1. Jodi Pettazzoni, PhD March 20 & 26, 2018
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE WORKSHOP Office of Assessment & Accreditation and Academic Program Planning (OAAOAAAPP)
Jodi Pettazzoni, PhD
March 20 & 26, 2018

2. Objectives of this workshop
Increase awareness of academic program policies & procedures:
SACSCOC
UNC System
Clarify:
Curriculum review process
Deadlines, timelines, & effective dates
Discuss updates and changes
SARA & Professional Licensure (Jana Walser-Smith)
Coming Attractions

3. ASK QUESTIONS ANYTIME

4. SACSCOC Reporting 10 Year Reaffirmation (December 2014)
5th Year Report (Due March 2020)
Annual Institutional Profiles
Substantive Change Reporting (as required)

5. Substantive Change for SACSCOC Accredited Institutions
Policy Statement
30 pages!

6. Policy: Institutional Obligations
Required to notify SACSCOC of changes in accordance with the substantive change policy
When required, seek approval prior to the initiation of changes
Required to have a policy and procedure to support efforts to report all substantive changes to the Commission in a timely fashion

7. UNCG’S Substantive Change Compliance Policy
Revised!
UNCG’S Substantive Change Compliance Policy

8. UNCG Substantive Change Compliance Policy1 2 3

9. The Four Steps to Substantive Change Compliance
Understand when a change is substantive
Our office will help you with this
Follow UNCG and UNC System procedures
Allow adequate time
If a substantive change requires approval prior to implementation you MUST wait for the approval letter from SACSCOC before implementing.

10. Definition of Substantive Change
“A significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of an accredited institution.”
US Department of Education Defines (in most cases)
and SACSCOC Enforces

11. 2 Kinds of Substantive Changes
Those that are not so common…
Change in legal status, ownership, objectives or established mission of institution, acquiring another institution…
and those you might initiate…

12. Such as…
“Addition of courses or programs that represent a significant departure, either in content or method of delivery, from those that were offered when the institution was last evaluated.” “Expanding at the institution’s current level (significant departure from current programs)”

13. WHAT IS A SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE?

14. Significant Departure
Not closely related to previously approved programs
Not offered at UNCG or one of our approved off-campus sites
Not a mode of delivery that we are approved for
(ex: a new technology)
UNCG is approved by SACSCOC to offer any program online
UNC System still requires approval for both online and off- campus offerings

15. Significant Departure
Questions to ask for new programs:
What program is closely related? How?
New equipment? A computer vs a laboratory
New facilities?
New courses? Guidance: over 25% needs a closer look
New faculty?
New library/learning resources?

16. Which of the following could be a significant departure for UNCG?
Developing a new general education program
Creating a Pharmacy School
Adding a PhD in Gerontology
All of the above

17. Which of the following could be a significant departure for UNCG?
Developing a new general education program
Creating a Pharmacy School
Adding a PhD in Gerontology
All of the above

18. Another Substantive Change
“The addition of courses or programs of study at a degree or credential level different from that which is included in the institution’s current accreditation or reaffirmation.” Does this one still apply to UNCG?

19. Altering Significantly:
… and another
“A substantial increase in the number of clock or credit hours awarded for successful completion of a program”
SACSCOC: “Altering significantly the length of a program”
Altering Significantly:
Length Δ = +/- 25%

20. This One Gets a Lot of Attention
“The establishment of an additional location geographically apart from the main campus at which the institution offers at least 50% of an education program”
Notification 25-49%, approval at 50%
Requires UNC System Approval
Requires adding to UNCG’s Participation Agreement (financial aid)
Requires SEVIS Reporting / Homeland Security
Off-campus information now included in Banner 9
NEW!

21. TRUE OR FALSE?
Notifying SACSCOC about off-campus locations only applies to degree programs and not certificates.
True
False

22. TRUE OR FALSE?
Notifying SACSCOC about off-campus locations only applies to degree programs and not certificates.
True
False
Courses offered at an off-campus location used
towards any program applies!
25% of 12 credit certificate = 1 course
50% of 12 credit certificate = 2 courses

23. UNCG’s Most Common Substantive Change
“Closing a program, off-campus site, branch campus or institution”
POLICY REQUIRES:
Notification and a teach-out plan should be submitted prior to the closure of a program, which is considered to be the date when the institution no longer admits students to the program

24. Teach Out Plan: Date of closure = when no new students are admitted
How students, faculty, and staff will be informed of closure
How students will be helped to complete their program with minimal disruption
Will students incur additional expenses / how will they be notified
How faculty/staff will be redeployed or helped
Signed teach out agreements with other institutions, if any

25. What about consolidation of degree majors?
How about a change in delivery mode?
online  campus  off-campus  online

26. Ending a Program is Important!
Must follow UNCG’s normal curriculum review process (includes low productivity discontinuations)
Degree Majors: UNC Board of Governor’s approval is used as the closure date, effective the following fall (unless specified otherwise)
Need both START and END dates for Banner 9

27. Becoming More Common
“Entering into a collaborative academic arrangement” (joint or dual credential with another institution) Includes certificates!

28. “Initiating degree completion programs”
A close call for us…..
“Initiating degree completion programs”
Have you ever received different
guidance from two knowledgeable experts?
We have!

29. Not yet…..but maybe someday?
“Initiating a direct assessment competency-based program”

30. Any unreported substantive change that is discovered must be reported.

31. Consequences of Substantive Change Non-Compliance
From SACSCOC Policy:
could lose Title IV funding
could be required to reimburse US Dept. of Ed.
could have a sanction imposed
could be monitored
could deny other substantive change requests
could be removed from SACSCOC membership

32. QUESTIONS? Next up: Curriculum Review Process
Deadlines, Timelines, & Effective Dates

33. Curriculum Review Process
Faculty Initiates Discusses with Department Head Dean / Provost, depending on type of change Departmental Review College/School Curriculum Committee Review University Curriculum Committees (UCC/GSC) UNC System, if required SACSCOC, when required

34. UNC System Authorization
The Board of Governors must approve:
all new degree majors
all degree program discontinuations
UNC System staff approve:
Add / modify mode of delivery (online and off-campus)
CIP Code change requests
Title change requests
Degree change requests

35. SACSCOC Authorization
3 Different Kinds Substantive Changes
Procedure 1: Approval required before implementing
Procedure 2: Send notification (can start after sending)
Procedure 3: Approves Teach Out Plans
How to find out if your change is a substantive change?
Complete Substantive Change Checklist
(formerly known as APPQ-Academic Program Planning Questionnaire)
Found with forms at curriculumguide.uncg.edu

37. One Deadline for almost all Changes…
DECEMBER 1
…and one effective date: following fall
NEW!

38. UNC System Approval and/or SACSCOC Approval
Potential Exceptions
Substantive changes (those requiring approval)
New degree programs
UNC System Approval and/or SACSCOC Approval

39. Plan Early for Changes Requiring External Authorization
Estimate of time provided with Substantive Change Checklist Response

40. Catalog Timing
Non-curricular edits: Last Friday in April Catalog Publishing Date: First business day in June Last date for external authorization: End of July Catalog Freezes August 1

41. Next up: Updates, Changes,
QUESTIONS?
Next up: Updates, Changes,
& Other Information

42. SACSCOC 5th Year Report Information
Report preparation in progress now
Due: March 2020
Principles of Accreditation
Reduced number of standards, clarified, and removed redundancy
Revised!

43. SACSCOC’s Institutional Obligations for Public Disclosure Policy
Need your help with this one!
“All forms of print and electronic communications officially representing the institution are consistent with catalogue content and accurately portray the conditions and opportunities available at the institution.”
Please check your websites with Catalog to ensure they are both aligned and accurate

44. SACSCOC’s Institutional Obligations for Public Disclosure Policy
Keep evidence of your claims
“The institution has readily available valid documentation for any statements and promises regarding such matters as program excellence, learning outcomes, success in placement, and achievements of graduates or faculty.”

45. UNCG, SARA & Professional Licensure
Jana Walser-Smith, Ed.S., EdDc
State Authorization Compliance Officer
UNCG Online: The Division of Online Learning
March, 2018

46. UNC Greensboro & NC SARA
UNCG is now a SARA participating institution!!

47. Four Regional Compacts:
What is this SARA ?
NC SARA = National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
SARA = State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement
A voluntary agreement among member states, districts, and territories
Establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs
Facilitates students’ ability to take online courses offered by out-of-state postsecondary institutions
Overseen by a national council (NC SARA)
Administered by four regional higher education compacts: MHEC, NEBHE, SREB, and WICHE
Four Regional Compacts:
MHEC – Midwestern Higher Education Compact
NEBHE – New England Board of Higher Education
SREB – Southern Regional Education Board
WICHE – Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

48. SARA & Professional Licensure
SARA has no effect on state professional licensing requirements
Current mandate: all SARA participating institutions must notify students as to whether the institution:
Meets each state’s requirements, or
If the institution cannot determine if it meets each state’s requirements, a waiver must be signed
UNCG is currently managing this processing through IR reporting
Proposed new legislation to take effect July 1, 2018:
Institutions must now provide details on licensure in states with enrolled students and potential enrollees
Potential solutions:
North Carolina standard repository
Each institution completes its own research
Via State Authorization Compliance Office
Via Departmental Liaisons

50. UNC SYSTEM (the entity formerly known as “GA”)
Other than their name, very few changes this past year.
120 hours for undergraduate programs
Currently looking into streamlining process for proposing a new program
Reduce time to respond to campuses
Letter of Intent to replace Request to Plan
Remove redundant information
Create a more user-friendly format

51. Changes CourseLeaf Curriculum Inventory Management System
“CIM”, pronounced KIM
Faculty committee has revised some of the approval levels for requests
Eg., Course numbers and pre-requisite changes are now approved by Dept. and Unit, not University-wide committees
Training will be required to ensure each committee understands its responsibilities
Projected to be available in fall 2019

52. Changes & Information Banner 9
Courses are either campus, off-campus, or 100% online

53. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
End of Presentation