Petition for Relocating an Approved Extension Site (or Campus)

Institution’s name and address:
Name, title, email address, and phone number of person completing petition:

Whenever an accredited member school decides to relocate an extension site (or, rarely, its main campus), it must petition the Board of Commissioners (“Board”) for approval by submitting this form—regardless of how far apart or how similar the two sites are. If the closure of the original site does not involve any relocation, the school must submit the Petition for Closing a Complete Degree Site but only if the closed site offers 100 percent of at least one degree program. Otherwise, only notification to ATS Commission staff is required (per Policy Manual, section III.A.1.f).

The purpose of this petition and the Board’s approval is to ensure that all students affected by the relocation (i.e., closing one site and opening a new one) are treated equitably, have a reasonable opportunity to finish their degrees without undue delay or cost, and, if there are additional charges that will result, are notified of any such charges in advance of the closure. This petition informs the Board of the school’s teach-out plan that clarifies how the school will help affected students finish their programs, though for most relocations, the teach-out plan simply notes that all affected students will continue at the new location. For more information about the Board’s policies on teach-out plans or agreements for closing a campus or extension site, please see section II.C.3 and Appendix V of the Policy Manual.

If this relocation occurs rapidly due to unforeseen circumstances, please consult as quickly as possible with ATS Commission staff (per Policy Manual, section III.A.1.f.4).

Schools should respond succinctly but sufficiently to all areas listed below, resulting in a petition of 5–8 pages, plus any required appendices.

In evaluating petitions, each one will be considered in light of that particular school’s larger context, including, but not limited to, these factors:

·  Planning and evaluation capacity Has this school demonstrated a capacity to evaluate itself well and use those results to plan effectively and strategically?

·  Institutional vitality Does this school have sufficient human, financial, physical, and technological resources?

·  Accreditation status Does this school’s current or recent accreditation status demonstrate ongoing concerns reflected in numerous reports, focused visits, and/or notations?

1.  Address and type of the location being closed and of the location being opened
Please indicate the mailing address for the location being closed and for the location being opened and also indicate what type of relocation this is (i.e., for a main campus or an extension site). If the new location is part of any other entity (e.g., church or college), please indicate that also.

Address of location being closed:

Address of location being opened:

Type of relocation:

List if the new location is part of any other entity:

2.  Date of closure and of opening
Please indicate the effective date of this site’s closure and the effective date of the new location’s opening.
NOTE: This petition must normally be approved before the relocation can be implemented, unless an unforeseen circumstance arises [see Policy Manual, section III.A.1.f(4)].

Effective date of location closure:

Effective date of location opening:

3.  Scope of relocation
Please indicate if the scope of what is offered at the new location will be different from what is approved for the current location (e.g., any change in the number and/or name of degree programs; or, if an extension site, any change in the number, name, and amount of degree programs that can be completed there, clarifying whether the new site will offer less than half a degree, at least half a degree, or a complete degree).
NOTE: If the new location will offer at least half a degree program, a site evaluation visit must be conducted within six months of the first course offering, unless the school requests here an exemption to that visit requirement by describing how it meets the four criteria listed in Policy Manual, section III.A.1.e. A school may request an exemption to the required site visit by responding appropriately to the questions below.

Scope:

Is the scope of the new location an expansion of the current location? Yes ☐ No ☐ (If no, go to site evaluation section below.)

If yes, please indicate what type of site expansion is involved:

☐ Expanding from less than half a degree to at least half a degree or to a complete degree

☐ Expanding from at least half a degree to a complete degree

☐ Adding a complete new degree to a site approved for different degree(s)

If yes, what degree program(s) will this expansion involve and under what Commission Degree Program Standard(s) will it (they) fall?

Site Evaluation Visit:

Are you requesting an exemption to the required site visit (required only if at least half a degree is offered and permissible only if the three criteria below are met)?

Yes ☐ No ☐ Not Applicable ☐

If yes, please respond to the following:

Has your institution been accredited by the ATS Commission on Accrediting for at least 10 years? Yes ☐ No ☐

Do you have at least three approved extension sites offering at least half a degree?

Yes ☐ No ☐

Has your institution operated for the past 5 years without the imposition of a notation or probation? Yes ☐ No ☐

4.  Reason for relocation
List the reason(s) for the relocation. Include in your rationale how this relocation impacts the school’s mission and markets. If this relocation involves an expansion, describe the purpose of the proposed expansion and how it fits the school’s mission and constituency needs. Include results of the school’s needs analysis (e.g., market survey, church/college invitation, constituency conversations, etc.). If expansion, include here any impact that might have on existing programs and resources.
5.  Resources for the relocation
Describe what resources are needed for or provided by this relocation, especially in the following areas:

a.  Physical resources Describe in some detail the facilities that will be used at this new or expanded location (e.g., two classrooms that seat 20 each with data projectors and wireless capability, as well as a student lounge, a private office for advising students, ADA access, and ample parking); use an appendix if needed.

b.  Educational resources Describe how the school will provide sufficient faculty, library, technology, and student service resources. If any of the needed educational resources (e.g., library or technology) are to be supplied by another entity, append a copy of the formal agreement(s) to that effect.

c.  Financial resources Describe the financial implications of this relocation; if an expansion, include a proposed three-year budget showing projected revenues (e.g., how many students in how many classes at what tuition) and expenses (e.g., instruction, marketing, facility, etc.); use an appendix if needed.

6.  Authorization for new location
Describe all the necessary internal and legal authorizations required for this new location (e.g., state approval, if required, and any written agreement or memorandum of understanding regarding use of the new facility). Provide in an appendix any copies of required legal documents.
7.  Assessment of new location
Describe how the institution will assess the effectiveness of the new location, especially the educational effectiveness of any new programs offered there.
8.  Communication of relocation
Describe how you have or will communicate to all those affected by the school’s plans to close the current location and open a new one. The school should communicate certainly with all affected students but also with faculty, staff, and any other key constituents significantly impacted by this decision. Please attach as an appendix sample letters or emails sent to the various parties.
9.  Completion options for students affected by the relocation
Describe what option(s) the school is making available to students to enable them to finish their program(s) in a timely and cost-effective manner. In most relocation cases, the primary option might be that all affected students will be relocating to the new site. If that is not the case, then the school must list other options here, including an indication of how many and what percentage of students fit each option. Schools that will continue to offer courses at that location until all affected students have finished need only state that below.
NOTE: Besides the primary option listed above (i.e., that all affected students will be relocating to the new site), other options might include (either exclusively or in combination with others) offering courses at an approved nearby location (indicating where that location is and how costly and convenient it will be for students); offering online courses, if appropriate and if approved to do so; helping students transfer to equitable programs; and/or establishing a teach-out agreement (if the latter, see guidelines in Policy Manual, sections II.C.3 and Appendix V).
10.  Notification of charges
Indicate any additional charges that any affected students will encounter as a result of the option(s) listed above, including how and when students are notified of those additional charges.
11.  Anticipated time line
Describe the time line that the school plans to follow in closing this location, beginning with the initial decision to close and ending with when the last affected students will finish their programs.
Approval of any petition for change is effective with the date specified in the official action. Such approval expects the change will be implemented within a year of that approval date. If the change cannot be implemented within that time frame, the school must submit a satisfactory explanation for the delay and a modified time line for implementation. Absent implementation of the change or granting a request for additional time, the approval will expire one year after the initial grant date. In such cases, the school would need to submit a new petition seeking permission to implement the change after that one-year period. In addition, any contingency attached to an approved petition must be satisfied before the change can be implemented, typically within a year, unless the school provides a satisfactory explanation for the delay and additional time is granted.

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