Agency Information

Guide Topics

Agency Contact

Magda Rivers, Associate Executive Director
770-414-2644
mrivers@gnpec.ga.gov

Additional Contact

Kirk Shook, Executive Director
770-414-3300
kshook@gnpec.ga.gov

Secretary of State Contact

Brad Raffensperger
404-656-2881
soscontact@sos.ga.gov

Topic 1: Important Agency Information to Note

Provide important web links:

What types of institutions are subject to this agency’s authority? Indicate the types of institutions that your agency authorizes.

  • Note: Some agencies may refer to out-of-state public institutions as “private colleges” in their law.  If this is the case for your agency, please select “public, out-of-state degree granting institutions” for purposes of this Guide so that the out-of-state public institution will find appropriate information.
  • Note: If your agency is a coordinating board, your agency may have one division with some authority such as program approval over in-state public institutions that are established per statute, which is structured differently than another division of your agency with state authorization authority over non-public institutions that they “license” pursuant to different statute(s).

_____   Public, in-state degree granting institutions
_X___  Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
_X___  Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
_X___  Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
_X___  Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
_X___  Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
_____  Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
_X___  Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
_X___  Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
_X___  Non-degree, for-profit institutions
_X___  Religious institutions
_X___  Tribally-controlled institutions
_____  Federal Institutions
_____  Municipal institutions

Does your agency authorize specific academic programs offered by institutions, only institutions themselves, or both?

For example, an agency may require an institution apply for licensure for institutional approval and also require the institution to apply for specific program(s) approval.
_____ Institution

_____ Program

__X__ Both

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 2: Authorization of Distance Education

Does your agency require exclusively online offerings offered by out-of-state institutions to be authorized?

Yes

Clarifying comments

To offer online education to Georgia residents, an institution must be a member of NC-SARA or be authorized by GNPEC.

Topic 3: Accreditation by an Accrediting Agency Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education

Is accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education required for an institution to be authorized in your state?

No. However, we now have an updated policy that requires institutions wanting to offer degree programs to seek and become accredited. Unaccredited degrees will no longer be permitted.

If yes, please check all that apply as appropriate. Accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education required for:

__X__ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
_____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
_____ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
_____ Religious institutions
_____ Tribally-controlled institutions
_____ Federal Institutions
_____ Municipal institutions

Clarifying comments:

Unaccredited institutions are not permitted to use “College” or “University” in their names nor are they permitted to offer degrees. Furthermore, out of state unaccredited institutions are required to hold state approval in their home states. If an institution of this type is unable to obtain documentation of approval (or exemption from approval), an explanatory statement including supporting documentation, if possible, may suffice.

Topic 4: Physical Presence Policy

If your agency uses a physical presence standard, how does your agency define physical presence? Include sample triggers.

Generally, an institution has physical presence when it operates a campus, branch instructional facility whether leased or owned, or administrative office within the boundaries of the state.  Offering distance education to students of our state as well as offering distance education from within the bounds of our state creates physical presence. In addition, the following instances will create physical presence:

Establish and /or maintain a telephone with a Georgia area code;

Establish and / or maintain a postal address with a Georgia zip code;

Market and/or recruit via media that originates in Georgia

Maintain an Internet URL that originates in Georgia or utilizes an ISP based in Georgia;

Employ an individual whose job is to recruit within the State of Georgia;

Employ faculty or individuals who are Georgia residents required to interact face-to-face with Georgia students.

Additionally, please note that any online enrollment of a Georgia resident requires GNPEC Authorization or SARA participation.

Web link for physical presence definition.

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/authorization-faq#field_related_links-431-3

Does a clinical/internship trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?

Not typically unless faculty or staff from the institution directly supervise such experiences. We ask that institutions notify us of placements in our state.

Does a virtual clinical / internship trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency? 

Not typically unless faculty or staff from the institution directly supervise such experiences. We ask that institutions notify us of placements in our state.

Does a faculty member residing in your state and teaching an online course trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?

No, as long as faculty or other individuals do not interact in a face-to-face situation with students;

Does advertising targeted to residents of your state trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?

Yes

Does having an administrative site in your state trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?

Yes

Does having a recruiter in your state trigger the requirement for authorization with your agency?

Yes

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 5: Application Process

Please provide a short description of the application process to obtain state authorization.

Authorization involves an application evaluation process and the remittance of fees and bonding. Please read https://gnpec.georgia.gov/authorization-application for a more detailed outline regarding the process and its components.

Web link for application.

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/authorization-application

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 6: Fees Associated with Authorization

Is there an application fee associated with the authorization process?

Please see the GNPEC website for the Schedule of Fees: https://gnpec.georgia.gov/schedule-fees

If yes, what is the fee or fee schedule?

Please see the GNPEC website for the Schedule of Fees: https://gnpec.georgia.gov/schedule-fees

Web link for fee information.

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/schedule-fees

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 7: Surety Bonds

Does your agency require a Surety Bond for authorized out-of-state institutions?

The Executive Director is authorized, in his or her sole discretion, to require an applicant to file with the commission a surety bond if a financial assessment includes findings or notes raising concern about such applicant’s institutional internal controls or recommends that such applicant be placed on financial monitoring status.

Web link for surety bonds.

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/policy-16-surety-bond-form-and-requirements

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 8: Student Tuition Recovery Fund

Does your agency have a Student Tuition Recovery Fund (or similar fund for higher education institution closure)?

Yes

If yes, for what types of institutions?

Institutions authorized at the time of closure who participated in the fund.

Web link for student tuition recovery fund.

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/policy-13-tuition-guaranty-trust-fund-tgtf-claims

Clarifying comments:

Institutions pay into the TGTF for the first seven years of authorization.

Topic 9: Tuition Refund Policy

Does your agency have a Tuition Refund Policy Requirement?

Yes

If yes, for what types of institutions?

All unaccredited authorized institutions must meet the Minimum Standard Refund criteria. While accredited institutions may use their own refund policy, GNPEC has the right to require changes should a sufficient number of complaints arise.

Web link for tuition refund policy.

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/standard-twelve-refund-policy

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 10: Reporting

What kinds of information or data must an institution report to your agency as a condition for continued institutional state authorization?

All authorized institutions must renew authorization annually. Unaccredited institutions, whether in-state or out-of-state, have additional annual reporting requirements, which can be found here including graduation and placement rates: https://gnpec.georgia.gov/documents/additional-requirements-unaccredited-institutions.

How frequently do institutions report data?

Annually

Is this information shared publicly?

Not at this time

Web link for reporting.

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/documents/additional-requirements-unaccredited-institutions.

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 11: Enforcement

What are possible consequences of institutional non-compliance?

Institutions may be subject to fines, loss of GNPEC approval, and legal action.

Web link for enforcement information.

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/authorization/schedule-fines

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 12: Student Complaints - Non-SARA Participating Institutions

Please describe the process for handling complaints about non-SARA out-of-state postsecondary institutions or programs? (34 CFR 600.9(a))

Please see GNPEC Student Complaint Rules and Form on the GNPEC website: https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-complaints

Web link for the non-SARA complaint form.

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/webform/gnpec-student-complaint-form

How does your agency handle a non-SARA complaint from a resident of its state that is against an out-of-state institution that the agency does not authorize?

Complaints against Exempt institutions within the State are processed pursuant to the official Complaint Procedure found on the website at:

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-resources/complaints-against-institution

Distance education complaints are processed according to the NC-SARA complaint procedure found in Section 4 of the SARA Policy Manual.

Is the non-SARA process handled all within your agency or do you divide consumer protection and student complaint duties dependent on the type of institution (Public, Private, Technical, etc.)?

GNPEC handles student complaints of GNPEC authorized institutions as well as select exempted institutions.

Who is the contact person or entity for your state for receiving non-SARA student complaints?

Contact Name- Ms. Pat Neri
Title Program- Program Manager
Agency Address- 2082 E. Exchange Place, Suite 220, Tucker, GA 30084
Email- patn@gnpec.ga.gov
Phone- 770-414-3235
URL- https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-resources/student-complaints/gnpec-student-complaint-form

Clarifying comments:

Complaints, with supporting documents, must be filed online.

Topic 13: Records Retention

When a higher education institution closes, what is the process your state uses to ensure that transcripts/records are kept available?

Authorized institutions as well as those exempted from authorization that close in Georgia must surrender student records to GNPEC upon demand.

From what agency or entity do students request their transcripts/records from a closed higher education institution?

Agency/Entity Name:
Contact Person:
Contact Phone:
Contact Address:
Contact Email:
Contact website: Students may request records from a closed institution in Georgia from GNPEC by completing a Student Transcript Request Form: https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-transcript-request. GNPEC uses a third party, Verif-y, to fulfill the majority of transcript requests.

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 14: Additional Information

Is there anything else about the state authorization process in your state that institutions and others ought to know about?

GNPEC offers a host of institutional resources to support institutions in their application processes as well as live, virtual monthly initial applicant training sessions and live, virtual quarterly renewal applicant training sessions.

What is your preferred method of communication?

Email

Please note: There could be additional state agencies with oversight of activities of your institution.