Responses Last Confirmed:

Ohio Department of Higher Education

Agency Information

Guide Topics

Agency Contact

Matt Exline
614-728-3095
mexline@highered.ohio.gov

Additional Contact

Secretary of State Contact

Frank LaRose
614-466-3910
Topic

1: Important Agency Information to Note

a.
Provide any important information about your agency.

No response provided

Topic

2: Types of Educational Providers Authorized

a.
Indicate the types of institutions that your agency authorizes. Please provide a short explanation of any ambiguity in the comment section below.

__X__ Public, in-state degree granting institutions
__X__ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
_____ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
_____ Religious institutions
_____ Tribally-controlled institutions
_____ Federal Institutions
_____ Municipal institutions

b.
Does your agency authorize specific academic programs offered by institutions, only institutions themselves, or both?

____ Institution   _____ Program   ___X__ Both

c.
Clarifying comments:

For-profit entities must also be registered with the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools. Non-degree entities (non-public) may be required to register with the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools as well.

Topic

3: Accreditation

a.
Is accreditation required for an institution to be authorized in your state?

Yes

b.
If yes, please check all that apply as appropriate.

Accreditation Required for:
__X__ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
_____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
_____ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
_____ Religious institutions
_____ Tribally-controlled institutions
_____ Federal Institutions
_____ Municipal institutions

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

4: Exemptions

a.
Are certain institutions or programs exempt by law or policy from your state authorization requirements?

“Yes, Bible Colleges and Bible Institutes” may be exempt from a Certificate of Authorization. Please see page 64 of our Guidelines and Procedures at https://highered.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/8caf213a-ff90-4b5f-b2d8-ae8c75b0672f/Academic-Program-Review-Guidelines_070516.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-8caf213a-ff90-4b5f-b2d8-ae8c75b0672f-on0XfeP for specific criteria.

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions? Which types of programs?

No response provided

c.
Web link for exemptions.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

5: Authorization of Distance Education

a.
Does your agency require purely online programs offered by out-of-state institutions to be authorized without regard to physical presence?

No. 

b.
If not, does your agency determine whether an institution must be authorized based on a physical presence (“operating”) standard?

Yes. 

c.
Does your agency require correspondence study programs to be authorized without regard to physical presence?

No. 

d.
Clarifying comments:

On-ground components (e.g. clinical, practicum, student teaching, internship) completed in Ohio trigger authorization (or SARA participation).

Topic

6: Physical Presence Policy

a.
If your agency uses a physical presence standard, how does your agency define physical presence?
  • The institution maintains a “brick and mortar” presence in Ohio
  • The program contains a component (e.g., student teaching, clinical placement, practicum) that will be completed in Ohio; or
  • The institution solicits Ohio residents for its programs (for-profit institutions only).
b.
Web link for physical presence definition.

https://highered.ohio.gov/educators/academic-programs-policies/academic-program-approval

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

7: Student Complaints - SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about SARA participating Institutions.

After receiving a complaint through the ODHE complaint form, the Chancellor’s staff will review the submitted materials. If needed, the ODHE will contact the person submitting the complaint for any required additional information or clarifications. The Ohio Department of Higher Education will then send a copy of the complaint to the institution against which the complaint has been filed and ask for a response within three weeks. After receiving the college or university’s response, the Chancellor’s staff will determine whether the institution’s student complaint process has been followed and exhausted and what additional steps or follow-up, if any, will be taken. The Chancellor’s staff will inform both parties involved in the complaint of the outcome of our review in writing. Depending on the complexity of the complaint, most follow-up contact regarding the complaint will be completed within 4 to 6 weeks.

b.
Is the process handled all within your agency or do you divide consumer protection and student complaint duties dependent on the type of institution (Public, Private, Technical, etc.)?

The State Board of Career Colleges and Schools also has a complaint process for schools under their purview. Here is a link to their complaint page: https://scr.ohio.gov/information-for-students/file-a-complaint

c.
Web link for student complaints – SARA participating institutions.

https://highered.ohio.gov/students/current-college-students/student-complaints/student-complaints

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?
e.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

8: Student Complaints - Non-SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about out-of-state postsecondary institutions or programs?

No response provided

b.
Is the process handled all within your agency or do you divide consumer protection and student complaint duties dependent on the type of institution (Public, Private, Technical, etc.)?

The State Board of Career Colleges and Schools also has a complaint process for schools under their purview. Here is a link to their complaint page: https://scr.ohio.gov/information-for-students/file-a-complaint

c.
Does this complaint process extend to institutions not authorized by the agency that may enroll residents of the state (such as explicitly distance education programs with no physical presence or exempt institutions)?

No.

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?
e.
Web link for the complaint form.

https://highered.ohio.gov/students/current-college-students/student-complaints/student-complaints

f.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

9: Surety Bonds

a.
Does your state require a Surety Bond for authorized out-of-state institutions?

No

b.
Web link for surety bonds.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

10: Tuition Refund Policy

a.
Does your state have a Tuition Refund Policy Requirement?

No, but the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools has a Tuition Recovery Fund for registered schools. Please see https://scr.ohio.gov/information-for-students/student-tuition-recovery-fund for more information.

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

No response provided

c.
Web link for tuition refund policy.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

11: Student Tuition Recovery Fund

a.
Does your state have a Student Tuition Recovery Fund (or similar fund for school closure)?

Yes

For-profit institutions registered with the State Board of Career Colleges and Schools.

The Student Tuition Recovery Authority was created by in 1989 pursuant to Ohio Revised Code § 3332.081, et seq. The purpose of the Student Tuition Recovery Authority is to protect students of any State Board of Career Colleges and Schools-registered school from pre-paid tuition loss due to school closure.

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

No response provided

c.
Web link for student tuition recovery fund.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

12: Reporting

a.
What kinds of information or data must an institution report to your agency as a condition for continued out-of-state authorization?

No response provided

b.
How frequently do institutions report data?

No response provided

c.
Is this information published or shared publicly?

No response provided

d.
Web link for reporting.

No response provided

e.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

13: Enforcement

a.
What are possible consequences of institutional non-compliance?

N/A; in the past, we have engaged the Ohio Attorney General’s office for cease-and-desist letters to be sent to entities not operating within Ohio law/rule.

b.
Web link for enforcement information.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

14: Application Process

a.
Please provide a short description of the application process to obtain state authorization.

Ohio has a paper review process for non-SARA participating institutions to seek state authorization. The institution can contact Matt Exline who will provide the forms, invoice for review fees, and review the actual application.

b.
Web link for application.

 N/A contact Matt Exline

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

15: Fees Associated with Authorization

a.
Is there an application fee associated with the authorization process?

Yes

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions? Which types of programs?

Base Fee

  • Associate: $3,000
  • Baccalaureate: $3,000
  • Master’s: $5,000
  • Doctoral/Professional: $5,000

Assessed to every application

  • Program Review Fee: $1,000
c.
Web link for fee information.

http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/3333-1-13v1

d.
Clarifying comments:

The base fee is only assessed to first program at each degree level

Topic

16: Records Retention

a.
When a school closes, what is the process your state uses to ensure that transcripts/records are kept available?

ODHE requires submission of a Closure Plan (https://highered.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/8caf213a-ff90-4b5f-b2d8-ae8c75b0672f/Academic-Program-Review-Guidelines_070516.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-8caf213a-ff90-4b5f-b2d8-ae8c75b0672f-on0XfeP, p. 65-66), which must include information on records retention. ODHE does not physically house transcripts. The State Board of Career Colleges and Schools will house transcripts for schools under their purview.

b.
From what agency do students request their transcripts/records from a closed school?
c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

17: Additional Information

a.
Is there anything else about the authorization process in your state that we and others ought to know about?

No response provided