Responsible Office: Academic Affairs Approved By: President's Council Approved Date: 1/27/2021 Effective Date: 1/27/2021 Category: Institutional Description/Purpose: This policy helps to ensure the University's compliance with federal regulations (34 CFR 668.43) and its obligations as a SARA-participating institution regarding public and direct disclosure requirements related to Professional Licensure Programs. Scope: This policy applies to academic administration, recruitment, and admissions personnel that administer Professional Licensure Programs, regardless of modality or geographic location. Procedures: Consequence: Details: DEFINITIONS: Professional Licensure Program: A certificate, undergraduate minor, undergraduate or graduate degree program intended to (or advertised to) satisfy educational prerequisites for a State-issued professional license, certification, or other credential offered by a third party, that is required for employment in an occupation. Professional Licensure Disclosure Statements: announcements made by the University that provide information to the general public (e.g., public disclosures) or by directly notifying students (e.g., direct disclosures) about whether programs leading to professional licensure or certification meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in a particular State. SARA: The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, commonly known as SARA, is an agreement among member states that authorizes an institution located and legally authorized in a State covered by the agreement to provide out-of-state activities to students located in other States covered by the agreement. Institutions that participate in SARA agree to abide by a set of quality expectations, reporting requirements, and consumer protection practices that are promulgated by the National Council of State Authorization Agreements (NC-SARA) and upon which member States have agreed. SARA does not affect the applicability of general-purpose State laws such as business registries, general-purpose consumer protection laws, worker's compensation laws, criminal statutes and the like. SARA does not affect State professional licensing requirements. Additional authorization may be required in SARA-member States if the University conducts certain activities not covered by SARA Rules. SARA Rule: A written statement promulgated by NC-SARA that is of general applicability; implements, interprets or prescribes a policy of SARA or provides an organizational, procedural, or other requirement of NC-SARA, including policies contained in the SARA Manual. State: A State of the Union, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau. Student Location: For purposes of this policy, the student location is defined as the State in which a student is currently living (e.g., permanent/home address) at the time of initial enrollment and upon formal receipt of information from the student that their location has changed to another State while engaged in Saint Francis University educational activities. For prospective students, student location is the State of the prospective student's location at the time the individual has applied for admission, intends to enroll, and is then entered into the University's recruitment or student information system portal. POLICY STATEMENT: The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, specifically 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v) and 34 CFR 668.43(c) require the University to provide to public and direct disclosures to prospective and enrolled students in regard to its Professional Licensure Programs. Qualifying programs are listed in the University's Professional Licensure Table. Public Disclosures: The University makes readily available to enrolled and prospective students information on its academic programs. The University provides public disclosure of information regarding Professional Licensure Programs on its Student Consumer Information website in the Professional Licensure Table which indicates whether completion of the Professional Licensure Program would be sufficient to meet educational requirements for licensure in a State for that occupation, and includes:
Accordingly, academic department chairs administering such programs, and who serve as content experts, will annually investigate rules of professional licensing boards to determine if their program meets, does not meet, or they are not able to make a determination regarding state requirements for licensure or certification. These public disclosures will indicate the States where the University has determined through reasonable, good faith effort, that the Professional Licensure Program does or does not meet the applicable professional licensure education requirement or the University has not yet made a determination. These public disclosures are in accordance with the federal regulatory requirements set forth in 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v) and SARA Rules. Direct Disclosures: Prospective Students: A direct disclosure is required by 34 CFR 668.43(c) by the University to the prospective undergraduate or graduate students, in writing, if:
The notice must be provided, in writing (email or letter), prior to the student's enrollment in the program (e.g., tuition deposit or other financial commitment). Enrolled Students: A direct disclosure is required under this regulation if the University makes a later determination that the curriculum of a Professional Licensure Program does not meet the State educational requirements for licensure or certification in a State in which a student who is currently enrolled in such program is located. The notice must be made to the student, in writing (email or letter), within 14 calendar days of making such determination. It is anticipated that this provision would happen most often when a program loses its approval in a State, or the student relocates. Changes to student location will be upon formal receipt of information from the student that the student has changed to another State. (Refer to Student Location Policy.) Student Location: The University makes a determination regarding the State in which a student is located in accordance with its policies and procedures which are applied consistently to all students. For purposes of this policy, student location is determined based on the University's Student Location Policy. The University will, upon request, provide the U.S. Secretary of Education with written documentation of its determination of a student's location, including the basis for such determination.
https://www.francis.edu/State-Authorization SFU Professional Licensure Table (scroll to bottom of page)
Student Complaint Resolution Policy Out-of-State Academic Activities Policy
President's Council: 01-27-2021
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