Stale University of New York

Memorandum to Presidents

Date: December 12, 1988

From: Office of the Provost

Vol. 88 No. 9

Subject: Restatement of Guidelines for the Administration of Credit-bearing Off-campus Instructional Activities

To: Presidents, State-operated Campuses

Presidents, Community Colleges

Purpose

This memorandum is intended to remind campuses of existing policies governing credit-bearing off-campus instructional activities. These policies have been described in earlier Memorandums to Presidents, and one of them, Vol. 80, No. 16, of November 10, 1980, is now superseded.

Commissioner's Regulations

The Commissioner's Regulations, Sections 50.1 (q) (r) (s) (t) and 54.1-3, govern instruction offered at locations other than the principal center of an institution or on the campus of another degree-granting institution. If a complete program is to be conducted at an off-campus site, that site is to be designated a branch campus, which must be approved through a Master Plan amendment. A complete program offered by one institution but conducted on another institution's campus is referred to as an inter-institutional program and still requires a Master Plan amendment.

If no complete program is offered but more than 15 credit-bearing courses are conducted, or there are more than 350 credit-course registrations in an academic year, an off-campus location is regarded as an extension center and must be approved by the State University and the State Education Department.

An extension site, an off-campus instructional location with a lower level of activity, does not require external approval. All courses offered for credit at an extension site or an extension center must be part of the registered curricula at the campus's principal center or branch campus, and current records for such off-campus activity must be maintained.

Approval

Actions for approval of extension centers should be initiated through the Office of the Provost following the form and procedures outlined in the State Education Department memorandum to Chief Executive Officers

Number 80-16 of September 19, 1980.

Actions for establishment of branch campuses should be discussed with the Office of the Provost.

Guidelines

Guidelines for the Administration of Credit-Bearing Off-Campus Instructional Activities were originally issued in 1980 (following endorsement by the Council of Presidents) to assure maintenance of institutional quality. These guidelines are restated as an attachment to this memorandum.

Joseph C. Burke

Provost

Attachment

Copies for information sent to:

Deans, Statutory Colleges

President Coll

Vice President Nesheim

GUIDELINES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF CREDIT-BEARING OFF-CAMPUS INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES

In an effort to promote more coordinated planning and assure quality offerings of extension courses and other special off-campus programs in SUNY, the following guidelines have been developed. These guidelines are not intended to restrict the SUNY campuses from developing off-campus programs. Rather, the guidelines are intended to encourage the development, improvement, and expansion of off-campus courses and programs, thereby continuing to provide the citizens of New York State greater access to quality public

higher education.

Each SUNY unit will establish policies for off-campus instruction which are consistent with the following:

1. SUNY units shall have a published rationale for offering off-campus credit activities which is consistent with their campus missions and capabilities.

2. An administrative office shall be identified to coordinate and supervise off-campus credit-bearing activities.

3. SUNY units shall determine the community need for each planned off-campus credit-bearing activity.

4. SUNY units shall provide appropriate facilities for instruction and access to library resources for off-campus credit-bearing activities.

5. SUNY units shall provide academic advisement, financial aid information, counseling services and other support services for off-campus credit-bearing activities. Students shall be advised of the availability of such resources and services.

6. If part-time faculty are employed in teaching off-campus instructional activities, SUNY units shall develop procedures and criteria for the appointment of part-time faculty.

7. SUNY units shall develop a review process for courses to be taught off-campus which is similar to that used for on-campus courses.

8. Faculty teaching off-campus shall be evaluated by a process similar to those for on-campus faculty.

9. Each SUNY unit shall develop an orientation procedure to acquaint part-time faculty with policies and procedures that govern their responsibilities.

10. Opportunities shall be provided for part-time faculty teaching in off-campus credit-bearing activities to interact with their full-time faculty colleagues, e.g., faculty meetings.

11. If a SUNY unit plans to offer an off-campus credit-bearing activity in a geographic region where another SUNY unit/units is located, the initiating campus shall inform the Presidents of all other SUNY units within this geographic area of its proposed activity. This written notification shall take place even if the other SUNY unit/units cannot offer this proposed off-campus activity. If the proposed off-campus activity is one that the other SUNY unit/units has the capacity to offer and would be willing to offer, the SUNY unit proposing the activity shall obtain the approval of its plans from the other SUNY unit/units prior to scheduling the activity. If an agreement cannot be reached between two SUNY units about the

offering of an off-campus activity, the conflict shall be submitted to the Provost for final resolution.

12. Cooperative arrangements between and among SUNY units should be encouraged in an effort to provide educational services to residents of the State.

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*An off-campus credit-bearing instructional activity, as used in these guidelines, refers to credit-bearing courses and/or programs which are taught off-campus. It does not refer to field trips, internships, student teaching, cooperative education, international programs or the like, which are supervised by on-campus faculty for students enrolled primarily in on-campus programs.