R138-1. Purpose
2.2. Policy and Procedures R315, Service Areas for Off-Campus Courses and Programs
2.3. Policy and Procedures R402, Program Additions or Changes Requiring Board Approval and Consent
3.2. Focus on Students Unable to Relocate to a Four Year Campus - University centers shall be designed primarily to serve those students who because of work, family, economic or other factors are unable to relocate to attend an established four-year institution to complete a baccalaureate degree.
3.3. Programs Developed to Meet Regional Needs - University center offerings will be developed in high demand fields based upon assessed regional student needs and market conditions. There shall be no expectation that a university center duplicate the full range of baccalaureate programs of a traditional four-year college or university.
3.4. Responsibility of the Host Community College - The host community college shall provide administrative, academic and student support services, and library support for programs at university centers. Community college facilities that are comparable in quality to the space used for its own academic programs will be used for teaching classes and for offices that may be required by university faculty and staff involved in the programs. Working in conjunction with the Commissioner's Office, the community college shall be responsible to verify regional needs which justify bringing bachelors degree programs to the university center.
3.5. Responsibility of the Delivering University - The delivering university and its academic departments shall have responsibility to offer courses and programs, hiring, evaluating, and retaining faculty, evaluating course and program content and quality, and awarding credits and degrees, and augmenting academic and student support services and library resources as required to assure the program will be of high quality.
3.5.1. Quality Equal to Campus Programs - The quality of instruction, access to technology, library, and learning resources, advisement, accreditation standards, and the value of degrees offered through a university center will equal those provided on the main campus of the delivering institution.
3.6. Funding of University Centers - Funding of university centers and university center programs that have been appropriated by the legislature for that purpose shall be managed as provided in 3.6.1 through 3.6.3. Funding for other programs that are operated by universities on community college campuses without the use of university center appropriations are exempted from these provisions and will be managed according to agreements negotiated between cooperating institutions.
3.6.1. Funding Allocations - State appropriations provided to fund administrative, and academic and student support services at university centers shall be allocated to the host community college and shall be included in the Education and General budget of the institution. Programmatic funds which are intended to pay the direct instructional costs of baccalaureate programs and state appropriations associated with enrollment growth in university center programs shall be assigned to the State Board of Regents for management by the Commissioner and distribution to the appropriate delivering university based on contractual agreements with host community colleges.
3.6.2. University Center Tuition and Fees - The delivering university will collect regular university tuition from University Center students. Regular university student fees will be waived and replaced with special "University Center Delivery Fees" of an equal amount. The university will rebate to the community college an amount equal to the regular community college student fees. The university will retain excess fees. Tuition and fees, and state appropriations distributed by the Commissioner's Office to the delivering university shall be combined with the contractual funds received from the community college to pay for instruction and other costs of the program.
3.6.3. Enrollments Budget Related - University center enrollments shall be reported by the university and classified as budget-related.
3.7. Contracts Between Host and Delivering Institutions - Contractual agreements providing for the delivering of university center programs will be negotiatedbetween host community colleges and delivering universities and shall provide for:
3.7.1. Protection of the Accreditation Requirements of the Delivering University - The delivering university has the sole accreditation responsibility for the academic and fiscal elements of the instructional programs it offers. Contracts must provide sufficient control of financial resources, curriculum, and staffing to allow the university to satisfy these requirements.
3.7.2. The Length of Term of Contracts - Contracts shall be of sufficient duration to assure students that they will be able to complete the program of study, and for the university to attract and secure faculty with appropriate credentials to provide a high quality program.
3.7.3. Program Meets Student and Market Demands - Assurances to the community college that the program provided by the university is meeting the student and market demands that were verified.
3.7.4. Identification of Responsibilities - Identification of the responsibility to advertise and provide other information about the program, the facilities and equipment that will be provided by the community college, how library needs, provision of financial aid, and other needs will be met.
3.7.5. Changes in the Terms and Termination of Contracts - Changes in the terms of contracts shall require the approval of both institutions and the Commissioner's Office. Contracts may be terminated by either the host community college or the delivering university, but only after giving sufficient advance notice to assure that students may complete program requirements and the resolution of other contractual issues that may be involved to the satisfaction of the Commissioner. Changes or termination of the contracts must be justified by evidence that the need for the program no longer exists, that the program is not meeting the needs of students, that the quality of the program is not adequate, that the support services or facilities provided by the community college were not adequate, or other similarly compelling factors.
3.8. Graduate Level Programs - Selected high demand graduate degree programs may be offered at university centers. However, the enrollment and funding agreements for university centers described in 3.6 and 3.7 shall not apply to graduate program offerings. Programmatic and budgetary arrangements for delivery of graduate degree programs at university centers shall be negotiated between cooperating institutions, with separate prior Regents approval.
3.9. Oversight of University Center Programs within a Reasonable
Commuting Distance - All university center programs that are offered
by delivering universities within reasonable commuting distance of the
community college, shall be coordinated by the university center. All university
center programs offered in the immediate city of a community college shall
be provided in community college facilities to enhance continuity and avoid
the duplication of facility costs.
(Possible exclusions might include: teacher education programs offered
through contracts with local school districts, nursing programs based at
local hospitals, programs offered at prisons or correctional institutions,
university programs offered at Utah College of Applied Technology campuses,
or whenever suitable space at the community college is not available).
3.10. Program Development and Approval - Colleges and universities are encouraged to cooperatively assess the needs and demands for university center programs in various regions of the state irrespective of traditional institutional geographic service areas. The intent is to increase cooperation, improve program quality, and foster inter-institutional agreements and relationships. After consultation with the Commissioners Office, the institutions may proceed to develop the proposal in detail. Collaborative programs that result from these efforts will be subject to the same contractual and approval requirements as other university center programs.
3.10.1. Proposals Submitted Jointly - Factors Considered - All requests for degree programs at university centers shall be submitted jointly by the cooperating institutions to the Office of the Commissioner. All proposals shall be evaluated with respect to student need, market demand, enrollment expectations, projected costs, estimated tuition and fee revenues, proposed means of delivery, existing role and mission assignments, departmental strengths, expected impact on existing programs both at the delivering institution and at other institutions in the System, readiness of institutions to cooperate and provide needed programs and other relevant factors as determined by the Board.
3.10.2. Projected Program Longevity - Each proposal shall address the issue of program stability and provide a clear statement regarding the program's commitment to students, the expected program longevity, and whether the program should be considered "ongoing" or "revolving" (meaning that it may be offered in specific multi-year cycles, but suspended or discontinued when the expected market is saturated). Depending upon the nature of local market demands, programs may be recommended for approval with "ongoing" or "revolving" status.
3.10.3. Reassignment of University Center Funding - When the demand at a host community college for programs with revolving status has been met, the Commissioner's Office, based on recommendations from the Chief Academic Officers and the Council of Presidents, shall assess the need for university center programs in all areas of the state. If the Commissioner concludes that a greater programmatic need exists at another location, it may be recommended to the Board that those funds should be reassigned to another university center.
3.10.4. Prior Regent Approval - All degree programs offered through university centers must receive prior approval from the Regents. Consistent with the provisions of R402, all proposals will be distributed for institutional review and comment and review of the Chief Academic Officers and Council of Presidents prior to the preparation of recommendations for Board action.
3.11. Student Financial Aid - Host community colleges and delivering universities are expected to work cooperatively, including entering into necessary financial aid agreements, to provide university center students with financial aid support that is comparable to that received by other students of the institutions involved.
(Reported to the Board September 18, 1992, amended and approved December 11, 1998)