Administrative Regulation Title: Teach-Out Arrangements

Regulation Number: 2.17.1

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In compliance with the Eastern Western College (EWC) Board of Trustees mandate, the College shall provide the following information in a Teach-Out arrangement for an educational program; location or campus; or for the institution to the Board and appropriate accrediting agency(ies).

 

Definitions:  Teach-Out – an arrangement by which an educational institution provides its current students with the opportunity to complete their course of study when the institution closes a program, location, campus or the institution.

 

Teach-Out Plan for an Educational Program
The Vice President for Student and Academic Services shall prepare a Provisional Plan, required by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) that complies with HLC’s Teach-Out Requirements prior to submitting for approval. The Teach-Out plan shall be consistent with federal and state laws and all applicable accrediting agencies policies and procedures. Provisional Plans must include the following essential elements:

 

  1. A complete list of currently enrolled students (redacting personally identifiable information) in each affected program at the institution, and the program requirements each student has completed.
  2. A complete list of the academic programs offered by the institution, and the names of other institutions that offer similar programs that could potentially enter into a Teach-Out Agreement with the institution
  3. A communication plan that provides all potentially eligible students with information about how to obtain a closed school discharge and, if applicable, information on state refund policies. (See also item #5 in the second column on page 6.) The Provisional Plan also includes final drafts of any planned disclosures or other communications to affected students concerning their options and the timeline for closure. Official HLC Procedure | Contact: changerequests@hlcommission.org
  4. A record retention plan to be provided to all enrolled students (including those on leave of absence) that delineates the final disposition of student records (e.g., student transcripts, billing, financial aid records).
  5. Information on the number and types of credits any teach-out receiving institution is willing to accept prior to the student’s enrollment. (See also item #6 in the next column.)
  6. A clear statement to students of the tuition and fees of the educational program and the number and types of credits that will be accepted by each Teach-Out receiving institution.
  7. A commitment to promptly notify students of any additional costs.
  8. If the institution submitting the Provisional Plan is unable to allow all students to complete their programs prior to a planned closure (or program discontinuation), then Teach-Out Agreements with one or more institutions must accompany the Provisional Plan when it is submitted for approval.
  9. Plans for academic and financial aid advising. For complete closures, a plan for providing students with transfer assistance is also required (for example, through transfer fairs, or written agreements with specific institutions).
  10. A list of all programmatic accreditors and state licensing agencies with which the institution submitting the Provisional Plan has a relationship, as well as the status any program holds with such entities.

 

Note: All records will be made available to the students of the closing educational program, regardless of fees they may owe to the College.  Should the accrediting agencies require, the College shall communicate regularly with those agencies during the teach-out process to provide periodic status updates, including copies of notifications related to the institution’s closure of that educational program to ensure the information accurately represents students’ ability to transfer credits and to determine whether corrections may be required.

 

Teach-Out Plan for a Location or Campus
The College President, Vice President for Student and Academic Services, and other members of the Executive Leadership Team shall prepare a Provisional Plan, required by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) that complies with HLC’s Teach-Out Requirements prior to submitting for approval.  The Teach-Out plan shall be consistent with federal and state laws and applicable accrediting agencies policies and procedures.  The plan shall include at a minimum:

 

  1. Rationale for the closure of the location or campus.
  2. Identification of the educational programs offered at that location or campus.
  3. Statistics that include enrollment by degree program and certificate program; FTE of faculty (full time/part time); FTE of staff (full time/part time.)
  4. Plans and options for faculty (part time and full time) and plans/options for staff (part time and full time.)
  5. A list of currently enrolled students in all educational programs offered at that location or campus. (The College shall redact personally identifiable information.) The list shall include the program requirements each student has completed.
  6. Identification of the names of other institutions that offer similar programs and that could potentially enter into teach-out agreements with the institution.
  7. Information that will be provided to students that specifies and provides any additional costs including fees, tuition or other charges associated with completing their programs. (Whenever possible, the College shall attempt to form agreements with teach-out receiving institutions so students will not be required to pay more in tuition and fees than they would have been charged at EWC.)
  8. A description of the retention plan that delineates the final disposition of the closing educational program’s records (e.g., student transcripts, financial aid records) and how that plan will be shared with students.
  9. Communication Plan:
    1. Students: Notifying them about the closure and their options for completing their educational programs. Information on how to obtain a closed school discharge of their federal loans and, if applicable, information on state refund policies. A clear statement to students of the tuition and fees of the educational program and the number of types of credits that will be accepted by each teach-out receiving institution.
    2. Faculty/Staff: Will employees be given the option to relocate to another location/campus or will they be furloughed? What does that decision-making entail?
    3. Community: Notifying them about the closure and what steps are being taken to mitigate the impact to the community.
    4. Communication with specialized accreditors notifying them of the closure of the location or campus.
    5. Communication with other state authorizing bodies notifying them of the closure of the location or campus.

 

 

  1. A timeline for the Teach-Out.
  2. As applicable, the plan should include teach-out, transfer and articulation agreements with institutions.

 

Note: All records will be made available to the students of the closing educational program, regardless of fees they may owe to the College.  Should the accrediting agencies require, the College shall communicate regularly with those agencies during the teach-out process to provide periodic status updates, including copies of notifications related to the institution’s closure of that educational program to ensure the information accurately represents students’ ability to transfer credits and to determine whether corrections may be required.

 

Teach-Out Plan for the Institution
The College President, Vice President for Student and Academic Services, and other members of the Executive Leadership Team shall prepare a Provisional Plan, required by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) that complies with HLC’s Teach-Out Requirements prior to submitting for approval.  The Teach-Out plan shall be consistent with federal and state laws and applicable accrediting agencies policies and procedures.  The plan shall include at a minimum:

 

  1. Background information: Rationale for institution’s closure decision and description of decision to Teach-Out students prior to the institution’s closure.
  2. Identification of the educational programs offered at the institution.
  3. Statistics that include enrollment by degree program and certificate program; FTE of faculty (full time/part time); FTE of staff (full time/part time.)
  4. Plans and options for faculty (part time and full time) and plans/options for staff (part time and full time.)
  5. A list of currently enrolled students in all educational programs offered at the institution. (The College shall redact personally identifiable information.) The list shall include the academic transcripts, financial aid records, provisions for identifying a receiving institution or entity for the records and any arrangements with state authorizing bodies for transfer of student records, as applicable.
  6. The Board of Trustees financial and legal obligations shall include: rationale for the closure date; disposition of assets; and description of funding or escrow arrangements to cover the cost of implementation Teach-Out plan, such as record retention and transcript services, student advising events or communications to inform students about their options.
  7. Identification of the names of other institutions that offer similar programs and that could potentially enter into teach-out agreements with the institution.
  8. Information that will be provided to students that specifies and provides any additional costs including fees, tuition or other charges associated with completing their programs. (Whenever possible, the College shall attempt to form agreements with teach-out receiving institutions so students will not be required to pay more in tuition and fees than they would have been charged at EWC.)
  9. A description of the retention plan that delineates the final disposition of the closing educational program’s records (e.g., student transcripts, financial aid records) and how that plan will be shared with students.
  10. Communication Plan:
    1. Students: Notifying them about the closure and their options for completing their educational programs. A detailed communication plan that provides all potentially eligible students with information about how to obtain a closed school discharge of their federal loans and, if applicable, information on state refund policies. A clear statement to students of the tuition and fees of the educational program and the number of types of credits that will be accepted by each teach-out receiving institution.
    2. Faculty/Staff: What does this decision entail as it pertains to their records, retirement funds, wages pending, etc.
    3. Community: Notifying them about the closure and what steps are being taken to mitigate the impact to the community.
    4. Communication with specialized accreditors, professional licensure agencies, and certification bodies notifying them of the closure of the institution.
    5. Communication with other state authorizing bodies notifying them of the closure of the institution.
  11. A timeline for the Teach-Out events.
  12. As applicable, the plan should include teach-out, transfer and articulation agreements with institutions.

 

 

References:         Board Policy 2.17 – Teach Out Arrangements

 

 

Original Adoption Date: 10/21/24

Revision Date(s):

Date Reviewed, no change: