Department Announces Final Rule on State Authorization
On December 19th, the U.S. Department of Education released final regulations to improve oversight and protect more than 5.5 million distance education students at degree-granting institutions including nearly 3 million exclusively online students by clarifying the state authorization requirements for postsecondary distance education. To ensure that institutions offering distance education are legally authorized and monitored by states, as required by the Higher Education Act, the final regulations clarify state authorization requirements for institutions to participate in the Department’s federal student aid programs. The regulations also address state and federal oversight of American colleges operating in foreign locations worldwide.
The new regulations will not take effect until July 1, 2018. Given this timeframe, many in the higher education policy community believe the rule will be undone by the incoming administration.
For more information from the Department on these regulations, click here. For a final copy of the regulations, click here.
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UPCEA 2025-2026 Policy Committee
Corina Caraccioli, Loyola University New Orleans, Co-Chair
Abram Hedtke, St. Cloud State University, Co-Chair
Bridget Beville, University of Phoenix
Curtis Brant, Bowling Green State University
Kristen Brown, University of Louisville
Amy Collier, Middlebury College
Christopher Davis, University of Maryland Global Campus
Ilona Marie Hajdu, Indiana University
Laura Hendley, Stevenson University
Gloria Niles, University of Hawaii System
Kelly Otter, Georgetown University
Erika Swain, University of Colorado Boulder
Craig Wilson, University of Arizona
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