Students enrolled at New Mexico State University Alamogordo (NMSU-A)—whether taking a single course or enrolled full-time—have the right to submit a complaint or grievance on any issue or subject they deem important, without fear of retaliation or any other adverse action.

Students are encouraged to address their complaint or grievance first with the individual most directly connected to the issue, unless there are compelling reasons not to do so. For more information about student complaint and grievance policies, students can review Administrative Rules and Procedures 5.05. To file a student complaint, visit the NMSU Report website.

NC-SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement) - Distance Education

NMSU Alamogordo participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). SARA is an agreement among member states, districts, and territories that establishes national standards for interstate delivery of postsecondary distance education courses and programs.

If a distance education student located in a SARA member state has a complaint about NMSU-A, the student must first follow the university’s standard grievance procedures described above. If the complaint remains unresolved after exhausting NMSU-A’s internal processes, the student may then submit the complaint to the New Mexico SARA Portal Agency, the New Mexico Higher Education Department (NMHED). The SARA portal agency in the student’s home state will be notified of the complaint and may assist as needed.

SARA complaints may include issues related to tuition, accreditation, licensure, or transfer of courses. Grade disputes and student conduct issues, however, are not covered under SARA. Examples of the types of complaints that may be brought to the SARA portal entity include:

• Misrepresentation in recruitment or marketing materials (e.g., admission requirements, tuition, fees, financial aid)
  
  
• Inaccuracy of job placement data
  
  
• Inaccuracy of information regarding the institution’s accreditation or programmatic/specialized accreditation
  
  
• Misrepresentation about whether coursework meets relevant professional licensing requirements
  
  
• Inaccurate information regarding the transferability of credit to or from other institutions
• Operation of distance education programs inconsistent with expectations of Accreditors and/or the C-RAC Interregional Guidelines for the Evaluation of Distance Education

Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

If all other avenues have been exhausted, unresolved complaints may be filed with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), NMSU’s accrediting agency.