Agency Information

Guide Topics

Agency Contact

Lisa Pundt, SARA State Portal Agent/Postsecondary Authorization Administrator
515-210-8563
lisa.pundt@iowa.gov

Additional Contact

Keyli Keifer, SARA State Portal Agent/Postsecondary Authorization Compliance Officer
515-971-2186
keyli.keifer@iowa.gov

Bureau of Iowa College Aid
877-272-4456
stateauthorization@iowa.gov

Secretary of State Contact

Paul D. Pate
888-767-8683
sos@sos.iowa.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).

_X___    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
_X___    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.

_X___ Institution

_____ Program

_____ 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?

  • Meaning as example, the state regulates an out-of-state institution for merely enrolling a student into a distance education program
  • Meaning as example, a solely online program that does not have any internships and practicums

See Bureau of Iowa College Aid’s website at https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/authorization

Clarifying comments

No response provided

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?

Degree granting institutions must be accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education.

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
__X__Tribally-controlled institutions
_____ Federal Institutions
_____ Municipal institutions

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 4: Physical Presence Policy

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

“Presence” means a location in Iowa at which a student participates in any structured activity related to a school’s distance education course of instruction, with the exception of proctored examinations. “Presence” also means an address, location, telephone number, or internet protocol address in Iowa from which a school conducts any aspect of its operations.

For the purpose of a residential course of instruction offered on a school’s campus that is not located in Iowa, “presence” does not include:

a. Occasional, short-term activities conducted at a location in Iowa for the purpose of recruiting students for the school’s residential course of instruction.

b. A residency, practicum, internship, clinical, or similar experience that the school permits the student to participate in at a location in Iowa, provided that a person who provides instruction or supervision at the Iowa location is not compensated by the school.

Web link for physical presence definition.

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ico/chapter/261B.pdf

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

A clinical/internship triggers authorization in Iowa.

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

A virtual clinic/internship does not trigger authorization in Iowa.

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

A faculty member residing in Iowa does trigger authorization in Iowa.

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

Advertising may trigger authorization in Iowa.

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

An administrative site in Iowa does trigger authorization in Iowa.

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

A recruiter in Iowa may trigger authorization in Iowa.

Clarifying comments:

Schools that have questions about authorization in Iowa or require further information are encouraged to contact the Postsecondary Authorization Team at stateauthorization@iowa.gov.

Topic 5: Application Process

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

See Bureau of Iowa College Aid’s website at https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/authorization

Web link for application.

https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/authorization

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 6: Fees Associated with Authorization

Is there an application fee associated with the authorization process?

Yes, for details see Bureau of Iowa College Aid’s website at https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/authorization

If yes, what is the fee or fee schedule?

https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/authorization/registration

Web link for fee information.

https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/authorization/registration

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 7: Surety Bonds

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

Authorized SARA participating institutions are not required to obtain a surety bond.

For other institutions, Iowa Code Section 714.18, requires that every person, firm, association, or corporation that maintains or conducts in Iowa any course of instruction via classroom instruction, correspondence or distance education, or that solicits in Iowa the sale of such a course, must file evidence of financial responsibility with Iowa College Aid and reapply to demonstrate continuing compliance, at a minimum, every two years.

These requirements include nonpublic schools and education providers located in Iowa and out-of-state that offer courses and programs via in-person or distance education instructional methods.

Web link for surety bonds.

https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/authorization/financial-responsibility

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?

No response provided

Web link for student tuition recovery fund.

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/261B.8.pdf

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic 9: Tuition Refund Policy

Does your agency have a Tuition Refund Policy Requirement?

Yes. Under Iowa Code Section 714.23, for proprietary schools, the tuition refund policies apply to a refund (i.e., reduction) of tuition charges the school assesses, regardless of whether and to what extent those charges have been paid by the student or some source of financial aid.

If yes, for what types of institutions?

Certain for-profit institutions are required to adopt the Iowa tuition refund policy under Iowa Code Section 714.23, see https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/authorization/tuition-refunds for more information.

Web link for tuition refund policy.

https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/authorization/tuition-refunds

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?

Not applicable

How frequently do institutions report data?

No response provided

Is this information shared publicly?

No response provided

Web link for reporting.

No response provided

Clarifying comments:

The Bureau of Iowa College Aid may require an authorized school to file an annual report per Iowa Administrative Code § 283-21.3(6).

Topic 11: Enforcement

What are possible consequences of institutional non-compliance?

No response provided

Web link for enforcement information.

No response provided

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))

Student complaint information can be found at https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/student-complaints

Web link for the non-SARA complaint form.

https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/student-complaints

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?

The Bureau of Iowa College Aid communicates with the state authorization agency and out-of-state institutions.

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.)?

All student complaints are handled within our agency.

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

Contact Name: Postsecondary Authorization Team
Title: Postsecondary Authorization Administrators
Agency: Iowa Department of Education – Bureau of Iowa College Aid
Address: 400 E. 14th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Email: student.complaintsica@iowa.gov
Phone: 877-272-4456
URL: https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/student-complaints

Clarifying comments:

No response provided

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?

The University of Iowa retains transcripts/records for Iowa’s closed schools, with some restrictions. See Iowa Code Section 264.1 https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/264.1.pdf

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

Agency Name: University of Iowa
Contact Person: Office of the Registrar
Contact Phone: 319-335-0229
Contact Address: 2700 University Capital Centre (UCC) Iowa City, Iowa 52242
Contact Email:
Contact website: https://registrar.uiowa.edu/closeddefunct-institutions

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?

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

What is your preferred method of communication?

The Bureau of Iowa College Aid would prefer communication via email: stateauthorization@iowa.gov.