Rule 3333-1-08 | Standards and processes for issuance of certificate of authorization under section 1713.03 of the Revised Code.
(A) Authority
This rule is adopted under the authority conferred upon the chancellor of higher education by section 1713.03 of the Revised Code.
(B) General
(1) All institutions as defined in section 1713.01 of the Revised Code must demonstrate compliance with the chancellor of higher education's (chancellor) standards for academic programs as outlined in the Ohio department of higher education manual, titled "Guidelines and Procedures for Academic Program Review" and dated August 2, 2016 (herein after referred to as the "manual"). Compliance with the standards ensures that basic expectations for academic degrees or instruction creditable toward such degrees are met by each institution that operates in the state. Institutions are responsible for maintaining all academic programming in accordance with the standards and for notifying the chancellor, as outlined in the manual, of any substantive change. When compliance is demonstrated, the institution is granted a certificate of authorization.
(2) The manual is available on the chancellor's website.
(C) Initial authorization
(1) Certificates of authorization may be issued by the chancellor to a non-profit or for-profit university, college, academy, school, or other institution, incorporated or unincorporated, which offers instruction in one or more fields such as technical education, the arts and sciences, teacher education, business administration, engineering, philosophy, literature, fine arts, law, medicine, nursing, social work, theology, and other recognized academic and professional fields of study as required by Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code.
(2) Applicants for authorization shall certify that the incorporated or unincorporated institution represents an organization established for the principal purposes of teaching and scholarship and that the institution is not, through its stated purposes, its financial resources, the make-up of its governing board or administrative staff, or otherwise, effectively subservient to any organization or group of persons principally dedicated to purposes other than teaching and scholarship. This provision does not prohibit the chancellor from reviewing and authorizing degree programs by duly constituted religious bodies otherwise meeting the requirements of Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code and outlined in this rule.
(3) Applicants for authorization must demonstrate compliance with the chancellor's standards for academic programs which cover institutional accreditation, mission and governance, institutional and program resources and facilities, academic policies, student support services, curriculum, faculty capacity and credentialing and assessment. The standards and their implementation are further described in the manual.
(4) An application for a certificate of authorization is to be submitted to the chancellor with the required fees provided in rule 3333-1-13 of the Administrative Code. The institution's programs will be evaluated using the standards and processes outlined in the manual.
(a) Proposals for the authorization of undergraduate degrees such as the associate of arts, associate of science, bachelor of arts and bachelor of science will be evaluated using the processes outlined in the manual and authorization will ordinarily be granted for the full range of individual programs of instruction commonly recognized by award of these general degrees. Individual approval for fields of specialization within such general degrees will ordinarily not be required and will not be separately listed on the certificates of authorization.
(b) Proposals for the authorization of specialized undergraduate technical and professional education programs, such as, but not limited to, the associate of applied business in accounting, associate of applied science in respiratory therapy, bachelor of music, bachelor of science in nursing, bachelor of fine arts, and so forth will be evaluated independently using the processes outlined in the manual and authorization of such will be separately listed on the certificates of authorization.
(c) Proposals for the authorization of programs at the masters and doctoral levels, whether resulting in award of the general degrees such as, but not limited to, the master of arts, master of science, and doctor of philosophy or in particular fields of specialization such as, but not limited to, the master of business administration, master of social work, master of fine arts, doctor of education or the doctor of business administration and so forth will be evaluated independently using the processes outlined in the manual and authorization of such will be listed separately on the certificates of authorization.
(d) Proposals for the authorization of programs that lead to educator preparation licenses and endorsements will be evaluated independently using the processes outlined in the manual and as specified in rule 3333-1-05 of the Administrative Code and authorization of such will be listed on the chancellor's website.
(e) Proposals for the authorization of programs at off-campus sites or using online or flexibly scheduled course delivery will be evaluated using the processes outlined in the manual and authorization of such will be listed separately on the certificates of authorization.
(5) Following application, each institution seeking initial authorization will be examined by representatives of the chancellor for the purposes of assessing the institution's compliance with the standards outlined in the manual. The institution is responsible for bearing the costs of the examination as specified in rule 3333-1-13 of the Administrative Code.
(6) At the conclusion of the examination process, a recommendation regarding initial authorization shall be posted on the chancellor's website for a ten-day public comment period. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the recommendation and public comments will be presented to the chancellor for final consideration and approval.
(7) Upon the chancellor's determination that an applicant institution is entitled to a certificate of authorization, an appropriate certificate attesting this action by the chancellor will be issued to the applicant institution and the institution is entitled to indicate, where appropriate, "certificate of authorization received from the chancellor of higher education" in its official publications. If the institution is incorporated, the institution shall file a copy of the certificate of authorization with the secretary of state as required by section 1713.02 of the Revised Code.
(D) Expansion of the scope of authorization
(1) An institution seeking authorization to expand the array of degree programs listed on its current certificate of authorization will be evaluated using the standards and processes outlined in the manual and will be subject to fees and expenses for such evaluation as specified in rule 3333-1-13 of the Administrative Code.
(2) An institution seeking authorization to change the way that its educational programs are offered (i.e., at off-campus sites or using online or flexibly scheduled course delivery) shall submit change request materials using the processes outlined in the manual.
(3) Proposals for the authorization of programs that lead to educator preparation licenses and endorsements will be evaluated independently using the processes outlined in the manual and as specified in rule 3333-1-05 of the Administrative Code and authorization of such will be listed on the chancellor's website.
(4) The chancellor may request additional material or conduct a site visit in reviewing any request for expansion of the scope of authorization if, in the chancellor's determination, the information submitted requires additional consideration.
(5) If the institution is incorporated, the institution shall file a copy of the amended certificate of authorization with the secretary of state as required by section 1713.02 of the Revised Code.
(E) Institutional reauthorization
All institutions authorized to operate in the state of Ohio shall undergo periodic reauthorization to ensure that the institution is following the standards outlined in the manual. To avoid duplicative and burdensome review processes, reauthorization reviews are completed in conjunction with the institution's regional, national or institutional specialized accreditor.
Applicants for reauthorization will be evaluated using the standards and processes outlined in the manual and will be subject to fees and expenses for such evaluation as specified in rule 3333-1-13 of the Administrative Code.
(F) Authorized institutions undergoing a major change
Authorized institutions shall inform the chancellor whenever changes occur that might affect the institution's ability to deliver its academic programs in compliance with the standards outlined in the manual. Major changes include, but are not limited to, a change of status (public, private not-for-profit, private for-profit), a change of ownership, or a change in regional, national, or specialized institutional or professional accreditation status. Institutions shall notify the chancellor when such changes occur so that the appropriate steps can be taken to ensure continuing authorization of the institution and its programs, or if necessary, begin the initial authorization process.
The necessary steps may range from a formal letter to the chancellor explaining the change (for changes that are expected to have minimal impact on the institution's ability to deliver its programs) to a re-authorization of the institution and its programs, including a proposal, site visit and provisional authorization period (for changes that are expected to impact substantially the institution's ability to deliver its programs). The chancellor's staff members will work with institutions on a case-by-case basis to determine the steps needed to maintain authorization, or if necessary, the steps needed for initial authorization, and will coordinate authorization activities with the appropriate accreditors and state agencies.
(G) Chancellor-initiated review of authorization
The chancellor reserves the right to review an institution holding a certificate of authorization if the chancellor has reasonable belief that state standards as set forth in the manual are not being met or that any major change listed in paragraph (E) of this rule has occurred.
The chancellor's staff members will work with institutions on a case-by-case basis to determine the steps needed to maintain authorization, or if necessary, the steps needed for initial authorization, and will coordinate authorization activities with the appropriate accreditors and state agencies.
(H) Revocation of certificate of authorization
Pursuant to section 1713.04 of the Revised Code, a certificate of authorization is subject to revocation for cause, which includes but is not limited to, non-compliance with the standards set forth in this rule and the manual or failure of the institution to affirm that it follows such standards as is required by paragraph (A) of this rule.
Last updated May 30, 2023 at 8:30 AM
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