É«»¨ÌÃ

DISTANCE EDUCATION OUT-OF-STATE AUTHORITY

The U.S. Department of Education (U.S. DoE) released new regulations regarding distance education in October 2010. One of the regulations focuses on the need for institutions offering distance education to acquire authorization from any state where the institution has currently enrolled students. As the details regarding this regulation continue to be clarified, the É«»¨Ìà (É«»¨ÌÃ) is in the process of gaining authorization from other states.

Depending on the outcome of this authorization, É«»¨Ìà could notify students residing in a particular state that they are not eligible to register for distance education courses. In cases where É«»¨Ìà students are affected by this change, the É«»¨Ìà will provide assistance to students to resolve this matter.

NC-SARA

*NC-SARA membership allows the É«»¨Ìà to conduct limited activities in the indicated member states below. Please see the SARA Policies and Standards document for details of specific authorized activities. Please note that the É«»¨Ìà is not authorized to conduct internships leading to professional licensure without direct coordination with the licensure board in that state. For more information on this, please visit the .

Professional Licensure

All programs, irrespective of their format, must offer public and direct disclosures to students enrolled in programs leading to licensure or certification. This requirement applies to educational programs that are:

• Designed to fulfill educational prerequisites for a specific professional license or certification necessary for employment
• Promoted as meeting such prerequisites

You can find the direct program disclosures below.

STATE BY STATE

STUDENT COMPLAINT RESOLUTION

As part of the process, É«»¨Ìà is required to provide current and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints.

For complaints regarding grades, course requirements and course procedures follow the É«»¨Ìà Undergraduate or Graduate grievance policies.

If an issue cannot be resolved internally, you may file a complaint with your state. The Student Grievance Contact Information for Individual States provides phone number, e-mail and/or links to state education agencies.

É«»¨Ìà is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The SACS site provides complaint procedures against the commission or its accredited institutions.

For questions concerning the new U.S. DoE regulations affecting distance education or the complaint process, please contact Online and Special Programs at É«»¨ÌÃOnline@uh.edu or 713-743-3327.

If you would like more information on the NC-SARA student complaint process, please visit their . NC-SARA has developed a variety of resources designed for students which includes student consumer protections. To view these resources, please visit .