[LIBRARYDIR] Fw: NWCCU and On-Line Accreditation

[Mark Jenkins]

Notes from yesterday's IC session with Ron Larsen of NWCCU regarding DL accreditation process and deadlines.



Sent on behalf of Carli Schiffner



Notes from the NWCCU meeting with Ron Larsen

September 30, 2020



United States Department of Education suspended the requirement for online programs to be registered/classified as such with regional accrediting bodies—given the onset of COVID and the extreme measures/quick turn-around to turn face-to-face offerings into an online environment. The suspension of this emergency protocol expires December 2020. There is no indication that the DOE will extend these emergency protocols.



The NWCCU is providing an expedited way to encourage compliance with this upcoming deadline. As you know, college programs that are offered 50% or more online need to be approved for that modality with the NWCCU. Since the majority of college programs are being offered remotely due to COVID, colleges risk being out of compliance with the DOE if not addressed. So, colleges need to do the following to be in compliance by January 1:



  1.  Determine if your college is pre-authorized for distance education. You can check the status of your college by going to the institution portal on the NWCCU website. Your ALO has access to this and is familiar with this portal. If your college has three or more programs approved for distance education prior to COVID 19, you will have received automatic authorization. If you do not have authorization, then reach out to Ron Larson to work to get your college on the path by October 15.



  1.  Once you are authorized, each college needs to identify what programs are currently offered in an online environment.  Through the institution portal, go to program listings, and mark any programs that your college is offering 50% or more online.  By flagging these programs, it will trigger an email communication to the NWCCU team who will award the substantive change request. This identification of programs on the portal needs to happen by November 1 for priority review.



Eventually when programs return to a face-to-face modality, the NWCCU will “undo” those programs that are identified by the college. More information to follow. Feel free to reach out to NWCCU Senior Vice President, Dr. Ron Larsen, at rlarsen at nwccu.org<mailto:rlarsen at nwccu.org>.







[Compass]Julie Walter

WACTC Coordinator/Legislative & Communications Assistant

Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

jwalter at sbctc.edu<mailto:jwalter at sbctc.edu>• o: 360-704-4313 • c: 360-970-5038

sbctc.edu<https://www.sbctc.edu/> • Twitter: @SBCTCWashington<https://twitter.com/SBCTCWashington> • Facebook: @WASBCTC<https://www.facebook.com/wasbctc/>




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