The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) participates in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). As a SARA-approved institution, UVI provides distance education to students in participating
states and territories and complies with SARA’s student consumer protection requirements.
This page explains how students may file complaints related to distance education
activities under SARA.
Students must first submit their complaint through UVI’s internal grievance procedures.
UVI is responsible for attempting to resolve all student complaints—academic, administrative,
or consumer-protection related—through established institutional channels.
To file an institutional complaint:
Review UVI’s Student Grievance and Complaint Policy
Submit the complaint using the official UVI complaint form or to the designated office listed in the policy
Provide all documentation relevant to the issue
SARA will not review any complaint unless the institution’s internal processes have been fully exhausted.
After completing the institutional process, a student may file a SARA-eligible complaint if it involves:
Misrepresentation related to recruitment, marketing, or educational services
False or misleading information about:
program requirements
tuition and fees
financial aid
admission standards
accreditation
transferability of credits
job placement data
professional licensure disclosures
Distance-education delivery issues involving online courses or learning placements in another SARA state
Consumer protection concerns arising from the institution’s provision of distance education
Third-party providers engaged by the institution for instruction or services
Complaints related to:
Grade disputes
Student conduct or disciplinary actions
Academic judgment or academic freedom issues
Admissions decisions
Financial aid appeal decisions
Personality conflicts with instructors or staff
Anonymous complaints
Complaints older than two years (from the date of the incident)
These must be handled exclusively through the institution.
If a complaint remains unresolved after UVI’s internal process is complete, distance-education students residing outside the USVI may appeal to the State Portal Entity (SPE) of the institution's state or territory.
Students should submit:
A written summary of the complaint
Evidence that all institutional procedures have been exhausted
Supporting documentation related to the complaint
NC-SARA Policy Manual – Section 4.5 (“Student Complaints”)
“After completing the institution’s internal complaint process, the student may appeal the complaint to the SARA State Portal Entity responsible for the institution’s home state.”
“State Portal Entities review complaints about SARA-participating institutions in their state, not complaints about institutions in other states.”
The SPE will review only matters permitted under SARA.
For questions about distance education authorization or SARA compliance:
Laurie Blake, State Portal Entity (SPE) Representative — USVI
Office of Institutional Research & Planning
sara@uvi.edu
340-693-1017
