Stephanie C. Dolan

The meeting agenda included several key decision items. The Commission was set to consider the minutes from the Finance Committee and Regular Meeting held in December 2025. Major discussion points involved a legislative update and the impact of federal policy changes on future state education budgets, presented during the Executive Director's Report. Decision items focused heavily on academic programs, including the final approval of administrative procedures for the new Chapter 300-4-16: Move On When Ready program. Additionally, the Commission reviewed proposals for new academic programs and substantive modifications across several Alabama institutions, such as Alabama A&M University's proposed Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies and Auburn University's proposed separation of Agriscience Education offerings into standalone degree programs.

The open forum session focused on revising ACES regulations concerning off-campus instruction and academic program review. Key discussion points involved modifying definitions for off-campus sites, specifically addressing the classification of exempt versus non-exempt sites. A primary recommendation was to move individual study and study abroad from the exemptions list to exclusions under the scope, limiting the rule's application to off-campus sites located within the state. Participants also reviewed how to handle program offerings at off-campus sites, aiming to align ACEs regulations more closely with SAX procedures, particularly regarding when program approval is required based on the percentage of instruction delivered at a site (e.g., above 50%). Discussions also touched upon the exclusion of internships, clinical sites, and distance education offerings. Furthermore, participants examined documentation requirements for new sites, including course lists and details regarding the site's financial self-sustainability.

The discussion focused on updates to administrative procedures, specifically concerning Chapter 300-2-1-.06 regarding extensions and alterations to programs. Key definitional changes included adding 'curriculum' to distinguish it from 'delivery modality' and amalgamating 'method of delivery' with distance education policy definitions, explicitly listing types such as competency-based education, distance education, and face-to-face instruction. Nomenclature definitions were clarified to distinguish between award name and field of study. The definition for 'programs that lead to professional educator certification' was added to provide flexibility for highly regulated teacher education programs. Significant discussion involved changes to degrees, particularly substantive modifications. For program consolidation, the requirement for common coursework was revised from two-thirds to 50% for consistency with options criteria. Separating a program (substantive modification) requires no additional resources and evidence that the resulting split programs will meet postimplementation conditions. For curricular changes exceeding 50%, the policy retains the provision that the program must meet minimum viability thresholds, although the necessity of retaining the threshold for changes between 50% and 66% was debated.

This document provides an update on the (Re)Engage Alabama Grant Program, a state-level initiative designed to support adult students in completing associate or bachelor's degrees in high-demand occupations. The program has expanded eligibility to include additional institutions and increased the number of qualifying majors from 15 to 42. Key revisions include lowering the age requirement for participants to 22 and removing prior associate degree attainment as a barrier for those pursuing bachelor's degrees, provided they have not previously received grant funds. The update details financial award structures and highlights the program's objective to align educational outcomes with Alabama's workforce needs, emphasizing the importance of tracking graduate success.

The meeting, which was recorded due to an adjusted time, focused on several updates and discussions. Key topics included an overview of the credential registry within the Alabama Talent Triad, emphasizing the need to input non-credit program information for greater accuracy and workforce utility. A presentation was given on the new statewide economic development strategy, noting continuity with previous sector priorities like manufacturing, bioscience, and defense, and outlining stakeholder involvement. Attendees were also shown new interactive data tools on the ACH website, including a dashboard built in PowerBI utilizing US Census American Community Survey (ACS) data to track metrics such as educational attainment, labor force participation, full-time wages, and public assistance across various workforce regions.