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K-State Today

February 12, 2015

K-State's new membership is helping distance education students

Submitted by Communications and Marketing

Kansas State University recently became a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, or SARA.

SARA is a national initiative among member states that establishes comparable standards for the interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. The intent is to make it easier for students to enroll in online courses offered by institutions outside the student's home state.

Without SARA, an institution faces widely different regulations and fee structures if it seeks to provide online education to citizens in other states. Joining SARA eases the burden on state agencies in regulating interstate distance education, and provides a more streamlined path for institutions to participate in distance education across state lines. At present, Kansas is one of 19 states that have joined SARA.

"Kansas State University is one of the first Kansas institutions to become a SARA member," said Sue Maes, dean of Kansas State University's Global Campus. "As online programs continue to proliferate across the nation, it is important to have a system in place that ensures institutional quality, consumer protection and institutional financial responsibility. K-State's acceptance as a SARA member assures the consumer that our online offerings are of the highest quality."