Celebrating SARA's 1,000th Institution!
Submitted by jshanika on Thu, 08/11/2016 - 12:22
The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) is very pleased to announce that West Virginia State University is the 1,000th institution to participate in SARA, a nationwide initiative of states and institutions that makes distance education courses more accessible to students across state lines and makes it easier for states to regulate and institutions to participate in interstate distance education while improving consumer protection.
"Welcoming West Virginia State University as our 1,000th institution is a wonderful benchmark for the SARA initiative. We're clearly meeting a need, and we're very pleased to see the benefits of SARA spreading to more and more students and institutions throughout the country," said Marshall A. Hill, Executive Director, NC-SARA.
Founded in 1891, West Virginia State University is a public, land-grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution. The University, ‘a living laboratory of human relations,’ is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research. (Taken from http://www.wvhepc.edu/institutions/ ; accessed 8/10/2016.)
“West Virginia State University boasts a 125 year history of providing access to a quality, affordable education, and joining as SARA's 1,000th institution further solidifies our innovative teaching for generations of Yellow Jackets yet to come,” said Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins, President of West Virginia State University . “As a SARA institution, WVSU is committed to delivering distance learning to students across the globe, enabling each individual to find his or her passion and earn a college degree from which they can build a successful life.”
Drs. Mark Stotler and Paul Hill of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the West Virginia state "portal" entity for SARA, were thrilled with the announcement. “As one of the first states in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) compact to gain SARA approval, it is exciting to see one of our institutions recognized for this milestone,” Dr. Paul Hill, Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, said. “West Virginia State University joins 21 other West Virginia colleges and universities participating in SARA, a valuable partnership to reduce the complexity of the regulatory process, minimize institutional costs and increase student protections for online education.”
The announcement of the 1,000th institution is not only a successful milestone for SARA, but also a badge of honor for the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), the regional compact which includes West Virginia as a member state. SREB has worked tirelessly with its states and among the other regional compacts to ensure the success of SARA and expand access to online education across the country.
“As the 1000th SARA member, West Virginia State University represents a major milestone in making distance learning easy for students and colleges nationwide,” said Southern Regional Education Board President Dave Spence. “This is especially important for adult students who juggle other responsibilities, and we’re all pleased at how quickly states and institutions are joining.”
As of August 1, 40 states and the District of Columbia are members of SARA, with several other states in the process of applying for membership.
Here is the current breakdown of SARA institutions:
