SARA Policy Announcements

On this page, you will find SARA Policy-related announcements and updates, with the most recent at the top. 

The 2025 cycle of the SARA Policy Modification Process kicked off on January 21. Thirty-two proposals were submitted during the 2025 submission window, which closed on February 7. 

Proposal Submissions Grouped by Proposer:

• 10 from Regional Compacts / Regional Steering Committees
• 10 from The Century Foundation
• 5 from interregional “Working Groups” of Regional Compacts / Regional Steering Committees
• 3 from WCET & SAN
• 2 from institutions
• 1 from State Portal Entity staff
• 1 from NC-SARA staff

Proposal Submissions Grouped by General Topic:

• Provisional Status (8)
• State Membership & Responsibility (6)
• Financial Responsibility (4)
• Policy Modification Process (4)
• Institutional Participation (2)
• Student Complaints (2)
• Administrative (1)
• Disclosure Requirements  (1)
• Other (4)

The public may now view the 32 proposals, as well as proposals from previous cycles, by entering the SARA Policy Portal from the Participate in SARA Policy Modifications webpage.

Proposal submitters will have the opportunity to amend or withdraw proposals during the period outlined in the 2025 SARA Policy Modification Process Calendar. The opportunity to amend and/or withdraw proposals begins on March 6, 2025, and will close on June 2, 2025.

SARA Policy Modification Process Is Open For 2025

SARA Policy Manual Version 24.2 (Effective 12.16.24)
Version 24.2 of the SARA Policy Manual, effective as of 12.16.24, is now available on NC-SARA’s SARA Policy Manual webpage. Changes based on the ten SARA policy modification proposals that were approved by the regional compacts through their regional steering committees (RSCs) and voted on by the NC-SARA Board in October have been incorporated in version 24.2. NC-SARA no longer posts a redline version of updates to the manual. However, changes are described in section 9 (Revisions to SARA Documents) of the manual, and revisions resulting from approved SARA policy modification proposals are available in redline within those proposals in the SARA Policy Portal.

Note: Individuals and groups that are planning to submit a proposal in the 2025 SARA Policy Modification Process cycle should use the latest version (24.2) of the SARA Policy Manual as they are preparing their proposals.

2025 SARA Policy Modification Process Calendar - Now Available
The 2025 SARA Policy Modification Process calendar has been posted on NC-SARA’s Participate in SARA Policy Modifications webpage, along with other information about the SARA Policy Modification Process. The calendar includes one public forum and two opportunities for the public to submit written comments through the SARA Policy Portal.

2025 SARA Policy Modification Process Proposal Submission Guidance - Coming Soon!
Final guidance for submitting proposals in the upcoming SARA Policy Modification Process cycle will be posted on NC-SARA’s Participate in SARA Policy Modifications webpage in the near future. If you are planning to submit one or more proposals, please check back for updates on that webpage prior to the submission period opening on January 21, 2025. 

2024 SARA Policy Modification Process Wrap-Up Webinar - Recording and Slides Available Now
The recording and slides from the November 19, 2024, webinar hosted by NC-SARA have been posted to the NC-SARA Webinars webpage. Presenters in this webinar provided updates about actions taken at the Fall 2024 NC-SARA Board Meeting, focusing on the outcomes of voting on SARA policy modification proposals that were approved by the regional compacts through their regional steering committees (RSCs). Presenters provided an overview of each of the proposals approved by the board and discussed the implementation timeline and other considerations that may impact SARA-participating institutions and State Portal Entities (SPEs). Information was also provided about the 2025 SARA Policy Modification Process cycle. 

In January 2024, NC-SARA opened the second annual cycle of the SARA Policy Modification Process, inviting proposals to modify SARA policy, as represented in the most current version of the SARA Policy Manual. 

Ten SARA policy modification proposals were approved by all four regional compacts through their regional steering committees (RSCs) to move forward for a vote by the NC-SARA Board. All ten proposals were considered and approved by the board. They are listed below, along with their implementation date:
 

1. PMP24-0619: Responsibilities for Resolving Complaints (1/1/26)
2. PMP24-0621: Definition - SARA Policy (1/1/25)
3. PMP24-0622: Removal of Definition "Rule" (1/1/25)
4. PMP24-0627: Change to Loss of Institutional Eligibility (7/1/25)
5. PMP24-0628: Changes to Provisional Status (7/1/25)
6. PMP24-0630: Aligning Professional Licensure Disclosure Requirements (7/1/25)
7. PMP24-0632: Off-Ramp from Provisional Status (7/1/25)
8. PMP24-0636: 8.2(f)(2) & (f)(4) - Revise the Amend. Periods (1/1/25)
9. PMP24-0641: Changes to Complaints Data Collection (1/1/26)
10. PMP24-0669: SARA Policy Manual (1/1/25)

Key highlights of the approved proposals related to student consumer protections:

• Clarify that institutions that lose SARA participation must meet state-specific authorization requirements 
• Align SARA policy with federal requirements regarding professional licensure
• Increase options for a state to place a SARA-participating institution on provisional status
• Require public sharing of the reason a SARA-participating institution is placed on provisional status 
• Require SARA-participating institutions to provide SARA student complaint resolution policies on their website and in their catalog
• Improve SARA student complaint data collection and reporting to include complaint type and student location

Dr. Rob Anderson, chair of the NC-SARA Board, shared, “The results of this year’s SARA Policy Modification Process really underscore the commitment of our SARA stakeholders. I am grateful to everyone who engaged in this year’s process and look forward to another round of important conversations and considerations in the coming year.”

The revised SARA Policy Manual, reflecting the ten proposals approved this month, will be published on the NC-SARA website by December 31, 2024. In January, the SARA Policy Modification Process cycle for 2025 will begin. Information about next year’s process and timeline will be forthcoming.

Upcoming Webinar
To learn more about the October 2024 NC-SARA Board actions, including the implications of approved SARA policy modification proposals for State Portal Entities and SARA-participating institutions, please join us for a webinar on November 19, 2024, 11:00 A.M. – 12:15 P.M. Mountain Time.

2024 SARA Policy Modification Process Wrap-Up: Results of NC-SARA Board Voting and Implications for SARA-Participating Institutions and State Portal Entities

Presenters in this webinar will provide updates about actions taken at the Fall 2024 NC-SARA Board Meeting, focusing on the outcomes of voting on SARA policy modification proposals that were approved by the regional compacts through their Regional Steering Committees (RSCs). Presenters will provide an overview of each of the proposals approved by the Board and discuss the implementation timeline and other considerations that may impact SARA-participating institutions and State Portal Entities (SPEs). Information will also be provided about the 2025 PMP cycle. 

This webinar is open to all, but registration is required.

The webinar will be recorded.

The public is invited to view a livestream broadcast of the public session of NC-SARA's 2024 Fall Board Meeting.

NC-SARA Board Meeting - Public Session
Thursday October 24, 2024: 1:45 p.m. Eastern Time until complete (not to exceed 3:45 p.m.)

REGISTRATION IS OPEN

Ten 2024 SARA Policy Modification Proposals were unanimously approved by the four regional compacts through their regional steering committees [Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC); New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE); Southern Regional Education Board (SREB); Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)].

To view the proposal votes and rationales, please visit the SARA Policy Portal.

During the public session, the NC-SARA Board will review the ten proposals in detail, consider their implications, and vote on each of them.

If you have questions about the SARA Policy Modification Process, please visit the Participate in SARA Policy Modifications webpage, or you may contact info@nc-sara.org.

We are excited to announce that the four regional compacts through their regional steering committees (RSCs) have officially approved ten SARA proposals. These proposals reflect the dedication and collaborative efforts of the SARA community. 

Key highlights of the RSC-approved SARA proposals:

• Student Consumer Protections
  • Clarifies that institutions that lose SARA participation must meet state-specific authorization requirements 
  • Aligns SARA policy with federal requirements regarding professional licensure
• State Oversight
  • Increases options for a state to place a SARA-participating institution on provisional status
  • Requires public sharing of reason for a SARA-participating institution placed on provisional status 
• SARA Student Complaints
  • SARA-participating institutions must provide SARA student complaint resolution policies on their website and in their catalog
  • Improves SARA student complaint data collection and reporting to include complaint type and student location

Results of the RSC voting are available to the public, along with a rationale for any decision not to approve a proposed SARA policy modification. ​​​​​

The final step in the SARA Policy Modification Process is for the NC-SARA Board to vote on these ten SARA policy proposals during the Fall 2024 NC-SARA Board Meeting.

The NC-SARA Board met on October 24 and 25 in New Orleans, Louisiana. During the meeting the Board approved five SARA Policy Modification Proposals, including:

1. PMP-0330: Require NC-SARA to Notify Public of Institution Status [Implementation date: July 1, 2024]
2. PMP-0331: Institutional Disclosure Requirements [Implementation date: January 1, 2025]
3. PMP-0368: SARA Policy Manual [Implementation date: January 1, 2024]
4. PMP-0373: Provisional Notification - Add (i) to Section 3.2 [Implementation date: July 1, 2024]
5. PMP-0383: Modification of Language: Arbitration Agreements [Implementation date: July 1, 2024]

The NC-SARA Board considered and approved a recommendation by the Board Policy Committee that the sixth proposal – PMP-0356: SPE Removal of Provisional Status – not be approved due to a procedural issue and that it be reviewed by the proposer and reconsidered for submission during the 2024 SARA Policy Modification Process cycle.

In accordance with the timeline published in December 2022, the status of all proposed policy modifications reviewed by the NC-SARA Board will be published on the NC-SARA website by December 1, 2023, and the revised SARA Policy Manual will be published on the NC-SARA website by December 31, 2023.

In January 2024, the SARA Policy Modification Process cycle for 2024 will begin. Information about the process and the timeline will be forthcoming.

The deadline for the Regional Compacts (through their RSCs) to review and vote to approve or not approve each proposed policy modification concluded on September 1, 2023. As of September 2, 2023, the results of the voting were available to the public along with a rationale for any decision not to approve a proposed policy modification. 

Six proposals were approved by all four regional compacts through their RSCs:

1. Modification   PMP-0356: SPE removal of provisional status
2. Modification   PMP-0368: SARA Policy Manual
3. Modification   PMP-0373: Provisional Notification - Add (i) to Section 3.2
4. Modification   PMP-0383: Modification of Language: Arbitration Agreements
5. New Policy      PMP-0330: Require NC-SARA to notify public of institution status
6. New Policy      PMP-0331: Institutional disclosure requirements

The final step in the SARA Policy Modification Process is for these six policy proposals to be placed on the agenda of the Fall 2023 NC-SARA Board meeting for a review and vote of the NC-SARA Board. 

As of July 6, 2023, following the July 5, 2023 deadline to amend or withdraw proposed SARA Policy modifications, 44 proposals remain for Regional Compact / Regional Steering Committee review and voting. One proposal (PMP-0342) is about NC-SARA Board Governance and has been forwarded to the NC-SARA Board Governance and Nominations Committee for consideration. 

During the second period to amend or withdraw proposed SARA Policy Modifications (June 8 - July 5, 2023), seventeen proposals were amended:
PMP-0328: Changes to provisional status
PMP-0329: Changes to loss of institutional eligibility
PMP-0330: Require NC-SARA to notify public of institution status
PMP-0331: Institutional disclosure requirements
PMP-0337: Changes to institutional eligibility requirements
PMP-0340: Enforcement of state consumer protection laws
PMP-0342: States must control SARA standard-setting (Governance)
PMP-0347: Refund Policy
PMP-0355: Off-ramp from provisional status
PMP-0359: Financial Responsibility
PMP-0360: Provisional Status and Renewal Periods
PMP-0363: Clarification of Authority of Explanatory Notes
PMP-0368: SARA Policy Manual
PMP-0373: Provisional Notification - Add (i) to Section 3.2
PMP-0378: 5.2 Programs Leading to Professional Licensure
PMP-0383: Modification of Language: Arbitration Agreements
PMP-0388: Student Awareness of Provisional Status

During the second period to amend or withdraw proposed SARA Policy Modifications (June 8 - July 5, 2023), eighteen proposals were withdrawn:
PMP-0327: State reviews of institutional applications
PMP-0333: Clarify use of mandatory arbitration agreements
PMP-0335: Require public notice re institution complaint data
PMP-0369: Removal of 21st Century Distance Education Guidelines
PMP-0370: Correct Implementation Deadline Language
PMP-0372: 9.3 Implementation of SARA Policy Manual Revisions
PMP-0376: More Autonomy on Placing Institutions on Provisional
PMP-0379: Consistent language
PMP-0380: Remove the word “SARA”
PMP-0381: Professional Licensure
PMP-0382: Consistent Language
PMP-0384: Acceptable FRCS Documentation
PMP-0385: Change to State Renewal Period
PMP-0392: Clarifying Quality Standards for Non-Credit Activity
PMP-0394: Eliminate Licensure Research Mandate
PMP-0397: Update "Authorized" Definition
PMP-0398: Remove "Rule" Definition
PMP-0399: Add to "Unified Agreement" Definition

The status of all proposals is publicly available on the NC-SARA website: Participate in SARA Policy Modifications

The next milestone in the process is September 1, 2023, the deadline for Regional Compacts to review and vote to approve or not approve each proposed policy modification. 

June 8, 2023 - July 5, 2023 is the second period during which people or organizations proposing modifications to SARA Policy may make amendments or withdraw their proposals. 

• Directions for Amending or Withdrawing Proposals (June 8 - July 5, 2023)​​​​​​​

Slides from the May 10, 2023 Public Session of the NC-SARA Board Meeting, which shared an update on the SARA Policy Modification Process. 

On June 7, 2023, from 10am – 2pm Mountain Time, NC-SARA hosted the second of two public SARA Policy forums, during which those individuals or organizations who submitted proposals to modify SARA Policy had the opportunity to present their proposals publicly. The public forum was not recorded; it was a livestream event only. 

• Guidance for Presenting in Public Forum #2 - If you are a proposer / presenter, please read! 
• Schedule of SARA Policy Public Forum presentations on June 7 - All times are Mountain Time - Forum schedule coming in early June! 

Starting Monday April 17, 2023, the proposed SARA Policy modifications are open for public comments. View the proposals on the SARA Policy Modification Process participation webpage, and then follow the guidelines to provide your comments on any of these proposals. Following these guidelines will help assure that your comments will move forward for consideration as expeditiously as possible.

• Guidelines for Submitting a Public Comment 

The public comment period closes on May 17, 2023.

During the first period to amend or withdraw proposed SARA Policy Modifications (March 2 - April 5, 2023), seven proposals were amended:

1. PMP-0327: State reviews of institutional applications
2. PMP-0337: Changes to institutional eligibility requirements
3. PMP-0344: Requiring Evidence of Compliance at Authorization
4. PMP-0348: State Authority to Deny or Revoke Participation
5. PMP-0349: Addressing flaws in the Provisional Status provisions
6. PMP-0365: Remove the C-RAC Guidelines
7. PMP-0402: Exception for professional educator programs

No proposals were withdrawn.

Amended proposals are available to view on the Participate in SARA Policy Modifications webpage.

People who submitted proposals during the original submission period of January 3 - February 3, 2023 may amend or withdraw their proposals between March 2 and April 5, 2023. 

• Directions for Amending or Withdrawing a Proposed SARA Policy Modification: March 2 – April 5, 2023

On March 1, 2023, from 10am – 2pm Mountain Time, NC-SARA hosted the first of two public SARA Policy forums, during which those individuals or organizations who submitted proposals to modify SARA Policy had the opportunity to present their proposals publicly. The public forum was not recorded; it was a livestream event only. 

• Schedule of SARA Policy Public Forum presentations on March 1 - All times are Mountain Time

POLICY PROPOSAL PRESENTERS: 

• Guidance for Presenting in Public Forum #1

On March 1, 2023, from 10am – 2pm Mountain Time, NC-SARA hosted the first of two public SARA Policy forums, during which those individuals or organizations who have submitted proposals to modify SARA Policy had the opportunity to present their proposals publicly.

he final schedule of presentations will be posted here on this SARA Policy Announcements page. 

NOTE TO POLICY PROPOSAL SUBMITTERS: If you are a proposal submitter, you will be contacted by NC-SARA staff directly to schedule your time and receive directions and access to the “presentation room.” You will, however, need to register separately to watch the livestream presentations of others’ proposals.

The new SARA Policy Modification Process is now open (as of January 3, 2023) for proposed modifications to SARA Policy as represented in the most current SARA Policy Manual.

Individuals or organizations wishing to submit proposals to modify SARA Policy are encouraged to review the information about the SARA Policy Modification Process – including an overview of the process, an updated calendar of 2023 key dates, and a recorded webinar – prior to submitting a proposal.

The deadline for submitting proposals is February 3, 2023.

In this public webinar, held on Thursday, December 8, 2022, participants learned about the new SARA Policy Modification Process that will begin in January 2023. 

Slides and the recording from this webinar are available. 

Slides from the October 28, 2022 Public Session of the NC-SARA Board Meeting, which shared an update on the SARA Policy Modification Process.