New agreement impacts fully online, non-Iowa students
Tuesday / August 30, 2016
The Iowa Valley Community College District (IVCCD) Board of Directors has approved participation in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), whereby IVCCD will be able to enroll non-Iowa students from other states and U.S. territories who want to participate exclusively in online classes through either Marshalltown Community College or Ellsworth Community College.
According to Joe Struss, IVCCD Distance Learning Coordinator, the nationwide SARA agreement has become “the driver’s license” for online/distance education. Colleges in states that are SARA participants can serve fully online students from other SARA states, but not from states that are not SARA participants (unless there’s a separate agreement between the College and that state). A list of SARA states is available on the MCC and ECC websites, and the Admissions Offices will work to ensure that fully online students understand the ramifications of the new agreement.
Struss said a few state legislatures have barriers to the SARA agreement, but that as the vast majority of states (currently 41 out of 50) continue to become involved, the pressure will grow for every state to participate. The only states not currently involved in SARA are California, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, and U.S. territories American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The SARA agreement does not impact international students enrolled at Marshalltown Community College or Ellsworth Community College.