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National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)

91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College is an approved New York State SARA institution. SARA is a voluntary agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for the approval of interstate postsecondary distance education courses and programs. All 91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College online programs are approved by the New York State Education Department.

NC-SARA Mission

The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, in collaboration with the four regional higher education compacts, was established to develop and implement an effective and efficient reciprocal state-level authorization process for postsecondary distance education. Its mission is to provide broad access to postsecondary education opportunities to students across the country, to increase the quality and value of higher learning credentials earned via distance education, and to assure students are well served in a rapidly changing education landscape.

Professional Licensure/ Certification at 91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College

While SARA does not address professional licensing board approval for programs leading to state licensing in fields such as nursing, teacher education, etc, SARA does require that participating institutions provide proper notification to students as to whether courses and programs will meet the professional licensure requirements in states where students are located. This is in alignment with federal regulations.

91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) (). The MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Board of Regents in New York State (NYS) grants professional licensure/certificates to qualified candidates.  91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College is an institutional member of the Council for the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). NC-SARA membership does not grant reciprocity or exempt 91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College from state professional licensing/certification requirements.

91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College's programs are designed to meet licensure requirements in New York State and satisfy all federal requirements for disclosures regarding such professional licensure programs. Prospective and current students are still encouraged to consult with the appropriate licensing boards in their states to determine if programs meet specific licensure requirements.​ Additional information can be found below.

Programs Leading to Licensure/Certification

91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College makes no representations regarding whether a particular program will qualify a graduate for employment in any specific career position. Applicants are responsible for checking with the licensing agency in their home state for specific requirements as well as investigating expectations for any agency or employer with which they may wish to seek employment.

All applicants should be aware that employers in any career field may consider numerous factors when determining eligibility or suitability for employment including, but not limited to: criminal background screening, U.S. citizenship, state residency, physical and psychological health, age, and military discharge information. Similarly, employers in the industry may require drug screens as a condition to employment and/or continued employment. A criminal conviction and/or record of certain other conduct may prevent or hinder a graduate’s employment in the field. The enrolling applicant has been apprised of these matters and enrolls in this program with full understanding of the same.

NURSING

The Baccalaureate degree in Nursing, the Master's degree in Nursing, and the post-graduate APRN certificate programs at 91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (). Officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public's health. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing. CCNE serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. As a voluntary, self‑regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self‑assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and post-baccalaureate nurse residency programs. For more information on NYS licensure, please visit.

	States & Territories where Program Meet Licensing or Certification Requirements	States & Territories for which it has Not Been Determined if the Program Meets Licensing or Certification Requirements
All MSMC Nursing Programs	New York State is currently not a compact license state for Registered Professional Nurses. However, The New York State Education Department grants licenses "by endorsement" to qualified clinical nurse specialists, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses or licensed vocational nurses licensed in other states.	AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, VI, WA, WV, WI, WY

Please contact your state board of Nursing for additional licensing requirements and information. A list of boards by state can be downloaded .

EDUCATION

91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College’s Education programs have been designed to meet the accreditation and licensure/certification requirements as well as prepare students to apply for licensure/certification exams in the State of New York.  As a result, licensing/certification requirements in New York may not be recognized as sufficient to obtain licensure/certification in any other state. For more information on NYS certification, please visit NYSED’s Office of Teaching Initiatives certification webpage: .

	States & Territories where Program Meet Licensing or Certification Requirements	States & Territories for which it has Not Been Determined if the Program Meets Licensing or Certification Requirements
Adolescent Education, Students with Disabilities Childhood, Early Childhood, Students with Disabilities Literacy Education (MSEd) Literacy Advanced Certificate Students with Disabilities Education (MSEd)	NY	AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA,  HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, VI, WA, WV, WI, WY

Please contact your state education agency for additional certification requirements and information. A list of education departments by state can be found .

Effective beginning July 1, 2025:  SARA has no effect on state professional licensing requirements. Any institution approved to participate in SARA that offers courses or programs designed to lead to professional licensure or certification or advertised as leading to licensure must satisfy all federal requirements for disclosures regarding such professional licensure programs. For SARA purposes, these requirements will also apply to non-Title IV institutions and programs.

Source:

Complaint Resolution for Students Enrolled in Distance Education under SARA

91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), which establishes uniform standards for interstate distance education programs and consumer protection.

SARA establishes guidelines for handling complaints from students enrolled in distance education programs across state lines. For students enrolled in distance education programs who reside outside of New York State:

• Complaints related to interstate distance education activities may be reviewed under SARA policies.

• SARA does NOT cover complaints related to academic grades or student conduct violations. These matters are handled exclusively through the College’s internal procedures.

Students must complete the College’s internal complaint process before filing a complaint under SARA.

Students who are not satisfied with the outcome of the institutional process may appeal the final decision to the New York State SARA State Portal Entity. Appeals to the State Portal Entity must be filed within two (2) years of the incident that gave rise to the complaint.

Institutional Complaint Process

91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College is committed to resolving student concerns in a fair and timely manner. Students are expected to follow the college’s internal Grievance Procedure before pursuing external resolution. The general process is as follows:

Grade Appeals

1. Informal Resolution
   Students should first attempt to resolve concerns directly with the instructor, advisor, or relevant office.

2. Formal Complaint Submission
   If the issue is not resolved informally, the student may submit a formal written complaint to the instructor. 

3. Faculty Appeals Committee Resolution
   If the complaint is not resolved at this step, the student may submit a formal complaint to the division/school chair.  The chair will form an appeals committee of faculty, who will adjudicate the case.  Decisions of the faculty appeals committee are final.

Other Grievances

1. College Review Board Submission
   When a student believes he or she has a grievance against 91´«Ã½ Saint Mary College for which no adjudication procedures appear to exist, he/she may bring the grievance to the College Review Board chair, who is the VPAA.
2. College Review Board Review
   The College Review Board chair will investigate the grievance. If the grievance cannot be resolved informally to the satisfaction of all parties and if indeed no specific college procedures exist for adjudication, the grievance will be accepted for review by the College Review Board.
3. Appeal
   The decision may be appealed to the President of the College. The President reviews the appeal as appropriate and makes the final decision.

Complaints are reviewed in accordance with institutional policies. Students may appeal decisions through established College procedures.

For more details, students may refer to the Grievance Procedure in the.

SARA Complaint Process

After exhausting the College’s internal complaint procedures, a student may file a complaint with the New York State Education Department (NYSED), which serves as the SARA State Portal Entity for New York.

New York State Education Department – Office of College and University Evaluation (OCUE)
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234
Email: IHEAuthorize@nysed.gov 

The State Portal Entity will review complaints related to SARA policies and interstate distance education activity. Students may review additional information about the SARA complaint process at the following links:

Additional Options

The United States Department of Education requires each institution of higher education to provide all prospective and current out-of-state students with the contact information of the state agency or agencies that handle complaints against postsecondary education institutions offering distance learning within that state. Please visit the US Department of Education website to locate the contact information for your state education agency:.