WSU Regulation Number 3-3
NON-CREDIT AND CEU OFFERINGS DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDING OF NON-CREDIT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIT
1. PURPOSE: To establish the guidelines to be used at Winona State University on the development and funding of non-credit offerings.
The primary results of the implementation of this policy will be (1) the creation of records of educational experience for learners to document their efforts at self-improvement, increased vocational competence, and a commitment to lifelong learning; (2) the creation of an institutional planning implementation and recording capability for demonstrating ongoing commitment to continuing education and community service functions; and (3) the recognition of Adult Continuing Education and Extension Department as the central office for CEU/non-credit programs.
2. DEFINITION: One continuing education unit (CEU) is defined as ten contact hours of participation in an organized educational experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction. When it is possible, CEU input will be sought from the potential consumers of an activity prior to the time the final learning objectives are established, and, in contrast to credit programs where individual participants are evaluated, CEU activities will be evaluated by participants for program relevance and quality, and will bear no relationship to credit or competence units associated with university coursework.
3. GUIDELINES:
A. Criteria
1. The educational activity must meet the standards as defined in Section 2 of this policy.
2. The learning activity should be planned in response to an articulated or perceived need of a client group. To fulfill this criterion, client groups, as well as individuals with expertise in the content area of the activity, should participate in the planning process.
3. The CEU activity shall be evaluated on its stated objectives in order to insure an effective learning experience. A formal program evaluation will provide the institution with some evidence of the activity's community service and its consumer satisfaction. The evaluation will provide a basis for quality control and will be useful in future planning.
4. Records of attendance must be maintained to verify each individuals participation in the activity. Attendance during not less than 80 percent of the instructional hours should be required for awarding CEUS.
5. Other than meeting minimum attendance requirements, participants are not required to have additional evaluation unless required by an outside agency, i.e. State Department or licensing body. Instructors may, however, make available on an optional basis additional evaluation opportunities for participants who so desire and if appropriate to the activity.
B. Limitations
1. Continuing education units shall not be convertible to credits, but may be offered as supporting evidence for evaluation of prior learning for university credit.
2. Continuing education units will be awarded only for an activity offered with prior institutional approval.
3. Courses will not generally be offered for both credit and CEUS. However, if after an activity is planned for CEUS, the offering department determines it to be appropriate for credit, the activity can be converted to a credit option through the regular curriculum approval procedures. This conversion presupposes the development of provisions for evaluation of the learner and other appropriate modifications.
4. Continuing education units will not be awarded for the following activities:
(a) high school equivalency programs
(b) orientation programs
(c) committee meetings
(d) policy assignments
(e) meetings and conventions, unless they include specially sessions meeting CEU guidelines
(f) mass media programs.
(g) entertainment and recreation
(h) work experience
(i) individual scholarship
(j) self-directed studies
(k) association membership and certification programs unless there is prior approval that the program meets CEU guidelines
(l) time allocated to social activities, coffee hours, luncheons, dinners, or other similar activities
5. When a CEU activity is co-sponsored by a state university and another institution, agency, or association, the university will generally have the responsibility for awarding CEUs and maintaining student records.
6. Any course offered as part of the credit curriculum may not be approved for CEUS. Participants wishing to enroll in such activities without receiving credits shall register for audit.
7. Nothing in this policy is intended to suggest that all conferences, continuing education, community service, extension, off-campus, or other similar activities must be offered for CEUs or credit. They may simply be offered through ACEED as a non-credit activity.
C. Implementation
1. Program Administration
Responsibility for administration of the Non-Credit/CEU Programs is assigned to the Adult Continuing Education and Extension Department, under the supervision of the Dean of Academic Services.
2. Approved Procedures
Ideas for non-credit courses and activities may be generated by individual faculty members, by departments, or by persons not affiliated with Winona State University. All actual offerings must be approved by, ACEED, the Dean of Academic Services and the appropriate area Dean.
3. Unit Determination
One continuing education unit (CEU) is to be awarded for each ten contact hours of instruction, or the equivalent, included in the educational activity. The number of contact hours and appropriate CEU must be determined prior to the beginning of the activity.
Partial CEUs may be awarded on the basis of total contact hours involved. For example, for an activity of 17, 17 1/2 or 17 3/4 contact hours, 1.7 CEUs are assigned. Activities involving fewer than ten contact hours of instruction (less than one CEU) should not be approved for CEU without careful evaluation to insure that all CEU criteria have been met.
4. Recording Procedures
(a) WSU ACEED will provide a process and mechanism for establishing, maintaining, and transmitting individual student transcripts of CEUS.
(b) the information which must be included on all transcripts of official statement is as follows:
--Name and address of the awarding institution
--Name of the individual participant
--Social Security number of the individual participant
--Title of the program or activity (the title should be as descriptive as possible) --Completion date of the program or activity --Number of continuing education units awarded
(c) Additional items of information which should be recorded and maintained by the state university are:
--A brief description of the program or activity, including some indication of content, level, objectives, and format (should be retained permanently in the institution's files) --Instructors utilized in the activity --Location of the program --Cooperating organization, company, agency, association, or institution
D. Instructors' Salaries
The rate to be paid individual instructors shall be set by ACEED in consultation with the area Dean. The rate shall be set prior to the start of the course or activity, but may be renegotiated to accommodate smaller enrollments or program needs.
E. Program Pricing
All offerings shall be self-supporting except in those instances when the Dean of the appropriate,college, the Director of the Rochester Center, the Academic Vice President, and/or ACEED believe that the activity should be offered a a loss because of future potential, necessary sequencing for completion of a program, public commitment, or contractual agreements.
F. Failure to Meet Minimum Enrollment
If a course does not meet its minimum enrollment, there are three
options: (1) in consultation with the area dean, ACEED may approve the course to operate at a loss; (2) in consultation with the area Dean, ACEED may cancel the course; (3) in consultation with the area Dean, ACEED may renegotiate the contract with the instructor.
4. WORKING GUIDELINES FOR GEU AND NON-CREDIT ACTIVITIES (Conferences, Workshops, Seminars)
A. Winona State University departments or employees offering CEU or non-credit activities including workshops, conferences, seminars, etc. will work through Adult, Continuing Education, and Extension (ACEED) in order to have a centralized schedule and source of information for the public, to have standardized procedures uniform across the University and to utilize the services provided by ACEED. ACEED is the WSU department authorized to award CEU's on behalf of the University.
B. All offerings shall be self-supporting except in those instances when the Dean of the appropriate college, the Director of the Rochester Center, the Academic Vice President, and/or ACEED believe that the activity should be offered at a loss because of future potential, necessary sequencing for completion of a program, public commitment, or contractual agreements.
C. ACEED will provide the following:
1. Intent to Program form (includes work plan and estimated budget)
2. Registration forms
3. Input into the computer system (allows for transcript recording for CEU or permanent record for all non-credit registrations).
4. Record keeping
5. Certificates of Completion
6. Final Report
D. ACEED can provide, upon request, professional expertise in:
1. Planning
2. Promotion
3. Implementation
4. Evaluation
5. Follow-up
E. Procedure for setting up a non-credit CEU activity:
1. Contact ACEED or non-credit/CEU coordinator as far in advance as possible. This person will assist you in the necessary steps to set up an activity, begin the paperwork, and offer valuable advice and assistance for management of the activity. Printing, mailing, reservations, etc. often require substantial lead time. The appropriate dean must be consulted prior to final commitment by department, faculty, or ACEED. An Intent to Program form should be signed by all parties. This will include a workplan for various tasks related to the program and an estimated budget.
2. Establish budget with ACEED staff: Actual dollar amounts for direct costs of salaries, printing, copy machine, travel, breaks/meals, postage, purchase of materials, student help for mailings, registration, etc., certificates, rents, and any other budget items will be approved for payment per ACEED accounting procedures.
Indirect costs credited to ACEED will be set in advance at one of the following levels:
a. Indirect costs will be 10% of the costs (exclusive of salary) of the agreed upon budget. (Deviations from this policy may be negotiated between ACEED and the sponsor when extenuating circumstances arise.)
b. A negotiated flat fee per participant.
Receipts from the program or activity will be deposited into an account specified for the non-credit activity and which allows for carry-over of funds and transfer of profit into appropriate budgets.
The costs incurred in programs which are cancelled will be paid as defined in the Intent to Program. Any expenditures committed prior to contact with ACREED or outside of the initial agreement (without mutual consent between ACEED and the sponsor) will be absorbed by the department or unit sponsoring the event.
A complete record of expenses and income will be maintained by ACEED for the involved parties. Distribution of profits will be arranged according to prior agreement (see Section V).
3. Work with ACEED as necessary to plan procedures, publicize,
implement, and evaluate the program along appropriate time lines in order to have a successful activity.
F. Distribution of Profits
The distribution of profit for any single program will be negotiated between ACEED and the cooperating unit in order to recognize as fairly as possible the efforts of each unit in the development of that offering. When the department or individual has major involvement and responsibility, they will receive 90-,95% of the profit, and ACEED will receive 5-10% for its assistance. When ACEED performs most of the work and has nearly all the responsibility, it will receive 90-95% and the other units 5-10%. There may be other cases of real partnership in which a 50-50 split or other individually negotiated variation is most fair to all concerned. The agreement will be outlined on the Intent to Program.
As soon as all final costs and receipts are determined, payment corresponding to the negotiated proportion will be credited from the ACEED account to the unit account. ACEED will prepare a final report.
Typical uses for the profits generated would be seed money for underwriting future outreach and community service programs, promotion of departmental educational innovations, purchase of equipment, faculty development, research, the use of consultants, student scholarships, etc., subject to WSU policy.
5. This WSU regulation supersedes WSU policy 2-1-A dated March 16, 1982.
AUTHENTICATED BY:
Thomas F. Stark
President
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Authoritative Reference
SUB EP04
President
Last Modified: Monday, November 26, 2007 12:09 by
