Online and Hybrid Academic Programs

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement

Pursuant to Wis. Stats. Ch. 39.85, et. al, the State of Wisconsin is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) through the Midwestern Higher Education Compact which regulates the manner in which participating institutions may offer distance learning education to students who reside in other states. UW-Parkside is a participating institution in MSARA. The terms and conditions of SARA can be found at http://nc-sara.org/content/sara-policies-and-standards. If a student has a complaint that involves distance learning education offered under the terms and conditions of SARA, they must first file a complaint with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside to first seek a resolution: See Policy 51: Student Complaint Procedures for more information.  If no resolution is reached, then the student may file a complaint with the Wisconsin Distance Learning Authorization Board (DLAB) through the following State Authorization Reciprocity Complaint Process at the following link: https://www.wisconsin.edu/student-complaints/ or by email to afgp@uwsa.edu. For purposes of this process, a complaint shall be defined as a formal assertion in writing that the terms of this agreement, or of laws, standards or regulations incorporated by the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements Policies and Standards have been violated by the institution operating under the terms of SARA.

Additional information can be found at http://www.heab.state.wi.us/DLAB/faq.html.

Program Integrity Regulations:

State Authorizations: The University of Wisconsin-Parkside offers a number of fully online distance delivery courses and degree programs. Our online and distance delivery offerings are reviewed and approved by the UW System, faculty governance at UW-Parkside, and as part of the Higher Learning Commission's accreditation requirements.

As part of the U.S. Department of Education's Program Integrity Regulations, UW-Parkside is committed to complying with the quality standards established for online and distance education established by other state agencies.

Known as " State Authorizations," these quality standards and the corresponding licensure process requires each college or university to seek authorization (or exemption) from states in which residents are enrolled in online degree programs.

U.S. Department of Education: State Authorization Amendment [12/19/16]
On December 16, 2016, the U.S. Department of Education placed on their website new rules regarding state authorization of distance education; the new rules were published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2016 and may be read here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/19/2016-29444/program-integrity-and-improvement