What do the State Authorization Regulations mean for Penn State academic units?
Any planning for or current offering of online courses outside of Pennsylvania should be communicated to your World Campus program manager, who will serve as the liaison with the Outreach and Online Education compliance team.
The compliance team will continue to coordinate any required compliance efforts, as well as inform program managers of any important concerns and updates so those may be shared with program teams. As appropriate, the compliance team will also attend program meetings and meet directly with academic units.
Since each state has its own set of parameters, communication is paramount to ensuring that the University avoids any compliance issues. Common activities that may trigger further action include:
- offering a course on the ground in another state;
- requiring local proctors;
- engaging in recruiting activities or direct advertising in another state;
- adding a required internship to an online program; and,
- utilizing faculty who reside in another state.
As your unit explores new initiatives that may have implications beyond Pennsylvania, the compliance team should be consulted as early as possible. Often they may provide immediate guidance and already may have established connections with state regulators should further clarification be required.
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PLEASE NOTE: The information regarding “State Authorization Regulations” on this website is intended for internal University audiences only.