W. Va. Code R. § 133-20-6

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section 133-20-6 - Authorization to Operate

6.1. No institution may advertise, solicit, recruit, enroll, or operate a postsecondary education institution until it is authorized for operation in the State of West Virginia by the Commission.

6.2. An institution locating in West Virginia must register with the Secretary of State's office prior to making any application to the Commission for authorization.

6.3. All institutions and religious, theological, or faith-based colleges offering any degree above the associate level, as specified in section 7.4 of this rule, shall register with the Commission, shall meet the authorization criteria, and shall be granted authorization prior to offering any program of instruction, credit, or degree; opening a place of business; soliciting students or enrollees; or offering educational support services.

6.4. All institutions, with the exception of correspondence, business, occupational, and trade schools as defined in Series 35, Correspondence, Business, Occupational and Trade Schools, of the Council for Community and Technical College Education, offering degrees not above the associate level shall register with the Council, shall meet the authorization criteria, and shall be granted authorization prior to offering any program of instruction, credit, or degree; opening a place of business; soliciting students or enrollees; or offering educational support services.

6.5. All institutions offering degrees above the associate level shall register with the Commission, shall meet the authorization criteria, and shall be granted authorization prior to offering any program of instruction, credit, or degree; opening a place of business; soliciting students or enrollees; or offering educational support services. Granting of authorization of such institution is the responsibility of the Higher Education Policy Commission.

6.6. Authorization of institutions offering associate degrees is the responsibility of the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

6.7. Institutions and religious, theological, or faith-based colleges shall be authorized under the provisions of this rule. Institutions, such as correspondence, business, occupational, and trade schools, exempted under the provisions of section 4 of this rule shall be governed by the provisions of Title 135, Series 35, Correspondence, Business, Occupational and Trade Schools, administered by the Council.

6.8. Institutions which are formed, chartered, or established outside West Virginia and have been fully accredited by a regional accrediting association or by another accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and which seek to offer courses and/or academic degree programs within West Virginia shall be authorized by the Commission to offer programs and courses within West Virginia under provisions of section 7.3 of this rule.

6.9. Newly established institutions located in West Virginia and those seeking accreditation by a regional accrediting association and/or by another accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, may not offer courses or degree programs without Commission authorization to locate, relocate or establish a branch campus in West Virginia. The institution must seek Commission authorization to offer courses and/or academic programs within West Virginia per the provisions of section 7.2 of this rule.

6.10. Institutions wishing to exceed or change their approved programmatic mission must receive approval from the Commission to offer each program that exceeds the level of academic degrees that the institution is authorized to grant. Documentation must be submitted that specifies the scope of the proposed change, including long-range plans for new degree programs and programs that exceed the level of academic degrees currently authorized for the institution. Requests to exceed an institution's programmatic mission shall be evaluated based on the following criteria: objectives of proposed program; relationship of program to statewide mission and plan; demonstration of need; effect of new program on existing programs at other institutions; resource availability; qualified faculty and administrators; library holdings and support; facilities and equipment; and, evidence of strength to offer the proposed program.

6.11. An out-of-state institution that seeks to offer online courses and programs in West Virginia and determined to have physical presence in West Virginia is subject to the provisions of section 8 of this rule.

6.12. Before an institution of higher education can be authorized by the Commission to operate within the State of West Virginia, a surety bond must be provided by the institution. The obligation of the bond will be that the institution, its officers, agents and employees will faithfully perform the terms and conditions of contracts for tuition and other instructional fees entered into between the institution and persons enrolling as students. The bond shall be issued by a company authorized to do business in the state. The bond shall be to the Commission in such form as approved by the Commission and is to be used only for payment of a refund of tuition and other instructional fees due a student or potential student. The amount of the bond shall be $100,000 and shall be renewed annually. The Commission, if it deems appropriate, may reduce the amount of the bond if an institution has less unearned tuition than $100,000, but in no event shall be less than $20,000.

6.13. If instruction is to be delivered at a physical location within the State of West Virginia, the applicant institutions must secure, from appropriate local agencies, documentation that fire and sanitation codes are met by the proposed instructional facilities. If such inspections are unavailable, the institution must present a copy of a recent letter from the local inspection agency indicating that such inspections are unavailable. Additionally, instructional delivery sites must be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.

6.14. Institutions seeking West Virginia authorization may withdraw from the authorization process at any time upon written notification to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the Higher Education Policy Commission.

W. Va. Code R. § 133-20-6