9.1. Essential Conditions. An institution seeking authorization to operate in West Virginia must meet the following essential conditions established by the Commission. To apply for Preliminary State Authorization the institution must provide to the Commission full documentation that demonstrates fulfillment of the essential conditions including evidence of a critical and compelling regional or statewide need or demand for the specific academic degree programs(s) in the state. 9.1.a. Familiarity with accreditation and state authorization policies and procedures.The institution shall provide evidence that it is familiar with and understands accreditation procedures of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association and/or other appropriate body and state authorization policies and procedures. The statement should indicate perceived strengths and weaknesses with respect to accreditation criteria and assess the capabilities of the institution in achieving accreditation status. It shall state the name of the accrediting association(s) from which accreditation will be sought. If the institution has secured full accreditation status, a copy of the final accreditation report shall be submitted to the Commission.
9.1.b. Statement of mission.A statement of mission shall have been developed, formally adopted by the institution's governing body and made public, which defines the basic character of the institution, including a brief description of the educational programs to be offered and their purposes, the students for which the programs are intended, the geographical area served by the institution (or the particular constituency it serves), and a description of how the institution will fit within the broader higher education community. The mission shall be appropriate to an institution of higher education and the institution must plan to award degrees.
9.1.c. Institutional organization, administration, and delivery sites. 9.1.c.1. A governing board that possesses and exercises necessary legal power to establish and review basic policies that govern the institution shall have been formally established. The board shall include among its members some who represent the public interest and are sufficiently autonomous from the administration and ownership to assure the integrity of the institution. The Commission shall be provided a list of the members of the board with a brief resume of each.9.1.c.2. An executive officer shall be designated by the governing board to provide administrative leadership for the institution. This officer's name, title, current vita and the address of the administrative office, shall be provided to the Commission.9.1.c.3. If faculty members are employed at the time the application is filed with the Commission, the faculty members' names, their academic credentials (degrees, previous experience, etc.), and teaching fields shall be identified. If no faculty members have been employed, the institution shall describe the qualifications of the faculty that is to be recruited and the procedures that will be used to find and contract with faculty members.9.1.c.4. The method of program delivery and/or physical location of course delivery shall be defined. If a program is designed for online delivery, it shall meet best practice guidelines for distance education delivery as outlined by the regional accrediting agency. If the program is designed for traditional classroom delivery, the proposed physical location shall be identified.9.1.c.5. To assure that instructional delivery sites meet applicable state standards for health and safety, institutions must secure a certificate of occupancy and recent fire inspection report from the State Fire Marshal's office for each instructional delivery site. These requirements are not applicable if delivery is in a public building that already has regular health, safety, and fire inspections upon receipt of last approved inspection. If the nature of the building is changed, additional inspections will be required.9.1.c.6. Instructional delivery sites must be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.9.1.d. Degrees and academic programs. 9.1.d.1. A degree shall be awarded upon successful completion of an educational program. The institution shall provide a list of the degrees it proposes to award.9.1.d.2. The planned educational programs shall be compatible with the proposed institutional mission. The relationship shall be described in documents provided to the Commission.9.1.d.3. The academic program proposed for offering shall be appropriately named and be based on fields of study recognized as appropriate for a postsecondary institution. Evidence shall be provided to the Commission that the fields of study upon which the academic programs are to be based are, in fact, so recognized. Such recognition, for example, could be demonstrated by the existence of professional literature in the field; the offering of similar programs in already-accredited institutions, generally; and by the existence of professional organizations related to the field.9.1.d.4. The content and length of the proposed academic program shall follow practices common to institutions of higher education. The commonly accepted minimum program length is: 60 semester credits for associate's degrees, 120 semester credits for bachelor's degrees, 30 semester credits beyond the bachelor's degree for master's degrees, 30 semester credits beyond the master's degree for doctorates.Academic credit shall be awarded upon completion of each unit of the course of study, leading to a formal award granted by the institution.
Documentation shall be provided to the Commission that lists requirements for each degree program including representative course syllabi specifying goals and requirements, course content, methods of evaluation, and bibliography.
The student-teacher ratio shall be reasonable at all times in keeping with generally accepted teaching modes for the subject matter. The institution must employ at least one full-time faculty for each degree program.
9.1.d.5. Any proposed undergraduate degree program shall include a coherent general education component that is consistent with the institution's mission and appropriate to its educational programs. The undergraduate general education component shall be documented.General education is defined as follows:
General Education is "general" in several clearly identifiable ways: it is not directly related to a student's formal technical, vocational or professional preparation; it is a part of every student's course of study, regardless of his or her area of emphasis; and it is intended to impart common knowledge, intellectual concepts, and attitudes that every educated person should possess.
The minimum requirement for general education for all undergraduate programs delivered through the traditional distributed curricula is 15 semester credits for technical associate's degrees, 24 for transfer associate's degrees, and 30 for bachelor's degrees. If the general education component is delivered through integrated, embedded, interdisciplinary, or other accepted models, institutions must demonstrate that the program meets minimum requirements equivalent to the distributed model.
9.1.d.6. Student access to all necessary learning resources and support services shall be provided. Necessary resources and support services vary by type of program, but all require some use of library resources. Laboratories may be required for some programs. Support services such as academic advising, financial aid counseling, and support for special, targeted, constituencies may be needed. The institution shall describe the learning resources and support services that it will provide and state how they will be provided to students on a regular, dependable basis.9.1.d.7. Distance learning instruction, when offered, should be considered part of the total program and be judged by criteria as used for sessions and courses offered by the institution in the regular academic year. Documentation shall be provided to the Commission that shows that academic standards for all programs or courses offered electronically are the same as those for other courses delivered at the institution. Additionally, any programs that are offered primarily through asynchronous or synchronous technology shall meet the standards of good practice for distance education delivery as outlined by the regional accrediting agency.9.1.e. Admission policies. Admission policies shall be consistent with the institution's mission and appropriate to the educational program. The Commission shall be provided with a copy of the institution's admission policies, policies regarding tuition and fees assessment, and refund policies. The policies shall define the minimum requirements for eligibility for admission to the institution and for acceptance at the specific degree level or into all specific degree programs. These policies and related publications shall provide a true and accurate representation of the institution and its programs when recruiting students.
9.1.e.1. Degree program admission policies must be at least the following: 9.1.e.1.A. baccalaureate degrees must require a high school diploma or equivalency, and9.1.e.1.B. graduate degrees must require at least a baccalaureate degree from an institution judged to be appropriate by the Commission.9.1.e.2. These policies and related publications shall provide a true and accurate representation of the institution and its programs when recruiting students.9.1.f. Financial resources.The institution shall have financial resources adequate to support start-up activities and sources of funds sufficient to ensure that the institution can sustain itself once students have been admitted. An institution shall continuously ascertain its financial requirements, determine its sources of revenue, plan for current and future needs, and budget its resources accordingly. The Commission shall be provided with: 9.1.f.1. A current financial statement compiled or audited by an independent certified public accountant. If the financial statement is unaudited or internally generated, a copy of the most recent income tax return must also be submitted;9.1.f.2. A budget listing all sources of income and all Educational and General (E&G) expenditures and specifying the dollar amounts and percentages for each component of the budget for the preceding three fiscal years (including the current year). A projection of expenditures and revenues for the upcoming year should be included.9.1.f.3. The institution shall demonstrate that it has the financial resources and planning sufficient to realize its mission over an extended period of time. It shall demonstrate that it has adequate financial resources to meet the following: facility maintenance and overhead; staff and faculty payroll; books, supplies, and/or equipment utilized by students; and general operating costs including printing and advertising.
9.1.g. Faculty credentials.9.1.g.1. The institution shall ensure that each full-time, part-time or adjunct instructional faculty member holds appropriate academic credentials in the program area or discipline in which the faculty member teaches. Each instructional faculty member shall either: (1) possess one or more degrees in an appropriate discipline; or(2) as an alternative to formal academic credentials, demonstrate competence by virtue of prior experience or academic training, or both, which are related to the field in which the instruction will be offered. 9.1.g.2. The institution shall ensure that each full-time, part-time or adjunct instructional faculty member holds academic credentials appropriate to the degree level of the programs or programs in which the faculty member teaches. 9.1.g.2.A. An institution that offers one or more degree programs at the baccalaureate level shall ensure that at least one-third of the instructional faculty, including at least one instructional faculty member teaching in each program, shall hold a doctoral or other terminal degree. All other instructional faculty members who teach in programs at the baccalaureate level shall either: 9.1.g.2.A.(a) Hold a master's degree; or9.1.g.2.A.(b) Qualify for a faculty appointment by virtue of scholarly or professional achievements.9.1.g.2.B. All instructional faculty teaching in a program at the master's, first professional or doctoral level shall either: 9.1.g.2.B(a) Hold a doctoral or other terminal degree; or9.1.g.2.B.(b) Qualify for a faculty appointment by virtue of scholarly or professional achievements.9.1.g.3. An institution must employ faculty members whose highest earned degree presented as the credential qualifying the faculty member to teach at the institution is from an institution accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Exceptions may be made only with the prior consent of the Commission.9.1.h. Evaluation and assessment. The institution must have a clearly defined process by which the curriculum is established, reviewed, and evaluated. The institution must provide for appropriate and regular evaluation of the institution and its program and course effectiveness including assessment of student learning, retention, graduation rates and student, graduate, faculty and employer satisfaction. The results must be used to ensure and improve quality of instruction.
9.1.i. Tuition policies.9.1.i.1. A tuition policy shall be developed that provides:9.1.i.1.A. The total tuition for any specific program shall be the same for all persons enrolled at the same time;9.1.i.1.B. Tuition charges for programs shall be justifiable, effective on specific dates and applicable to all who enroll thereafter;9.1.i.1.C. All extra charges and costs shall be revealed to the prospective student before he or she is enrolled;9.1.i.1.D. The true and accurate costs of courses and program completion must be published and made readily available to all prospective and current students.9.1.i.2. Institutions that the U.S. Department of Education has approved for eligibility for federal student financial aid must comply with the federal regulations governing institutional refunds. An institution must develop criteria for refunds of tuition and fees and make them available to all students.9.1.i.3. For institutions not participating in federal Title IV financial aid, criteria for refunds of tuition and fees must be developed and made available to all students and prospective students.9.1.j. Financial aid. A policy shall have been developed that provides prospective students and applicants with basic opportunities for student financial aid. This information shall include but not be limited to:
(1) types of federal, state, local, private and institutional aid offered to students at the institution; (2) description of the financial aid application process and the method for determining student eligibility for aid; (3) methods and schedules used to determine and disburse financial aid to students; and (4) statement of the rights and responsibilities of financial aid recipients. A copy of the policy must be attached to Commission submission materials. Information related to student responsibility for repayment of loans and other financial aid must be readily available to students. Consequences relevant to non-payment and delinquent or default repayment of loans must be published and readily available to students.
9.1.k. Library resources. The institution shall maintain or ensure via current and formal written agreements with other libraries or from other resources that students have adequate access to a library with a collection, staff, services, equipment and facilities that are adequate and appropriate for the purpose and enrollment of the institution. Institutions offering graduate work shall provide library resources that include basic reference and bibliographic works in each field where work is offered and the major journal and serial sets for maintaining currency in each discipline. Utilization of electronic data collections should also be addressed. The institution shall provide clear and concise methods for on-campus and/or remote access of library electronic media resources and there shall be communication to students in a matter to minimize barriers to usage.
9.1.l. Institutional and student records.9.1.l.1. The institution shall maintain accurate records on all enrolled students. These records minimally shall include:9.1.l.1.A. Each student's application for admission and admissions records containing information regarding the educational qualifications of each regular student admitted which are relevant to the institution's admission standards. Each student record must reflect the requirements and justification for admission of the student to the institution. Admission records must be maintained for five years.9.1.1.1.B. Transcript of the student's academic work at the institution shall be retained permanently in either hard copy forms or in a database with backup.9.1.1.1.C. A record of student academic progress at the institution including programs of study, dates of enrollment, courses taken and completed, grades and indication of the student's status (graduated probation, etc.).9.1.l.2. Financial records of the institution must be maintained and open for inspection by properly authorized officials of the Commission pursuant to compliance with confidentiality laws.9.1.l.3. Institutions administering financial aid programs must maintain a ledger and a record of financial aid administered which includes a chronological record of debits and credits which is understandable to the enrollee. 9.1.l.4. The institution must have policies concerning retention and disposal of records and information-release policies which respect the rights of individual privacy, the confidentiality of records and the best interests of the student and institution.9.1.l.5. The institution shall have a written plan for the preservation of students' transcripts by another institution or agency, as well as for access to the transcripts, in the event of institutional closure.9.1.m. Catalog and official publications.9.1.m.1. Official publications of the institution shall reflect the institution's integrity, commitment, and reputation and convey its sense of mission, character, goals and objectives to the public. All information released by the institution must be true and accurate.9.1.m.2. Official catalogs must describe the institutional mission, requirements for satisfactory completion of degree programs, student policies, information on enrollment, tuition and fees, faculty credentials, academic calendar, student grievance procedure, transferability of credit, and other information specifically applicable to students.9.1.n. Student grievances. An institution shall publish and make available to all students the institution's grievance policies and procedures regarding the receipt, investigation and resolution of student complaints. These policies must include:
9.1.n.1. An appropriate time frame for investigating and resolving the complaint;9.1.n.2. Safeguards that those persons charged with resolving the complaint are capable of making a fair and impartial judgment;9.1.n.3. Procedures to ensure that a student will not be subject to unfair actions as a result of an initiation of a complaint proceeding; and9.1.n.4. The maintenance of records, disposition and other pertinent information concerning institutional complaints for at least five (5) years.9.1.o. Other criteria deemed to be pertinent.