| Federal Register Notices | Meeting Information | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 | Session 4 |

This Web page contains information about our rulemaking efforts on program integrity and improvement. For more information about our negotiated rulemaking efforts in 2012-2014, including related Federal Register notices and transcripts from our public hearings, please see our general information page. For more information about negotiated rulemaking in general, please see our question and answer page.

Federal Register Notices

• Program Integrity and Improvement Notice of Final Rule (State Authorization Distance Education and State Authorization Foreign Locations)

  The Secretary is publishing final regulations to clarify the authorization requirements for postsecondary distance education or correspondence courses and additional locations or branch campuses located in a foreign country. These final regulations amend the institutional eligibility regulations by clarifying the State authorization requirements an institution of higher education must follow in order to be eligible to participate in title IV, HEA programs for distance education programs or correspondence courses. Additionally, the final regulations define State authorization reciprocity agreements and include such agreements as a vehicle to meet such authorization requirements. These regulations also clarify that institutions with a branch campus or additional location in a foreign location must be appropriately authorized by the foreign government to offer programs to meet State authorization requirements. These regulations also require specific disclosures to students enrolled in distance education programs or correspondence courses.

• Unofficial Notice of Final Regulations: MS Word (404K) | PDF (718K)
  [Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. This document has been sent to the Office of the Federal Register and is scheduled to be published on December 19, 2016.]

• Program Integrity and Improvement Notice of Proposed Regulations (State Authorization Distance Education and State Authorization Foreign Locations)

  • Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (State Authorization Distance Education and State Authorization Foreign Locations) dated July 25, 2016.

• Final Rule: Program Integrity and Improvement (Cash Management, Clock-To-Credit Hour Conversion, and Retaking Coursework), dated October 30, 2015

• Federal Register Notice on the Federal Direct PLUS Loan Program Final Regulations, dated October 23, 2014. [PDF]
• Federal Direct PLUS Loans Small Entity Compliance Guide MS Word (44K)
• On August 8, 2014, the Department published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register proposing new regulations that will update eligibility standards and improve access for student and parent borrowers under the federal Direct PLUS loan program.

Committee Meetings Information

Committee Members

List of negotiators: MS Word (58K) | PDF (218K)

Meeting Schedule

Session 1: February 19-21, 2014
Session 2: March 26-28, 2014
Session 3: April 23-25, 2014
Session 4: May 19-20, 2014 -- ADDED **

** A fourth session has been added to the negotiations. The schedule for Session 4 is Monday, May 19, to Tuesday, May 20, 2014, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A notice has been posted on the Federal Register dated April 11, 2014, announcing this change.

Sessions will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The meetings will be held at the U.S. Department of Education at: 1990 K Street, N.W., Eighth Floor Conference Center, Washington, DC 20006.

Meetings are open to the public.

Session 1 Materials

Materials that the Department provided to the negotiating committee prior to Session 1:

• Proposed agenda MS Word (25K) | PDF (182K)
• Proposed protocols MS Word (37K) | PDF (75K)
• Issue Paper #1 – Clock to Credit Hour Conversion MS Word (33K) | PDF (96K)
• Issue Paper #2 – State Authorization Distance Education MS Word (30K) | PDF (93K)
• Issue Paper #3 – State Authorization Foreign Locations MS Word (29K) | PDF (24K)
• Issue Paper #4 – Cash Management MS Word (42K) | PDF (102K)
• Issue Paper #5 – Retaking Coursework MS Word (29K) | PDF (91K)
• Issue Paper #6 – Definition of Adverse Credit for Direct PLUS Loan Eligibility MS Word (37K) | PDF (86K)

Materials provided by the Department to the negotiating committee at Session 1:

• The Department's opening remarks provided by Acting Under Secretary Jamienne S. Studley, February 19, 2014 MS Word (45K) | PDF (225K)

Materials provided by non-Federal negotiators to the negotiating committee at Session 1:

• State Authorization background Web site links, submitted by Russel Poulin, February 19, 2014 MS Word (25K) | PDF (185K)
• Definitions, submitted by Paul Kundert, February 20, 2014 MS Word (24K) | PDF (101K)
• Safeguarding Student Finances: Guidance for Campuses Offering Student Debit Card Options, submitted by Joan Piscitello, February 20, 2014 PDF (103K)
• State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) General Policies, submitted by Russel Poulin, February 20, 2014 PDF (754K)
• State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) Information Sheet, submitted by Russel Poulin, February 20, 2014 PDF (325K)
• Student Refunds and Personal Banking at Colleges and Universities, submitted by Casey McGuane, February 20, 2014 PDF (622K)

Session 2 Materials

Materials provided by the Department to the negotiating committee prior to Session 2:

• Proposed agenda MS Word (23K) | PDF (188K)
• Debt of PLUS, Parent PLUS, and Graduate PLUS Borrowers MS Excel (35K)
• PLUS Credit Check Denial Remediation Rates for Parent PLUS and Graduate PLUS MS Excel (44K)
• PLUS Credit Check Declination Rate by Sector by Year & PLUS Top Five Credit Check Declination Reasons by Sector by Year MS Excel (38K)
• PLUS Borrowers 3-Year Cohort Default Rate MS Excel (33K)
• AY 2012-13 Credit Check Approvals and Denials MS Excel (57K)
• Submission from the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education, submitted March 7, 2014 PDF (99K)
• Submissions from the State of Wisconsin Educational Approval Board, submitted March 19, 2014 PDF (3.29MB)
• Meeting 1 Summary MS Word (67K)

Proposed Regulatory Language

• Issue Paper #1 – Clock to Credit Hour Conversion MS Word (34K) | PDF (163K)
• Issue Paper #2 – State Authorization Distance Education MS Word (45K) | PDF (174K)
• Issue Paper #3 – State Authorization Foreign Locations MS Word (32K) | PDF (159K)
• Issue Paper #4 – Cash Management MS Word (103K) | PDF (291K)
• Issue Paper #5 – Retaking Coursework MS Word (29K) | PDF (158K)
• Subpart K (redlined) PDF (272K)

Materials provided by non-Federal negotiators to the negotiating committee prior to Session 2

• Cash Management Principles submitted by Paul Kundert and Tom Levandowski, March 3, 2014 PDF (58K)
• Cash Management memo submitted by Paul Kundert and Tom Levandowski, March 4, 2014 PDF (137K)
• Recommendations on Cash Management submitted by Chris Lindstrom, March 4, 2014 MS Word (41K)
• Ability to Pay memo submitted by Whitney Barkley, March 5, 2014 MS Word (33K)
• Comments and Recommendations on Distance Education submitted by Russell Poulin, March 5, 2014 MS Word (93K)
• Cash Management memo on Federal Payment Laws submitted by Suzanne Martindale, March 5, 2014 PDF (49K)
• Cash Management memo submitted by Bill Hardison, March 5, 2014 PDF (307K)
• Cash Management memo submitted by Carolyn Fast, March 5, 2014 PDF (45K)
• Cash Management memos submitted by Bill Norwood, March 5, 2014 Memo: MS Word (51K) | Recommendations: MS Word (73K)
• Cash Management memos submitted by Dan Toughey, March 5, 2014 Letter: MS Word (30K) | Conversations: PDF (45K) | Exhibit 1: PDF (196K) | Research: PDF (188K) | Debit Cards: PDF (974K)
• Cash Management Response to Higher One submitted by Paul Kundert and Tom Levandowski, March 6, 2014 PDF (119K)
• Submission from Higher One, submitted by Casey McGuane, March 6, 2014 Cash Management: PDF (53K) | Findings: PDF (276K) | Pew's Model: PDF (478K)
• Letter to the Department on PLUS, submitted by Whitney Barkley and Toby Merrill, March 8, 2014 PDF (57K)
• Report on use of Debit Cards by the Office of the Inspector General, US Department of Education, submitted by Chris Lindstrom, March 11, 2014 PDF (547K)
• Subpart K Recommendations submitted by Paul Kundert and Tom Levandowski, March 21, 2014 PDF (191K)
• Cash Management Recommendations submitted by Casey McGuane, March 25, 2014 PDF (200K)
• Distance Education Enrollment Statistics compiled by WCET, submitted by Russell Poulin, March 25, 2014 MS Word (184K)

Materials provided by the Department to the negotiating committee at Session 2

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) presentation, March 26, 2014 PDF (117K)
• Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL)/Direct Loan (DL) Breakdown of Loan Disbursements 2006-2010, submitted March 28, 2014 PDF (80K)

Materials provided by non-Federal negotiators to the negotiating committee at Session 2:

• Memo from Leslie Parrish and Maura Dundon on Overdraft Fees, submitted by Chris Lindstrom, March 26, 2014 PDF (87K)
• Memo on Student Debit Cards from the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association, submitted by Bill Norwood, March 26, 2014 PDF (369K)
• Credit Balance Disbursement Comments, submitted by Bill Norwood, March 27, 2014 MS Word (395K)
• Memo on Cash Management, submitted by Bill Norwood, March 27, 2014 MS Word (74K) | Data PDF (338K)

Session 3 Materials

Materials provided by the Department to the negotiating committee prior to Session 3:

• Proposed agenda MS Word (23K) | PDF (231K)
• Copy of Title IV eligible institutions as of March 31, 2014 MS Excel (1.46MB)
• PLUS Credit Check Denial Remediation Rates, All Sectors Summary MS Excel (48K)
• PLUS Credit Check Denial Remediation Rates MS Excel (47K)
• Copy of FFEL and Direct Loan Three-Year Cohort Default Rates for FY 2006-10 MS Excel (30K)
• Meeting 2 Summary MS Word (39K)

Proposed Regulatory Language

• Issue Paper #2 – State Authorization Distance Education MS Word (75K)
• Issue Paper #3 – State Authorization Foreign Locations MS Word (50K)
• Issue Paper #4 – Cash Management MS Word (135K)
• Issue Paper #6 – Definition of Adverse Credit for Direct PLUS Loan Eligibility MS Word (38K)

Materials provided by non-Federal negotiators to the negotiating committee prior to Session 3:

• PLUS Adverse Credit, submitted by Dr. David Swinton, March 30, 2014 MS Word (42K)
• State Authorization, submitted by Russell Poulin, March 31, 2014 MS Word (69K)
• State Authorization, submitted by Russell Poulin, April 1, 2014 MS Word (67K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Paul Kundert and Tom Levandowski, April 2, 2014 PDF (542K)
• Cash Management – Books and Supplies, submitted by David Sheridan, April 2, 2014 MS Word (25K)
• State Authorization, submitted by Whitney Barkley, Christine Lindstrom, Maxwell John Love, Suzanne Martindale, Toby Merrill, April 2, 2014 PDF (761K)
• Cash Management – Fraud, submitted by David Sheridan, April 2, 2014 MS Word (26K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Carolyn Fast and Jenny Wojewoda, April 2, 2014 PDF (14K)
• PLUS Loan Suggestions, submitted by Whitney Barkley, April 2, 2014 PDF (103K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Maxwell John Love, April 2, 2014 PDF (57K)
• State Authorization – Foreign Locations, submitted by Joan Piscitello, April 2, 2014 MS Word (35K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Casey McGuane, April 2, 2014 PDF (1.51MB)
• PLUS Adverse Credit, submitted by Dr. David Swinton, April 2, 2014 MS Word (38K)
• State Authorization, submitted by Russell Poulin, April 2, 2014 MS Word (57K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Dan Toughey, April 2, 2014 PDF (2.3MB)
• Cash Management, submitted by Chris Lindstrom and Suzanne Martindale, April 2, 2014 PDF (441K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Bill Norwood, April 2, 2014 MS Word (62K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Joan Piscitello and Gloria Kobus, April 2, 2014 MS Word (33K)
• Provisions Related to Student Financial Products, submitted by Chris Lindstrom, April 2, 2014 PDF (461K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Tom Levandowski, April 2, 2014 PDF (414K)
• Blackboard Comments, submitted by Bill Norwood, April 2, 2014 PDF (190K)
• Response to State Authorization comments, submitted by Russell Poulin, April 3, 2014 MS Word (187K)
• State Authorization – Distance Education, submitted by Chris Lindstrom, April 22, 2014 MS Word (30K)
• Cash Management Article, submitted by Bill Norwood, April 22, 2014 MS Word (40K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Casey McGuane, April 22, 2014 PDF (797K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Dan Toughey, April 22, 2014 PDF (171K)

Materials provided by the Department to the negotiating committee at Session 3:

Proposed Regulatory Language

• State Authorization Distance Education MS Word (75K)
• State Authorization Foreign Locations MS Word (48K)

Materials provided by non-Federal negotiators to the negotiating committee at Session 3:

• Cash Management, submitted by Bill Norwood, April 22, 2014 MS Word (358K)
• Blackboard comments, submitted by Bill Norwood, April 23, 2014 PDF (264K)
• Letter to Secretary Duncan, submitted by Chris Lindstrom, April 23, 2014 PDF (1.5MB)
• Books and Supplies proposal, submitted by Melissa Gregory, April 24, 2014 MS Word (25K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Paul Kundert and Tom Levandowski, April 24, 2014 PDF (211K)
• Cash Management recommendations, submitted by Paul Kundert and Tom Levandowski, April 24, 2014 MS Word (46K)
• Sponsored Account comments, submitted by Tom Levandowski, April 25, 2014 MS Word (23K)
• Distance Education Enrollment Statistics as Complied by WCET, submitted by Russell Poulin, April 23, 2014 MS Word (240K)

Session 4 Materials

Materials provided by the Department to the negotiating committee prior to Session 4:

• Proposed agenda MS Word (22K)
• Meeting 3 Summary MS Word (37K)
• Meeting 4 Summary MS Word (37K)

Proposed Regulatory Language

• Issue 2 – State Authorization Distance Education MS Word (77K)
• Issue 4 - Cash Management MS Word (130K)
• Issue 6 – Plus Adverse Credit MS Word (38K)

Materials provided by non-Federal negotiators to the negotiating committee prior to Session 4:

• Issue 6 - PLUS, submitted by Dr. Swinton, April 30, 2014 MS Word (30K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Chris Lindstrom, Max Love, Suzanne Martindale, Whitney Barkley, Toby Merrill, and Jenny Wojewoda, April 30, 2014 MS Word (47K)
• Issue 6 – PLUS, submitted by Jenny Wojewoda, May 1, 2014 MS Word (26K)
• State Authorization – Distance Education, submitted by Whitney Barkley, Chris Lindstrom, Maxwell Love, Suzanne Martindale, Toby Merrill, and Jenny Wojewoda, May 1, 2014 MS Word (48K)
• Issue 6 – PLUS, submitted by Suzanne Martindale, Toby Merrill, Chris Lindstrom, Whitney Barkley, May 1, 2014 MS Word (34K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Joan Piscitello and Gloria Kobus, May 1, 2014 MS Word (35K)
• State Authorization, submitted by Carolyn Fast, May 1, 2014 PDF (13K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Paul Kundert, Tom Levandowski, Casey McGuane and Bill Norwood, May 1, 2014 PDF (175K)
• State Authorization, submitted by Russ Poulin, May 1, 2014 MS Word (37K)
• State Authorization, submitted by Elizabeth Hicks, May 1, 2014 MS Word (36K)
• Issue 4 – Cash Management, submitted by Chris Lindstrom, Suzanne Martindale, Whitney Barkley, Maxwell Love, Toby Merrill, May 16, 2014 MS Word (33K)
• Issue 6 – PLUS, submitted by Whitney Barkley, Chris Lindstrom, Maxwell Love, Suzanne Martindale, Toby Merrill, May 16, 2014 MS Word (29K)
• Issue 6 – PLUS, submitted by D. Swinton, May 16, 2014 MS Word (45K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Dan Toughey, May 17, 2014 PDF (200K)
• Issue 2 – State Authorization of Distance Education, submitted by Michael Gradisher, Marshall Hill, Leah Matthews, Russ Poulin, David Sheridan, Elizabeth Sibolski, May 18, 2014 MS Word (36K)

Materials provided by the Department to the negotiating committee at Session 4:

• Meeting 3 Summary MS Word (39K)

Materials provided by non-Federal negotiators to the negotiating committee at Session 4:

• Letter to Secretary Duncan, submitted by David Sheridan, May 19, 2014 PDF (403K)
• Issue 2 – State Authorization of Distance Education, submitted by Russ Poulin and Marshall Hill, May 20, 2014 MS Word (33K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Paul Kundert, May 19, 2014 MS Word (124K)
• Cash Management, submitted by Tom Levandowski, May 20, 2014 PDF (331K)

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