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Section IV: Programs
SACS Comprehensive Standard for All Educational Programs

IV-7.   The institution is responsible for ensuring the quality of educational programs/courses offered through consortial relationships or contractual agreements, ensures ongoing compliance with the comprehensive standards, and evaluates the agreement against the purpose of the institution.

JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Yes, East Tennessee State University is able to provide a portfolio of evidence supporting compliance.

STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

East Tennessee State University does not participate in consortial relationships or contractual agreements for any degree or certificate programs.  However, the university ensures the quality of educational courses offered through consortial relationships and contractual agreements.  The university ensures compliance with comprehensive standards and evaluates each agreement against the purpose of the institution.  These provisions fall into eight general categories:

1.     concurrent enrollment at partnering institutions;

2.     program articulation (2+2 agreements linking associate and baccalaureate programs);

3.     exchange agreements with U.S. and international institutions;

4.     clinical, residency, and field experience placements;

5.     cooperative education placements;

6.     voluntary service-learning placements;

7.     instruction at off-campus locations; and

8.     joint-enrollment courses with other institutions.

The overall effort of ETSU to increase access and provide outreach through contractual arrangements is in accord with the university mission to educate students and serve business, education, government, health care systems, and community (ETSU Mission).  The university ensures quality management of these programs through routine evaluations of instruction and of offices with managerial oversight.  The suitability of contracts and procedures is overseen by the university's internal audit procedures (ETSU Internal Audits).

Concurrent Enrollment

East Tennessee State University has one concurrent course exchange agreement.  The agreement for concurrent courses involves three institutions---ETSU, Milligan College, and Emmanuel School of Religion (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Milligan College/Emmanuel/ETSU Agreement).  This cooperative program provides opportunities for students to enroll in elective courses and services not available at their home institutions, and therefore, expands their access to unique course offerings (particularly in foreign languages) and to libraries and holdings at all institutions.  Registration in concurrent enrollment courses must be approved both by the student's home institution and by the registrar at the institution offering the course.  For purposes of course withdrawals, drops, and refunds, the student is governed by the policies of the institution offering the course.  Each student pays tuition to, and at current rates of, their home institution for the course(s) selected.  Charges for courses that require an additional fee (laboratory supplies, etc.) are paid to the institution providing the course.  Agreements for these courses are evaluated and renewed every five years (Agreement: ETSU, Milligan College, and Emmanuel School of Religion).

Articulation Agreements

Enhanced access opportunities at ETSU are also offered by transfer or articulation agreements.  East Tennessee State University maintains 2+2 (associate plus final two years of the baccalaureate) articulation agreements with many two-year institutions (public and private) in the region:  Chattanooga State Technical Institute and Community College, Cleveland State Community College, Greenville Technical Institute, Jackson State Community College, Nashville State Technical Institute, Northeast State Technical Community College, Pellissippi State Community College, Roane State Community College, Southwest Virginia Community College, Virginia Highlands Community College, Walters State Community College (Articulation Agreements).  All participating institutions are accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. 

The purpose of the articulation agreements is to promote the orderly and successful transfer of associate degree credits to baccalaureate programs, and ensure that changes in curricula and degree requirements are communicated annually.  Provisions are included to ensure that degree requirements originating from an articulation agreement are honored for six years from the point of initial student enrollment.  Transfer curricula are posted on the web sites for partner two-year institutions, and also may be accessed directly from ETSU (ETSU Admissions, Articulated Programs).  All agreements are developed in accord with the appropriate TBR guideline (TBR Manual, Articulation Among Institutions).  The articulation process is evaluated continuously by the Articulation Consortium, a group of articulation officers and other administrators from ETSU and partner two-year institutions from Tennessee and surrounding states.  East Tennessee State University has been recognized within the TBR System as being a leader in establishing and maintaining successful transfer procedures (TBR Recognition Letter).

Exchange Agreements With International and U.S. Institutions

East Tennessee State University maintains exchange agreements with a number of institutions abroad (Germany, Australia, China, Scotland, Hungary, England, France, Spain) for student exchange both at the undergraduate and graduate levels (International Exchange Agreements; ETSU Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs, International Programs).  Credit earned by ETSU students studying aboard is subject to prior approval to ensure the courses are comparable to ETSU's and appropriate for application to an ETSU program (Guide to Study Abroad).  These exchange provisions also enable faculty to participate in exchanges.  Exchange agreements are renewed according to the cycle stipulated in the original negotiation, and provisions are evaluated by partnering institutions and participating students at the time of exchange agreement renewal. 

The National Student Exchange (NSE) is a national consortium of approximately 200 universities through which students may study on exchange for a semester or an entire year (NSE Agreement; ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, National and International Exchange Programs; ETSU Graduate Catalog, International Programs).  Credit earned at exchange institutions is subject to prior approval and considered for transfer credit on a course-by-course evaluation.  Students may pay tuition at either the home or host institution, depending on the nature of the placement.  In our first year of participation (1999-2000), ETSU hosted four students and placed 10 undergraduate students at universities throughout the U.S.  Both home and host institutions provide opportunities for students to evaluate their experiences.  Membership in the NSE is renewed annually.

Clinical, Residency, and Field Experience Placements for Credit Courses

East Tennessee State University also participates in contractual agreements governing clinical sites and medical residencies, school districts, internship and cooperative education placements, and service-learning experiences. 

The ETSU Division of Health Sciences (ETSU colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Public and Allied Health) has established contract relationships for clinical placements and medical residencies.  These associations are regularly evaluated and renewed (ETSU Clinical and Residency Agreements).  The ETSU Division of Academic Affairs has contractual relationships with school districts for the placement of student teachers, program contracts with municipalities, agencies, and businesses for internships and field placements (ETSU Field Placement Agreements). 

Students in the fourth year of study in the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine are afforded the opportunity to take specific elective courses at other approved medical schools or teaching hospitals through an informal exchange program.  The electives are designed to provide opportunities for students to broaden experiences, strengthen deficient areas, or define future focus areas.  The faculty advisor, the departmental chief advisor, and the Senior Electives Committee must approve these electives (Quillen College of Medicine Catalog, Elective Course Offerings).

Cooperative Education Placements

Students at ETSU also may receive credit through the Cooperative Education Program(ETSU Office of Career Development; ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Cooperative Education)for planned on-the-job training in career areas.  Student placements with the participating business or agency are made cooperatively by the ETSU Office of Career Development and the appropriate academic department (ETSU Cooperative Education Agreements).  The learning experiences are conducted according to guidelines set by the National Cooperative Education Association and various programmatic accreditation agencies. 

Service-Learning Placements

The ETSU Service-Learning Program (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Service-Learning; Student Life and Leadership) is a collaborative program supported by the divisions of academic and student affairs; the latter division is responsible for primary administration of the program.  Students who elect to participate in service-learning are assisted in placements with contracted school systems, social service agencies, and community organizations to gain service-oriented field experiences (Service-Learning Placement Agreements).

Off-Campus Teaching Locations

Off-campus instruction sites often require contractual support for occupancy or management (Site Management Contracts).  Off-campus locations include permanent centers with full administrative presence and sites where instruction is limited to a cohort for a degree program or a portion of a degree program.  For ETSU, off-campus locations are approved by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR Manual, Permanent or Semi-Permanent Instructional Facilities; THEC, Off-Campus Locations Inventory).  The ETSU School of Continuing Studies has oversight over instruction at extended campus locations (SACS Standard IV-2).  The institution has filed substantive change notification for each site, as appropriate, with the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (Substantive Change Notifications to SACS).   

Joint-Enrollment Courses

East Tennessee State University and Northeast State Technical Community College, both SACS-accredited and located in the Tri-Cities region, currently offer a few joint-enrollment courses at the ETSU Kingsport campus.  This arrangement is supported by contractual agreement (ETSU-NSTC agreement).  Once appropriate courses are jointly selected, the institutions determine which institution will staff and pay for each course.  Chairs of the appropriate academic departments at both institutions approve instructors for these courses.  Students may enroll at either institution.

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