2.7.4  

The institution provides instruction for all coursework required for at least one degree program at each level at which it awards degrees.  If the institution makes arrangements for some instruction to be provided by other accredited institutions or entities through contracts or consortia, or uses some other alternative approach to meeting this requirement, the alternative approach must be approved by the Commission on Colleges. In all cases, the institution demonstrates that it controls all aspects of its educational program.  (Contractual Agreements for Instruction)

RATIONALE FOR COMPLIANCE JUDGMENT

Nashville State Technical Community College (NSCC) provides the instruction for all coursework required for all associate degrees offered except for the A.A.S. in Professional Studies and Early Childhood Education and the A.S. and A.A. degrees  in General Studies  that are offered through the Regents Online Degree Program (RODP).  For example, NSCC offers an A.A.S. degree in Biotechnology.  All courses required for that degree, as listed in the college catalog [1], are offered by NSCC.  Instruction for all coursework required for the Photography Certificate, as an example, is offered by NSCC [2].

The college offers an A.A.S. degree in Automotive Technology in cooperation with the Tennessee Technology Center at Nashville (TTC-N), located next door to the NSCC campus.  Through this agreement, all courses required for the degree are offered by NSCC.  Students enroll at the TTC-N for the 5 SCH of cooperative experiences required in the program.  Cooperative experiences are offered in automobile dealerships and other appropriate workplace locations.  There is a contract between NSCC and TTC-N which outlines the financial and academic responsibilities of each school [5].

NSCC also offers instruction through the Regents Online Degree Program (RODP).   The RODP is a consortium of the 19 colleges and universities of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) System.  The RODP was initiated in fall 2002 and was approved by the Commission on Colleges as a substantive change following an on-site visit in February 2003.  More information about RODP is available on the RODP website [3].  Nashville State controls all aspects of its instruction offered through RODP.  The college has a representative on the RODP Curriculum Committee.  All new programs proposed for offering through RODP must be approved by the RODP Curriculum Committee and the RODP Oversight Committee.  New programs must then be approved through the normal campus curriculum review process before they are available through RODP. 

Nashville State teaches remedial-level courses (DSPR 0700 Basic Reading and DSPW 0700 Basic Writing) through identical contracts with two TBR universities -- Austin Peay State University [4] and Tennessee State University.  The courses taught on the university campuses to university students are identical to those provided to NSCC students.  They are offered by qualified faculty under contract with NSCC.  These faculty members are included in the NSCC faculty roster.  Enrollment in the 35 APSU and TSU classes during fall 2006 was 136 FTE.

Nashville State also offers technical workforce training courses in cooperation with The Sage Group.  Students wishing to earn an NSCC degree can apply these courses toward the General Technology A.A.S.  NSCC reviews the curriculum in these courses, all of which have been approved for credit through the National Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction PONSI, and the qualifications of faculty delivering the courses.  These faculty members are included in the faculty roster.  As of summer 2006, there have been no students earning a Nashville State degree through this process.  The contract with The Sage Group is attached [6]