In a world where “it depends” is the answer to nearly every state authorization question, one needs as much information about the subject as possible. That’s where the State Authorization Network comes in.
The State Authorization Network (SAN) was formed shortly after the release of the 2010 Program Integrity Regulations featuring 34 CFR 600.9(c) which discussed state authorization. Even though it was vacated in 2012, the federal regulation for state authorization of distance education awakened the states to enforce their own state regulations for oversight of activity by institutions occurring in their states, according to Cheryl Dowd, WCET State Authorization Network Director. SAN is currently in its seventh year; Year 8 will begin on July 1, 2018.
While MoKanSan and other regional state authorization networks act as a supplement to SAN, SAN is able to take a deeper dive into the world of state authorization.
Dowd recommends those in the field of state authorization join SAN because, “Multi-state compliance is very complicated when one considers that there are varied requirements for oversight of activities by each state’s higher education agency, professional licensure boards, and offices of the Secretary of State.” In addition, the regulatory landscape changes are occurring sporadically and with little notice. “SAN provides the best resource for research, collaboration, and training to create and manage compliance processes at the institutions,” she said.
Each membership to SAN allows for two designated coordinators. The SAN coordinators participate in the monthly coordinator calls. SAN members also get direct access to research archives, the monthly eNewsletters, timely notice of regulatory changes and analysis of those changes, access to experts, professional development, training webinars, discounted training workshops, listserv discussion opportunities with other SAN participants to share concerns and practices, according to Dowd. There is also a face-to-face meeting at the WCET Annual Meeting as well as the NASASPS Annual Conference.
There are approximately 700 institutions participating in SAN. The memberships are held by individual institutions, partnerships, systems, and consortia. Dowd said the most active institutions are the ones who participate in individual memberships. “We have seen institutions who were introduced to SAN through a large membership, have seen the value of more interaction by breaking off from the large membership and holding an individual institution membership.”
Institutions may create partnerships to join SAN and split the membership fee. Only two coordinators per membership are allowed regardless of the size of membership. That being said, at least one institution must also be a member of WCET in order to join SAN. The WCET is a valuable resource, Dowd said, to support educational technologies at your institution.
For more information about SAN, please contact Dowd at cdowd@wiche.edu.
