UCCS Extended Studies Policy and Procedures

 Revised 1/07

 This document establishes the framework for operation of the Extended Studies Program at UCCS.  It is a manual of reference for all branches of UCCS Extended Studies and all departments of the University that assist in Extended Studies operations.

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Mission Statement

 

Purpose of Extended Studies

 

Colorado Commission on Higher Education

• Compliance
• CCHE Policy

 

Roles and Responsibilities of Extended Studies Personnel

• Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
• Academic Deans
• Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies
• Assistant Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies
• Extended Studies Unit Directors/Coordinators
• Vice Chancellor for Student Success
• Office of Admissions and Records
• Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment
• Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance
• Office of the Bursar

 

Extended Studies Revenue Allocation

• Allocation of Tax Revenue
• Vice Chancellor Allocation
• Reserve Accounts
• Special Types of Extended Studies Courses

 

Extended Studies Marketing Policy

 

Extended Studies Website Policy

 Our mission is to extend the resources of UCCS in non-traditional ways by providing high quality educational, training and professional development opportunities to the community, state, and nation. 

 

The purposes of the UCCS Extended Studies Program are to:

• Increase agility in responding to the education and training needs of current and potential students
• Create an additional framework for program innovation and development by academic units
• Generate cash funded revenue that can be used to enhance academic programs and increase academic quality
• Provide the potential for supplementing faculty salaries in payment for their participation in entrepreneurial activities
• Provide assurance that UCCS in compliance with all CCHE Statewide Extended Studies Campus Policies
• Expand the influence of UCCS into the community by providing non-traditional educational opportunities
• Provide quality academic programming to local, national, and international military personnel Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE)

 

 

• All unit Extended Studies programs and Campus Wide Extended Studies programs shall be in compliance with CCHE and University of Colorado System policies and procedures
• Each Unit Director/Coordinator is responsible for submitting compliance information to the Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies in a timely and appropriate manner
• The Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies is accountable to the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs in the submission of such information to appropriate boards and agencies
• Complete up-to-date CCHE Policy can be found at http://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Policies/default.html

 

Organizational Effectiveness

UCCS employs a decentralized administrative structure for extended studies.  The responsibility for compliance with all rules and regulations, and for proper management, of the colleges’ extended studies activities resides with the dean of each college.  Campus extended studies will represent the interests of the colleges to the campus, the CU system, the CCHE, and other external constituents as appropriate.  To the extent possible, campus extended studies will manage campus compliance with all applicable rules and regulations and, when necessary and as much as possible, will support the colleges in complying with all such requirements.  Campus extended studies will also facilitate cooperation among colleges and will provide assistance to individual colleges as needed to the extent possible.  Extended studies units must work through campus extended studies to obtain all required program approvals.
 

Fiscal Practices

The dean of each college is responsible for the effective management of all extended studies funds coming into the college.  Extended studies units should work with the controller’s office to ensure compliance with state fiscal rules and recognized accounting practices. The campus should keep extended studies units informed regarding any transfers and policy changes that affect them.  Extended studies units must generate and maintain a program reserve fund of 10% to be administered by campus extended studies.
 

Academic Quality

Credit is awarded by academic colleges.  Each college should insure that its extended studies unit applies appropriate academic standards to all its offerings, including:Appointment of faculty consistent with the college’s other offerings,

• Faculty control of curriculum, grading and other academic processes,
• Use of student evaluations and other means to assess teaching effectiveness.

Extended studies units are responsible for providing accessible academic advising to potential and enrolled students. They are encouraged to coordinate with campus extended studies when appropriate.

  

 Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs (VCAA)

• Appoints the UCCS Director of Extended Studies
  
• Reviews quarterly the Extended Studies program with the UCCS Director of Extended Studies
  
• Coordinates Extended Studies related decisions with the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and the academic Deans
  
• Approves Campus Wide Extended Studies budgets and the allocation of campus funds generated by Extended Studies activities

 

Academic Deans

• Appoint a designated Extended Studies Unit Director/Coordinator for the unit and assigns responsibilities listed below to either the Unit Director/Coordinators or another person in the School or College
• Establish Extended Studies processes internal to the unit consistent with campus-wide policies, procedures, and CCHE Statewide Extended Studies Campus policies
  
• Ensure that all internal and CCHE Extended Studies Campus academic and fiscal policies and procedures are followed for the unit Extended Studies Program
  
• Review the status of the Extended Studies program on a regular basis with the Extended Studies Unit Director/Coordinators
  
• Provide input and information to the VCAA and the Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies on a regular basis
  
• Ensure that all courses offered through extended studies comply with the curriculum policies of the Department, School or College, and the Graduate School
  

Director of Extended Studies

• Reports to the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
• Facilitates unit Extended Studies activities through the Extended Studies Coordinating Committee, academic Deans, and the external agencies such as the University of Colorado system, Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE), and other professional organizations and learned societies
• Employs support staff for Campus Wide Extended Studies
• Establishes an Extended Studies Coordinating Committee composed of unit Extended Studies Directors
• Assumes sole responsibility for managing the Campus Wide Extended Studies accounts
• Approves the establishment of Campus and unit Extended Studies accounts
• Recommends annual adjustments to this policy after conducting a comprehensive review of the issue(s) and outcomes(s) with the Extended Studies Coordinating Committee
• Implements the approved Campus Wide Extended Studies tax structure and executes budget transfers
• Prepares and implements an administrative schedule and calendar for Extended Studies, including dates of all administrative reports from units and from the Campus to CCHE, reporting formats, and information to be provided in reports
• Obtains and maintains information on campus Extended Studies academic programs
• Represents the Extended Studies Coordinating Committee on campus committees, with administrative officers, or other appropriate groups or individuals
• Represents UCCS Extended Studies Coordinating Committee at appropriate state and national meetings
• Facilitates marketing of UCCS Campus Wide Extended Studies programs and courses with the Extended Studies Unit Directors/Coordinators
• Facilitates the coordination of UCCS Extended Studies E-Learning programs
• Coordinates and extends Campus Wide Extended Studies level of service agreement with the Office of Admissions and Records
• Coordinates and extends the Campus Wide Extended Studies level of service agreement with the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment
• Coordinates and extends the Campus Wide Extended Studies level of service agreement with the Office of the Bursar
• Approves appropriate academic and financial records and other information to the CU System and CCHE in an accurate and timely manner
• Ensures that Campus Wide Extended Studies programs and courses are operated in compliance with all applicable CCHE and CU policies and procedures
• Establishes reporting procedures for Campus Wide Extended Studies accounts in collaboration with Unit Directors/Coordinators and the VCAA to ensure accuracy and operation within budgets
• Conducts periodic review of extended studies accounts with Unit Directors/Coordinators
• Prepares and submits and annual report to the campus community of Campus Wide Extended Studies activities and actions
• Provide and annual financial report to the campus on the contribution of each College to the extended studies tax and distribution of such taxes and insures that there is no commingling of Campus Wide Extended Studies (Enterprise Revenue) with state appropriated funds

Assistant Director Campus Wide Extended Studies

• Reports to Director Campus Wide Extended Studies
  
• Create and generate accurate reports for internal and external constituencies by gathering data from various data sources including the Student Information System (SIS), Central Information Warehouse, and PeopleSoft Reporting Databases
  
• Recruit, hire, and supervise part-time staff, coordinators, and student assistants
  
• Assist the Director, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, and the Unit Directors/Coordinators in duties as assigned by the Director
  
• Oversee the design and maintenance of an effective, accurate, and functional Campus Wide Extended Studies website
  
• Support and provide input for budgetary decisions for the Extended Studies program by tracking past, present, and future Campus Wide Extended Studies revenue and expenditure trends
  
• Support all Campus Wide Extended Studies marketing efforts.  Assists in the design for advertising materials and production of final product
  
• Represents UCCS and Campus Wide Extended Studies at various educational fairs and events
  
• Presents analysis of historical programs, events, and budget patterns and forecasted short-term needs to Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies and Associate Vice Chancellor to assist in program planning
• Assists in student recruitment for Campus Wide Extended Studies programs as well as on-campus programs
• Enroll and supervise current Campus Wide Extended Studies programs including American Management Association (AMA) programs
  
• Advise the Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies on initiatives undertaken in cooperation with military organizations
  
• Assumes responsibility for managing Campus Wide Extended Studies accounts
  
• Represent Campus Wide Extended Studies on campus committees, with administrative officers, and other appropriate groups or individuals
  
• Represent UCCS Campus Wide Extended Studies at appropriate state and national meetings
  
• Prepare and submit for approval appropriate academic and financial record and other information to the CU System and CCHE in an accurate and appropriate manner

Extended Studies Unit Directors/Coordinators

• Report to the appropriate Academic Dean
• Follow established Admissions and Record office and Bursars Office policies and procedures for course establishment, registration, grade submittal, and tuition/fee submittal
• Participate on the Campus Wide Extended Studies Coordinating Committee and other campus and unit governance bodies as appropriate
• Hire, train, and supervise unit Extended Studies support personnel
• Coordinate, plan, schedule, and organize non-credit and credit courses, workshops, professional development activities, seminars, conferences, and other unit approved academic activities
• Monitor unit Extended Studies accounts to ensure accuracy and operation within budgets
• Maintain external relationships with unit constituencies and clients
• Follow established campus and unit policies and procedures for course approval, instructor approval, and other academic processes
• Follow established policies and procedures for the CCHE Colorado Statewide Extended Studies Program, Off-campus State-funded Programs, Out-of-State and Out-of-Country Instruction, and other applicable reporting in coordination with designated Extended Campus Administrator
• Submit information, documentation, and other reports to the Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies or designee per published schedule or when requested for special purpose
• Ensure cohesion of marketing efforts by adhering to Campus Wide Extended Studies marketing policy and the University Graphic Standards
• Ensure cohesion of website appearance and content by adhering to University Website policy
• Coordinate the preparation of contracts regarding unit Extended Studies programs and course offerings

Vice Chancellor for Student Success (VCSS)

• Make assignments as necessary to ensure that required services are provided for extended studies students, faculty, and courses
• Determine the use of funds allocated to the VCSS to support the operations of the VCSS offices and their support for the extended studies program

Office of Admissions and Records

• Reports to Vice Chancellor of Student Success (VCSS)
• Follows established policies and procedures for admission, retention, and program completion for Extended Studies students
• Registers undergraduate, graduate, and unclassified students in Extended Studies programs and courses
• Ensures that Extended Studies student information is correctly entered in the Student Information System (SIS)
• Records grades
• Prepares and disseminates transcripts
• Attends and participates with the Extended Studies Coordinating Committee as requested
• Performs functions for Extended Studies students similar to on-campus students with regard to data entry into the SIS system, posting grades, and processing transcript requests
• Provides Unit Extended Studies Directors/Coordinators with status of services requested in a timely manner
• Provides data from the SIS system to the Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies as requested

Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment

• Reports to the Vice Chancellor of Student Success (VCSS)
• Processes financial aid applications for students in Extended Studies courses
• Collaborates in the development of an annual level-of-service agreement with the Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies for the duties and responsibilities of the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment to unit Extended Studies programs
• Provides financial aid information for Extended Studies students
• Attends and participates with the Extended Studies Coordinating Committee as requested

Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance (VCAF)

• Makes assignments as necessary to ensure that required services are provided for extended studies students, faculty, and courses
• Determines the use of funds allocated to the VCAF to support the operations of the VCAF offices and their support for the extended studies program and provides the appropriate support to insure that the UCCS designated Extended Studies administrator is able to comply with CCHE Statewide Extended Studies Campus fiscal policies

Office of the Bursar

• Reports to the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance (VCAF)
• Collects and records tuition and fees in a timely manner in correct unit Extended Studies accounts
• Ensures that all Extended Studies funds are maintained in separate accounts and are not commingled with state appropriate funds
• Collaborates in the development of an annual level-of-service agreement with the Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies for the duties and responsibilities of the Office of the Bursar to unit Extended Studies programs
• Follows established policies and procedures for recording tuition, fees, and other appropriate financial information
• Updates BRS/SIS information systems for Extended Studies as requested
• Attends and participates with the Extended Studies Coordinating Committee as requested
• Completes accounting functions upon recommendation and approval of the Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies
• Provides student data from the SIS system to appropriate Extended Studies administrators
• Creates student’s records in billing and receivable systems
• Generates student bills, down payment bills, census bills, and fee schedules
• Establishes a telephone voice response system for balance and payment
• Processes payment received by Extended Studies students
• Processes bills and collects tuition form third parties
• Collects tuition and fees from non-payment and financial delinquent students
• Provides sub-code maintenance billing and receiving
• Monitors student accounts and responds to student inquiries regarding account balances

 

Allocation of Tax Revenue

• The total revenue from each extended studies unit shall be allocated as follows
  

• 9% (or the current campus rate) of expenditures to the General Administrative Recharge (GAR)
• 17% of Extended Studies adjusted gross revenue for UCCS operating expenses

• The VCAA may establish additional fees for those Extended Studies programs, courses, or activities that require additional library, instructional technology, or other campus services beyond those available normally collected
• The percentage of adjusted gross revenues allocated to UCCS operating expenses should be revisited when those revenues reach one-million dollar milestones (i.e., when total gross revenues reach five million dollars to ensure that any economies of scale realized are recognized in the rate charged.

 

Vice Chancellor Allocation

• To meet costs associated with operating the Extended Studies program revenue shall be allocated to the Vice Chancellors as follows*

• 40% of tax revenue shall be allocated to the VCAA
• 40% of tax revenue shall be allocated to the VCAF
• 20% of tax revenue shall be allocated to the VCSS

 

*UCCS may charge appropriate overhead Section IV, Part C, 3.05 “Expenses charged to the Extended Studies Program shall only be those that compensate for services (such as admissions, book-keeping, and computer services, equipment, or supplies) which are employed directly and exclusively in Extended Studies Program administrative or instructional activities.  Total funds transferred from the institution’s Extended Studies program to its campus shall be reported in the Year-End Financial Report.

 

• Extended Studies allocation to each vice chancellor shall be used for personnel and operating expenses associated with the units reporting to that Vice Chancellor. 
• The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs shall be responsible for administrative and operating expenses for the Campus Wide Extended Studies Director and for the academic support for these programs through the Library, Information Technology, and Office of Institutional Research.
• The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Services shall be responsible for personnel and operating expenses for Admissions and Records and Financial Aid and Student Employment
• The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance shall be responsible for personnel and operating expenses associated with accounting and the Bursar
• These distributions are expected to cover all costs associated with the Extended Studies program with no additional charges for services from campus offices

Reserve Accounts

• The University shall maintain a reserve account from Extended Studies tuition that equals 10% of the prior year’s adjusted gross revenue
• Funds will be transferred into or out of the central account by October 1 of each year
• The University Extended Studies’ reserve account shall identify the contribution of each academic unit
• Funds in the reserve account may be spent upon recommendation of the Director of Campus Wide Extended Studies and the Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs

Classification of instruction as C1 (State-funded (COF or fee-for-service, general fund) versus C2 (Cash-funded, auxiliary fund)

 
Forms of instruction always offered through C2 (or C3)

• Out-of-state, out-of-country, not including:
• Study-abroad programs that are administered on-campus and offered primarily for, and enroll, regularly-enrolled degree-seeking students of the sponsoring institution; or
• Class excursions of a temporary nature that are provided to supplement the institution's regular curriculum and are offered solely for the benefit of regularly-enrolled degree-seeking students of the sponsoring institution.
• Non-credit (C3)
• Remedial

 

Forms of instruction ordinarily offered through C2 (unless approved by CCHE for state funding)

• Off-campus, not including:
• Internships, cooperative education experiences, clinical training experiences, and student teaching;
• Class excursions of a temporary nature that are provided to supplement the institution's regular curriculum and are offered solely for the benefit of regularly-enrolled degree-seeking students of the sponsoring institution; and
• Credit courses that are part of the regular curriculum that cannot be taught without specific equipment or instructional material available only at an off-campus site or field experience.

Forms of instruction offered through C2 at the discretion of the dean

• Distance, including:
• All forms of telecommunication delivery;
• Hybrid courses (meeting face-to-face on-campus for less than fifty percent of the required contact hours AND meeting face-to-face off-campus for less than fifty percent of required contact hours);
• Correspondence courses
• Class excursions of a temporary nature that are provided to supplement the institution's regular curriculum and are offered solely for the benefit of regularly-enrolled degree-seeking students of the sponsoring institution

Forms of instruction offered through C2 with the approval of the campus (VCAA) and agreement with the dean

• Any on-campus, credit-bearing, non-remedial instruction, including:

• Space available (those courses in which both C1 and C2 students are served in the same class, with instructional costs being paid with general funds)
• Courses that serve both C1 and C2 students, even when all or part of the funding is intended to come from auxiliary sources
• Courses that are part of a program otherwise offered through C2 because of being offered off-campus or by distance delivery
• High-demand courses that can command a higher tuition than under C1
• Courses offered on the weekend or over campus breaks
• Courses not required as part of any degree program, and which would not be offered based on the availability of general fund dollars, but which serve legitimate student demand
• Internships, cooperative education experiences, clinical training experiences, and student teaching that are part of an otherwise C1 program
• Study-abroad programs that are administered on-campus and offered primarily for, and enroll, regularly-enrolled degree-seeking students of the institution

• Courses that do not pay campus overhead and GAR (not counting the exclusion for third party instructional costs)

 
Moving instruction from C2 to C1

• Decisions to change how a set of courses will be offered that have the effect of moving instruction from C2 to C1 will be made with full participation by the VCAA, the Associate VCAA and the dean(s) of the college(s) offering the affected instruction
• One of the most important considerations in making such a decision will be that, at a minimum, the return of resources to the offering college will continue to be fully sufficient to support the offerings
• Further consideration will be given to the additional fiscal impact on the college of any additional loss of funds

 
Tuition

 Recommended minimum tuition levels for credit-bearing courses:

• Undergraduate courses:
• Applicable resident tuition + campus fees (currently estimated at $75 per credit hour) + COF (currently estimated at $86 per credit hour)

 

• Graduate courses:
• Applicable resident tuition + campus fees (currently estimated at $75 per credit hour) + the fee-for-service amount (currently estimated at $145 per credit hour)

 

Tuition levels lower than the applicable resident tuition, plus campus fees (currently estimated at $75 per credit hour), require the approval of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and should normally only be set for the following reasons:

• University purposes (recruiting, community service, etc.) are served, and the college is able to cover its full costs (including instruction, internal administration, reserves, campus overheads and GAR) at the lower rate
• Circumstances cause instructional and other costs of the program to be lower than for other programs (e.g., contract courses where the instructional costs are actually paid by a third party)
• The students in a program have absolutely no impact on activities supported by campus fees (e.g., distance students who never come to campus), and the college is able to cover its full costs (including instruction, internal administration, reserves, campus overheads and GAR) at the lower rate
• The students in a course are already paying student fees for other courses in the same semester, and the college is able to cover its full costs (including instruction, internal administration, reserves, campus overheads and GAR) at the lower rate
• A third party payer (e.g., tuition assistance from the military) is only willing to pay at a reduced rate, and the college is able to cover its full costs (including instruction, internal administration, reserves, campus overheads and GAR) at the lower rate
• A particular set of students are unable to pay the full tuition, but the college is able to cover its full costs (including instruction, internal administration, reserves, campus overheads and GAR) at the lower rate
• Students are taking courses not normally offered for degree-seeking students and would be unwilling to register under normal C1 tuition and requirements.

Only in the rarest of cases, including C3 (non-credit) offerings, when university purposes (recruiting, community service, etc.) are served by subsidizing the instruction, and when the college has sufficient resources to sustain it, should a program ever be offered at a tuition rate that is not sufficient to cover its full costs (including instruction, internal administration, reserves, campus overheads and GAR).

 It is the goal of this marketing policy to ensure that all Extended Studies marketing provides prospective students with information that is complete, informative, and appealing.  In order to meet these goals the following policy has been developed.

• All marketing materials must be within the guidelines of the established UCCS Graphic Standards
• All marketing materials must provide the Campus Wide Extended Studies web address (www.uccs.edu/extendedstudies) and the Campus Wide Extended Studies general email address (CWES@uccs.edu)

If you have questions about the UCCS visual identity program, please contact the Office of Marketing Communications x3014 or email Nancy Stannard.

 

The goal of the Extended Studies website policy is to enhance the goals of promoting a Visual Identity for UCCS and to provide current and prospective students with information that is current, complete, informative, and easy to navigate.  To meet these goals the following policy has been developed.

• All websites must adhere to the University Website Policy
• All websites must provide at link to the Campus Wide Extended Studies homepage
• All websites must provide contact information for the unit and the office of Campus Wide Extended Studies
• All course schedules are to be kept current
• Registration information must be provided
• All website must use the background template provided by UCCS which has the official UCCS masthead

For questions about the UCCS website policy please contact UCCS Web Designer Craig Decker at x4338