Substantive Change Request
Instructions
Closing an Additional Location or Branch Campus
Overview
Context
Accreditation or the reaffirmation of accreditation is granted to cover an institution as it exists at the time of evaluation. MSCHE requires that substantive changes (defined in the Substantive Change Policy Statement) be presented to the Commission for prior review and approval in order for them to be included within the scope of an institution’s accreditation. The closing of an additional location or branch campus is one of several types of Substantive Change that requires Middle States approval.
Terms
Additional Location - a facility approved by the Commission as an Additional Location (geographically apart from the main campus of an institution, where a student can take at least 50% of one or more programs). Middle States policy requires that a teach-out plan be submitted if 100% of at least one program is offered at the closing location.
Branch Campus - a location approved by the Commission as a Branch Campus (permanent, geographically apart, independent from the main campus of an institution). Closing a branch campus requires a teach-out plan.
Teach-Out Plan - specified in the Federal regulations and provided here for reference: a teach-out plan is a written plan developed by the institution that provides for the equitable treatment of students to complete their education, including any teach-out agreements that the institution has entered into or intends to enter into with another institution. The teach-out plan must provide for the equitable treatment of all students, specify any additional charges that students may incur and describe how students will be notified of any additional charges.
Teach-Out Agreement – one possible component of a teach-out plan, it is an agreement with another institution to provide an educational program that is of acceptable quality and reasonably similar in content, structure and scheduling to that provided at the closing location. The institution receiving students must be accredited or pre-accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency and must be able to provide students access to the program and services without requiring them to move or travel substantial distances. Information about any additional costs must be provided to students.
Key Questions
Requests for approval of Substantive Change must contain sufficient evidence to assure peer reviewers of the institution’s continuing compliance with all relevant Commission Standards. Specifically, peer reviewers evaluate the following:
· What is the institution’s rationale for this Substantive Change?
· How does the proposed Substantive Change align with institutional mission and goals?
· How does the proposed change affect the financial status of the institution?
· Does this change require a teach-out plan (is 100% of a program offered at the closing location)?
o If so, the teach-out plan must be included with the request.
Submission Procedures
The purpose of this document is to facilitate submission of a request that contains all of the information necessary for peer review and Commission action. Requests should be succinct and analytical, not only presenting information but explaining how that information demonstrates that the institution will continue to comply with all relevant Commission Standards. Attachments should be included only if they are referenced within the text of the request. The ideal request provides all necessary information without overwhelming volunteer peer reviewers.
To be considered by the Commission, a request must be submitted on time, must be complete, must be signed, and must include all of the following components:
· Cover Sheet
· Institutional Accreditation Overview
· Approvals
· Completed Request Form
Once the request is completed, you may delete the two pages of instructions and save the request as a new file. Please include your institution’s name in the new filename. A request must be submitted as an electronic file attachment in an e-mail addressed . File attachments may be in MSWord, Excel, or PDF format.
Submission deadlines are as follows:
Submit request by: for final approval by:
January 1 February 28
March 1 April 30
May 1 June 30
July 1 August 31
September 1 October 31
November 1 December 31
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Substantive Change Request
Closing an Additional Location or Branch Campus
Cover Sheet
Please note that the shaded boxes will expand when text is entered.
Date of Submission:
Institution:
Name of person completing this request:
Title: Phone: E-mail:
Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) name and contact information (if different from above):
Name:
Title: Phone: E-mail:
Address of Institution:
For questions regarding this request, please contact (check the appropriate box):
The person submitting it The institution’s ALO
Full street address of the additional location or branch campus closing:
City: State: Zip:
This site is a: Additional Location Branch Campus
Anticipated closing date of operations at the location:
(Closing date should be at least three months after the submission of this request. Approval is not guaranteed so please plan accordingly. The institution should notify the Commission of the actual closing date within 30 days of closing the site.)
Is 100% of an academic program offered at the closing location? NO YES
If “yes,” a teach-out plan is required and will be requested later in this document.
Please sign by typing the names of the individuals identified in the space provided.
By signing and submitting this cover sheet, the individuals below indicate that they are aware of this Substantive Change request in its entirety and agree to its review by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Signature of person submitting the request:
Signature of ALO (if different from above):
Signature of President or Chief Academic Officer:
Substantive Change Request
Close an Additional Location or Branch Campus
Institutional Accreditation Overview
What is the date for the next regularly scheduled accreditation review
(self study or PRR) by MSCHE?
Is it a self study? Or a PRR?
Is the institution currently on warning, probation or show cause by MSCHE? NO YES
If yes, please review the Commission’s Substantive Change policy
as it pertains to institutions on warning, probation or show cause.
Has the institution been asked to submit any follow-up reports (monitoring,
progress) to the Commission in the last three years? NO YES
If yes, please specify in the area at the end of this section the due date
and the topics/Standards that were or will be covered in the report(s).
Has any other regional, national or disciplinary/professional accrediting agency indicated concerns about the institution or any of its branch campuses, additional locations or other sites
within the last three years? NO YES
Is the institution being monitored or reviewed by the US Department
of Education or other state or federal agency for any reason? NO YES
If the answer to any of the above questions is “Yes,” please explain fully below in the context of this Substantive Change request. These factors will be considered in the review and decision making process.
Approvals
Please indicate any approvals required for the institution to close this additional location or branch campus and the dates approval was received or is expected.
Institutional (e.g., faculty, Board) Date(s):
System approvals Date:
State approval Date:
Other (please specify: ) Date:
Attach all approvals to the request as Appendix E.
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Substantive Change Request Form
Closing an Additional Location or Branch Campus
Please provide succinct and analytical answers to the following questions in the space below each question. Your answers should not only present information but explain how that information demonstrates that the institution will continue to comply with all relevant Commission Standards. If any question does not apply to this request, please indicate “N/A.” If it is necessary to attach documentation, please label each attachment with the letter that matches the corresponding question. For example, the first attachment for question B should be labeled “Attachment B1” (even if Attachment A does not exist); the second attachment for question B should be labeled “Attachment B2,” and so forth. Please limit attachments to documents that are directly referenced in the text of the request. It is acceptable to include attachments that are excerpts from existing documents as long as the information provided fully addresses the question asked.
A. List the academic program(s) that are offered at the additional location or branch campus. If 100% of any of the listed programs is offered at the closing site, please clearly indicate those programs.
- For any programs that you have indicated are offered 100% at the site, attach a teach-out plan (Attachment A1, A2, etc.).
B. Provide the institution’s rationale for closing this site including any impact on the institution’s mission.
C. Provide a brief financial analysis of the impact of closing the site on the finances of the institution.
D. Is there any additional information that will assist the peer reviewers and the Commission in thoroughly evaluating this request? If so, please specify:
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