During the summer semester, Berry College offers several online courses to currently enrolled students. To help students make informed decisions about enrolling in online coursework, students may wish to review policies on admission, tuition, and financial aid posted on the respective websites.
Information about all courses is available on VikingWeb through the Course Search function. Courses that are taught online will have the notation “online course” in the course schedule field. The syllabus for each online course clearly notes the technology and software required for these classes. While most faculty will hold an orientation session before the end of the spring semester to answer questions about the online courses, students may request a copy of the course syllabi by sending an email to the professor directly. Students with other questions about our online courses may contact the college Registrar by phone at 706-236-2282 or by email at registrar@berry.edu. While all syllabi are required to list policies specific to their courses, general college policies, including grading, withdrawal, and academic integrity are included in the online college catalog.
As with all learning technologies at Berry College, the Office for Information Technology (OIT) technical support desk is available to assist students who have issues related to accessing online course content. Students may email the Technical Support Desk (computing@berry.edu) for assistance. In the event of an emergency that disrupts technology services at Berry, OIT has devised a comprehensive Disaster Recovery Plan to ensure the quick restoration of student data and course-related functions.
REGIONAL RESOURCES SUPPORTING ONLINE EDUCATION
Berry College is pleased to be a participating institution of the Southern Regional Education Board's Electronic Campus. The SREB certifies that the online programs and courses it approves for this program are in full compliance with its comprehensive set of Principles of Good Practice. Additionally, Berry College is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), a voluntary multi-state agreement designed to provide oversight of postsecondary distance education. For Berry, membership in NC-SARA is managed by the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC).
Student Complaint Process
All Georgia institutions of higher education must publish and follow procedures for handling student grievances. At Berry, all formal complaints from students should begin with the Berry Student Complaint Form, which may be accessed on VikingWeb. While most complaints are typically resolved within the institution, students may send unresolved complaints to the designated accreditation and state offices. Students participating in online courses or programs should first follow the institutional complaint process and if unresolved can submit a complaint under the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) (https://nc-sara.org/sara-student-complaints-0/). Detailed information about NC SARA’s explanation of student rights, the types of issues that fall within SARA’s scope, and the limitations of the SARA complaint process may be reviewed here: https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-resources/complaints-against-institution/ga-sara-student-complaint-rules.
Students may also contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 or visit www.sacscoc.org for questions about the accreditation of Berry College. To address concerns about alleged non-compliance with a SACS-COC standard or requirement, complaints may be submitted using the SACSCOC complaint form. Normal inquiries about the institution, such as those concerning admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc. should be addressed directly to Berry College and not to the SACSCOC Office.