NC-SARA POLICY
NC SARA Student Complaint Procedures, SARA Hostos Location Policy and Professional Licensure Disclosures
Section Description:
This section includes information about (a) student complaint processes and procedures for filing complaints about consumer protection violations, (b) Hostos SARA location policy, and (c) NC-SARA professional licensure disclosures.
In addition to this information being included in the Hostos Community College catalog, the information is also available online at the following link.
Changes made based on NC-SARA requirements will be added to the website immediately to provide the most accurate account of information to remain in compliance with the NC-SARA requirements. There may be brief delays with updates being included in college catalog based on campus governance processes and college catalog annual publication timelines.
Process and Procedures for Filing Student Complaints Regarding Fully Online Degree Programs
Students with consumer protection complaints about fully online degree programs can file a complaint following the processes described below.
Student Complaints Regarding Online Degree Programs
Hostos ensures that all concerns and complaints of students are addressed fairly and are resolved promptly. Student complaints relating to consumer protection laws (See SARA Policy Manual “Consumer Protection”) offered under the terms and conditions of SARA must first be filed with the institution to seek resolution. Examples of Consumer Protection include and are not limited to, accuracy of information about tuition, fees, and financial aid; accurate admission requirements for courses and programs; accuracy of information about the institution’s accreditation and/or any programmatic/specialized accreditation held by the institution’s programs (from pg. 30, SARA Policy Manual online). SARA policies do not cover complaints related to grades or student conduct violations.
Step 1. File and Try to Resolve the Complaint at Hostos Community College
For all complaints concerning students enrolled in fully online degree programs at Hostos Community College, students must exhaust all Hostos Community College internal complaint procedures available to them at the college. If a complaint cannot be resolved within the institutional procedures and processes, students can submit an appeal to the Office of College and University Evaluation after following and exhausting all options listed in the order below.
All online student complaints must first be sent to:
Office of Academic Affairs, B402
Attn: Student Complaints
Hostos Community College
500 Grand Concourse Bronx, NY 10451
Step 2. Appeal to The City University of New York Office of Student Advocacy and Referral
For all complaints that cannot be resolved internally at Hostos Community College, after exhausting all policies and processes meant to address such complaints, students can appeal the institution decision by sending an appeal to The City University of New York Office of Student Advocacy and Referral within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made. Appeals can be sent to the following address:
City University of New York
Office of Student Advocacy and Referral
205 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
Step 3. Appeal to the SARA State Portal Entity in New York State
For appeals not resolved through The City University of New York Office of Student Advocacy and Referral, students may appeal the institution decision to the SARA State Portal Entity in New York State within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made. Appeals to SARA State Portal Entity in New York State may be sent to the following address:
New York State Education Department
Office of College and University Evaluation
Supervisor of Higher Education Programs
89 Washington Avenue, Room 960 EBA
Albany, NY 12234
Telephone: (518) 474-1551
IHEauthorize@nysed.gov
Additional information about student complaint procedures against a college or university in New York can be found on the New York State Education Department website.
https://www.nysed.gov/college-university-evaluation/sara-student-complaint-process
The college website related to NC-SARA complaint procedures about fully online degree programs is accessible on this link: https://www.hostos.cuny.edu/Administrative-Offices/Office-of-Academic-Affairs/Hostos-Online/Student-Complaints
Hostos Community College (CUNY) Institutional Policy on Determining Student Location
Purpose In compliance with the United States Department of Education (USDOE) regulations (34 CFR § 668.43) and the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) Manual, Hostos Community College must determine the state in which a prospective or currently enrolled student is located for the purpose of issuing required professional licensure and certification disclosures. This policy outlines the procedures by which Hostos Community College establishes and tracks a student’s location.
Scope This policy applies to all prospective and current students applying to or enrolled in credit-bearing programs at Hostos Community College, particularly those programs designed to lead to professional licensure or certification. Please note that "student location" for the purposes of these disclosures is distinct from a student's legal residency classification for in-state tuition purposes.
Determination of Location at the Time of Initial Enrollment For prospective students, location is determined at the time of initial application. Hostos Community College uses the permanent address provided by the student on their official application for admission to the City University of New York (CUNY). This address is entered into the CUNYfirst Student Information System and serves as the official student location for the issuance of required pre-enrollment professional licensure disclosures.
Determination of a Change in Student Location For currently enrolled students, location is determined by the active permanent or mailing address on file in the CUNYfirst system.
Student Responsibility: It is the official responsibility of the student to maintain an accurate and up-to-date address on record with the College.
Updating Location: Students must report a change of address or relocation to a different state by formally updating their profile in the CUNYfirst Student Center or by submitting an official change of address form to the Office of the Registrar.
Date of Determination: A change of location is recognized by the College on the date the address update is officially processed and recorded in the CUNYfirst system.
Application to Professional Licensure Disclosures If a student enrolled in a program leading to professional licensure officially changes their location in CUNYfirst to a state where the program does not meet the educational requirements for licensure, Hostos Community College will issue a direct, written disclosure to the student regarding this status within 14 days of the location change being recorded.
Professional Licensure Disclosures
Hostos Community College does not offer fully online degree programs that lead to professional licensure.
The chart below reflects a determination of degrees that may or may not lead to professional licensure or certification in any of the 50 states or in the District of Columbia (D.C.). Students are obligated to disclose the state of residency at the time of application and admission to Hostos Community College (see Hostos SARA Location Policy). Students who relocate to another state during their enrollment in a Hostos degree program may or may not satisfy the eligibility criteria to obtain a professional license or certification in that state. Federal regulations (34 §668.14 and §668.43) that went into effect July 1, 2024 require institutions to provide the following information on their website to indicate whether online degree programs lead to licensure.
Degree | License Type | Program Meets Educational Components of Licensure or Certification Requirements | Program Does Not Meet Educational Components of Licensure or Certification Requirements | Determination Has | Tuition & Fees |
A.A.S. in Dental Hygiene | Registered Dental Hygienist | NY |
| AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, 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, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, D.C. | |
A.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences (Online) | No license |
| NY | AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, 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, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, D.C. | |
A.A. in Criminal Justice (Online) | No license |
| NY | AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, D.C. | |
A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education (Online) | No license |
| NY | AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, D.C. | |
A.A.S. in Nursing | Registered Nurse | NY |
| AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, D.C. | |
A.A.S. in Public Administration | No license |
| NY | AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, D.C. | |
A.S. in Computer Science (Online) | No license |
| NY | AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, D.C. | |
A.A.S. in Radiologic Technology | Registered Technologist | NY |
| AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, D.C | |
Certificate in Community Health Worker | No license |
| NY | AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, D.C. | |
Certificate in Licensed Practical Nursing | Licensed Practical Nurse | NY |
| AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NV, NH, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, D.C |
|