State Authorization

In May 2017, Meredith College was approved by SARA-NC to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). NC-SARA is a national initiative seeking to make distance education courses more accessible to students across state lines, as well as making it easier for states to regulate and institutions to participate in interstate distance education.


Professional Licensure

NC-SARA does not deal with professional licensing board approval for any courses or programs leading to professional licensure.

34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v) Professional Licensure/Certification (PLC) pre-education requirements

The curriculum for programs customarily leading to licensure at Meredith College have been designed to meet the licensure/certification requirements in North Carolina as well as preparing students to apply for licensure exams in the State of North Carolina.  The licensure boards in each U.S. State or U.S. Territory are responsible for establishing the requirements for licensure/certification for their respective State or Territory. Students who intend to return or move to any State or Territory other than North Carolina should review the professional licensure disclosures pertaining to their program and to consult with the state professional licensing board.  The state professional licensing boards make the ultimate decision as to whether an individual will be eligible to sit for licensure based on the rules and regulations in place at the time the individual submits their application for licensure.

If you are considering the Dietetic Internship program at Meredith College, which prepares students to sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s dietetic registration exam to become a registered dietitian please contact Cathie Ostrowski (919) 760-8419, ostrowsk@meredith.edu, Martin Hall, Suite 233, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-529. The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) and the North Carolina Board of Dietetics/Nutrition licensing boards are not “connected”; thus, to become licensed in North Carolina, separate action must be initiated by the graduate. If you do not live in North Carolina, and want to know what the specific requirements are for the state where you plan to practice dietetics, please contact the respective licensing board in the state where you reside before beginning the program. Successful completion of the Dietetic Internship at Meredith prepares students to sit for the CDR Credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian. If the student plans to practice in a state other than North Carolina, the student should contact the Director of the Dietetic Internship Program to determine current requirements in the location of interest. To see a chart of this information by state and US territory, click here.  Passing the Registration Examination for Dietitians meets state education criteria for licensure or certification in all states that require a registered dietitian credential to practice dietetics. To see a list of Licensure Statutes and Board Info by state, click here.

If you are interested in obtaining a North Carolina teaching license please see information about professional licensure on the education program webpage: /education/education-licensure-programs. Successful completion of the teacher education program, taken in addition to the major, leads to a North Carolina teaching license. In addition, the student will meet the education criteria for licensure or certification in all 50 states, except Texas, where an additional course in Texas History is required. If the student plans to practice in a state other than North Carolina, the student should contact the Director of Teacher Education to determine current requirements in the location of interest. To see a chart of this information by state and US territory, click hereTo view contact information for each state’s Department of Education please click here: https://www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html

Director of Teacher Education contact information: Heather Bower, Bowerhea@meredith.edu, 919-760-806; Mailing Address: 207-B Ledford, Meredith College, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 2760.


Grievance Resolution

Contact Information
Office of the Dean of Students
2nd Floor, Park Center
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 760-8521
gleasona@meredith.edu

In communicating NC-SARA general concerns, complaints or grievances that do not follow one of the specific grievance procedures indicated above, please visit the Student Complaints and Grievances webpage (specifically the General Student Complaints dropdown) for additional avenues for recourse as well as the Formal General Complaint Form.

Meredith College provides a learning environment that prepares students for responsible lives of life-long learning, professional development and global citizenship. The Meredith experience is designed to encourage collaborative learning among students, faculty and staff. Meredith College has a long and rich history in student self-governance and in promoting the general welfare of all students. To continue to enhance the quality of services and resources offered to students, Meredith College welcomes opinions, feedback and constructive ideas. The College is committed to ensuring that students have an avenue for articulating concerns, complaints and grievances.

In communicating specific concerns, complaints and grievances, students are encouraged to follow established policies and procedures outlined in the online Meredith College Student Handbook and the Meredith College Catalogues. These methods include grievance and appeal procedures for academic problems or grades, academic suspension and other academic policies; harassment and non-discrimination policy complaints, reports of sexual misconduct; Honor Code violations, housing issues, financial aid probation or suspension; disability services, student employment, and access to educational records.


SACSCOC Student Complaint Process

Meredith College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

Individuals may submit complaints to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the University’s regional accrediting body. In most cases, SACSCOC complaint procedures require that the complainant exhaust all other avenues to address the complaint. Prior to filing a complaint, please carefully review the SACSCOC Complaint Procedures Policy Statement.

The links below provide information on the SACSCOC complaint policy and process.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
Telephone: 404-679-4500
http://www.sacscoc.org
SACSCOC Complaint Policy and Form

Additionally, if you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint, you may choose to file a complaint by filling out the North Carolina Post-secondary Education Student Complaint document. Please visit the State of North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints page for the form and for information about this process.

NC Independent Colleges and Universities Complaint Process

In the event our internal resolution to your grievance fails to reach a satisfying resolution, students may continue the grievance process with the Consumer Protection Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice (https://ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint/). Grievances can be submitted electronically or by mail:

Consumer Protection Division
Attorney General’s Office
Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

Telephone for NC Residents: 877.566.7226
Telephone for Outside of NC: 919.716.6000
En Español: 919.716.0058
Consumer Protection Website
General Consumer Online Complaint Form


SARA-NC Complaint Process

Meredith College is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement – North Carolina (SARA-NC) which is the portal for North Carolina. Students may also file a grievance through SARA-NC. Students should follow the SARA-NC Complaint Process and use the SARA-NC Complaint Form (PDF). SARA-NC does not resolve complaints about student grades and student conduct violation. These complaints fall under the jurisdiction of institutional policy. The contact information for SARA-NC is:

North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
c/o SARA North Carolina
P.O. Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629

Telephone: 855.SARA.1.NC (727-2162)
Telephone: 919.549.8614, ext. 4667
Sara-NC Email: complaint@saranc.org
SARA-NC Website: www.saranc.org

If a student wishes to contact the state portal entities for his or her home state, contact information for state portal entity directors 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. 

Catastrophic Event Refunds

In the unlikely event of a catastrophe in which Meredith College is no longer able to offer classes on campus or remotely due to a natural disaster or other unforeseen phenomenon every effort will still be made to help students complete the outcomes for the term.  Refunds will be provided only if it is determined by Meredith leadership to be appropriate for that specific situation and only if Meredith College is for some unlikely reason not able to help students complete the outcomes for their courses.

Contact Information
3800 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC 27607-5298
Phone: (919) 760-8600
Fax: (919) 760-8330
1-800-MEREDITH