New on WCET Frontiers

Policy
New SARA Reciprocity Policy Modification Process Yields Proposals Intended to Increase Student Protections
Published by: WCET | 3/21/2023
Providing uniform consumer protection for distance education students located in all member states is a hallmark of the interstate reciprocity agreement known as the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA). States that chose to join the agreement, often through state legislation […]

Policy
OPM and Third-Party Servicers Update; Your Turn to Inform the Department of Ed
Published by: WCET | 3/14/2023
The U.S. Department of Education is listening! Their February 15 press release (see our post about it) provides opportunities to inform the Department on two separate but related topic areas. We hope that you will take one or more of […]

Practice
2022 SANsational Award Winners Present Promising Compliance Solutions
Published by: WCET | 1/4/2023
Three postsecondary institutions each earned a 2022 SANsational Award for the creation of innovative processes and structures to manage state and federal regulatory compliance for out-of-state activities of the postsecondary institution. Since 2015, the State Authorization Network (SAN), a division […]

Policy
Public Opportunity to Participate in SARA Reciprocity Policy Modifications
Published by: WCET | 12/15/2022
A new SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements) Policy Modification Process was approved by its oversight Board last summer. This new process will offer increased transparency and public participation in the development of SARA Policy additions and revisions to manage reciprocity […]

Policy
New Federal Aid Rules Drop Proposed Change to “Distance Education” & Expand Pell Grants to Incarcerated Students
Published by: WCET | 11/2/2022
Image by David Mark from Pixabay ‘Tis the season for all things pumpkin, brisk mornings, and the release of new U.S. Department of Education final regulations! WCET and the State Authorization Network (SAN) have been closely following and reporting about […]

Policy
Reasonable Cause and Voluntary Membership: The Key Objectives When Institutions Wish to Change a Primary Accreditor
Published by: WCET | 7/27/2022
Today, WCET’s policy team shares important updates about guidance from the Department regarding approval for accreditation changes. Due to an important federal regulatory change that became effective July 1, 2020, which expanded formerly “regional accreditors” beyond specific geographic areas for […]

Policy
Digital Learning: A Mystery about Pending Federal Rules
Published by: WCET | 6/14/2022
It has been an action-packed year thus far on the Federal regulatory front. In January, we shared a preview of the “coming attractions” and encouraged you to grab some popcorn and watch along with us. And, while we’re only through […]

Policy
Beyond Compliance: The Role of a Compliance Professional in Equity & Accessibility
Published by: WCET | 5/12/2022
Thank you to Kathryn Kerensky of WCET’s State Authorization Network for today’s blog, and thank you to Van Davis and Emilie Cook of Every Learner Everywhere for assistance and strategic direction. Enjoy! There is a role for everyone to play […]

NetworksPolicy
The State Authorization Network (SAN) – Meeting an Important Need
Published by: WCET | 4/21/2022
An urgent need caused the creation of the State Authorization Network (SAN) by our parent organization WCET (the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies). In October 2010, to the great surprise of many institutions and states, the U.S. Department of Education […]

Policy
Federal Policy Surprises! Updates and a Call to Action
Published by: WCET | 2/22/2022
How many of you like surprises? Surprises can be great fun, but let’s be clear that rulemaking surprises are sometimes more like encountering the clown from IT. Not to be left out, Congress is also providing its own surprise so […]