Complaints Against Richmond Community College
Institutional Complaint Process:
If you feel you’ve been mistreated by Richmond Community College or any other college student or employee, we ask that you go through our grievance procedure as outlined below:
Step 1
Submit a Student Complaint Form to the Vice President for Student Services containing a sufficiently detailed statement of all the circumstances or events of your grievance. If there are documents in existence that relate to the substance of the grievance or that would facilitate communication or understanding of the grievance, these should also be attached. The Student Complaint Form can be submitted to Sheri Dunn-Ramsay, Vice President for Student Services, by emailing it to srdunn-ramsay@richmondcc.edu or by mailing it to:
Vice President for Student Services
1042 W. Hamlet Ave.
Hamlet, NC 28345
Phone Number: (910) 410-1907
*All complaints must be submitted in writing with all supporting documentation to the Vice President for Student Services within thirty days of the action, incident, or conduct upon which the grievance is founded, occurred, or was first brought to the individual’s attention.
Step 2
The VP for Student Services will quickly take action on the grievance in cooperation with the individuals within RicmondCC and will submit a written report to the grievant within fifteen (15) calendar days. In the event that the action taken by the VP for Student Services is deemed unsatisfactory to the grievant, the grievant may submit in writing to the President a request for review of the action taken by the Vice President for Student Services.
*A written request for review must be received by the President within twenty (20) days after the date that the report of the Vice President for Student Services was mailed to the grievant. Along with the grievant’s written request for review, the grievant should submit to the President a copy of the written report received by the VP for Student Services, along with a copy of the original grievance, and related documents that the grievant submitted to the VP for Student Services.
Step 3
The President shall act within 30 calendar days to render a written decision on the grievance and a copy of this written decision will be mailed to the grievant. The decision of the President shall be final. All grievance matters are handled confidentially.
State Complaints Process:
If a complaint cannot be resolved through the institution's complaint process, students may file a complaint with the North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints unit. Please review the NC Post-Secondary Education Student Complaint Policy, print and complete the NC Post-Secondary Education Complaint Form and submit the complaint to:
North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800
Raleigh NC 27603
Phone Number: (919) 962-4550
Website: Post-Secondary Education Complaints
Complaints regarding grades or student conduct violations are governed entirely by institutional policy and are not subject to review by NCSEAA.
SARA-NC Complaint Process:
Students may also file a complaint through SARA-NC. SARA-NC is the portal for North Carolina. Students should follow the SARA-NC Complaint Process and use the SARA-NC Complaint Form (PDF).
Contact Information:
SARA North Carolina
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
P.O. Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
T: (855) SARA-1-NC (727-2162)
T: (919) 549-8614, ext. 4667
Website: SARANC
Email: complaint@saranc.org
Out-of-State College Complaint Process:
Richmond Community College’s goal is to resolve student grievances, complaints, and concerns in a prompt, fair, and friendly manner. Students residing outside of North Carolina while attending RichmondCC who would like to resolve a grievance should follow the College’s Student Grievance Policy. However, students who have exhausted the institutional grievance processes and are still not satisfied with the outcome may also file a complaint with the SARA North Carolina Portal Entity (NCSEAA), and/or North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints.
Unresolved Complaints:
Accreditation Contact Information
Richmond Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. If you have an unresolved complaint, you may contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone number: 404-679-4500, at http://www.sacscoc.org for questions about the accreditation of Richmond Community College. Inquiries to SACSCOC should only relate to the accreditation status of the institution and not to general admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs or issues involving application of academic regulations.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) expects individuals to attempt to resolve complaints against the College through all means available to the student, including following the College's own procedures, before submitting a complaint to the Commission. Therefore, the Commission’s usual practice is not to consider a complaint that is currently in administrative proceedings, including institutional proceedings, or in litigation.
However, if there is substantial, credible evidence that indicates systemic problems with an accredited institution, the Commission may, at its discretion, choose to proceed with the review. In order to be considered, a formal complaint must be submitted in writing using the Commission’s “Complaint against Institutions: Information Sheet and Form,” signed, and two copies sent to:
President
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
The Commission will not consider complaints that are not in writing or which are anonymous. All complaints must be submitted in “hard copy.” It will not consider complaints that are sent electronically or through fax transmission. Also, the Commission will not review complaints that have been submitted on behalf of another individual or complaints forwarded to the Commission.