Student Grievance Procedure for In-State and Out-of-State Students

Johnston Community College desires to resolve student complaints in an expeditious and fair manner. Students who desire to resolve a grievance should follow the College's Student Grievance Procedure which is outlined in the College Catalog. Please try to exhaust all possible avenues of complaint resolution before going outside of the college. For assistance with the grievance procedure, please contact the Vice President of Student Services.

Pamela Harrell, Ed.D
Vice President of Student Services
PO Box 2350
Smithfield, NC 27577
919-209-2048
pjharrell@johnstoncc.edu

If an issue cannot be resolved internally, you may file a complaint with the appropriate agency in your state. In compliance with federal Department of Education regulations, Johnston Community College provides a list of State Agencies with contact information for each state on its website.

If the complaint cannot be resolved after exhausting the grievance procedure at Johnston Community College, the individual may file a complaint with the state in which they are located. In compliance with federal Department of Education regulations, Johnston Community College provides a list of State Agencies with contact information for each state on its website.

In North Carolina, the University of North Carolina System Office (UNC-System Office) is the agency which handles such complaints. The Student Complaint Process (PDF) and the Student Complaint Form may be found at the NC Post-Secondary Education Complaints website. Please review their policy, print and complete the form, and mail it to:

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: 919-962-4550
Website: North Carolina Post Secondary Education Complaints

SACSCOC Student Complaint Process

If for some reason the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved, the next step would be to file a complaint with Johnston Community College’s accrediting agency. Johnston Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. Students who file a complaint with the accrediting agency should follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedure. The contact information for SACSCOC is:

1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
Phone: 404-679-4500
Website: www.sacscoc.org

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) - NC Complaint Process

Students not located in North Carolina and enrolled in a North Carolina institution that operates under SARA North Carolina may submit complaints to the state portal agency, North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), only after completing the Johnston Community College complaint process. SARA North Carolina's Complaint Process and Complaint Form (PDF) may be found on the SARA North Carolina website.

SARA North Carolina Portal Liaison Contact Information: 

Terrence R. Scarborough, M.P.A., Director of SARA North Carolina
Email: terrence@saranc.org
Phone: 919-549-8614 extension 4667

North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
c/o SARA North Carolina
PO Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
Phone: 855-SARA-1-NC (855-727-2162)
Email: information@saranc.org
Website: www.saranc.org