Information for students participating in Yavapai College distance education outside Arizona, including state authorization, complaint procedures, professional licensure disclosures, and accreditation.
What this means
Federal state authorization requirements apply when an institution offers distance education to students residing in a state where the institution is not physically located.
Yavapai College participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, commonly called SARA, which establishes shared standards for approved interstate distance education among participating states, districts, and territories.
Authorization overview
State authorization helps ensure that colleges offering online education across state lines meet applicable requirements and provide appropriate consumer protections.
The U.S. Department of Education issued 34 CFR 600.9(c), State Authorization (opens in a new window) , requiring institutions offering distance education in another state to meet applicable authorization requirements.
These requirements apply to students who reside outside Arizona while participating in YC distance education.
Arizona became a SARA state in November 2014. Yavapai College became an approved SARA member institution in October 2015.
This participation permits YC to offer approved distance education to students residing in other SARA-participating states, subject to applicable SARA requirements and program limitations.
Students should keep their physical location information current with the College because authorization and professional licensure disclosures may depend on the state where the student is located.
Student grievance review
Students should begin with the appropriate Yavapai College complaint process. Distance education students outside Arizona may pursue additional review after completing the College's internal process.
The Student Code of Conduct establishes standards of conduct and student rights within the College community.
An academic complaint may involve an academic or instructional decision that a student believes was made in error.
Academic complaints processA non-academic complaint may concern an alleged policy violation, infringement of student rights, College personnel, services, or authorized College activities.
Non-academic complaints processAfter completing YC's internal complaint process, an eligible distance education student residing outside Arizona may appeal a SARA-related complaint to the Arizona Community College Coordinating Council (opens in a new window) .
The Arizona SARA Council addresses qualifying non-instructional complaints involving Arizona SARA-approved institutions after the applicable institutional and state portal processes have been completed.
AZ SARA complaint information (opens in a new window)Students residing outside Arizona may also direct eligible consumer inquiries to the appropriate agency in their state of residence.
Consumer protection agencies PDF (opens in a new window)Professional programs
Requirements for professional licensure and certification vary by state. Students considering employment outside Arizona should review the applicable disclosure before enrolling or relocating.
Yavapai College makes a good-faith determination regarding whether an applicable degree or certificate program meets educational requirements for professional licensure or certification outside Arizona.
View Professional Licensure by State (PDF opens in a new window)
Review the Notice to Students Regarding Professional Licensure and Certification for information concerning the general disclosure requirements under 34 CFR 668.43.
Institutional accreditation
Concerns regarding Yavapai College's compliance with accreditation requirements may be directed to the Higher Learning Commission.
Yavapai College is accredited (opens in a new window) by the Higher Learning Commission (opens in a new window) .
Students with concerns regarding the College's compliance with the Commission's Criteria for Accreditation may review Complaints Against an Affiliated Institution (opens in a new window) .
Reference information
Additional national, regional, and state resources provide information about SARA participation and distance education practices.
National information about interstate distance education reciprocity.
Visit NC-SARA (opens in a new window)Arizona participation, institutional information, and complaint resources.
Visit Arizona SARA (opens in a new window)Regional SARA information from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
Visit W-SARA (opens in a new window)Best-practice guidance developed for postsecondary distance education.
View the guidelines PDF (opens in a new window)