Responses Last Confirmed:

North Dakota University System

Agency Contact

Claire Gunwall
701-328-4140
claire.gunwall@ndus.edu

Additional Contact

Lisa A Johnson
701-328-4143

Secretary of State Contact

Michael Howe
701-328-2900
sos@nd.gov
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 
_____ 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 
__X__ Religious institutions 
__X__ 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:

No response provided

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 
__X__ Religious institutions 
__X__ Tribally-controlled institutions 
_____ Federal Institutions 
_____ Municipal institutions 

c.
Clarifying comments:

All institutions must be accredited by national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

Topic

4: Exemptions

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

No response provided

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?

Yes

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

No response provided

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

Yes

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

6: Physical Presence Policy

a.
If your agency uses a physical presence standard, how does your agency define physical presence?

Physical presence includes a building, classroom or an office used to distribute education or marketing online classes.

b.
Web link for physical presence definition.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

If an institution has a physical presence in North Dakota – such as a classroom, building, or even an office, they need to get approval from the State Board of Higher Education, and information gathered is in more detail.

Topic

7: Student Complaints - SARA Participating Institutions

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

The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) 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 Dakota institution (private, for-profit, and public) is required to establish, publish, and enforce policies related to complaints and grievances. With limited exceptions, a student or other person who contacts the NDUS office regarding complaints regarding exempted or authorized North Dakota 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 the final resolution of any such complaints originating at any authorized, exempted, or SARA participant institution, public or private. If the student is a North Dakota resident attending a distance education program at a SARA institution in another state, the student will need to begin the complaint process at the institution they are attending. 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 the final resolution of the complaint

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.)?

Every North Dakota institution (private, for-profit, and public) is required to establish, publish, and enforce policies related to complaints and grievances.

c.
Web link for student complaints – SARA participating institutions.
d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?

Complaints can be sent to NDUS State Authorization

Contact Name: Claire Gunwall
Title: Director of Academic Affairs
Agency: North Dakota University System
Address: 600 East Boulevard Ave, Dept 215, Bismarck, ND 58505-0230
Email: stateauth@ndus.edu
Phone: 701-328-4140
URL: https://ndus.edu/

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?

If a student is a North Dakota resident attending a distance education program at a non-SARA institution in another state, the student will need to begin the complaint process at the institution they are attending. In the event that institutional processes do not result in a successful resolution of the student's complaint, the SARA Portal Agency of that state is responsible for the final resolution of the complaint.

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.)?

Every institution (private, for-profit, and public) is required to establish, publish, and enforce policies related to complaints and grievances.

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 response provided

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?

Contact Name: Claire Gunwall
Title: Director of Academic Affairs
Agency: North Dakota University System
Address: 600 East Boulevard Ave, Dept 215, Bismarck, ND 58505-0230
Email: stateauth@ndus.edu
Phone: 701-328-4140
URL: https://ndus.edu/

e.
Web link for the complaint form.

No specific link. Information can be found under the Complaint Process heading under the web page https://ndus.edu/state-authorization-sara

f.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

9: Surety Bonds

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

Yes

b.
Web link for surety bonds.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

If an institution has a physical presence in our state surety bonds are required.

Topic

10: Tuition Refund Policy

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

Yes

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

North Dakota University System institutions.

c.
Web link for tuition refund policy.

SBHE Policy 830.2 Refunds

NDUS Procedure 830.2 Refunds

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)?

No

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?

Institutions must complete an application which includes the institution name, web address, location, type, contact information, accrediting agency information, sanctions/warnings, federal financial responsibility composite score, type of presence in ND, program licensure information, and application fee.

b.
How frequently do institutions report data?

Annually

c.
Is this information published or shared publicly?

No

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?

Institutions that are not in compliance will be denied for the initial or renewal application.

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.

Institution applications includes institution name, web address, location, type, contact information, accrediting agency information, sanctions/warnings, federal financial responsibility composite score, type of presence in ND, program licensure information, and application fee.

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, what is the fee or fee schedule?
  • Institutions without physical presence/online only – new and renewal – $250
  • Institutions with physical presence – new application - $4500
  • Institutions with physical presence – renewal - $2000
d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

16: Records Retention

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

No response provided

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

No response provided

Agency Name:

Contact Person:

Contact Phone:

Contact Address:

Contact Email:

Contact web site:

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