State Authorization

The United States Department of Education requires that institutions comply with various authorization requirements in each state in which distance education instruction is delivered to its residents. In addition, and pursuant to 34 CFR 668.43(b), institutions must provide current and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with the appropriate state agency in their home state. Some states also require University of Massachusetts Global to include specific language in the catalog and/or website.

To satisfy these requirements, contact and other information for each state’s Higher Education Department (or equivalent) are listed below by state.  Regarding complaints, we encourage all students to review and utilize our University Complaint Policy which can be found in the General Information section.

Further, University of Massachusetts Global regularly monitors developments in each state’s laws and works with Higher Education authorities to maintain compliance.  However, due to the complex and ever changing landscape of State Authorization, our approach and status in each state is subject to change. As a caution, admissions may be restricted or limited until required approvals have been granted.  We will continue to monitor changes in each state’s laws and our out-of-state activities.  If authorization becomes necessary, we will take the appropriate next steps. 

If you have concerns or questions about State Authorization, distance education requirements, or the availability of certain programs in your state, please contact the office of the Director of State Authorization and Legal Affairs at stateauthorization@umassglobal.edu.

Alabama

Alabama Commission on Higher Education

Elizabeth C. French
Director, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
334-242-2179
elizabeth.french@ache.alabama.gov   

Alabama Community College System

Tivoli Nash
Director of Private School Licensure
Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education
Office of Private School Licensing Division
334-293-4653
tivoli.nash@accs.edu  

Alaska

Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education

Kierke A. Kussart
Program Coordinator for Institutional Authorization
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
907-465-6741
Kierke.kussart@alaska.gov
EED.ACPE-IA@alaska.gov  

Arizona

Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education

Teri Stanfill
Executive Director
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
602-542-2399
teri.stanfill@azppse.gov  

Keith Blanchard
Deputy Director
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
602-542-5769
keith.blanchard@azppse.gov

Arkansas

Arkansas Department of Higher Education

Alana Boles
Coordinator, Academic Affairs
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
501-371-2060
Alana.Boles@adhe.edu  

California

California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education

Leeza Rifredi
Deputy Bureau Chief
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
916-431-6959
bppe.licensing@dca.ca.gov

“An individual may contact the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education for review of a complaint. The bureau may be contacted at 1747 N. Market Street, Suite 225, Sacramento, CA 95834, website: http://www.bppe.ca.gov, telephone (916) 574-8900 and fax (916) 263-1897.”

Colorado

Colorado Department of Higher Education

Heather DeLange
Academic Policy Officer
Colorado Department of Higher Education
1560 Broadway, Suite 1600
Denver, CO 80202
303-862-3001
heather.delange@dhe.state.co.us

Connecticut

The Connecticut Office of Higher Education

Noah Dion
Director, Academic Affairs
Office of Higher Education
860-947-1822
NDion@ctdhe.org   

Delaware

Delaware Department of Education

Teacher & Administrator Quality Development
Delaware Department of Education
302-857-3388
IHE@doe.k12.de.us

District of Columbia

District of Columbia Higher Education Licensure Commission

1050 First Street NE, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
osse.elcmail@dc.gov

Florida

Commission for Independent Education Florida Department of Education

Susan Hood
Operations and Management Consultant Manager
Florida Department of Education
850-245-3200
susan.hood@fldoe.org

Sam Ferguson
Executive Director
Commission for Independent Education
850-245-3200
sam.ferguson@fldoe.org

Karl Washington
Educational Policy Analyst
Commission for Independent Education
850-245-3200
karl.washington@fldoe.org

Georgia

Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission

Laura S. Vieth
Deputy Director
770-414-3206
https://gnpec.georgia.gov/
 

For state specific complaint procedures, please see:
https://gnpec.georgia.gov/student-complaints 

The University agrees to the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission as stated in O.C.G.A. §§ 20-3-250.5(b)(2); 20-3-250.6(a)(12) and available here:

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/standard-twelve-refund-policy 

Hawaii

Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program

Bobbi Lum-Mew
Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program
808-586-7327
hpeap@dcca.hawaii.gov

Idaho

Idaho State Board of Education

Val Fenske    
Private Postsecondary & Proprietary School Coordinator
Idaho State Board of Education
650 West State Street, (PO Box 83720), Boise, ID 83720-0037
208-332-1587
valerie.fenske@osbe.idaho.gov

Illinois

Illinois Board of Higher Education

Dr. Dan Cullen
Deputy Director, Academic Affairs
Illinois Board of Higher Education
1 N.Old, State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333
Springfield, IL 62701
217-557-7382
Cullen@ibhe.org

Indiana

Indiana Commission for Higher Education

Ken Sauer, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Commissioner for Research and Academic Affairs,
Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE)/Executive Director
Indiana Board for Proprietary Education 
101 W. Ohio Street, Suite 550 Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-1984
317-464-4400 Ext. 121
ksauer@che.in.gov

Ross Miller
Director of Accreditation and Regulatory Compliance
Indiana Board for Proprietary Education/
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
101 W. Ohio Street, Suite 670
Indianapolis, IN 46204-1984
Phone: (317) 464-4400 Ext. 138
Fax: (317) 233-4219
rmiller@che.in.gov

Iowa

University of Massachusetts Global is registered with the Iowa College Student Aid Commission and authorized to offer degree granting, distance education programs in the state of Iowa.
The Commission accepts questions, concerns and complaints from any student attending an Iowa postsecondary school, regardless of the student's state of residency, and from an Iowa resident attending any postsecondary school in the United States.

Iowa College Aid has created a Student Complaint Form to accept a student’s questions, concerns, or complaint related to a postsecondary school. A student may also contact Iowa College Aid toll-free at 877-272-4456.

Iowa College Student Aid Commission

Jayne M. Smith, J.D.
Postsecondary Registration Administrator
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
515-725-0959
jayne.smith@iowa.gov
https://iowacollegeaid.gov/StudentComplaintForm

Kansas

Kansas Board of Regents

Kentucky

Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education

Sarah Levy, J.D.
Director of Postsecondary Licensing
Council on Postsecondary Education
1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 320
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Tel: 502.573.1555 Fax: 502.573.1535
sarah.levy@ky.gov

Louisiana

Louisiana Board of Regents

LeAnn Detillier,
Assistant Commissioner for Program Administration,
Louisiana Board of Regents
225-342-4253
leann.detillier@la.gov

Maine

Maine Department of Higher Education

Angel Martinez Loredo
Higher Education Specialist
Maine Department of Education
Augusta, Maine 04333
207-624-6846
angel.loredo@maine.gov

Maryland

Maryland Higher Education Commission

Office of Academic Affairs
Maryland Higher Education Commission
6 North Liberty Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
collegiatecomplaint.mhec@maryland.gov

https://onestop.md.gov/forms/student-complaints-mhec-5f74bfc0ab0f9d00fc796766

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Department of Higher Education

One Ashburton Place, Room 1401
Boston, MA 02108
approvalquery@bhe.mass.edu

Michigan

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Michael Beamish
Manager
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Corporations, Securities, and Commercial Licensing Bureau, Licensing Division
PO Box 30718- Lansing, MI 48909
517-241-6806
beamishm@michigan.gov

Minnesota

University of Massachusetts Global is registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions

Minnesota Office of Higher Education

1450 Energy Park Dr., Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108
651-642-0533
www.ohe.state.mn.us

Betsy Talbot
Manager Institutional Licensure and Registration
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Dr., Suite 350
St.Paul, MN 55108
651-259-3965
Betsy.talbot@state.mn.us

Mississippi

Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation

Menia Dykes
Director of Accreditation
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211
601-432-6372
mdykes@mississippi.edu

Missouri

Missouri Department of Higher Education

Leroy Wade
Deputy Commissioner
Missouri Department of Higher Education
573-751-1176  
leroy.wade@dlhewd.mo.gov
 

Montana

Montana University System Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education

State Authorization Compliance Agent
Montana University System
Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education
2500 Broadway, BOX 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
406-444-6570
stateauthorization@montana.edu

Nebraska

Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education

Kathleen Fimple
Academic Programs Officer
Nebraska’s Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
402-471-0030
kathleen.fimple@nebraska.gov
 

Nevada

Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education

Kelly D. Wuest
Administrator
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
702-486-7330 ext. 229
kdwuest@cpe.state.nv.us

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Department of Education Division of Higher Education- Higher Education Commission

Patricia Edes
Assistant to Director
New Hampshire Department of Education
Division of Higher Education, Higher Education Commission
603-271-0257
patricia.edes@doe.nh.gov

New Jersey

New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education

Rochelle Hendricks
Secretary of Higher Education
State of New Jersey Higher Education
P.O. Box 542
Trenton, NJ 08625-0542
609-292-4310
Executive Assistant: Lauren Banks
lauren.banks@oshe.nj.gov
http://www.state.nj.us/highereducation

New Mexico

New Mexico Higher Education Department

Michelle Casias, Director, Private Postsecondary Schools Division,
New Mexico Higher Education Department
2044 Galisteo Street, Suite 4
Santa Fe, NM 87505
(505) 476-8409 
Private.Schools@state.nm.us

University of Massachusetts Global is seeking Licensure for programs with clinical or internship components.

New York

New York Office of College and University Evaluation

Leslie Templeman
Director
Office of College and University Evaluation
New York State  Education Department
leslie.templeman@nysed.gov

North Carolina

The University of North Carolina Board of Governors

Terrence Scarborough
Director of Licensure
The University of North Carolina General Administration
919-962-4558
trscarborough@northcarolina.edu

Student Complaints: The State Authorization Unit of the University of North Carolina System Office serves as the official state entity to receive complaints concerning post-secondary institutions that are authorized to operate in North Carolina. If students are unable to resolve a complaint through the institution’s grievance procedures, they can review the Student Complaint Policy (PDF) and submit their complaint using the online complaint form at https://studentcomplaints.northcarolina.edu/form.

For more information contact:
North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 962-4550

To file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice, please visit The State Attorney General’s web page at: http://www.ncdoj.gov/complaint. North Carolina residents may call (877) 566-7226. Outside of North Carolina, please call (919) 716-6000. En Espanol (919) 716-0058. If you choose to mail a complaint, please use the following address:
Consumer Protection Division
Attorney General’s Office
Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

North Dakota

North Dakota University System

Tanya Spilovoy
Director, Distance Education and State Authorization
North Dakota University System
1815 Schafer Street, Ste.202 Bismarck, ND 58505-0230
tanya.spilovoy@ndus.edu

Ohio

The Ohio Board of Regents  

Matt Exline
Assistant Director, Program Development and Approval
614-728-3095
mexline@regents.state.oh.us

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

Daniel Archer
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
darcher@osrhe.edu

The Oklahoma Board of Private Schools

Nora Ann House, MBA, CPA Director
The Oklahoma Board of Private Schools
405-528-3370
nhouse@obpvs.ok.gov

Oregon

Oregon Office of Degree Authorization

Sean Pollack
Program Administrator, Private Postsecondary Education
Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission
503-947-5925
sean.pollack@state.or.us
https://www.oregon.gov/highered/institutions-programs/private/Pages/office-degree-authorization.aspx

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Department of Education

Patricia Landis
Division Chief, Higher and Career Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
717-783-8228
RA-COLLUNIVSEMINFO@state.pa.us

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner

Michael Walker-Jones
Assistant Commissioner
Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner
401-736-1122
Michael.Walker-Jones@riopc.edu

South Carolina

South Carolina Commission on Higher Education

Clay Barton
Program Coordinator, Postsecondary Institution Licensing
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
1122 Lady Street
Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201
803-737-7781
cbarton@che.sc.gov

South Dakota

South Dakota Secretary of State

Krista Rounds
Postsecondary Education
Office of Secretary of State-State Capitol
500 East Capitol Avenue
Pierre SD 57501-5070
605-773-3537
sos.edu@state.sd.us  

Tennessee

Tennessee Higher Education Commission Division of Postsecondary State Authorization

Information regarding THEC’s authority and policies:
Julie M. Woodruff
Assistant Executive Director for DPSA and Lead Attorney
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
615-253-8857
julie.woodruff@tn.gov

Texas

The student complaint form is available on the THECB website. All complaints must be submitted to the Agency on the student complaint form.
https://www.highered.texas.gov/student-complaints/

For specific information regarding student complaints pursuant to Title 19 of the Texas Administrative Code, Sections 1.110-1.120 please see the following site:
https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=1&ch=1&sch=E&rl=Y   

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Cathie Maeyaert
Special Projects Director
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
512-427-6527
Cathie.Maeyaert@THECB.state.tx.us

Utah

Utah Division of Consumer Protection

Marla Winegar
Administrator
Utah Division of Consumer Protection
801-530-6601
mwinegar@utah.gov

Vermont

Vermont State Board of Education Through the Vermont Agency of Education

Cassandra Ryan
Postsecondary Approval Coordinator
802-479-8545
cassandra.ryan@vermont.gov

Virginia

State Council for Higher Education in Virginia

Sylvia Rosa-Casanova
Director, Private and Out of State Postsecondary Education
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)
101 N.14th street Richmond VA 23219
804-225-3399
SylviaRosaCasanova@schev.edu

Washington

University of Massachusetts Global is authorized by the Washington Student Achievement Council and meets the requirements and minimum educational standards established for degree-granting institutions under the Degree-Granting Institutions Act. This authorization is subject to periodic review and authorizes University of Massachusetts Global to offer specific degree programs. The Council may be contacted for a list of currently authorized programs. Authorization by the Council does not carry with it an endorsement by the Council of the institution or its programs. Any person desiring information about the requirements of the act or the applicability of those requirements to the institution may contact the Council at P.O. Box 43430, Olympia, WA 98504-3430 or by email at degreeauthorization@wsac.wa.gov. 

The transferability of credits earned at University of Massachusetts Global is at the discretion of the receiving college, university, or other educational institution. Students considering transferring to any institution should not assume that credits earned in any program of study at University of Massachusetts Global will be accepted by the receiving institution. Similarly, the ability of a degree, certificate, diploma, or other academic credential earned at University of Massachusetts Global to satisfy an admission requirement of another institution is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Accreditation does not guarantee credentials or credits earned at University of Massachusetts Global will be accepted by or transferred to another institution. To minimize the risk of having to repeat coursework, students should contact the receiving institution in advance for evaluation and determination of transferability of credits and/or acceptability of degrees, diplomas, or certificates earned.

For Washington State residents seeking information and resources about student loan repayment or seeking to submit a complaint relating to your student loans or student loan servicer, please visit www.wsac.wa.gov/loan-advocacy or contact the Student Loan Advocate at loanadvocate @wsac.wa.gov ."

Washington Student Achievement Council

Tivoli Sharp
Program Administrator/Degree Authorization
Washington Student Achievement Council
360-753-7869
tivolis@wsac.wa.gov

West Virginia

West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission

Keri Ferro
Director of Statewide Academic Initiatives
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
304-558-0261
keri.ferro@wvhepc.edu

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Educational Approval Board

David C. Dies
Executive Secretary
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
608-267-7733
david.dies@eab.wisconsin.gov

Wyoming

Wyoming Department of Education

Elaine Marces
Private School Program Manager
Wyoming Department of Education
307-777-6210
elaine.marces@wyo.gov