Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board Holds Public Hearing Friday in Heber Springs
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: October 25, 2012
A public hearing on the Institutional Certification and Advisory Committee Rules will be held during the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board meeting Friday at Arkansas State University-Heber Springs beginning at 10 a.m.
The board will be considering amendments to academic policies on college admission and college mathematics courses in Arkansas, and certification of degrees offered by non-Arkansas institutions.
Act 1184 of 2011 requires Arkansas colleges and universities to determine that a student has the academic ability-to-benefit prior to enrollment in associate and bachelor's degree programs. The proposed policy amendment identifies the assessment exams and the minimum scores that may be used for the initial determination of undergraduate degree program admission; and includes the guidelines for institutional development of a success plan for students admitted in conditional status.
Another policy amendment updates the course content guidelines for college mathematics courses that meet general education core requirements; and includes guidelines for the development of an applied technical mathematics course that may be applied toward technical associate degrees as outlined in Act 1197 of 2009.
Finally, the policy on AHECB certification (ICAC Rules) of college courses and degrees offered to Arkansans by out-of-state and for-profit colleges and universities will be amended to clarify existing policy statements, to incorporate best practices, and to include language from Act 205 of 2011 on false academic credentials and unrecognized accrediting agencies.
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education is responsible for carrying out the policy directives of the AHECB, approving and reviewing college and university academic programs and developing funding recommendations for the state's 11 public universities and 22 public two-year colleges as well as several other post-secondary entities.
In addition, the agency is responsible for distributing approximately $170 million annually from state revenues and lottery funds intended to ease the financial burden of students seeking an education beyond high school.
The board will be considering amendments to academic policies on college admission and college mathematics courses in Arkansas, and certification of degrees offered by non-Arkansas institutions.
Act 1184 of 2011 requires Arkansas colleges and universities to determine that a student has the academic ability-to-benefit prior to enrollment in associate and bachelor's degree programs. The proposed policy amendment identifies the assessment exams and the minimum scores that may be used for the initial determination of undergraduate degree program admission; and includes the guidelines for institutional development of a success plan for students admitted in conditional status.
Another policy amendment updates the course content guidelines for college mathematics courses that meet general education core requirements; and includes guidelines for the development of an applied technical mathematics course that may be applied toward technical associate degrees as outlined in Act 1197 of 2009.
Finally, the policy on AHECB certification (ICAC Rules) of college courses and degrees offered to Arkansans by out-of-state and for-profit colleges and universities will be amended to clarify existing policy statements, to incorporate best practices, and to include language from Act 205 of 2011 on false academic credentials and unrecognized accrediting agencies.
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education is responsible for carrying out the policy directives of the AHECB, approving and reviewing college and university academic programs and developing funding recommendations for the state's 11 public universities and 22 public two-year colleges as well as several other post-secondary entities.
In addition, the agency is responsible for distributing approximately $170 million annually from state revenues and lottery funds intended to ease the financial burden of students seeking an education beyond high school.
