FORM - Association of Theological Schools / Commission on Accrediting

Petition related to Additional Location

for consideration by the ATS/COA Board of Commissioners
Commission-accredited schools must petition for approval prior to adding, closing, relocating, or expanding (from master's to doctorate) any additional location (extension site) that offers half or more of any approved degree (per Policies and Procedures IV.E). Schools are to use this form to petition for each change related to an additional location by completing the relevant portion (i.e., submit one petition form per change). In completing this form, please include links to additional documentation as requested or as deemed helpful. Your Commission staff liaison will contact you if there are any questions regarding this petition.

As noted in the Policies and Procedures, completion of this petition is required for any of the following actions related to additional locations (formerly called extension sites) that offer at least half a degree: (1) adding a new location (IV.E and IV.E.1), (2) closing an approved location (IV.E.2), (3) relocating an approved location (IV.E.2), or (4) expanding an approved location from master's to doctoral degrees (IV.E.1). A petition for adding or relocating an additional location is not required if the majority of instruction at that location is delivered online (IV.F.2).

NOTE: Closing a school's main campus and ceasing permanent operations or relocating a school's main campus and continuing operations in a new location requires the submission of a different petition form (see ATS petitions and notifications webpage). Adding, closing, or relocating an additional location that offers at least one-fourth but less than one-half a degree requires only notification to staff, not a petition to the Board (see ATS petitions and notifications webpage). Adding, closing, or relocating an additional location that offers less than one-fourth of a degree requires no notification nor petition.
i. Name of school: *
ii. Contact information for person submitting this form: *

Prefix First Name (MI) Last Name Suffix
iii. Title: *
Position title of person submitting this form
iv. Email: *
A copy of your form will be sent to this address
v. Indicate the type of petition being submitted: *
Once petition type is selected, complete the items on the following pages

Adding a new location, or expanding one, to offer half or more of a degree

If the location is new or previously offered less than half a degree, then complete the following; if this new location qualifies as a branch campus, per Policies and Procedures IV.E.1, then consult with your Commission staff liaison.
1. Effective date of addition of new location: *

Month Day Year
2. Complete address of new location:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

City State / Province

Postal / Zip Code Country
3. If the new location is part of another entity (e.g., church or college), please list the name of that entity here and add a link to the written agreement allowing the school to use that facility: *
Written agreement must also be uploaded; see final page of this form
4. Describe reason(s) for adding location (or if this location expands an existing site from offering less than half to half or more of a degree, please note that here) *
5. List percentage(s) of which degree(s) will be offered there: *
Degree(s) must be Commission-approved
6. What resources are available at new location:
6a. Faculty: *
Indicate whether the location will use full-time or part-time faculty
6b. Facilities: *
Describe briefly the facilities and their accessibility
6c. Library: *
Describe extent of library resources and services available to students
6d. Student Services: *
Describe nature of student support services available
7. If adding this location is part of a teach-out agreement with another school, please describe here the reason for and nature of that agreement and provide link to signed copy of that agreement: *
Please type "N/A" if none. Otherwise, upload signed agreement as well; see final page of this form
8. Describe here how the program(s) offered at this location will be evaluated, per Standard 2.6: *
Consider providing link(s) to any documentation describing the school's educational evaluation process
9. Does your school meet all THREE criteria for an exemption to a focused evaluation visit? (See note below) *

Yes No
NOTE: Policies and Procedures IV.E.1 requires a focused visit within six months of opening an additional location that offers at least half a degree—unless the school meets these three exemption criteria in III.D.4: (1) has at least two approved locations offering half or more of a degree [three approved locations if school has not completed at least one accreditation cycle or has had recent public sanction], (2) is accrediting in good standing, and (3) has not been the subject of any recent Board actions raising concerns about its locations.

Closing an approved location that offers half or more of an approved degree

(per Policies and Procedures IV.E.1-3)
1. Effective date of closure of approved location: *

Month Day Year
2. Complete address of location being closed:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

City State / Province

Postal / Zip Code Country
3. Describe reason(s) for closing this location: *
4. Does this closure involve a location that offers a complete degree? (cf. Policies and Procedures III.L) *

No* Yes**
4a. *If NO, describe how educational needs of current students will be addressed:
4b. **If YES, describe how the school's teach-out plan addresses all Commission criteria and provide link(s) to all required documentation (III.L.1-2); if a teach-out agreement is also required, provide a link to that agreement (III.L3):
All documents must also be uploaded; see final page of this form

Relocating an approved location that offers half or more of an approved degree

(per Policies and Procedures IV.E.1-3)
1. Effective date of relocation of approved location: *

Month Day Year
2. Complete address of "OLD" location:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

City State / Province

Postal / Zip Code Country
3. Complete address of "NEW" location:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

City State / Province

Postal / Zip Code Country
4. Approximate distance between the closed and new locations: *
Indicate in miles or kilometers
5. If the new location is part of another entity (e.g., church or college), please list the name of that entity here and add a link to the written agreement allowing the school to use that facility: *
Written agreement must also be uploaded; see final page of this form
6. Describe reason(s) for relocation: *
7. List percentage(s) of which degree(s) will be offered there: *
Degree(s) must be Commission-approved
8. What resources are available at new location:
8a. Faculty: *
Indicate whether the location will use full-time or part-time faculty
8b. Facilities: *
Describe briefly the facilities and their accessibility
8c. Library: *
Describe extent of library resources and services available to students
8d. Student Services: *
Describe nature of student support services available
9. Does this relocation involve a location that offers a complete degree? *

No* Yes**
9a. *If NO, describe how educational needs of current students will be addressed:
(e.g., all students will relocate to the new location)
9b. **If YES, describe how the school's teach-out plan addresses all the criteria in Policies and Procedures III.L.1-2 and provide a link to any required documents:
All documents must also be uploaded; see final page of this form
10. Describe here how the program(s) offered at this location will be evaluated, per Standard 2.6: *
Consider providing link(s) to any documentation describing the school's educational evaluation process
11. Does your school meet all THREE criteria for an exemption to a focused evaluation visit? (See note below) *

Yes No
NOTE: Policies and Procedures IV.E.1 requires a focused visit within six months of opening an additional location that offers at least half a degree—unless the school meets these three exemption criteria in III.D.4: (1) has at least two approved locations offering half or more of a degree [three approved locations if school has not completed at least one accreditation cycle or has had recent public sanction], (2) is accrediting in good standing, and (3) has not been the subject of any recent Board actions raising concerns about its locations.

Expanding an approved location from master's to doctoral degree

(per Policies and Procedures IV.E.1)
1. Effective date of planned expansion: *

Month Day Year
2. Complete address of approved location:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

City State / Province

Postal / Zip Code Country
3. Describe reason(s) for expanding location and what percentage of which doctoral degree will be offered: *
4. Describe what additional resources are planned for students who enroll in this new doctoral degree at this location (faculty, facilities, library services, student support): *
5. Describe here how the doctoral program offered at this location will be evaluated, per Standard 2.6: *
Consider providing link(s) to any documentation describing the school's educational evaluation process

When finished, please submit this petition to the ATS Director of Commission Information Services by hitting the "submit" button below. You can expect an automated confirmation email within a few minutes. There is no fee for this (or any) Commission petition. Please do not send any paper copies or any emailed attachments; submit only this completed, online form (including any links to additional information requested).

NOTE: Petitions for additional locations are typically decided by the Board of Commissioners within a few months (see submission deadlines on ATS petitions and notifications webpage). If the school is adding or relocating an additional location and does not meet the three exemption criteria described in Policies and Procedures IV.E.1, the Board will require a focused evaluation visit within six months of the start of the new location.
ATS Commission Staff Liaison Email *
A copy of your form will be sent to this address
CEO Email
A copy of your form will be sent to this address
CAO Email
A copy of your form will be sent to this address
ALO Email
A copy of your form will be sent to this address
PDF attachment (optional)
If submitting multiple documents, consolidate these as one (bookmarked) PDF file
Additional comments
Should be Empty:

Petition related to Additional Location

Adding a new location, or expanding one, to offer half or more of a degree

Closing an approved location that offers half or more of an approved degree

Relocating an approved location that offers half or more of an approved degree

Expanding an approved location from master's to doctoral degree