By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-973193.mp3
Albany, NY – Beginning next month, The U.S. Department of Education is tightening control of its federal aid to higher education beginning through new regulations that will impact colleges offering distance learning courses. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
The Education Department's state authorization rule, scheduled to take effect July 1st, requires online colleges to seek authorization from agencies in each state where they have students enrolled.
The "increased federalization" extends to include credit hour definitions and stipulations to federal aid. Excelsior College President John Ebersole says the new "red tape" was originally designed to protect consumers from less than reputable online schools.
Ebersole notes the new regulations will cost the school $300,000, money that will have to be made up in student fees. Nationally, the new regulations will cost schools a total of half a billion dollars. Schools offering courses online will have to demonstrate that good faith measures are being made toward the implementation of the regulations by the July 1 deadline. Ebersole says Excelsior will register its courses in every state and U.S. territory.
Some states may not require applications from colleges that don't have a physical presence within their borders. Increased federalization has resulted in protests from the American Council of Education and from higher education institutions across the country. Excelsior favors a uniform set of national accreditation standards. John Ebersole says there are approximately two million courses currently available online.
The federal government has the power to cut off funding to institutions not in compliance.
It should be noted here that the July 1 regulations won't be fully binding until 2014.