Ala. Admin. Code r. 300-2-1-.05

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 3, December 31, 2024

Section 300-2-1-.05 - [Effective 2/14/2025] Review of Off-Campus Instruction Offered by Public Postsecondary Institutions and Determination of Service Areas

(1)Purpose: The purpose of reviewing and approving or disapproving off-campus offerings of public postsecondary institutions is to ensure that such offerings meet the criteria and standards established by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education and to ensure that educational needs across the state are being met, while maintaining the integrity of institutional service areas.

(2)Commission Responsibility: It is the responsibility of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education to monitor off-campus instructional offerings within the state of Alabama and establish policies and procedures for reviewing new or existing off-campus sites of public postsecondary institutions in Alabama, except for exempt sites delineated by the Commission's statute (see Code of Ala. 1975, § 16-5-8 [d]).

(3)Scope: This rule shall apply only to off-campus sites located within the state of Alabama. This rule does not apply to off-campus sites that are located out of state, nor does it apply to distance education offerings, non-credit offerings, courses offered on an individual study basis, or non-instructional sites.

(4)Definitions: For purposes of this rule, the following definitions apply:

(a) Off-Campus Site: The specific location where one or more courses are offered for academic credit geographically distant from the sponsoring institution's main campus. It does not include locations for in-person interactions that are non-instructional (e.g., outreach and recruitment offices, research facilities, orientation sites, practicum sites). An off-campus site will be designated as exempt or non-exempt:

1. Exempt Sites: The following off-campus sites are exempt from Commission approval and require prior notification only, provided that institutions intend to offer only off-campus courses that do not constitute an off-campus program. Exemptions may be granted in statute or by Commission decision:

a. Off-Campus Sites Exempted by Statute

i. Sites at which the Fall 1978 registrations exceeded 500 class enrollments (exempted by statute, see Code of Ala. 1975, § 16-5-8 [d]).

ii. University sites which were operated prior to 1960 (exempted by statute, see Code of Ala. 1975, §16-5-8[d]).

iii. Sites located on military reservations (exempted by statute, see Code of Ala. 1975, §16-5-8[g]).

iv. Business and industry sites where only their employees are enrolled in the off-campus courses (exempted by statute, see Code of Ala. 1975, §16-5-8[d]).

b. Off-Campus Sites Exempted by Commission Decision

i. Off-campus prison sites where courses are taught exclusively for inmates and prison employees (exempted by Commission decision prior to August 18, 2000).

ii. High school sites where courses are taught exclusively to high school students enrolled in early admission, accelerated, or dual enrollment/dual credit programs (exempted by Commission decision on August 18, 2000).

iii. Two-year college sites located within their respective service areas (exempted by Commission decision on August 18, 2000).

iv. University sites located within their respective service areas (exempted by Commission decision on August 18, 2000).

2. Non-Exempt Sites: Any off-campus site that does not fit within one of the exemptions enumerated above shall be considered non-exempt and will require Commission approval before instruction can be offered at the site.

(b) Branch Campus: A special type of off-campus instructional site that is geographically apart from an institution's main campus, where instruction is delivered, and that is independent of the main campus of an institution. An off-campus instructional site is independent of the main campus if it is permanent; offers courses in educational programs leading to a degree, diploma, certificate, or other for-credit credential; has its own faculty and administrative or supervisory organization; and has its own budgetary and hiring authority. See also §300-2-1-08 ("Operational Policy on the Designation of Branch Campus Sites").

(c) Off-Campus Instruction: A for-credit course or program taken by a student or students at a location other than a Commission-recognized main or branch campus of the sponsoring institution. The Commission's policy on off-campus instruction applies to traditional instructional settings, i.e., face-to-face classroom instruction that occurs at a location away from the Commission-recognized main or branch campus of the institution. Practicum, clinical training, internships, or other work-based learning activities are considered non-instructional and are excluded from this rule.

(d) Off-Campus Course: A course provided to any group of students for academic credit at a particular off-campus site in an organized classroom setting.

(e) Off-Campus Program: A program of instruction for which 50% or more of the instruction is delivered at an off-campus site.

(f) Service Area: The geographical area within the state of Alabama where an institution is recognized as a primary provider of for-credit postsecondary instruction.

(g) Graduate-Level Coursework: Coursework designed for programs of study beyond the bachelor's degree level, including courses that apply toward post-baccalaureate certificates (IPEDS Level 6), master's degrees (IPEDS Level 7), education specialist degrees and post-master's certificates (IPEDS Level 8), and doctoral degrees (IPEDS Levels 17, 18, and 19).

(h) Lower-Division Coursework: Undergraduate coursework designed for introductory- or intermediate-level study in a collegiate discipline, such as general education courses, major prerequisite courses, and program courses at the associate level.

(i) Upper-Division Coursework: Also known as "upper-level" coursework or "major" coursework, undergraduate coursework designed for more advanced study and is required to complete a baccalaureate program of study.

(5)Establishment of a New Off-Campus Site Exempted by Statute:

(a) Prior Notification Required: An institution seeking to offer instruction at an off-campus site that fits one of the statutory exemptions enumerated above under §(4)(a)1 a is exempted from Commission approval, but the institution must notify the Commission prior to delivering instruction at the proposed site. Notification should include courses and programs that the institution intends to offer at the site.

(b) Written Consent not Required: Written consent from other two-year or four-year institutions in the target service area is not required when the new site fits one of the statutory exemptions.

(6)Establishment of a New Off-Campus Site within an Institution's Own Service Area:

(a) Prior Notification Required: An institution seeking to offer instruction at an off-campus site within its recognized service area is exempted from Commission approval in most cases, but the institution must notify the Commission prior to delivering instruction at the proposed site.

(b) Documentation Required for New Off-Campus Site: Institutions must submit the following documentation to the Commission as part of their notification for a new off-campus site:

1. Off-Campus Course List: A list of courses from which each term's schedule will be developed will be submitted with each new site notification. If the list includes upper-division or graduate-level courses, the institution shall include information about how the courses will be applied to specific academic program requirements.

2. Off-Campus Program List, if applicable: A list of programs for which 50% or more of the program coursework will be delivered at the off-campus site. Institutions planning to offer one or more off-campus programs will be required to seek Commission approval for the site, unless the site is exempted by statute.

3. Summary of Funding of Off-Campus Instruction: Off-campus instruction should be self-supporting, i.e., costs should be covered by tuition, fees, and extramural support. If an institution plans to reallocate its own funds to support instruction at an off-campus site (such as for new equipment or lease of the facility), budget projections must accompany the site notification.

(c) Coordination of Instructional Offerings: The Commission recognizes that institutions often share service areas, and the following guidelines are intended to support coordination of instructional offerings:

1. All universities which are located in the same county or which share service areas may offer courses within the shared area, but they should work together and in conjunction with the Commission to avoid the unnecessary duplication of course offerings.

2. Since there are instances in which two-year colleges and universities are located within overlapping areas, care must be taken to avoid the unnecessary duplication of lower-division courses. For this reason, a university shall not offer lower-division courses in the home county of a two-year institution main campus which offers similar courses without the written consent of the two-year institution, while a two-year institution shall not offer courses in the home county of a university main campus which offers similar courses without the written consent of the university. This stipulation does not apply to situations in which a university and a two-year college are located in the same county. In these situations, each institution may offer courses within the shared area, but they should work together to avoid the unnecessary duplication of course offering.

(7)Establishment of a New Exempt Off-Campus Site outside an Institution's Service Area:

(a) Prior Notification Required: An institution seeking to offer instruction at an exempt off-campus site located outside its recognized service area is exempted from Commission approval in most cases, but the institution must notify the Commission prior to delivering instruction at the proposed site.

(b) Documentation Required: Institutions must submit the following documentation to the Commission as part of their notification for a new exempt off-campus site located outside their recognized service area:

4. Written Consent: Since it is desirable in most instances to have the closest qualified institution respond to off-campus credit course needs, the Commission requires that institutions seeking to offer instruction at a new site outside their recognized service area obtain written consent from institutions whose service area includes the proposed site, except when the institutions within the service area do not offer similar courses to proposed off-campus instruction.

(8)Establishment of a New Non-Exempt Off-Campus Site:

(a) Commission Approval Required: An institution seeking to offer instruction at a non-exempt off-campus site must receive Commission approval prior to delivering instruction at the proposed site, regardless of whether off-campus programs will be offered.

(b) Documentation Required: Institutions must submit the following documentation to the Commission as part of their proposal for a new non-exempt off-campus site:

2. Off-Campus Program List, if applicable: A list of programs for which 50% or more of the program coursework will be delivered at the off-campus site.

(9)Compliance with Accreditation Requirements: All off-campus instructional sites, exempt and non-exempt, must be in full compliance with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) guidelines and policies pertaining to substantive change, along with curriculum, faculty, administration, equipment, learning resources, and student services. Council on Occupational Education (COE) guidelines will apply to institutions accredited by that agency.

(10)Annual Follow-up Report Requirement: Institutions must submit an annual follow-up report for each off-campus site, regardless of its exemption status. The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) may submit a comprehensive follow-up report for the entire system.

(11)Discontinuation of an Off-Campus Site: The Commission must be notified if a site is discontinued so that annual reports will not be expected.

(12)Modification of an Off-Campus Site: Modifications to existing off-campus sites may be considered substantive-requiring approval, substantive-requiring notification, or nonsubstantive.

(a) Substantive, requiring approval: Commission approval is required before an institution can add a new off-campus program at an existing off-campus site, unless the site is exempted by statute.

(b) Substantive, requiring notification: An institution must notify the Commission prior to implementing any of the following changes to an existing off-campus site:

1. Modification of the site's course list to include additional upper-division or graduate-level coursework.

2. Discontinuation of an off-campus program.

3. Change of address.

4. For sites exempted by statute only, addition of a new off-campus program.

(c) Non-substantive: An institution may make the following changes to an off-campus site without prior notification to the Commission. Such changes must be noted on the institution's annual follow-up report for the site:

1. Addition of lower-division courses to the site's course list.

2. Deletion of courses from the site's course list.

(13)Compliance Monitoring Authority: The Commission retains the authority to monitor compliance with the guidelines. If infractions are found, they will be referred to the appropriate governing board for corrective action.

(14)Determination of Service Areas:

(a) Under its authority to authorize and regulate off-campus offerings, the Commission shall determine service areas for public institutions within the state. All geographic areas of the state must be served by at least one senior institution and one two-year institution.

(b) Commission approval is required to modify the geographical boundaries of an institution's service area. The Commission will use all of the following criteria to evaluate and approve or disapprove requests for modification of institutional service area:

1. Appropriateness for the institution's mission, including support of the institution's governing board;

2. Institutional readiness (defined as institutional commitment, resources, and facilities to support the target service area);

3. Rationale for the change in service area, specifically to include advancement of state and/or regional strategic interests;

4. No adverse impact on access to public postsecondary education for any geographical area of the state;

5. Written consent of public institution(s) operating within the target service area;

6. Demonstrated support of community and industry stakeholders within the target service area; and

7. Accreditation considerations, as appropriate.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 300-2-1-.05

New Rule. Filed on 7/11/95 to replace a repealed rule, "Review of Off-Campus Offerings of Postsecondary Institutions," which had the same rule number. Effective: August 31, 1995. This rule is based on policy adopted by the Commission on 6/22/79 and revised on 6/19/92 and 2/11/94. Extensive addition and revision adopted by the Commission on 6/30/95 necessitated the repeal of the former rule and the adoption of the current rule. Amended: Filed June 4, 1997; effective July 9, 1997. Amended: Filed April 6, 1998; effective May 11, 1998. Repealed and New Rule: Filed December 5, 2000; effective January 9, 2001. Amended: Filed May 7, 2007; effective June 11, 2007.

Adopted by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XLIII, Issue No. 03, December 31, 2024, eff. 2/14/2025.

Author: Robin E. McGill

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 16-5-1, et seq.