Online Accreditation and State Regulatory Authorization

Eastern Arizona College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This federally recognized body provides assurance to students, parents, and all stakeholders that EA meets clear quality standards for educational and financial performance.

In addition to the College’s Higher Learning Commission accreditation, many of our academic programs carry specialized accreditation specific to the field.

 

State Authorization

 

Eastern Arizona College participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.

Eastern Arizona College participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) and has been authorized by the  to offer online classes to students residing outside of Arizona. SARA requires EA to follow a common set of established standards to offer postsecondary distance education across member states, districts, and territories.

Eastern Arizona College is currently authorized, licensed, registered, exempt, or not subject to offer distance education approval in all states. For current SARA states and institutions, visit the SARA website.

EA is not currently offering distance education classes in American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. For residency questions, please refer to the residency section of EA’s catalog.

As a SARA participant, Eastern Arizona College will comply with the following provisions:

  • Online learning is appropriate to the institution’s mission and purposes.
  • The institution’s plans for developing, sustaining, and, if appropriate, expanding online learning offerings are integrated into its regular planning and evaluation processes.
  • Online learning is incorporated into the institution’s governance and academic oversight systems.
  • Curricula for the institution’s online learning offerings are coherent, cohesive, and comparable in academic rigor to programs offered in traditional instructional formats.
  • The institution evaluates the effectiveness of its online learning offerings, including the extent to which the online learning goals are achieved, and uses the results of its evaluations to enhance the attainment of the goals.
  • Faculty responsible for delivering the online learning curricula and evaluating the students’ success in achieving the online learning goals are appropriately qualified and effectively supported.
  • The institution provides effective student and academic services to support students enrolled in online learning offerings.
  • The institution provides sufficient resources to support and, if appropriate, expand its online learning offerings.
  • The institution assures the integrity of its online offerings.

Complaint Resolution

The following outlines the College’s official complaint resolution review process:

  1. The Complainant shall seek out, within five (5) days of the action, the Official so both parties may be afforded an opportunity to clarify facts and to reach a mutually acceptable solution.
  2. If Complainant satisfaction is not achieved in Step 1, the Complainant shall provide a written request identifying the problem and requesting a meeting with the Student Affairs Officer. Within five (5) days of receipt of the request, the Student Affairs Officer shall arrange for a meeting with the Complainant and attempt to mediate an acceptable solution.
  3. If Complainant satisfaction is not achieved in Step 2, the Complainant shall provide a written request for a hearing by the Judiciary Committee. The request shall articulate the complaint and shall be delivered to the Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee and Student Affairs Officer within five (5) days after receiving a recommended solution as provided in Step II. Within ten (10) days of receipt of the request for a hearing, but not less than three (3) days of receipt of the request, the Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee shall arrange for a hearing. The Complainant, the Student Affairs Officer, and the Official shall be in attendance at the hearing. Within ten (10) days of the conclusion of the hearing, the Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee shall set forth a written document addressing findings of fact and the decision reached by the Committee. Copies shall be addressed to the Complainant, the Student Affairs Officer, the Official, and the College President. Decisions made by the Judiciary Committee are binding.

Appeal Process

If a resolution is not reached through the official review process, students may appeal in writing to the College’s District Governing Board within ten (10) days of the Judiciary Committee’s findings. Students who are still aggrieved may file a complaint or provide feedback to the following agencies:

Final Resort

If conflict is not resolved using the above methods, residents of all states may submit non-academic complaints to:

Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, Illinois 60604-1411
1-800-621-744

Explore Accreditation and Continuous Improvement
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