Notification Only Prior to Implementation

There are three types of substantive change academic arrangements: 

1. Cooperative Academic Arrangements with Title IV Entities
2. Cooperative Academic Arrangements with Non-Title IV Entities - Approval
3. Cooperative Academic Arrangements with Non-Title Entities - Notification

The institution's approval and notification obligations are described below by type. 

Definitions

For substantive change purpose only -

   A title IV entity is certified to participate in U.S. Department of Education title IV 
   programs or is an administrative organization or unit that administers or         
   coordinates academic programs across multiple educational institutions or
   providers and does not provide or is not involved in aspects of educational 
   instruction and all educational institutions or providers participating in the 
   administrative organization are certified to participate in U.S. Department of
   Education title IV programs. 

   A non-title IV entity is not certified to participate in U.S. Department of Education 
   title IV programs or is an administrative organization or unit that administers or 
   coordinates academic programs across multiple educational institutions or 
   providers and does provide or is involved in aspects of educational instruction
   and one or more educational institutions or providers participating in the 
   administrative organization is not certified to participate in U.S. Department of
   Education title IV programs.

Guidelines

An administrative organization or unit as used in these definitions include: 

• a department within a state higher education coordinating board
• a unit under the direction of an institutional system's central office
• a coalition of colleges sharing access to its members' existing instructional resources
• others

 

Determination Examples

1. The entity is an educational institution certified to participate in title IV programs. 
2. The entity is not certified for title IV but is an administrative unit of a state college system's governing board, the entity provides no instruction, and every college participating in the administrative unit is certified to participate in title IV programs. 
3. The entity is not certified for title IV but is an administrative unit of a state's higher education coordinating board, the entity provides no instruction, and all but one college participating in the entity is certified to participate in title IV programs. 
4. The entity is not certified for title IV but is a unit under the control of a university system's central office, the entity has hired some of the instructors providing instruction under the agreement, and every college participating in the entity is certified to participate in title IV programs.

An agreement with a title IV entity (entities) to deliver program content with credit being recorded on the SACSCOC institution's transcript as its own. Requires notification if: 

• 50% or more of a program is offered through the arrangement
  
  OR
• the SACSCOC institution could not deliver the program without the arrangement

 

Unless at least one of the above criteria is met and the institution transcripts the credit as its own, the arrangement with a title IV entity is not a substantive change requiring notification and nothing should be submitted to SACSCOC. If either criterion is met, notification is required and must include a copy of an agreement signed by the institution and the title IV entity.

 

Notification letter should include: 

• substantive Change Cover Sheet
• an affirmative statement that the institution will record credits under the arrangement on its academic transcripts as awarded by the institution. 
• demonstrate the institution's determination that the entity or entities in the agreement are title IV entities for the purpose of a substantive change as provided in the Cooperative Academic Arrangements Definitions and Guidelines section of the policy. 
• an explanation of which conditions defined above are met that require the arrangement to be submitted as notification. 
• the programs for with credits earned under the arrangement will apply.
• a copy of a signed and dated memorandum of agreement or other document explaining the scope and responsibilities of each partnering institution or entity. 
• the intended implementation date.

Agreement with entity not certified to participate in US Department of Education title IV programs to deliver less than 25% of a program's content recorded on the SACSCOC institution's transcript as its own.

If on Substantive Change Restriction this would require an approval by SACSCOC. 

Notification letter should include: 

• substantive Change Cover Sheet
• affirmative statement that the institution will record credits under the arrangement on its academic transcripts as awarded by the institution
• name and credential of each program to which credits earned under the arrangement will apply
• maximum percentage of the total program requirements that will be earned under the agreement
• demonstrate the institution's determination that the entity or entities in the agreement are non-title IV entities for the purpose of substantive change as provided by the Cooperative Academic Arrangements Definitions and Guidelines section of this policy.
• a statement of the institution's intent for students enrolled in the program(s) covered under the agreement to be eligible to receive title IV federal financial aid including the portion of each program or programs that will be eligible
  • if the intent is for students to receive title IV aid
    • demonstrate the institution has assessed and reached a good-faith conclusion of the program(s) title IV eligibility under the terms of the agreement and
    • if any portion of any program or programs will not be eligible for the title IV aid, demonstrate the institution's plan to communicate this information to the affected students prior to initial matriculation and to any other impacted party/parties
  • if the intent is students will not receive title IV aid, demonstrate the institution's plan to communicate this information to the affected students prior to initial matriculation and to any other impacted party/parties
• copy of a signed and dated memorandum of agreement or other document explaining the scope and responsibilities of each institution or entity
• names and contact information of the principal parties at each participating institution or entity
• provisions for the regular review of the agreement, including renewal and termination of the agreement; this may be included in the memorandum of agreement
• implementation date

Arrangement in which a student receives instruction at two or more institutions in prescribed curricula leading to an award or credential. 

Dual academic awards exclude: 

• completion or pathway options across credential levels
• agreements that address transfer articulation only
• agreements for individual students such as cotutelle arrangements that do not met dual academic award criteria

 

Notification letter should include: 

• substantive Change Cover Sheet
• name of each participating institution
• program name and credential to be awarded by each institution
• instructional level of the academic award
• copy of a signed and dated memorandum of agreement between all participating institutions
• names and contact information for the principal parties
• statement affirming the academic award granted by the SACSCOC institution and how it complies with Standard 9.4
• implementation date

Student receives instruction at two or more institution in a curriculum that leads to the institutions granting a single academic award with seals and signatures of both institutions.

Notification letter should include: 

• substantive change cover sheet
• copy of a signed and dated agreement between or amongst all participating institutions
• name of the program
• credential to be awarded
• instructional level of the program
• name and contact information for the primary responsible party at each institution
• implementation date

Adding a method of instructional deliver to an existing program requires notification prior to implementation. 

A specific method of delivery applies when 50% or more of a program is delivered by that method. A program may be delivered 50% or more by more than one method. 

There are three types of delivery methods: 

• competency based
• distance education
• face-to-face instruction

Adding some methods of delivery may require approval as a separate type of substantive change: 

• adding a direct assessment competency-based education delivery of a program
• adding a course/credit-based competency-based education deliver of a program
• adding a distance education delivery of a program 

 

Notification letter should include: 

• substantive change cover sheet
• name of the program
• credential to be awarded
• instructional level
• method of deliver to be added
• intended implementation date

Initiating a program requiring students to possess prior learning as a condition of admission requires notification. 

Standard 10.7 applies without exception. Institutions on Substantive Change Restriction would need to seek SACSCOC approval. 

Notification letter should include: 

• substantive change cover sheet
• name of the program
• credential to be awarded
• program's instructional level
• description of the prior learning required 
• description of how the institution
  • will assess prior learning
  • award credit for prior learning
  • establish the validity of its prior learning assessment
  • how faculty are involved in the assessment of prior learning
  • how faculty involved in the assessment of prior learning are qualified in the disciplines in which credit for prior learning is awarded
  • how the institution with faculty involvement periodically assesses third parties on which it relies for prior learning assessment
• implementation date

 

Closed program may be re-opened within five years of the closure by submitting a notification. If more than five years have elapsed the program will be subject to the new program process. 

Notification letter should include: 

• name of the program
• credential of the program
• instructional level of the program
• closure date (date of last admission) of the program as submitted to SACSCOC for closure 
• date SACSCOC approved closure
• case identification from the SACSCOC closure approval letter or copy of the closure letter
• statement of assurance that the institution has adequate instructional space and equipment, financial resources, library and learning/information resources, student support services appropriate to the programs and faculty members qualified in the program discipline to support re-opening the program
• implementation date

Site at which 25% to 49% of a program is delivered. Notification must be submitted prior to institution reaching the 25% threshold. 

Notification letter should include: 

• substantive Change Cover Sheet
• site name
• physical address or location of the site
• implementation date

Relocating an off-campus instructional site that is not a branch campus. 

Notification letter should include: 

• completed substantive change cover sheet
• name and address of the site to match SACSCOC records
• name and address for the new location
• implementation date
• statement stipulating there will be no overlap of instruction at the two locations

Name Change: Unique to the institution

Address change: location at which instruction is delivered is not changing but the address is changing. Examples include: renaming a street, change in suite or room changing ZIP code. 

Notification letter should include: 

• substantive change cover sheet
• current name and address of the site to match SACSCOC records
• new name and/or address of the site
• implementation date
• statement stipulating the name and/or address does not include a change of instructional location

 

If a site was closed for less than five years, it may be reopened by submitting a notification. 

• notes: re-opened site is ineligible for relocation until at least one full academic term of instruction has been offered at completed at the site with students enrolled after re-opening
• re-opened site is subject to review and visit by a peer review committee at the institution's next accreditation reviews.

Notification letter should include:

• substantive change cover sheet
• name and address of the site as it appears on the SACSCOC
• date SACSCOC approved the site's closure and either the SACSCOC case number or copy of approval letter
• name of the site upon re-opening
• implementation date 
• affirmative statement by the institution that assures the site remains appropriate for the institution and that students will have adequate access to student support services and learning and library information.