff@tn.gov

Secretary of State Contact
Tre Hargett: Business Filings and Information
(615) 741-2286
TNSOS.CORPINFO@tn.gov 

• Student Complaint Information by state and agency

• NC-SARA state portal entity contacts

Jackson State Community College Accreditation

Jackson 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 Jackson 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

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

Jackson 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 Management Plan (EMP) is designed to deal with actual or potential emergencies or crises on campus.  The EMP conveys the operational, communication, and crisis response plans.

Also, the college utilizes a third-party vendor to aid in preparing and housing the departmentally developed business continuity plans.  These plans include contacts, critical functions, essential resources, information technology, and faculty preparedness.

The above examples of operational continuity measures, along with annual employee/staff and student training, aid in preparing the campus for handling disruptive situations.

Jackson State Community College utilizes the National Student Clearinghouse to ensure students have access to transcripts in the event of a catastrophic event or unanticipated closure of the institution.  The Transcript Ordering Center can be found at https://tsorder.studentclearinghouse.org/school/select.

Online Students Living in Tennessee

Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) serves as the official state entity that receives 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 Jackson State Community College, will be forwarded to the appropriate agency for action.  If you are unable to resolve your complaint through Jackson 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.

Complaint Process for Tennessee Department of Justice
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint process at Jackson 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.