The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, commonly known as SARA, provide a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. When states join SARA -- and membership is voluntary -- they agree to follow uniform processes for approving their eligible institutions' participation in SARA. They also agree to deal with other states' SARA institutions in a common way when those institutions carry out activities in SARA states other than their own. SARA's uniform standards and policies provide benefits to both states and institutions carrying out distance education in multiple states. As of May 2022, 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are members of SARA. Over 2,300 institutions participate, of which 656 institutions are in MHEC states.
As of August 12, 2016, eleven states are participating in the Midwestern State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (M-SARA): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. South Dakota, also a MHEC member state, joined SARA through the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
In collaboration with the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) and the National Council for State Authorization Agreements (NC-SARA), the M-SARA Regional Steering Committee establishes and disseminates criteria for state participation and amends such criteria, as appropriate, over time.
Jennifer Armour | Kansas Board of Regents | Kansas |
Brandie Elliott | University of Missouri System | Missouri |
Ahmad Ezzeddine | Wayne State University | Michigan |
Kathleen Fimple | Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education | Nebraska |
Chris Foley | Indiana University | Indiana |
Shellie Haut | Central Michigan University | Michigan |
Lisa Johnson | North Dakota University System | North Dakota |
Mary Kochlefl | Xavier University | Ohio |
Jeff Newell | Illinois Community College Board | Illinois |
Nkechi Onwuameze | Illinois Board of Higher Education | Illinois |
Lisa Pundt | Iowa College Aid | Iowa |
Ken Sauer | Indiana Commission for Higher Education | Indiana |
Paige Smith | Wisconsin Distance Learning Authorization Board | Wisconsin |
Tom Sudkamp | Ohio Department of Higher Education | Ohio |
Betsy Talbot | Minnesota Office of Higher Education | Minnesota |
Laura Vedenhaupt | Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development | Missouri |