Academic Affairs: Professional Licensure Programs Disclosures

Last Updated

Intent

This statement outlines action required to comply with federal requirements outlined in 34 CFR § 668.43 as outlined in UW System Interim Policy #100-09 and UW System Administrative Policy 121 (SYS 121) by July 1, 2024. Compliance with these requirements is a condition of Title IV eligibility (the authorization to offer federal financial aid).
Scope: This procedure applies to all professional licensure programs at UW-Eau Claire (see definition below).

Definitions

UWS Interim Policy #100-09 establishes the following definitions in compliance with 34 CFR § 668.43.Time of initial enrollment:  Unless otherwise defined by federal law, and for purposes of this policy, a university may consider the time of initial enrollment as a student’s official enrollment in a professional or occupational licensure or certification program and/or the receipt of the student’s financial commitment to the first class, semester or term required for completion of a licensure program. [Note: this differs from admission to the university or declaration of a major or pre-major] Location: At the time of initial enrollment in a professional or occupational licensure or certification program, a student’s location shall be defined as the following: 

Professional Licensure Program:  An educational program that is designed to meet educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification that is required for employment in an occupation or is advertised as meeting such requirements. Any reference to professional licensure shall include professional or occupational licensure programs as well as certification programs. The following definitions also apply:Prospective student: Refers to a student who has made contact with a program representative to learn about program requirements.Formal receipt of information regarding change of location: Students are asked to verify their addresses each term when they register. Students may also update their local address at any time through self-service in CampS. Either of these constitutes formal receipt of the change of location.

Requirements

The regulations require that for all programs leading to licensure, the university must: 

 

Procedures

Change of Address: Students will follow the established policy for change of address found at: https://kb.uwec.edu/article/editing-your-addresses/

Identifying Student Location: Program directors for distance education programs, or in-person programs offering a fully online course during the first semester must have a process for checking student location prior to admission to program.

Enrollment Decisions: At the time of admission to an online program that does not meet requirements in all states, students in “does not meet” states will be informed that they are not eligible for admission to the program. If they express interest in seeking employment after completion in a state where the program does meet requirements, they will be invited to complete an attestation form available from the program director. 

General Disclosures: General disclosures will be maintained on the UW-Eau Claire website. Licensure information is located on the Academic Program Page for each program: https://www.uwec.edu/academics/majors-minors/.

Individual Disclosures: Individual disclosures will be the responsibility of the educational programs. Prospective program students located in a “does not meet” state will be provided with a disclosure indicating that fact. Each term online programs will verify formal changes of location and when necessary, notify via individual email each student newly located in a state that does not meet or for which information has not been verified. If the yearly verification of licensing information reveals changes, programs will, within 14 days, disclose that information to students located in affected states.

On-campus instruction program students enrolled in online program courses: Emerging advice from the Department of Education indicates that if a student is enrolled in a fully or primarily on-campus program AND is enrolled in fully online program course in the first semester of the program AND is located in “does not meet” state they may be considered to be located in a “does not meet” state and therefore should not be enrolled unless they sign an attestation. 

Updating Licensure Information: On June 1 of each year, a representative of academic affairs will contact chairs or directors of programs leading to licensure to request verification of licensing information. Chairs or directors will work with IMC to update Academic Program Pages prior to July 1.  Procedure updated 6/28/24 to comply with new federal regulations