Skip to main content

State Authorization and Consumer Information

Roanoke College-Roanoke Valley (RC-RV) is committed to providing learners with clear information about distance-education authorization, complaint and grievance procedures, and programs related to professional licensure. Because requirements may vary by location, learners should review the following information before enrolling and whenever their physical location changes.

State Authorization for Distance Education

Federal regulations require Roanoke College to meet applicable state-authorization requirements when offering distance education to learners located outside Virginia.

Roanoke College participants in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA). This participation permits RC-RV to offer distance-education programs and courses to learners located in SARA member states and jurisdictions, subject to SARA policies and other applicable laws.

Before Enrolling

Learners located in a state or jurisdiction that does not participate in SARA should contact the Senior Vice President for Academic Life and Learning at academicdean@roanoke.edu before enrolling to confirm that Roanoke College is authorized to offer the program in their location.

Changes in Physical Location

Authorization requirements are based on the learner's physical location while participating in an online program-not solely on permanent residence or mailing address. Enrolled learners must notify the Office of the Registrar at registrar@roanoke.edu if their physical location changes.

Student Complaint and Grievance Process

Roanoke College is committed to helping learners bring concerns and complaints to the institution's attention for review and resolution. Learners are encouraged to address concerns through the College's internal process before seeking external review.

Internal Complaint Process

  1. When comfortable doing so, begin by discussing the concern with the faculty or staff member involved.
  2. If the concern is unresolved, or the learner is uncomfortable addressing the individual directly, contact the appropriate supervisor or RC-RV program director.
  3. If the concern involves the program director or remains unresolved after review by the program director, contact the Assistant Vice President for RC-RV.

Concerns Requiring a Specialized Process

  • Disability accommodations: Contact the Office of Accessible Education.
  • Sexual misconduct, sex discrimination or Title IX: Contact a Title IX Coordinator or use the Roanoke College Title IX website.
  • Grade concerns: Begin with the course instructor and follow the RC-RV grade-appeal process.
  • Staff concerns: Begin with the staff member and, if unresolved, contact the employee's supervisor.
  • Title IX: Roanoke College Title IX

External Complaint Review

Learners must complete Roanoke College's internal complaint and grievance procedures, including any applicable appeals, before seeking external review.

If a complaint involving distance education remains unresolved after the College's internal process, a learner may submit a complaint to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). SCHEV serves as Virginia's State Portal Entity under SARA and is the appropriate SARA complaint authority for Roanoke College, regardless of the learner's state of residence. SCHEV will coordinate with the learner's state of residence when appropriate.

SARA complaint procedures generally apply to consumer-protection concerns involving distance education, including allegations of dishonest or fraudulent activity or false or misleading information. Complaints involving grades or student-conduct decisions are not reviewed through the SARA complaint process and must be addressed through the College's applicable academic or conduct procedures.

Learners may submit complaints alleging the College's significant noncompliance with accreditation standards directly to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), following SACSCOC's published complaint procedures. SACSCOC does not serve as an appeal body for individual institutional decisions.

GI Bill® Beneficiaries 

GI Bill® beneficiaries should first use the College's internal grievance process. If a concern remains unresolved, feedback may be submitted to the Virginia State Approving Agency at saa@dvs.virginia.gov.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Federal regulations require colleges to disclose whether an education program's curriculum meets the requirements for professional licensure or certification in each applicable state or jurisdiction.

Unless a program specifically states otherwise, degrees offered through RC-RV and listed in the RC-RV catalog do not lead to professional licensure or certification beyond the bachelor's degree itself.

Licensure and certification requirements are established by individual states and may change without notice. Requirements may include education, examinations, supervised experience, fieldwork, background checks, or other conditions beyond completion of an academic degree.

What Learners Should Do

  1. Determine whether the intended occupation requires a license or certification in the state or jurisdiction where they plan to work.
  2. Review the requirements published by the appropriate licensing board.
  3. Confirm whether the RC-RV program satisfies those requirements before enrolling, relocating or pursuing employment.
  4. Contact the applicable licensing board directly for the most current and authoritative information.

Important: Completion of a degree does not guarantee eligibility for licensure, certification, employment or approval by a licensing agency.