(a) Definitions. The following definitions apply to the terms used in this section.
(1) Administrative capability means the ability to maintain all records and accounts that § 21.4209 requires.
(2) Certifying official means a representative of an educational institution designated to provide VA with the reports and certifications that §§ 21.4203, 21.4204, 21.5810, 21.5812, 21.7152, and 21.7652 require.
(3) Main campus means the location where the primary teaching facilities of an educational institution are located. If an educational institution has only one teaching location, that location is its main campus. If it is unclear which of the educational institution's teaching facilities is primary, the main campus is the location of the primary office of its Chief Executive Officer.
(4) Branch campus means a location of an educational institution that -
(i) Is geographically apart from and operationally independent of the main campus of the educational institution;
(ii) Has its own faculty, administration and supervisory organization; and
(iii) Offers courses in education programs leading to a degree, certificate, or other recognized education credential.
(5) Extension means a location of an educational institution that is geographically apart from and is operationally dependent on the main campus or a branch campus of the educational institution.
(b) State approving agency jurisdiction.
(1) The State approving agency for the State where a residence course is being taught has jurisdiction over approval of that course for VA education benefit purposes.
(2) The fact that the location where the educational institution is offering the course may be temporary will not serve to change jurisdictional authority.
(3) The fact that the main campus of the educational institution may be located in another State from that in which the course is being taught will not serve to change jurisdictional authority.
(c) Approving a course offered by a branch campus or an extension of an educational institution. Before approving a course or a program of education offered at a branch campus or an extension of an educational institution, the State approving agency must ensure that -
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, each location where the course or program is offered has administrative capability; and
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, each location where the course or program is offered has a certifying official on site.
(d) Exceptions to the requirement that administrative capability exist at each location.
(1) A State approving agency may approve a course or program offered by a branch campus that does not have its own administrative capability if -
(i) The main campus of the educational institution within the same State maintains a centralized recordkeeping system that includes all records and accounts that § 21.4209 requires for each student attending the branch campus without administrative capability. These records may be originals, certified copies, or in an electronically formatted record keeping system; and
(ii) The main campus can identify the records of students at the branch campus for which it maintains centralized records.
(2) The State approving agency may approve a course or program offered by an extension that does not have its own administrative capability if -
(i) The extension and the main campus or branch campus it is dependent on are located within the same State;
(ii) The main campus or branch campus the extension is dependent on has administrative capability for the extension; and
(iii) The State approving agency combines the approval of the course(s) offered by the extension with the approval of the courses offered by the main campus or branch campus the extension is dependent on.
(e) Combined approval. The State approving agency may combine the approval of courses offered by an extension of an educational institution with the approval of the main campus or the branch campus that the extension is dependent on, if the extension is within the same State as the campus it is dependent on. Combining the approval of courses offered by an extension, with the approval of courses offered by the main campus or branch campus the extension is dependent on, does not negate the minimum period of operation requirements in § 21.4251 for courses that do not lead to a standard college degree offered by an extension of a proprietary educational institution. The State approving agency will list the extension and courses approved on the notice of approval sent to the educational institution pursuant to § 21.4258 of this part.
(f) Exceptions to the requirement that each location where the course or program is offered must have a certifying official on site. Exceptions to the requirement in paragraph (c) of this section, that each location with an approved course or program of education must have a certifying official on site, will be permitted for -
(1) Extensions of an educational institution when the State approving agency combines the approval of the courses offered by the extension with a branch campus or main campus. (See paragraph (e) of this section.)
(2) Educational institutions with more than one campus within the same State if the main campus -
(i) Maintains a centralized recordkeeping system. (See paragraph (d)(1) of this section.);
(ii) Has administrative capability for the branch campus (or branch campuses) within the same State; and
(iii) Centralizes its certifying official function at the main campus.
(3) Educational institutions with multi-state campuses when an educational institution wants to centralize its certifying official function into one or more locations if:
(i) The educational institution submits all required reports and certifications that §§ 21.4203, 21.4204, 21.5810, 21.5812, 21.7152, and 21.7652 require via electronic submission through VA's Internet-based education certification application;
(ii) The educational institution designates an employee, at each teaching location of the educational institution that does not have a certifying official present, to serve as a point-of-contact for veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or other eligible persons; the certifying official(s); the State approving agency of jurisdiction; and VA. The designated employee must have access (other than to transmit certifications) to VA's Internet-based education certification application to provide certification information to veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or other eligible persons, State approving agency representatives, and VA representatives;
(iii) Each certifying official uses the VA facility code for the location that has administrative capability for the teaching location where the student is training when submitting required reports and certifications to VA; and
(iv) Each certifying official has full access to the administrative records and accounts that § 21.4209 requires for each student attending the teaching location(s) for which the certifying official has been designated responsibility. These records may be originals, certified copies, or in an electronically formatted record keeping system.
(The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information collection requirements in this section under control number 2900-0073)
[72 FR 20427, Apr. 25, 2007]