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North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ State Authorization & Exemption for Degree-Granting Post-Secondary Institutions

Any institution offering post-secondary degrees in the State of North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ must be approved by the North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ State Board of Higher Education. The State Board has been authorized to regulate colleges and universities with either a physical or online presence in North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ by . To be approved, institutions must be accredited by a and have a greater than 1.5 to be authorized. All institutions must be fully authorized before advertising or offering post-secondary education in North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥.

State authorization is required for any institution offering courses that can lead to an associate’s degree or higher.

Institutions that are members of the do not require further authorization.

Career and Technical Education programs are regulated by the .

Any institution offering programs that lead to professional certification or registration (e.g. Nursing, Education) is required to comply with . By statute the institution is required to give written notification to the student whether their programs meet the requirements of the appropriate professional board in North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥, including notification upon any change in this status. Education degree programs must be approved by the . Nursing programs must be approved by the .

Accredited institutions that wish to apply:

• Application for institutions without a physical presence in North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥. Internships, field experiences and clinical practice are not considered physical presence.
• Application for institutions with a physical presence in North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥.

Applications or renewals can be completed .

Any questions regarding this process can be directed to: stateauth@ndus.edu

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)

What is SARA? The is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. SARA is overseen by a National Council and administered by four regional education compacts.

North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ has been accepted as part of the through the

For more information about the NC-SARA, click

Institutions Approved for SARA in North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥:

Complaint Process

Complaints to the North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ University System (NDUS) office regarding North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ degree-granting post-secondary institutions authorized or exempted in NDCC and those participating in the National State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

The North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ State Board of Higher Education has delegated to NDUS college and university officials authority and responsibility to resolve student and other complaints. Absent applicable law or policy establishing another remedy, the first step in resolving student or other complaints or grievances is to attempt to resolve the matter directly with the administration of the involved institution under established institution complaint or grievance procedures. Every North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ institution (private, for-profit, and public) is required to establish, publish, and enforce policies related to redress of complaints and grievances. With limited exceptions, a student or other person who contacts the NDUS office regarding complaints regarding exempted or authorized North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ institutions or those participating in the SARA will be referred to college or university officials responsible for resolving those matters. In the event that institutional processes do not result in a successful resolution of a complaint, NDUS is responsible for final resolution of any such complaints originating at any authorized, exempted, or SARA participant institution, public or private. Conversely, if you are a North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ resident attending a distance education program at a SARA institution in another state, you will need to begin the complaint process at the institution you attend. In the event that institutional processes do not result in a successful resolution of your complaint, the SARA Portal Agency of that state is responsible for final resolution of the complaint.

With the exception of reporting fraud, waste or abuse as noted below, the NDUS does not review anonymous complaints or matters that are or have been in litigation. Further, matters concerning an individual’s grades or examination results are the prerogative of the college/university faculty.

The NDUS does not conduct a judicial investigation or evidentiary hearing. The NDUS may conduct a paper review, discuss the matter with the parties and take other steps as may be appropriate in an attempt to resolve the complaint.

Absent specific statutory authority for not allowing access or disclosure, all documents relating to public business in possession of NDUS employees, including complaints or grievances, responses to complaints or grievances and related documents are open to the public upon request. However, according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student information and records that contain personally identifiable information regarding students, including student complaints or grievances and related documents, are confidential, subject to limited exceptions.

The following contact information has been provided to assist you with directing your complaint to the appropriate agency/office.

For more information, contact:

Claire Gunwall
North ÄÌÌÇÖ±²¥ University System
Director of Academic Affairs & Workforce Innovation
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 215
Bismarck, ND 58505-0230
stateauth@ndus.edu