Higher Education Coordinating Commission Office of Degree Authorization

Transcription

1 Higher Education Coordinating Commission Office of Degree Authorization Juan Baez-Arevalo, Director of Private Postsecondary Alethia Miller, Academic Program Evaluator John Lopez, Director for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) Alan Contreras, Coordinator for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)

2 OUTLINE 1. W-SARA 2. Benefits of SARA 3. Data Collection: Issues 4. Consumer Protection: Issues 5. Operationalization 6. Draft Fee Schedule 7. Added Consumer Protection 8. HECC Staff Recommendation 9. Question and Answer

3 W-SARA Presentation from SARA staff What is SARA? The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. SARA is overseen by a National Council and administered by four regional education compacts. Information from:

4 BENEFITS OF SARA TO OREGON PROVIDERS AND CONSUMERS Benefits of SARA to Oregon schools: Not required to pay for costs of state authorization in all fifty states. Reduces overall costs for compliance with state authorization for the institution. Benefits of SARA to Oregon residents: More access to distance education across the fifty states. Standards maintained by SARA for distance education providers.

5 DATA COLLECTION: Issues Data requirements are limited under SARA. Initial SARA reports will be limited to total enrollment and number of complaints. Reports will not be broken down by subgroups. HECC staff will actively participate in SARA committee work to support data reporting considerations relating to Oregon s progress toward the goal. HECC staff has recommended that SARA initial reports be expanded to include: The number of graduates by program, by state, with key subgroup demographic breakdowns The number of students who dropped out by program and by state. Subgroup demographic breakdowns for all SARA data reporting requirements.

6 CONSUMER PROTECTION: Issues Tuition Refund Policy Oregon requires a modified tuition refund through the middle week of any given term. SARA has no benchmark for refund requirements Supervision, Coordination and Assessment Oregon requires a plan of supervision, coordination and assessment for all onsite placement degree programs offered in the state of Oregon by out-of-state providers. SARA has no such requirements, outside of Oregon licensing board requirements, and no articulated plans would be required for nonlicensed occupations: Ex. Internships/Externships for non-licensure programs, such as Agriculture, Forestry, Business Administration, Public Administration

7 OPERATIONALIZATION (1) Portal Agency Requirements HECC declared as agency Submit paperwork to WICHE-SARA Website-List approved in-state schools on website Complaint process In-state schools: All Oregon schools will sign Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). HECC will implement a SARA specific complaint form and streamline the process. Complaints relating to out-of-state schools participating in SARA will be processed by their home state, not Oregon.

8 OPERATIONALIZATION (2) Requirements for in-state schools to apply for SARA (1) USDOE: Confirm financial responsibility score Required score of 1.5 or higher for all non-public institutions. (2) Sign-off on MOA with portal agency (HECC) (3) Pay application fee to HECC and submit application to commission. (4) Submit W-SARA Application fee and documentation HECC will be hosting a work session for Oregon institutions applying to SARA on October 1, 2014

9 DRAFT FEE SCHEDULE HECC Fee Schedule Enrolled FTE (Using IPEDS data) Biennial Fees Under 2,500 $3,000 2,500-9,999 $5,000 10,000 or more $7,000 Fees are charged on a biennial basis. This is a draft version of the HECC proposed fee schedule for Oregon schools participating in SARA.

10 ADDED CONSUMER PROTECTION (1) In Fall 2014, the HECC will be asked to eliminate the exclusionary rule. Out-of-state schools with no physical presence, including those with no marketing and recruiting activities in the state, will no longer qualify for exemption from HECC oversight. (2) Prior to offering their programs to Oregon residents, out-of-state schools will require: Authorization from the HECC-State of Oregon. OR Be a SARA approved institution in the home-state of residence.

11 HECC STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Commission approve Oregon entering into SARA (1) The long-term benefits of SARA outweigh the initial concerns associated with the reciprocity agreement. (2) As concerns are brought to the surface, states will work together to find amicable solutions.

12 QUESTION AND ANSWER Questions? Or Comments?