Determination of Student Location

Policy Number

205

Policy Purpose

This policy complies with federal regulations that require institutions to determine student location by state for distance education purposes.

Responsible UW-Whitewater Office

Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning

Definitions

• Academic Program: An area of study that leads to a degree/major, certificate, minor or named option.
• Distance Education: Education that uses one or more types of technology to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or asynchronously. The following types of technology may be used for distance instruction: internet, satellite or wireless communication, and audio and video conferencing. [Definition from Distance Education in IPEDS]
  • For the purpose of this policy, Distance Education is tracked at the program, and not course, level.
• Local Address: A physical location and place of residence where a student lives when enrolled in classes for a term. Additionally, UWW determines student location at the time of initial enrollment in a professional or occupational licensure or certification program using the following definitions:
  • A student who enrolls in a program that holds instruction primarily at a physical location on campus (on-campus instruction) shall be considered located in the state of Wisconsin. This determination is based on the student being located (in part of exclusively) in Wisconsin while receiving instruction and enrolling in a program designed, primarily, to lead to licensure in the state of Wisconsin.
  • A student enrolling in a program that offers instruction in a hybrid learning formal will be considered located in Wisconsin.
  • A student enrolling exclusively in distance education will be considered located at their current address listed on their official application and/or acceptance into the program.
• State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement: An agreement between two or more States that authorizes an institution located, and legally authorized, in a State covered by the agreement, to provide post-secondary education through distance education, or correspondence courses, to students located in other States covered by the agreement and cannot prohibit any member State of the agreement from enforcing its own general-purpose State laws and regulations outside of the State authorization of distance education.

Policy Scope

All prospective and degree/certificate seeking students at UW-Whitewater.

Policy

1. Determination of Student Location
   1. UW-Whitewater will determine the location of a student for the purpose of providing accurate professional licensure disclosures and reporting by using the Local Address field in the university’s Student Information System (SIS).
   2. All certificate/degree-seeking students are required to provide and review their local addresses as part of the Pre-Enrollment Checklist.
      1. All students will complete the Pre-Enrollment checklist prior to registering for classes each term.
      2. Continuing students (all programs, all levels) will be prompted to review their local address each term in WINS.
      3. Students can update their Local Address at any time via WINS. A student’s Local Address updated during the Pre-Enrollment Checklist process is effective dated at the start of the term. A student-initiated update via WINS is effective dated with the date of the change.
2. Data, Reporting, and Professional Licensure
   1. Data on distance education and student location will be aggregated and submitted to the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements and the National Center for Education Statistics (Integrated Postsecondary Data System) each year.
   2. Per federal regulations, UW-Whitewater is required to disclose the States for which the institution has determined its curriculum meets or does not meet the State educational requirements for licensure or certification. This information is published on the required Academic Programs’ websites.
   3. Per federal regulations, UW-Whitewater is required to make an individual written disclosure to prospective students and current students if the student’s academic program does not meet the educational requirements for initial licensure/certification in the student’s State of location.

Related Policies

Please reference information listed within the policy

History/Revised Date

Revised August 6, 2024

Scheduled Review

2029