State Authorization Disclosure
State Authorization
The State University of New York at Fredonia is able to deliver online programs through the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA) process. NC-SARA is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for the approval of interstate postsecondary distance education courses and programs.
On September 13, 2016, the New York State Board of Regents adopted new regulations requiring out-of-state institutions of higher education to seek and obtain New York State Education Department (NYSED) approval to offer distance education to New York State residents, and to permit the Department to enter into the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). New York State joined SARA on December 9, 2016.
New York State institutions participating in SARA are authorized to conduct distance education activity in other SARA member states under the terms and provisions of SARA. Please refer to the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) website for more information about SARA eligibility,
coverage, and procedures. A list of states and institutions participating in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is available on the NC-SARA Directory webpage.
Complaint Resolution
Federal regulations require institutions delivering distance education courses to provide students and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with the state approval or licensing entity in the student's state of residency and any other relevant state official or agency that would appropriately handle a student complaint.
SARA requires the College to provide all students taking courses under SARA's provisions with information on the College's and SARA's complaint resolution policies and procedures. SARA applies solely to distance education activity conducted across state lines. It does not apply to distance education activities inside New York State. Only those complaints resulting from distance education courses or activities offered to students in other SARA states come under the terms of SARA. Complaints from instate students are to be resolved under the College's provisions, not those of SARA.
All Fredonia students taking distance learning courses should first follow the campus procedures for attempting to resolve complaints.
Students residing in state’s other than New York may, after exhausting campus procedures, file complaints according to the policies of the state in which they reside. To assist students, the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) has compiled the appropriate contact information for each state. This document provides contact information by State and Agency. Students should follow the procedure for their state of residence.
State University Refund Policy
Click here for the policy
Licensure/Certification
Completion of one of our certificate/licensure programs will prepare qualified candidates for licensure/certification in New York State. The State University of New York at Fredonia is able to deliver
online programs through the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) process. SARA is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for the approval of interstate postsecondary distance education courses and programs. New York State joined SARA on December 9, 2016. New York State institutions participating in SARA are authorized to conduct distance education activity in other SARA member states under the terms and provisions of SARA. Please refer to the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) website for more information about SARA eligibility, coverage, and procedures. A list of states and institutions participating in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is available on the NC-SARA Directory webpage.
New York State also participates in the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). This interstate agreement makes it possible for an educator who
completed an approved program and/or who holds a certificate or license in one jurisdiction to earn a certificate or license in another state or jurisdiction. Fredonia has not currently made a determination if this program will specifically meet licensure/certification requirements of any state other than New York. You are encouraged to contact the appropriate state licensing body in your state with any questions relating to professional licensure or certification as each state is responsible for its own certification/licensure requirements. Additionally, licensing/certification requirements vary by state and relocating could impact whether you will meet eligibility requirements for licensure. Check with the state licensing agency where you desire licensure before relocating to ensure that you will be eligible for licensure or reciprocity. You can also visit NASDTEC to review specific state-by-state requirements.