DISTANCE LEARNERS LOCATION DETERMINATION POLICY

To comply with U.S. Department of Education regulations and Title IV eligibility, Catawba College must determine and track the location of distance education students to ensure that the educational requirements for professional licensure programs are being met in the states where students reside. This policy outlines the procedures for determining distance learner locations and notifying students about state-specific licensure requirements. 

1.        Initial Determination of Location 

• At the time of admission and initial enrollment, the residence where a student will be physically located while completing their academic program will be provided by the student and recorded as the “Local Address” in Catawba College’s Student Information System (SIS).  

• Students must review, verify, and/or update their Local Address as part of their Enrollment checklist.  

• Catawba College will use the Local Address to determine the states in which students are located for compliance with state authorization requirements. 

• Catawba College will inform students enrolled in online programs that their continued enrollment depends on the college’s authorization to offer programs in the state where they are located. 

 2.       Ongoing Tracking and Updates 

• Students must provide accurate and up-to-date information regarding their physical location, including notifying Catawba College promptly of any changes to their local address. Changes may be submitted via the student portal and will be effective as of the date of update.  

• The Office of the Registrar will generate reports on student locations at the beginning of each fall and spring term. This data will be shared with the Associate Dean of Online Learning and directors of programs that lead to professional licensure to ensure compliance with federal regulations. 

 3.       Compliance and Notifications 

• Programs that lead to professional licensure will review state requirements annually to determine if Catawba College’s curriculum meets the licensure requirements for each state. 

• If a student relocates to a state where Catawba College is not authorized to offer their program, their enrollment status and/or licensure eligibility may be affected. 

• Catawba College will provide individual written disclosures to both prospective and current students if the curriculum does not meet the educational requirements for licensure in the student's state or if the program has not made such a determination. 

• Upon request, the college must provide written documentation of its determination of student location to the U.S. Secretary of Education or state authorities.