Happy May everyone!

The NC-SARA data reporting time is almost upon us! The Reporting window will be open this year from May-15-June 15th. For those of you who are responsible for the data reporting, I highly recommend taking a look at the Data Reporting Handbook for this year - there is some guidance on how to report the data in light of the impact of Covid. Specifically there is some distinction that will need to be made in regard to the OOSLPs and the move online we all made.

WCET-SAN is offering a SAN Basics Workshop, June 23-25. It will be held virtually and synchronously (10-2pm Mountain Time). You can read more about the workshop and what will be covered, as well as the expected time commitment here: https://wcetsan.wiche.edu/events/san- basics-workshop-2021-virtual We, as a system, have a membership and if you have the time I highly recommend registering. System will cover the cost for 2 people from each campus to attend this workshop. Please let me know if you would like to register and we can make that happen.

Also from WCET-SAN on May 19th (11am Mountain), is a webinar/policy session on Professional Licensure Notifications for current and prospective students. This one-hour session is offered free of charge, but does require pre-registration. Grab an early lunch and tuck in for a session reminding us of all the nuance associated with these disclosures.

In other news, two pieces of updates to regulations or impending regulations that will impact you -

• In conversation with a colleague at the University of Michigan he noted that Genetic Counselors are beginning to see states acting on regulations to require licensure. It would be advisable to contact your faculty in that program or a related program that may be assisting students in gettng positions in that field on your campus to discuss this potential hiccup and begin looking in to this issue, especially as Colorado appears to be in the process for requiring licensure.
• New regulatory language form the Veteran's Administration (VA) has come out regrading licensure disclosures and institutions requirements for compliance (thanks for the heads up Jodi!!).
  • R.7105 - Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020
  • Became Public Law No: 116-315 on January 5, 2021. Effective 6/15/21 and applies to all educational institutions as of 8/1/21
  • Specifically related to us and our work is this a requirement that, as part of our notifications, we will need to provide to the students -
    • any conditions or additional requirements, including training, experience, or examina;ons, required to obtain the license, certification, or approval for which the course of education is designed to provide preparation;

*deep breath*

Now, while this technically applies ONLY to students who are/have enrolled in our institutions and are using VA funds to access their education, this obviously could have much wider implications for the work we have done and are doing in complying with the federal regulations and NC- SARA guidelines. That is - per the ED we're not required to inform students or document the other things (e.g. number of post-doctoral hours, residency, years of practice, etc.) a student may need to complete beyond the education we provide before sitting for the licensure exam or gettng a job. Cheryl Dowd at WCET-SAN and others are working with the VA and the State Approval Agency to seek clarification and guidance as, again, this is going beyond the requirements from the ED and the various state's licensure disclosure's requirements as well as the guidelines from NC-SARA. Ager several conversations will colleagues at other universities as well as Heather DeLange at CDHE - while none of them are (obviously) the official word on this issue the general consensus is FOR THE MOMENT we should continue to collect and publish our programs applicability to the various states' licensure exams as we have been. That being said, we should also be working with the VA office to make sure they know that those of us working with the professional licensure information will provide them with what we have/can and make sure they understand our notification processes for current and prospective students and that SHOULD this new rule go in to effect as is on 8/1/21 we will work with them to find a process for their students that complies with the sprit of the VA's regulations and gets the required information. Lori Williams at NC-SARA tells me that they are also looking in to this issue on behalf of their member states and participating institutions. When I hear more or I receive any further clarification from NC-SARA or others, I will pass the information on to you all!

And finally, I had a question from a student the other day looking for information relating to professional licensure and applicability of education. In that question was a note about the student consulting a national organization for the licensure requirements. We need to make sure that we don't direct students to the national professional organizations when getting them the required contact information for state licensing boards. The national organizations are very helpful in many ways - national organizations and/or other third parties are good places to start your research - but cannot be relied upon when relaying information to students or the public regarding licensure requirements. Please always direct students and the public to the appropriate state agency as they are the authority on what is required for licensure in the state.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Erika

Erika G. Swain
Interim Assistant Director for State Authorization
Office of Academic Affairs
University of Colorado System
e: swaine@cu.edu
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Assistant Director for Compliance and Authorization
Office of Data Analytics | Office of Institutional Research
University of Colorado Boulder
e: Erika.Swain@colorado.edu
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o: (303) 735-8184
c: (518) 637-9785