Section 1050.30  Criteria for Approval

The Illinois Board of Higher Education will evaluate new units of instruction, research or public service by applying the following criteria:

a)         Criteria which are applicable to all units of instruction, research and public service

1)         Mission and Objectives

A)        The objectives of the unit of instruction, research or public service are consistent with the mission of the college or university.

B)        The objectives of the unit of instruction, research or public service are consistent with what the unit title implies.

2)         Academic Control

The design, conduct, and evaluation of the unit of instruction, research or public service are under the direct and continuous control of the sponsoring institution's established processes for academic planning and quality maintenance.

3)         Faculty and Staff

A)        The academic preparation and experience of faculty and staff ensure that the objectives of the unit of instruction, research or public service are met.

B)        The academic preparation and experience of the faculty and staff, as evidenced by level of degrees held, professional experience in the field of study and demonstrated knowledge of the field, ensure that they are able to fulfill their academic responsibilities.

C)        The involvement of faculty in the unit of instruction, research or public service is sufficient to cover the various fields of knowledge encompassed by the unit, to sustain scholarship appropriate to the unit, and to assure curricular continuity and consistency in student evaluation.

D)        Support personnel, including but not limited to counselors, administrators, clinical supervisors, and technical staff, which are directly assigned to the unit of instruction, research or public service, have the educational background and experience necessary to carry out their assigned responsibilities.

4)         Support Services

A)        Facilities, equipment and instructional resources (e.g., laboratory supplies and equipment, instructional materials, computational equipment) necessary to support high quality academic work in the unit of instruction, research or public service are available and maintained.

B)        Clinical sites necessary to meet the objectives of the unit of instruction, research or public service.

C)        Library holdings and acquisitions, owned or contracted for by the institution, that are necessary to support high quality instruction and scholarship in the unit of instruction, research and public service, are conveniently available and accessible, and can be maintained.

5)         Financial

A)        The financial commitments to support the unit of instruction, research or public service are sufficient to ensure that the faculty and staff and support services necessary to offer the unit of instruction, research or public service can be acquired and maintained.

B)        Projections of revenues necessary to support the unit of instruction, research or public service are based upon supportable estimates of state appropriations, local tax support, student tuition and fees, private gifts, and/or governmental grants and contracts.

6)         Statewide Needs and Priorities

A)        The unit of instruction, research or public service is educationally and economically justified based on the educational priorities and needs of the citizens of Illinois.

B)        The unit of instruction, research or public service meets a need that is not currently met by existing institutions and units of instruction, research or public service.

b)         Criteria which are applicable only to units of instruction:

1)         Curriculum

A)        The caliber and content of the curriculum assure that the objectives of the unit of instruction will be achieved.

B)        The breadth and depth of the curriculum are consistent with what the title of the unit of instruction implies.

C)        The admission and graduation requirements for the unit of instruction are consistent with the stated objectives of the unit of instruction.

D)        Provision is made for guidance and counseling of students, evaluations of student performance, continuous monitoring of progress of students toward their degree objectives and appropriate academic record keeping.

2)         Program Information

The information which the institution provides for students and the public accurately describes the unit of instruction, including its objectives, length, residency requirements if any, schedule of tuition, fees, and all other charges and expenses necessary for completion of the unit of instruction, cancellation and refund policies, student rights and responsibilities, and such other material facts concerning the institution and the unit of instruction as are likely to affect the decision of the student to enroll.  Such information shall be available to prospective students prior to enrollment.

3)         Accreditation and Licensure

Appropriate steps have been taken to assure that professional accreditation needed for licensure or entry into a profession as specified in the objectives of the unit of instruction is maintained or will be granted in a reasonable period of time.

c)         Criteria that are applicable only to units of instruction to be offered temporarily off-campus:

1)         The unit of instruction is approved for offering on campus, and the academic standards of the on-campus unit are maintained at the off-campus site;

2)         The off-campus unit of instruction is offered under contract to a single business, service organization, or government agency and enrollment is restricted to employees of the contracting business, organization or agency;

3)         The contractual arrangement assures that the off-campus unit of instruction is self-supporting; that is, no State resources are required to support it; and

4)         The off-campus unit of instruction is offered to a single group of entering students for a single cycle not to exceed three years.

Should the institution wish to continue the unit of instruction at the off-campus site beyond the single cycle, the institution must submit an application for Board of Higher Education approval.

(Source:  Amended at 23 Ill. Reg. 13074, effective October 13, 1999)