State Authorization

SD-SARA

Dakota State University (DSU) is an approved SARA institution. SARA provides standard expectations for institutional conduct and ensuring consumer protection. DSU is committed to complying with other states’ authorization regulations. 

South Dakota State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SD-SARA)

About SD-SARA
The South Dakota Board of Regents (SDBOR), on behalf of the State of South Dakota, has entered into an agreement to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). South Dakota’s agreement is through the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), which is one of the four regional education compacts who administer SARA. SDBOR has been designated by the state as the portal agency for SD-SARA and will administer SARA within South Dakota. SDBOR’s responsibilities as a portal agency include: accepting, reviewing, and submitting applications from South Dakota institutions wishing to participate in SARA, reviewing compliance, serving as liaison with SARA administrators from other states, and accepting and investigating student complaints.

NC-SARA establishes a state-level reciprocity process that supports the nation in its efforts to increase the educational attainment of its people by making state authorization more efficient, effective, and uniform. Membership in NC-SARA is voluntary for both states and institutions. Once a state becomes a member of NC-SARA, all degree-granting post-secondary institutions from all sectors (public colleges & universities; independent institutions, both non-profit and for-profit) accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education are eligible to participate in SARA. Institutions that participate in SARA are authorized in all states who are Members of NC-SARA. Membership is voluntary for both states and institutions.

SD-SARA Policy

Federal Register Monday, Dec. 19, 2016, Vol. 81 No. 243 34 CFR Parts 600 and 668 Program Integrity and Improvement; Proposed Rules outlines new rules requiring educational institutions to disclose specific information related to distance education and correspondence programs.

State Authorization §668.50(b)(1)

Dakota State University (DSU) is committed to complying with other states’ authorization regulations. Please visit the DSU Online Degree site for locations where programs may be completed online or contact onlilne@dsu.edu for information.  If a student moves to or resides in a different state after admission to the program, continuation within the program will depend on the availability of the program within the new state where the student resides. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the institution of a change in their state of residence. DSU does not provide all online programs in all states or countries. Please check to ensure the program you are interested in is offered in your state or country. While DSU does monitor laws in each state, authorization of distance education is a dynamic environment and you should check this site often for updates. Federal financial aid cannot be disbursed to a student if the student resides in, or changes his or her state of residence to a state where DSU does not meet state authorization requirements or, in the case of a program that may lead to professional licensure or certification, where the DSU program does not meet educational prerequisites for licensure or certification requirements in the state where the student resides.  Contact the DSU Office of Online Education online@dsu.edu for more information.

Related Information

DSU Accreditor Higher Learning Commission  

Programmatic/specialized accreditation information.

Undergraduate and Graduate, tuition information and fee schedules.

General information about DSU Financial Aid office and services.

NC-SARA Member State - Dakota State University (DSU) is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). As an institutional member of NC-SARA, DSU is authorized to deliver online programs in other NC-SARA member states.

Exempt by State Statute -Dakota State University (DSU) has received specific authorization from applicable state agency or DSU may be exempt from seeking specific authorization. Please visit the DSU Online Degree site for locations where a program may be completed online or contact onlilne@dsu.edu for information.

Not Authorized to Deliver Online Programs in the State/Country - Dakota State University (DSU) does not have authorization or may have chosen not to seek authorization to offer online degree programs in some states, U.S. territories, or countries. Please visit the DSU Online Degree site for locations where program may be completed online or contact onlilne@dsu.edu for information.

Complaint Procedures §668.50(b)(2)

If a student is not able to contact the appropriate agency in his or her state of residence, please contact the Offices of the South Dakota Board of Regents and assistance will be provided. Contact Information: 306 East Capitol Ave, Suite 200, Pierre, SD 57501; phone: 605-773-3455; e-mail: info@sdbor.edu

California: Pursuant to the terms of the proposed Federal State Authorization Regulation, institutions must document the complaint process for the students they have taking their distance courses in each state (Dowd & Poulin, 2018; Program Integrity and Improvement, 2016).  However, in the state of California, there is no complaint process for students because there is no board that governs public institutions (Dowd & Poulin, 2018; Public Policy Institute of California, 2016).  The only board governing higher education is the BPPE- the Bureau for Private Postsecondary education which accepts complaints for postsecondary private institutions (Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education, 2018; Public Policy Institute of California, 2016). Although the Attorney General of the State can receive complaints, there is no regulation assigning that role to them (Dowd & Poulin, 2018).  Moreover, the Office of the California Attorney General has consistently rejected this obligation, which would likely result in the Department of Education rejecting this action (Dowd & Poulin, 2018).  Since California is not a SARA state, students in California do not have a process to avail themselves of to address complaints (Dowd & Poulin, 2018).

Bureau for Private Post-Secondary Education. (2018). How to file a complaint.  Retrieved from, http://www.bppe.ca.gov/.

Dowd, C. & Poulin, R. (2018). State authorization for distance ed federal regulation to be implemented on 07/01/2018. Retrieved from, https://wcetfrontiers.org/2018/04/19/state-authorization-for-distance-ed-federal-regulation-to-be-implemented-07-01-2018/.

Program Integrity and Improvement. (2016), 34 CFR 600. Retrieved from, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-12-19/pdf/2016-29444.pdf.

Program Integrity and Improvement. (2016), 34 CFR 668. Retrieved from, https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-12-19/pdf/2016-29444.pdf.

Public Policy Institute of California. (2016). Higher education in California. Retrieved from, http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/report/R_0416HEBKR.pdf.

Consumer Protection

Allegations involving violation of consumer protection laws may also be filed with: Office of Attorney General Division of Consumer Protection 1302 E Hwy 14 Ste 3 Pierre, SD 57501 Phone (605) 773-4400 1-800-300-1986 (in-state only) Fax (605) 773-7163 CONSUMERHELP@STATE.SD.US  ONLINE COMPLAINT FORM 

Disclosure

§668.50(b)(4) & §668.50(b)(5) Adverse Actions Initiated by a State Agency

Dakota State University online education programs have no previous, current, or pending adverse actions initiated by any state agencies as of March 14^th, 2018.

§668.50(b)(5) Adverse Actions initiated by an Accrediting Agency

Dakota State University (DSU) online education programs have no previous, current, or pending adverse actions initiated by any accrediting agencies Higher Learning Commission (HLC) DSU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). There are two tracks to accreditation with the HLC. DSU follows the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) process. Our participation in AQIP reflects an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and to organizational learning and development. The AQIP process works in tandem with our existing strategic planning and project review processes. It provides a framework that focuses on data analysis and the achievement of its published goals and objectives. The alternate accreditation review process is every ten years. With AQIP, our accreditation is reviewed yearly in cycles and culminates in a Reaffirmation of Accreditation at the end of a seven-year cycle.   State of Accreditation Status for DSU

§668.50(b)(6) Refund Policies

Dakota State University follows the refund policy published by the South Dakota Board of Regents. For additional information review the DSU Tuition Refund and Withdrawal Policy, Return of Title IV Funds and South Dakota Board of Regents Policy 5:7.  Related Information

DSU Accreditor Higher Learning Commission  

Programmatic/specialized accreditation information.

Undergraduate and Graduate, tuition information and fee schedules.

General information about DSU Financial Aid office and services.

Individual Disclosures

§668.50(c)(1)(i) Prior to prospective student enrollment - determination of student home state PLC pre-education requirements.

§668.50(c)(1)(ii)(A) Each enrolled and prospective student - Adverse Actions initiated by a state or accrediting agency - 30-day notification

§668.50(c)(1)(ii)(B) Each enrolled and prospective student - Program ceases to meet PLC pre-education requirements - 14-day notification

Individual Disclosure Acknowledgment

§668.50(c)(2) “For a prospective student who received disclosure under paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section and who subsequently enrolls in the program, the institution must receive acknowledgment from that student that the student received the disclosure and be able to demonstrate it received the student’s acknowledgment.”

Disclosure Requirements of Other States:

Florida -6E-1.0032

Fair Consumer Practices (advertising of expected salaries for graduates, making claims that are up-to-date with citations of the source of such claims, where and what other disclosures are required, as well as a list of institutional catalog requirements.  Also, notification if program doesn’t make the graduate eligible to take required professional examination in that field or practice regulated professions; also, licensure and accreditation status.

North Dakota - 15-18.1-17

Compliance with professional board registration and certification requirement. A postsecondary educational institution shall give written notification to potential students applying for enrollment in a course or program that customarily leads to professional registration or certification of the status of the course or program compliance with the registration or certification requirements of the appropriate professional board in the state. A postsecondary educational institution shall give written notification to all students enrolled in a program or course that customarily leads to professional registration or certification of any change in the status of the course or program compliance with the registration or certification requirements of the appropriate professional board in the state.

Massachusetts - 940 CMR 31.04 (7)
False or Misleading Statement Regarding Employment Opportunity and 940.31.05 In 2014, the Massachusetts Attorney General updated and amended 1978 regulations 940 CMR 3.10 with 940 CMR 31.00, specifically addressing for-profit degree-granting and non-degree granting institutions, including those that have no physical presence in the state but deliver distance education to Massachusetts residents.

Oregon - ORS 583-030-0035(8)

Standards for Schools Offering Degree Programs in or from Oregon (d).    Where a degree or certificate implies preparation for a specific occupation, the school shall explain clearly the true relationship between its curriculum and subsequent student qualification for occupational practice, including employment rates in the field and graduates’ success rates in passing licensure examinations if applicable.

Wisconsin - EAB 5.03

Misrepresentation of extent or nature of accreditation or approval. (3)   A school shall not falsely represent that a program has been approved by a particular industry, or that successful completion thereof qualifies the student for admission to a labor union, similar organization, or apprenticeship program, or for the receipt of a state or federal license to perform certain functions.

Professional Licensure/Certification (PLC) §668.50(b)(7)

Pre-education requirements

The curriculum for a number of degree programs at Dakota State University (DSU) have been designed to meet the licensure/certification requirements in South Dakota and prepare students to sit for licensure exams in South Dakota. The various licensure boards in each state are responsible for setting requirements for licensure/certification in their state and distance students with intent of returning or moving to any state other than South Dakota should be aware of the unique requirements for that state. Students seeking to establish licensure outside the state of South Dakota can find information pertaining to the licensure requirements in their state at the following location: www.BORInstitution/licensure. You are encouraged to engage with an academic advisor prior to beginning any online academic program that would lead to licensure, in order to best understand the licensure program in your intended state of residence.

Whenever possible, Dakota State University (DSU) will provide students information regarding whether our curriculum aligns with the requirements of your state licensing body.  However, we highly recommend that you contact the appropriate licensing boards for your intended profession and the DSU department advisor BEFORE you begin a program.  You can contact your department advisor or call 605-256-5049 or e-mail online@dsu.edu. DSU is working to comply with these requirements and will provide up-to-date information as it becomes available.

Programs that may lead to licensure/certification include, but are not limited to: Professional Accountancy, Elementary Education, and Elementary Education/Special Education.

Professional Licensure and Certification links and resources:

Teacher licensure requirements vary depending on state laws and may include several factors, such as:

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree program
• Submission of transcripts
• Completion and clearance of a background check
• Passing of required entrance exams and basic skills tests
• Application fee
• Exam fees

DSU Office of Online Education with the assistance of the College of Education is creating a state list of requirements for teacher licensure in other states.  We will be posting our findings soon. Note: Listed requirements are current and are subject to change at any time, even during enrollment.

Students seeking to establish licensure outside the state of South Dakota can find information pertaining to the licensure requirements in their state in the following listing below. You are encouraged to engage with an academic advisor prior to beginning any online academic program that would lead to licensure, in order to best understand the licensure program in your intended state of residence. Call College of Education 605-256-5177 or email online@dsu.edu for further resources. Note: While we do our best to give you accurate and up to date information about your state requirements, we are not infallible. State requirements change frequently. It is your responsibility, and in your best interest, to double check certification and licensure requirements with your state’s Department of Education.