SACS requires:

1. Site/location Approval (please contact either the assigned distance education program manager or the Director of Distance Education, Mary Englebert at englebertmf@appstate.edu for more information on specific sites and programs.)
2. Program Approval. The time lines and requirements are specific to the location and to the type of program to be offered. Since SACS can take some time to reply to requests for approval and the SACS approval letter is required to request U.S. Department of Education approval (for Financial Aid purposes), planning should take into account the time line needed to meet all of the required approvals.

Sites (street address) Approval:

The SACS COC requires that each new physical location (street address) be submitted for approval 6 months prior to the introduction of any program at that location. The General Administration's Appendix G is typically used to seek this approval. On some occasions, a site may be approved for a specific type of program but the addition of a different type of program may require that the site be approved for the new program type (e.g., if the site was approved for the delivery of college of education programs, and the university subsequently wishes to offer an RN to BSN program at that site, a new approval will be required since the RN to BSN is a significantly different program than what was previously approved for that site). SACS site approvals are effective as long as the institution offers approved programs at those locations. SACS must be notified that the site is being discontinued when no program is offered at the location for more than a year. The site will then require a new 6 month prior approval when programming is going to be reintroduced at that site.

Program Approval:

The applicable SACS Substantive Change Procedure (I or II) depends upon many different factors. The Director of the Office of  Distance Education will consult with the distance education program manager on what is required. The General Administration Appendix G serves as the required SACS Prospectus along with the Faculty and Administrative Staff rosters and other required supporting documents.