24.159.635    REQUIREMENTS FOR REPORTING SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES

(1) The program director or academic chief officer is required to report to the board any proposed substantive change that may affect the program's compliance with the nursing education rules. Substantive changes include, but are not limited to:

(a) changes in legal status, control, or ownership of the parent institution;

(b) change in accreditation or approval status of the program or the program's parent institution;

(c) major curriculum revisions;

(d) change in degree offerings or program options;

(e) additional geographic sites or locations;

(f) change in program director;

(g) major reduction in financial or other program resources; or

(h) additional enrollment changes that require increases to the program's resources or that may affect the availability of clinical settings.

(2) Board approval is required prior to additional enrollment changes that require increases to the program's resources or that may affect the availability of clinical settings. Only programs in full approval status may make such a request. The request must be submitted a minimum of 30 days prior to the board meeting, at which the additional enrollment changes will be considered. For proposed additional enrollment changes, the following information must be included:

(a) purpose and classification of program;

(b) the anticipated number of students;

(c) evidence of adequate clinical and academic facilities to support the additional enrollment;

(d) evidence of adequate financial resources for the planning, implementation, and maintenance of the enrollment changes;

(e) evidence of the need for the additional enrollment changes;

(f) evidence of adequate faculty resources;

(g) tentative timetable for planning and initiating the enrollment changes;

(h) description of how the additional enrollment may affect the existing nursing programs in the state, and indication that plans and the feasibility study regarding the additional enrollment have been shared with the directors of existing Montana programs;

(i) curriculum modifications required to accommodate the targeted student population; and

(j) a plan for continued assessment using the program evaluation plan.

(3) Any additional information requested by the board must be provided by the program in the period and manner specified by the board.

History: 37-8-202, 37-8-301, MCA; IMP, 37-8-202, 37-8-301, 37-8-302, MCA; NEW, 1991 MAR p. 2435, Eff. 12/13/91; AMD, 2001 MAR p. 2152, Eff. 10/26/01; AMD, 2003 MAR p. 1080, Eff. 5/23/03; AMD, 2005 MAR p. 742, Eff. 5/13/05; TRANS, from Commerce, & AMD, 2006 MAR p. 2035, Eff. 8/25/06; AMD, 2010 MAR p. 2651, Eff. 11/13/10; AMD, 2015 MAR p. 644, Eff. 5/29/15.