NC-SARA INFORMATION
NC-SARA INFORMATION
BMC is authorized in all states listed as NC-SARA states as an institutional participant (see the Mississippi NC-SARA
page). All states are participants in the NC-SARA reciprocity agreement other than California as are US Protectorates U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The other inhabited US Protectorates (i.e. American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands) are not members of NC-SARA. Both Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands are sovereign states in free association with the United States and are not members of NC-SARA.
COMPLAINT RESOLUTION
Blue Mountain Christian University desires to resolve student complaints, grievances, and concerns in an expeditious, fair and amicable manner.
Blue Mountain Christian University desires to resolve student complaints, grievances, and concerns in an expeditious, fair and amicable manner.
Student complaints are handled through the campus offices having responsibility for the area where the complaint is directed. Complaints relating to academic issues should be filed or discussed with the appropriate department chair in which the complainant's major resides. If there is a question regarding the handling of a student complaint, the department chair shall advise the student on the appropriate route for addressing the complaint or refer the matter to the Provost and Vice President. For non-academic areas, complaints should be filed or discussed with the appropriate supervisor of the area where the complaint is directed. The supervisor may advise the student on the appropriate route for addressing the complaint or refer the matter to the appropriate President's Cabinet member for resolution.
Formal complaints must be submitted in writing and signed. The University is not obligated to consider complaints that are not in writing or which are anonymous.
Filing and Response to Complaints
The Office of Student Life functions as a clearing house for all complaints. This office directs complaints to the appropriate office for action and maintains complaint records.Informal discussions are encouraged for any situation which could result in a student filing a complaint. If an informal solution is neither successful nor advisable, the student should adhere to the following procedure:
- A student complaint form should be submitted to the Dean of Students. Each item on the form should be addressed and accompanied by any pertinent documentation. The form must be submitted within 10 business days of the alleged conflict or action.
- Upon receipt of the completed form, the complaint will be forwarded to the appropriate office.
- The final review will be filed in the Office of Student Life within 15 business days of the date the complaint is filed.
Channels for Student Complaints and Appeals are listed in the table below.
Students with an academic concern are encouraged to visit https://bmc.edu/consumer-information. All students who are seeking to resolve grievances that were not previously resolved based on communications between the parties involved can file a grievance under BMCU's Student Complaints Policy 4.15.
After a student has exhausted all available complaint procedures established by Blue Mountain Christian University, the University accepts Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation (MCCA) oversight in resolving complaints from students taking distance education courses/programs under the auspices of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). Students residing outside the State of Mississippi while attending Blue Mountain Christian University should follow the procedures to the Student Complaint Policy. Any issue that cannot be resolved internally that does not involve Grade Appeals or Conduct matters can be addressed by having the individual file a complaint with the student's state.
To comply with the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008, institutions offering education must provide enrolled and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accrediting agency and with the appropriate state agency for handling complaints in the student’s state.
For matters unrelated to conduct or grades, students also have the right to attempt to resolve complaints by contacting state consumer agencies or other related bodies as described below if resolution with the institution is unsuccessful. Clicking on any state in the list that begins near the bottom of this page displays the state agency responsible for complaints regarding out-of-state online education programs.
Matters Not Listed: See College Policy 4.15 found in the current BMCU Catalog.
| Types of Concern | Contact |
|---|---|
| Academic Matters | 1. Faculty Member |
| 2. Chair of the Department | |
| 3. Student Appeals Committee | |
| 4. Provost and Vice President | |
| Admissions | 1. Vice President for Enrollment Services |
| 2. Admissions and Academic Standards Committee | |
| Disability | 1. Instructor |
| 2. Department Chair | |
| 3. Provost and Vice President | |
| Student Discipline | 1. Dean of Students |
| 2. Student Appeals Committee | |
| Student Discrimination | 1. Provost and Vice President |
| Student Financial Services | 1. Director of Financial Aid |
| 2. Vice President for Enrollment Services | |
| 3. Financial Aid Review Committee | |
| Payment or Refund of Fees or Tuition | 1. Coordinator of Student Accounts |
| 2. Chief Operating Officer | |
| Sexual Harassment | 1. Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs |
| Student Records (FERPA) | 1. Registrar |
| 2. Provost and Vice President |
MISSISSIPPI STATE RESIDENTS TAKING ONLINE COURSES
State Accrediting Agency:
If your complaint is not resolved at the institutional level, then you may refer your complaint to the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation using the MCCA Student Complaint Form within two years of the incident. If the complaint is outside of MCCA’s jurisdiction, it may be directed to another agency that is authorized to address the concerns, if appropriate.
Note: This process is not applicable for matters related to student grades or discipline/conduct matters.
Mississippi Consumer Protection Division
Office of the Attorney General
State of Mississippi
PO Box 22947
Jackson, Mississippi 39225-2947
State Accrediting Agency:
If your complaint is not resolved at the institutional level, then you may refer your complaint to the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation using the MCCA Student Complaint Form within two years of the incident. If the complaint is outside of MCCA’s jurisdiction, it may be directed to another agency that is authorized to address the concerns, if appropriate.
Note: This process is not applicable for matters related to student grades or discipline/conduct matters.
Consumer Protection:
Mississippi students taking online courses may also contact the Attorney General:Mississippi Consumer Protection Division
Office of the Attorney General
State of Mississippi
PO Box 22947
Jackson, Mississippi 39225-2947
OUT-OF-STATE/DISTANCE STUDENT COMPLAINTS PROCESS
If your complaint is not resolved at the institutional level by filing a complaint pursuant to the student complaint policy, then out-of-state students residing in NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement) states, which includes all states except California, may submit complaints to the MS-SARA portal agent:
If your complaint is not resolved at the institutional level by filing a complaint pursuant to the student complaint policy, then out-of-state students residing in NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement) states, which includes all states except California, may submit complaints to the MS-SARA portal agent:
LICENSURE INFORMATION
Blue Mountain Christian University does not offer programs through distance learning that lead to licensure.
Blue Mountain Christian University does not offer programs through distance learning that lead to licensure.
STATE AUTHORIZATIONS
To provide education to students residing in other states, which constitutes operating in another, higher education institutions must comply with the laws and regulation of each of the states in which students are located while completing distance education.
To provide education to students residing in other states, which constitutes operating in another, higher education institutions must comply with the laws and regulation of each of the states in which students are located while completing distance education.
