Alaska Administrative Code

(a) A vocational institution shall provide enrolled students at least 60 days' written notice of impending closure of the institution, cessation of a program, or substantial changes in a program of the type listed in (b) of this section. A collegiate institution shall provide enr…

An institution and an agent of an institution may not engage in an operating practice that is false, deceptive, misleading, or unfair. An operating practice that is false, deceptive, misleading, or unfair includes, but is not limited to (1) the presentation of false, misleading, …

The commission will, in its discretion, refuse to issue or renew an authorization to operate, or will, in its discretion, initiate proceedings to revoke, suspend, or condition an authorization to operate a postsecondary institution if the institution (1) violates a provision of A…

(a) A person claiming damage or loss under AS 14.48.130 must file a signed formal written complaint on forms provided by the commission. The formal complaint must set out in detail(1) the nature of the complaint and specific allegations; (2) the documentation and other informatio…

Complaints not in writing or not signed by the complainant are informal complaints. The commission staff shall attempt to assist complainants in resolving informal complaints by (1) referring complainants to established institutional avenues for complaint resolution; and (2) prov…

(a) The commission will file for the record, but will not take action on complaints that (1) are filed more than six months after the end of the enrollment period to which the complaint refers, more than six months after the date an institution ceases operations, or more than six…

(a) The commission staff shall determine the nature and scope of the investigation, based upon an objective and impartial analysis of the allegations, and examination of (1) the seriousness of the allegations made by the complainant; (2) the documentation provided in support of t…

(a) An institution seeking to operate as a university, college, junior college, community college, or career college, must be accredited, must meet requirements for authorization under 20 AAC 17.010 - 20 AAC 17.145 and must meet the requirements of 20 AAC 17.205 - 20 AAC 17.250. …

The commission will seek general guidance for the establishment of minimum criteria for degree programs from the relevant and appropriate regional and national centers and associations charged with developing standards for higher education, as follows: (1) guidance for associate …

An institution that offers a degree program must establish a mission statement that is the result of active participation by both faculty and administration and that clearly defines its measurable goals and objectives, so that appropriate direction can be provided for all the edu…

An institution that offers a degree program must have a governing board that has the authority to carry out the mission of the institution. At least a majority of the board members must have no contractual, employment, or personal financial interest in the institution. Notes 20 A…

(a) A degree program must be within the scope of an accredited institution's accreditation, and must adhere to the standards under (b) of this section. If a postsecondary institution wishes to establish a new degree program or degree program title, the institution must present th…

(a) An institution offering a degree program shall meet the requirements of Standard Seven - Finance in the Accreditation Handbook, of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, 2013 edition, adopted by reference, or an equivalent financial reporting system approved b…

(a) Except as provided in (b) of this section, an institution that offers a degree program must have a library, supplementary program, and academic support services at its facility that are conveniently accessible to students and faculty, and that include sufficient facilities, m…

(a) An institution that offers a degree program must have in place an institutional assessment program that can provide tangible evidence of the effectiveness of the general education program, instructional programs, and related support services. (b) The assessment program must b…

(a) Associate degree programs. (1) At least one-half of those courses that are part of the curriculum of an associate degree program must be taught by faculty members possessing a graduate degree, professional degree such as J.D. or M.D., or baccalaureate degree plus professional…

An institution that offers a degree program must establish admission requirements on a program basis to assure that an entering student has a reasonable opportunity for success and that course and program standards are maintained. Requirements for associate degree programs must p…

(a) In this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise(1) "any purpose," as used in AS 14.48.210(1), means any purpose which is subject to regulation under the provisions of AS 14.48; (2) "collegiate level" means programs of study for which credit hours are awarded which are …

(a) The commission will make available its public records of institutional authorization activities, including institutional and agent application files, for inspection in the commission's offices. The records may be inspected by appointment only. Records may not be removed from …

The Professional Student Exchange (PSE) loan program provides low-cost educational loans to Alaska students enrolled full-time in eligible degree programs that are not available in this state, but that are accessible to residents of the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Edu…

The commission will biennially determine the fields of study for which PSE loans are available to applicants. The commission will limit the availability of PSE loans for applicants to those fields of study (1) in which WICHE has determined that access to the professional degree p…

(a) Applications for certification to participate in the PSE program will be reviewed to determine applicant eligibility under AS 14.44 and this chapter. The commission staff shall notify applicants of their status, report eligible students and their admission status to WICHE, an…

(a) An applicant for certification must be a resident of the state at the time of application and must remain a resident of the state while participating in the PSE program. (b) An applicant must meet the admission standards for the professional program of the participating schoo…

(a) A person is eligible for a PSE loan, and a person who has received a PSE loan remains eligible, if that person does not have a past due child support obligation established by court order or by the Department of Revenue, child support services agency under AS 25.27.160- 25.27…

(a) A resident who plans to attend, or who has currently enrolled in, a participating school as a full-time student in an eligible degree program must submit an application for certification to the commission between July 1 and October 15 of the year preceding the year in which t…

(a) The commission staff shall notify WICHE of all eligible new PSE applicants for certification by November 15 on forms provided by WICHE. The commission staff shall send the names of alternate PSE applicants to WICHE periodically between November 15 and the date final certifica…

(a) The commission staff may not certify an applicant for the PSE program until the commission determines the amount available to fund PSE loan applications for the school year. (b) If money made available under AS 14.42.210(a) is not sufficient to offer PSE loans to all applican…

(a) Upon receipt of completed loan promissory notes from applicants and student support agreements and invoices from WICHE, the commission staff shall transmit the loan proceeds to WICHE for transmittal and disbursement of support fees to schools in the amount required for each p…

(a) The commission staff shall forward loan proceeds to pay support fees only for terms in which a PSE student is enrolled as a full-time student. (b) If the student maintains certification and satisfactory academic progress according to the standards established by the school of…

Notes 20 AAC 18.080 Eff. 1/18/81, Register 77; repealed 11/8/2000, Register 156

Notes 20 AAC 18.090 Eff. 1/18/81, Register 77; am 7/24/85, Register 95; am 7/16/92, Register 123; repealed 11/8/2000, Register 156 Definitions for 20 AAC 18 have been relocated to 20 AAC 18.990.

(a) Within 30 days after the change, a borrower or cosigner, if any, shall report in writing to the commission any change that affects the conditions of a loan or its repayment schedule, including any change of the borrower's or cosigner's name or address, the borrower's residenc…

(a) The commission staff shall add accrued interest to the principal balance of the loan at the time the borrower is obligated to commence repayment under 20 AAC 18.100(e), or at the end of an approved period of deferment under 20 AAC 18.130. The commission staff shall add to the…

(a) A borrower may defer the borrower's obligation to make periodic payments under 20 AAC 18.100(e) during any of the following periods:(1) for up to four years for return to full-time student status in good standing in a college or university that meets the requirements of AS 14…

(a) Except as provided in this section, and notwithstanding 20 AAC 18.200, an application to cancel a borrower's obligation to repay a PSE loan is subject to the requirements and procedures of 20 AAC 15.920. (b) A borrower seeking cancellation of a loan due to medical disability …

(a) A loan is in default if (1) a loan payment has become 180 or more days past due; (2) the borrower or the cosigner, if any, has failed to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of 20 AAC 18.100(a); or (3) the borrower or cosigner, if any, has falsified any informati…

A complaint or an appeal of a decision of or the program administration by the commission staff under this chapter is governed by 20 AAC 15.915. Notes 20 AAC 18.200 Eff. 11/8/2000, Register 156; am 1/30/2003, Register 165; am 12/28/2008, Register 188 On July 7, 2006, under AS 44.…

For purposes of this chapter, "borrower" does not include a cosigner. Notes 20 AAC 18.980 Eff. 11/8/2000, Register 156 Authority:AS 14.44.035 AS 14.44.040

As used in AS 14.44.010 - AS 14.44.035 and this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise, (1) "alternate PSE applicant" means an eligible applicant for certification who applies after the deadline set for applications for WICHE certification; (2) "certification" means the c…

The Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, (WWAMI) program provides access to medical education not otherwise available to qualifying Alaskans. Residents of this state compete only with other residents of this state for the positions reserved at the University of Washington…

An applicant for participation in the WWAMI program must (1) apply and be accepted for admission to the University of Washington School of Medicine; (2) meet the eligibility requirement set out in 20 AAC 19.030; and (3) agree under AS 14.43.510 to repay the financial support prov…

(a) A participant in the WWAMI program must maintain at all times an intent to return to this state upon completion of the program, and(1) have physically resided in this state for at least two consecutive years ending with September 1 of the year before the participant begins cl…

(a) To qualify for forgiveness of a repayment obligation under AS 14.43.510, a participant in the WWAMI program must(1) provide a copy of the participant's Alaska Medical license or residency permit; (2) provide proof of full-time employment that meets the qualifications set out …

Within 30 days after the change, a participant in the WWAMI program shall report in writing to the commission any change that affects the conditions of a repayment obligation or repayment schedule, including (1) change of name, address, or state residency status; (2) graduation, …

(a) A participant in the WWAMI program shall repay the total amount required to be repaid under AS 14.43.510 in monthly installments over a period of not more than 15 years from commencement of the repayment obligation. (b) Procedures contained in 20 AAC 15.960(b) and (c) apply t…

If an administrator of a medical education program approves a suspension of the medical education program before a participant's completion or termination of study under the program, that participant will not be considered to have terminated the program of study and the commissio…

(a) In order to obtain a deferment of payments or forbearance of the repayment and service obligation under AS 14.43.510, a participant must complete a form obtained from the commission, provide supporting documentation evidencing the participant's eligibility for the requested d…