Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE 2015 SACSCOC ANNUAL MEETING Dr. Sarah Armstrong Director of Substantive Change sarmstrong@sacscoc.org Substantive Change Consultations TODAY! December 7, 3-5 pm GRB Convention Center 3rd level, room 350-A 1 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Policies and Procedures “ A significant expansion of the nature and scope ” of an accredited institution The institution… when required SEEKS NOTIFIES APPROVAL the Commission of changes in accordance with the substantive change policy & prior to the initiation of the changes. 6 2 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting principles versus processes 7 SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE FOR SACSCOC ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS Policy Statement 8 Substantive change includes… • Mission • Legal status, form of control or ownership 3 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Substantive change includes… (con’t) • Courses or programs – significant departure • Level change • Clock credit Substantive change includes… (con’t) • Substantial change in program length • Contract or consortial relationships • Additional location Substantive change includes… (con’t) • Acquisition • Adding teach-out location • Joint and dual academic awards 4 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Substantive change includes… (con’t) … and others not specifically enumerated Notification vs. Approval acceptance ≠ approval 5 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Program Length 60 • 120 • 30 Updated interpretation of CR 2.7.1 SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE Related programs Faculty Courses Library / learning Equipment / facilities • Resource base • • • • SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE Substantive Change Policy, p. 4 6 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting ? SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE Initiating coursework or programs at a more advanced level than currently approved ? Yes SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE Initiating programs at a lower level than currently approved ? Maybe SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE Expanding programs at the current credential level Maybe 7 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting ? SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE Small liberal arts college offers BA degrees in dance, theatre, and music… ? SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE …combine existing programs into a BA in performing arts ? No SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE A community college has offered extensive AAS programs in building trades, business, and automotive areas, as well as general AA and AS programs for transfer to 4‐year institutions… 8 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting ? SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE It wants to add an AAS in Nursing program. ? SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE Two-year technical college offers certificate and associate degrees… ? SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE …will become a fouryear institution offering associate and baccalaureate degrees Yes 9 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting ? SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE College is approved to offer BA in business and in education and certificates in health professions… ? SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE …institution is adding a BS in nursing Yes ? SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE Large research university offers multiple PhD programs in humanities and social sciences… 10 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting ? SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE ? …and PhD programs in business and in education SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE …institution plans to add a PhD program in Women’s Studies No Off-campus instructional sites and Distance Learning 11 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting 0 25 50 ‹ 25% 25-49% ≥ 50% 100% Nothing Notification Approval Repeat Performance For a program already offered concurrently at three sites, a modified prospectus is acceptable when expanding to a fourth site 12 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Modified Prospectus For programs already offered concurrently at three sites – • Faculty roster • Discipline-specific library resources • Student support services • Physical resources • Course descriptions Off-campus sites – Reviewed within First 5 years 3sites must be visited Expanding offerings at a site If an off‐campus site is approved and a program is approved, the approved program may be added to the approved site with no notification to the Commission 39 13 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Distance Learning • When an institution first offers 50% or more of a program via distance delivery, it must seek approval as an institution offering programs electronically. • Subsequently, it may offer any approved program via electronic means Distance Learning Identity verification Distance Learning Verify headcount for annual Institutional Profile 14 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Other types of substantive change… • Degree completion program Substantive change includes… (con’t) Relocation or change of address of an off-campus instructional site serving the same student pool • requires only notification with the new address and implementation date Relocation of main or branch campus Requires submission of a prospectus for approval 15 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Substantive change includes… (con’t) certain changes in general education programs Mergers, Consolidations, Change of Governance, Ownership, Means of Control • 6-month notification • Prospectus for Board review • 30-day implementation window Policies and Procedures 16 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting 2016 submission deadlines for Board of Trustees April 15 for June September 15 for December Board of Trustees Reviews Board Committees + Full Board 1 June + December Executive Council 2 Approximately every two weeks Board Committees + Full Board 1 June + December mergers + consolidations change of governance, ownership, control, or legal status items referred by staff policy + procedure reviews most level changes 17 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Executive Council 2 every two weeks 13-member representative subset for all “Procedure One” approvals not referred to Board committees + the full board No deadlines per se, but… Submit prospectuses at least 3 months before starting date, and … 53 Submit prospectuses for a January starting date by Sept 1 54 18 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Site or Program Closures and Teach-out Plans Details in Procedure 3 of the Policy Site and program closures • How are students, faculty & staff informed? • Help students to finish program Teach‐out plan vs teach‐out agreement • Date of closure = last date students admitted 56 Verifications for USDE, SEVIS, State Send requests to Sarah Armstrong sarmstrong@sacscoc.org 19 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Responsibilities Institutional ● Liaison Letters of Notification Developing a Prospectus A few hints and suggestions 20 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting • Keep it short (25 pages or less, plus appendices) and to the point. • Use plain English, simple prose • Narrowly focused discussion of the program or site or aspect of the institution being changed • Cover all the bases: implementation date, faculty qualifications, learning resources, physical resources, finances, assessment • Submit one copy (if to be reviewed by the Board, submit 4 copies) • Provide course descriptions instead of syllabi for all courses. • Download guidelines, save and edit on computer • Institutions may submit the documentation required by state or system office if ‐ all the information SACSCOC requires is there ‐ add an index to help readers find it • Submit on CD, DVD, flash drive or paper 21 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Submissions on electronic media • Label all discs and flash drives with the name of the proposed change and the institution's name • Place flash drives in a sealed envelope bearing the name of the change and the institution's name • Enclose a cover letter on institutional letterhead with the name of the change, the intended starting date and any instructions for accessing the contents of the submission • Mail in a padded envelope so the device is not damaged in transit Oops! What to do if you discover an unreported substantive change: Notify the President of the Commission on Colleges in writing immediately. • The letter of notification must include the date of the original implementation of the change. • For changes requiring prior approval, send the completed prospectus or application as soon as possible 22 Substantive Change 2015 Annual Meeting Dr. Sarah Armstrong Director of Substantive Change sarmstrong@sacscoc.org Dr. Kevin Sightler Coordinator of Substantive Change ksightler@sacscoc.org Substantive Change Consultations TODAY! 3-5 pm GRB Convention Center 3rd level, room 350-A 23