Online Compliance
State Authorization for Distance Education
The United States Department of Education requires all institutions of higher education to be certified in any state in which they have students. St. Louis Community College has been accepted by The Missouri Department of Higher Education into the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). This provides STLCC authorization to accept students from SARA member states. Additional approvals may be required for activities such as clinical work. Programs requiring licensure are not currently covered by the SARA process.
STLCC is not authorized to offer online programs in non-SARA states, please visit the SARA website for a current list of SARA member states. Residents of California should not apply for an online program at St. Louis Community College.
Online learning students from out-of-state should attempt to resolve any issues or complaints with St. Louis Community College first. If an issue cannot be resolved internally, you may refer to your appropriate state agency.
For information concerning STLCC’s authorization to offer online programs in non-SARA states, please contact:
St. Louis Community College – Online Education
3400 Pershall Road, St. Louis, MO 63135
Email: Manager, Online Student Services
Phone: 314-539-4771
Complaint Resolution Process
St. Louis Community College is committed to providing a high-quality educational environment for its online learners. As such we work to be alert to the needs of our students by maintaining an environment in which your concerns are heard and addressed in an expeditious, fair and collegial manner.
If your complaint or concern is related to a specific course, we encourage you to first attempt to resolve the concerns at the lowest level possible:
- First point of contact should be to schedule a real-time conversation with your instructor to ensure clear communication.
- When the instructor is not available, or reasonable efforts have been exhausted, reach out to the Manager of Online Student Services, Stacey Foster (314-539-4771) for assistance in connecting with the appropriate offices or academic leadership.
For formal complaints, which must be submitted in writing and follow the process outlined under Academic Rights and Responsibilities, you should review the information found on the website carefully, and complete the complaint form as appropriate. For withdrawal and/or refund questions, please use the Withdrawal and Refund information processes; for grade appeals, please use the grade appeal form and complete steps 1 and 2 prior to submitting it with the complaint form.
Distance learners residing out of state also have the right to contact their state agency for consumer related complaints or reach out to STLCC’s accrediting agency, the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development.