WASC Substantive Change
As defined by WASC, a substantive change is "is a change to an institution’s mission, educational programs, scope, control, or organizational structure that needs to be reported to and approved by WSCUC in advance of implementation. The standard of review for substantive changes is whether a substantive change would adversely affect the institution’s capacity to meet WSCUC Standards of Accreditation."
Under both WASC Commission policy and the federal Department of Education, certain substantive changes are required to have prior approval.
The following has been adapted/excerpted from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) Substantive Change Manual (September 2021)
There are three primary types of actions/changes that require Substantive Change Review and two levels of review:
Actions
- Program (new programs or adjustments to existing programs)
- Structural (changes to organizational structure, including institutional mission, ownership, legal status or control)
- Location (additional location or branch campus)
Levels of Review
Staff Review and Decision
- Routine changes within the institution's current scope of accreditation, such as a request to officer an academic program in a discipline closely related to the institution's existing offerings, or a new program that does not require substantial new course to implement. NOTE: As Stanislaus State already has institutional approval to offer distance education courses, a program modality change would fall under staff review.
Committee Review and Decision
- Peer review by the Substantive Change Committee for significant but focused changes, such as new programs representing a departure from the institution's academic portfolio or alterations to delivery methods of existing programs.
- Peer review by the Substantive Change Committee and by the Commission Structural Committee for changes that reach beyond a program and affect the institution as a whole.
- Peer review by a team of evaluators (a comprehensive evaluation for changes that significantly affect the institution as a whole and/or pose challenges to its ability to meet WSCUC Standards of Accreditation.
- Peer review through the Eligibility and Seeking Accreditation process for changes that result in the creation of a fundamentally new institution.
Substantive Change Review Screening Form
The Accreditation Liaison Officer and staff submit a Substantive Change screening form via the WSCUC portal to determine the need and/or level of review. Academic Affairs has developed an intake form to streamline the process.
Submit Substantive Change Program Screening Form
Timeline
Institutions are encouraged to submit the Substantive Change screening form and/or application and fee (where applicable) at least six months prior to the planned implementation date of change. Programs cannot be started without WASC approval. Reviews requiring staff review only (e.g., modality change) generally take several months for processing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to submit a Subchange Change Screening Form to change program modality?
Yes. If the number of course modifications result in an increase in the proportion of program courses delivered online/hybrid to 50% or more of the program courses, the program will become designated a distance education program (not an online program) as defined by WSCUC. At the point where programs reach the 50% threshold for online/hybrid courses, WSCUC requires a Substantive Change Review. In this review, WSCUC staff review a program screening form to determine whether a substantial departure from the original program has taken place. If the WSCUC staff deems that the change does not require review, the program is approved and added as a distance education program on the Stanislaus State program list in the WSCUC portal in order to receive federal financial aid.Academic Affairs has developed an intake form to assist with this process. Erin Littlepage can help with that submission.
Campus Program Modification Processes
Concurrently, if a program requires a WSCUC Substantive Change Review as a distance education program, it also constitutes a program modification. Therefore, programs newly designated as distance education will need to complete the Program/Sub-Program (Modify) form in Curriculog. In this form, programs will need to update their ‘Mode of Instruction’ to hybrid and/or fully online. Program modifications for modality change will be implemented the following semester as they are approved.
For more information, visit the webpage on Modality Modification Process for Courses and Programs.
For assistance, Emily Hake and Gurpreet Aulak in the Curriculum office can help with the program modification submission.
How does WASC/Department of Ed. define "distance education"?
Distance Education is defined as:
Education that uses one or more of the technologies listed below to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor or instructors and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor or instructors, either synchronously or asynchronously. The technologies that may be used to offer distance education include:
- The internet;
- One-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable microwave, broadband, fiber optic, satellite, or wireless communication devices;
- Audio conference; Other media used in a course in conjunction with any of the technologies listed in this definition.
For the purposes of this definition, substantive interaction is engaging students in teaching, learning, and assessment, consistent with the content under discussion, and also included at least two of the following -
- Providing direct instruction;
- Assessing or providing feedback on a student's coursework;
- Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency; or
- Facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency; or
- Other instructional activities approved by the institution's or program's accrediting agency.
(Distance education definition adopted from Code of Federal Regulations 34 CFR § 600.2)
Updated: August 29, 2023