State Authorization
Overview
The US Department of Education requires that any institution offering distance education programs to students outside of its home state must acquire authorization from the states in which students reside. Regulations vary from state to state.
National Council for State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreements
Rockhurst University has been approved by Missouri to participate in the National Council for State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. As a participating institution, Rockhurst may offer online programming to students in other SARA member states without seeking authorization in that state.
To learn more about SARA, visit nc-sara.org.
Student Complaint Information
The Department of Education requires institutions to provide students with contact information for filing complaints. Resources for filing different types of complaints are provided below.
Rockhurst University Complaint Process
Students enrolled in a Rockhurst University course who have a complaint about a course or experience should follow Rockhurst University’s complaint, grievance, and appeal procedures.
SARA State Complaint Process
Students enrolled in a course that takes place outside Missouri in a SARA member state must first follow Rockhurst University’s complaint, grievance, and appeal procedures for the resolution of complaints. If a student is not satisfied with the outcome of that process, a complaint involving allegations of dishonest or fraudulent activity, including the provision of false or misleading information, may be brought to the Missouri SARA portal entity. The SARA portal entity in the state where the student is located will be notified that the complaint was received and may assist as needed. Students may contact their state’s grievance resolution entity using the contact information provided below. Resolution of the complaint by the Missouri SARA portal entity is final. Please note that grade appeals and student conduct appeals are not allowed under SARA.
Alabama
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
PO Box 302000
Montgomery, AL 36130-2000
(334) 242-1998
Alaska
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
PO Box 110505
Juneau, AK 99811
(907) 465-6741
Arizona
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
1400 W Washington St
Phoenix, AZ 85007
(602) 542-5709
Arkansas
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
114 East Capitol Ave
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 371-2000
California
California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
1625 North Market, Suite S202
Sacramento, CA 95834
(916) 431-6959
Colorado
Colorado Department of Higher Education
1560 Broadway
Suite 1600
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 666-2723
Connecticut
Connecticut Office of Higher Education
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 510
Hartford, CT 06103-1841
(860) 723-0000
Delaware
Delaware Higher Education Office
Carvel State Office Building, 5th Floor
820 N. French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801-3509
(302) 735-4000
Florida
Florida Department of Education Commission for Independent Education
325 W Gaines Street, Suite 1414
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
(850) 245-0505
Georgia
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 East Exchange Place
Suite 220
Tucker, GA 30084-5305
(770) 414-3300
Hawaii
Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
235 South Beretania Street, Suite 801
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 587-4272
Idaho
Idaho State Board of Education
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0037
(208) 334-2270
Illinois
Illinois State Board of Education
1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333
Springfield, Illinois 62701-1377
(217) 557-7359
Indiana
Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education
302 W Washington Street, Room E201
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 464-4400
Iowa
Iowa Student Aid Commission
603 E. 12th Street, 5th Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 725-3400
Kansas
Kansas Board of Regents
1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520
Topeka, KS 66612-1368
(785) 296-3421
Kentucky
Kentucky Board of Proprietary Education
911 Leawood Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601-3319
(502) 573-1555
Louisiana
State of Louisiana Board of Regents
1201 N. Third St., Suite 6-200
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-4253
Maine
Maine Department of Education
Complaint Investigator
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023
(207) 624-6600
Maryland
Maryland Higher Education Commission
6 North Liberty Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 528-8662
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Board of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place
Room 1401
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 994-6950
Michigan
Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth
201 N. Washington Sq.
Lansing, MI 48913
(517) 373-1820
Minnesota
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108-5227
(651) 642-0567
Mississippi
Mississippi Commission of Proprietary Schools and College Registration
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211-6453
(601) 432-6372
Missouri
Missouri Department of Higher Education
205 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
(573) 751-2361
Montana
Office of Commissioner of Higher Education
Montana University System
2500 Broadway Street
PO Box 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
(406) 444-6570
Nebraska
Consumer Protection Division
2115 State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2847
Nevada
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
3663 East Sunset Road
Suite 202
Las Vegas, Nevada 89120
(702) 486-7330
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission
101 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301-3494
(603) 271-3494
New Jersey
New Jersey Commission on Higher Education
20 West State Street
4th floor, PO Box 542
Trenton, NJ 08625-0542
(609) 292-4310
New Mexico
New Mexico Higher Education Department
2048 Galisteo
Santa Fe, NM 87505
(505) 476-8400
New York
New York State Education Department
116 West 32nd Street, 5th Floor
New York, New York 10001
(518) 474-1551
North Carolina
North Carolina Community College System
Office of Proprietary School Services
200 West Jones Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603
(919) 807-7146
North Dakota
North Dakota Consumer Protection Division
1050 E. Interstate Ave. Suite 200
Bismarck, ND 58503-5574
(701) 328-3180
Ohio
Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
30 East Broad Street, Suite 2481
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-2752
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
(405) 225-9100
Oregon
Oregon Attorney General
1162 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301-4096
(503) 947-5600
Pennsylvania
Office of Attorney General
Bureau of Consumer Protection
14th Floor, Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-6137
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Department of Attorney General
Consumer Protection Unit
150 South Main Street
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 456-6008
South Carolina
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
1122 Lady St., Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 737-2260
South Dakota
South Dakota Board of Regents
306 East Capitol Ave, Suite 200
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-3455
Tennessee
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900
Nashville, TN 37243
(615) 741-3605
Texas
Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
PO Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711-2548
(512) 427-6101
Utah
Utah Division of Consumer Protection
160 East 300 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 530-6601
Vermont
Vermont Department of Education
State Board of Education
120 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05620-2501
(802) 479-1030
Virginia
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
101 N. 14th Street, 10th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 225-2600
Washington
Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board
917 Lakeridge Way
PO Box 43430
Olympia, WA 98504-3430
(360) 753-7800
Washington D.C.
District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education
810 First Street, NE
9th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 727-6436
West Virginia
West Virginia Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
PO Box 1789
Charleston, WV 25326-1789
(304) 558-2102
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
30 W. Mifflin St., 9th Floor
P.O. Box 8696
Madison, WI 53708
(608) 266-1996
Wyoming
Wyoming Department of Education
2300 Capitol Avenue
Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050
(307) 777-7675
