Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 9 - Education- Mississippi Community College Board › Part 7 - Regulations for State Oversight of Proprietary Institutions Operating or Recruiting in Mississippi › Section 9-7-4 - GLOSSARY

Current through June 25, 2024
Term
Definition
Accreditation
Accreditation is a review process to determine if
							 educational programs meet defined standards of quality. Accreditation is
							 voluntary through different organizations. CPSCR only acknowledges accrediting
							 agencies recognized/authorized by the United States Department of
							 Education.
Agent
Any person employed by an institution licensed by the
							 commission, regardless of job title, job description, full-time or part-time
							 employment status, who directly or indirectly influences the decision of any
							 prospective student to enroll for a fee in a course of instruction.
This includes marketing representatives and
							 individuals that represent institutions at job fairs. This does not apply to
							 financial aid representatives.
Annex
An Annex is an additional physical location of a
							 registered institution that offers the same courses/programs as are offered at
							 the registered institution; and is under the same ownership, management and
							 control as the registered institution.
Blended/Hybrid Education
This is a formal educational program in which
							 students access a portion of the curriculum through web-based content and also
							 receive in-person instruction at a brick-and-mortar location. The online and
							 face-to-face components work together to deliver an integrated learning
							 experience.
Change of Ownership
Anyone, or a combination, of the following,
							 constitutes a change of ownership:
* Sale of the institution or the majority of its
							 assets;
* Division of one (1) or more institutions into two
							 (2) or more institutions;
* Transfer of the controlling interest in stock of
							 the institution or its parent corporation;
* Transfer of the liabilities of the institution to
							 its parent corporation;
* Lease or rental of an institution.
Commission
The Commission on Proprietary School and College
							 Registration established under MS Code 75-60-1, Senate Bill 2636.
Correspondence education
Means a formal educational process under which the
							 institution provides instructional materials, by mail or electronic
							 transmission, including examinations on the materials, to students who are
							 separated from the instructor. Interaction between the instructor and the
							 student is limited, is not regular and substantive, and is primarily initiated
							 by the student; courses are typically self-paced. Correspondence education is
							 not distance education as defined in this glossary.
Course
The offering of instruction to individuals for a
							 charge, fee or contribution of any kind, to a person or persons for the purpose
							 of training or preparing such person(s) for a field of endeavor in a business,
							 trade, technical or industrial occupation.
Distance education
Means a formal educational process in which the
							 instruction in a course occurs when students and instructors are not in the
							 same place. Instruction may be asynchronous or synchronous. Distance education
							 uses the technologies set forth in this paragraph to deliver instructions to
							 students and to support regular, substantive interaction between students and
							 instructors. A distance education course instructor may use any of the
							 following technologies: the Internet; one-way and two-way transmissions through
							 open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber
							 optics, satellite or wireless communications devices; audio conferencing; or
							 video cassettes, DVDs and CD-ROMs if used as part of the distance-learning
							 course or program.
Enrollment Contract/Agreement
The enrollment agreement is the contract signed
							 between the student and the institution. The agreement specifies the conditions
							 under which the school will provide instruction to the student. It also
							 specifies all costs a student must pay in order to enroll in a specific school
							 program. The student and an authorized agent of the school must date and sign
							 the agreement prior to the time instruction begins.
First year after initial registration
Twelve (12) calendar months immediately following the
							 effective date of issuance of an initial Certificate of Registration.
General Education courses
Means a unit of learning that is non-technical in
							 nature and is a fundamental part of a program. The content is drawn from oral
							 and written communications, social studies, mathematics, natural sciences, and
							 the humanities.
Graduate
Any student (full-time or part-time) who upon
							 completion of a program of study receives a certificate, license, or diploma
							 from a proprietary institution licensed by the commission.
Gross Annual Tuition
Means the tuition income (minus tuition refunds)
							 received by a registered school and its annexes in approved programs as
							 computed over a consecutive 12-month period.
Institution
Means a proprietary school, career college, school
							 person or other organization that offers programs that require registration in
							 accordance with Section
							 75-60-5.
Institution Chief Operating Officer
Person responsible for the daily operations of an
							 institution. Interchangeable with Institution Director.
Institution Director
Person responsible for the daily operations of an
							 institution. Interchangeable with Institution Chief Operating Officer.
Institution owner
If the institution is owned by an individual, that
							 individual; if the Institution is owned by a partnership, all partners; if the
							 institution is owned by a corporation, the officers, and directors of the
							 corporation.
Last day of student attendance
The date that a student gives written notice to the
							 institution that he /she has withdrawn; or the date on which a student meets
							 all of the following conditions:
* The student has failed to attend classes for thirty
							 (30) successive calendar days; and
* The institution has notified the student, and that
							 the student will be considered withdrawn if he/she does not notify the
							 institution to the contrary within twelve (12) calendar days from the date on
							 which the letter is mailed (postmarked); or
* The student fails to respond within the twelve (12)
							 day period.
Non-Technical Course
Means a unit of learning that is non-technical in
							 nature and includes general education courses, basic/college life skills, or
							 other related courses as determined by the Commission.
Normal time to completion
The published time period required for completion of
							 a program of study.
Occupational Degree
Means a credential awarded by a school upon
							 successful completion of an associate degree program and designated as applied
							 or occupational" in the creditial title. This program shall contain a minimum
							 of 60% technical course credits/clock hours. Associate degree programs designed
							 primarily for immediate employment should be designated as an Associate in
							 Applied Science degree, or other appropriate title, and identified with a
							 specialty designation. This identification of a specialty or major implies
							 relevant preparation for employment in a specific area of work and should be
							 specified on the students' document of completion.
Program of study
A series of individual courses in an area of
							 specialization for which a diploma, degree, certificate or other written
							 evidence of proficiency or achievement is offered/awarded.
Proprietary
Means a career college, school, person, or other
							 organization that offers programs that require registration pursuant to
							 Mississippi Code 1972, 75-60-5, as amended.
Quarter
An instructional term of up to fourteen (14)
							 weeks.
Recruitment
Recruitment is the process of searching for
							 prospective students and motivating them to apply for enrollment at the
							 institution.
Registered location
The location for which a certificate of registration
							 is valid excluding, any annexes or franchise locations.
Short-Term Professional Development Training Courses
							 (Continuing Education Units)
Specialized training courses intended to help
							 increase professional knowledge and skills for experienced individuals.
These courses have no more than 20 contact hours and are non-credit
							 bearing courses.
These include, but not limited to, seminars,
							 workshops, and continuing education.
Semester
An instructional term of fifteen (15), sixteen (16),
							 seventeen (17), or eighteen (18) weeks.
Student
Any person who enters into a student enrollment
							 contract or agreement.
Student catalog
A typed and bound publication that is readily
							 identifiable as a catalog. The catalog must be designed and written to convey
							 accurate impressions of the institution. The catalog must avoid false or
							 misleading statements. The catalog should provide sufficient detailed data to
							 enable prospective students to clearly understand their opportunities,
							 limitations, and obligations. Each student must be given a copy of this catalog
							 upon enrollment. Students may be provided with a digital link to or copy of the
							 catalog in lieu of a physically bound document. If only a digital copy/link is
							 provided to the student, acknowledgment of receipt must be in the student's
							 record.
Student Mastery
Students' successful completion of a nationally
							 recognized examination or comprehensive exam for a program of study. Mastery is
							 calculated by the completion of a grade of "C" or better.
Technical Course
Means a unit of learning which yields skills,
							 knowledge and understanding essential to the specific occupation for which the
							 program is designed.
Temporary Certificate of Registration
This status allows an institution to operate under
							 provisional authorization. Terms of the operation will be assessed based on the
							 reason for the issuance of the temporary certificate. Additional monitoring by
							 CPSCR staff is required on all operations.
Term
The amount of instructional time covered by an
							 enrollment period.
The Director
The Director of the Commission on Proprietary School
							 and College Registration.
Voluntary Suspension
This status allows a school to maintain its approval,
							 but they cannot enroll, advertise or provide instruction. The institution will
							 pay the applicable fee for the "voluntary suspension" status, which allows them
							 to go become active again without having to go through the entire approval
							 status again. This may be renewed only twice and will be reviewed
							 annually.
Working capital
Current assets less current liabilities; it is a
							 measure of whether a company will have sufficient resources to meet short-term
							 debts.
Payments must be submitted in the form of a check or money
				order made out to "The Commission on Proprietary School and College
				Registration."
Send payments to:
Commission on Proprietary School and College
				Registration
3825 Ridgewood Road, Sixth Floor
Jackson, Mississippi 39211
Payments are nonrefundable.