Responses Last Confirmed:

Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO)/Employment & Training

Agency Information

Guide Topics

Agency Contact

James Farhat
517-256-8670
farhatj@michigan.gov

Additional Contact

Alex Henderson
517-331-7565
hendersona18@michigan.gov

Secretary of State Contact

Jocelyn Benson
https://contactsos.michigan.gov/new/
Topic

1: Important Agency Information to Note

a.
Provide any important information about your agency.

No response provided

Topic

2: Types of Educational Providers Authorized

a.
Indicate the types of institutions that your agency authorizes. Please provide a short explanation of any ambiguity in the comment section below.

_X__   Public, in-state degree granting institutions   **Distance Education only**
_X__   Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions ** Distance Education only**   
_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
____   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    **Distance Education only**
____   Federal Institutions
____   Municipal institutions

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

____ Institution   _____ Program   __X___ Both

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

3: Accreditation

a.
Is accreditation required for an institution to be authorized in your state?

Yes (depending on the type of entity being established).

b.
If yes, please check all that apply as appropriate.

Accreditation 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

c.
Clarifying comments:

Private Colleges/Universities require accreditation prior to approval; however, some proprietary schools (non-degree) granting schools do not require accreditation, but it is an option.

Topic

4: Exemptions

a.
Are certain institutions or programs exempt by law or policy from your state authorization requirements?

Public colleges authorized by the Michigan Constitution. In addition, certain private institutions that were formed under a separate act prior to the enacted law 1931 PA 327, Michigan General Corporation Act, MCL 450.170 to 450.177, as amended are exempt from state authorization or licensure.

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions? Which types of programs?

No response provided

c.
Web link for exemptions.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

5: Authorization of Distance Education

a.
Does your agency require purely online programs offered by out-of-state institutions to be authorized without regard to physical presence?

No

b.
If not, does your agency determine whether an institution must be authorized based on a physical presence (“operating”) standard?

Yes

c.
Does your agency require correspondence study programs to be authorized without regard to physical presence?

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

6: Physical Presence Policy

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

No response provided

b.
Web link for physical presence definition.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

7: Student Complaints - SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about SARA participating Institutions.

https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/wd/pss, under Consumer Information

b.
Is the 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.)?

Yes.

c.
Web link for student complaints – SARA participating institutions.

https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/wd/pss, under Consumer Information 

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?
e.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

8: Student Complaints - Non-SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about out-of-state postsecondary institutions or programs?

URL: https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/wd/pss, under Consumer Information   

b.
Is the 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.)?

Yes

c.
Does this complaint process extend to institutions not authorized by the agency that may enroll residents of the state (such as explicitly distance education programs with no physical presence or exempt institutions)?

Yes

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?
e.
Web link for the complaint form.

URL:  https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/wd/pss, under Consumer Information 

f.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

9: Surety Bonds

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

Yes (depending on the entity type)

b.
Web link for surety bonds.

Proprietary Schools Administrative Rules (michigan.gov)

c.
Clarifying comments:

R 390.562a of the Proprietary Schools Rules discusses surety bond requirements for a proprietary/trade school (non-degree granting) under 1943 PA 148.

No requirement if a private college/university is being established.

Topic

10: Tuition Refund Policy

a.
Does your state have a Tuition Refund Policy Requirement?

No response provided

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

No response provided

c.
Web link for tuition refund policy.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

11: Student Tuition Recovery Fund

a.
Does your state have a Student Tuition Recovery Fund (or similar fund for school closure)?

No response provided

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

No response provided

c.
Web link for student tuition recovery fund.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

12: Reporting

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

No response provided

b.
How frequently do institutions report data?

No response provided

c.
Is this information published or shared publicly?

No response provided

d.
Web link for reporting.

No response provided

e.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

13: Enforcement

a.
What are possible consequences of institutional non-compliance?

Proprietary/Trade Schools

  • Administrative Fines
  • Revocation of License
  • Imprisonment

Educational Corporations (Private College or University)

  • Dissolution of the educational corporation

Distance Education Authorizations

  • Administrative Fines
  • Revocation of License
  • Imprisonment
b.
Web link for enforcement information.

Proprietary/Trade Schools:

Michigan Legislature - Section 395.103

Proprietary Schools Administrative Rules (michigan.gov)

Educational Corporations (Private College or University):

Michigan Legislature - Section 390.1696

Distance Educational Authorizations:

Michigan Legislature - Section 390.1696

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

14: Application Process

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

Proprietary schools under (1943 PA 148), MCL 395.101 to 395.103; Administrative Rules; R 390.561 to R 390.569 non-degree granting; submit a completed application along with the appropriate fee.

Degree granting schools under (1931 PA 327) , MCL 450.170 to 450.177 submit a proposal requesting approval to operate a private college or university in Michigan as an educational corporation. No fee required.

Distance Education Authorization under (2015 PA 45), MCL 390.1691 to 390.1697, Higher Education Authorization and Distance Education Reciprocal Exchange Act; submit a completed application along with the appropriate fee.

b.
Web link for application.

https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/wd/pss

See School Types for Proprietary Schools- Trade & Career, Educational Corporations-Private College or University, Distance Education Schools-Degree Granting, and Distance Education Schools-Non Degree Granting

c.
Clarifying comments:

For more information regarding the application process, please email us at PSS@Michigan.gov.

Topic

15: Fees Associated with Authorization

a.
Is there an application fee associated with the authorization process?

Distance Education Authorization:

In-State Schools; $4,000.00 application fee total:

 -Break down; $2,000.00 application fee

                        $2,000.00 authorization fee

Renewal fee:  $2,000.00 

Out-of-State Schools; $10,000.00 application fee total:

 -Breakdown; $5,000.00 application fee

                       $5,000.00 authorization fee

Renewal fee: $5,000.00

b.
If yes, what is the fee or fee schedule?

Depending on the type of school you are applying for.

c.
Web link for fee information.

https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/wd/pss

See School Types for Proprietary Schools- Trade & Career, Educational Corporations-Private College or University, Distance Education Schools-Degree Granting, and Distance Education Schools-Non Degree Granting

d.
Clarifying comments:

For more information regarding the application process, please email us at PSS@Michigan.gov.

Topic

16: Records Retention

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

Records are housed with our third party vendor: DiplomaSender

b.
From what agency do students request their transcripts/records from a closed school?
c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

17: Additional Information

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

No response provided