Consumer Info

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day Clarks Summit University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, or head of the academic department [or appropriate official] written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the school official to whom the request was submitted that official will advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the school to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school official who is responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the school will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials, contractors (see below), volunteers, and other non-employees performing institutional services and functions with legitimate educational interests under the direct control of Clarks Summit University. A school official is defined as a person employed by CSU in an administrative, supervisory, academic, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit and health staff); a person or company with whom CSU has contracted for services (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the board of trustees; or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-4605

FERPA allows institutions to disclose directory information if it has given students in attendance public notice of:

1. what the institution has designated as directory information,
2. a student’s right to refuse designation of any or all of their information as directory information, and
3. the time within which a student must notify the school, in writing, that he or she does not want any or all of the information designated as directory information.

The web site for the Family Policy Compliance Office is http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/index.html

As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information contained in such records—including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information—may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to your records and personally identifiable information without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is “principally engaged in the provision of education,” such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, federal and state authorities may allow access to your education records and personally identifiable information without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and state authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your personally identifiable information, but the authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, state authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent personally identifiable information from your education records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such personally identifiable information to other personal information about you that they obtain from other federal or state data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.

Clarks Summit University has designated the following information as “Directory Information”:

• Name
• Address
• Email address
• Telephone listing
• Field of study
• Weight and height of athletes
• Most recent previous school attended
• Photographs
• Date and place of birth
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Dates of attendance
• Degrees & Awards (non-financial)
• Enrollment Status

Students may request to prevent disclosure of this directory information by filling out a form in the Registrar’s Office.

CSU’s multi-year strategic plan has four top priorities that have been in effect since the summer of 2016:

1. Develop a distinctive model of biblical higher education that is creative, rigorous and marketable.
2. Recruit and retain a growing number of on-campus and online students.
3. Implement an organizational structure that maximizes the efficiency and effectiveness of the institution’s people, financial and system resources for sustainability and growth.
4. Cultivate and strengthen loyal sustainable relationships with external stakeholders.

Please contact Allen Dreyer, Executive Director for Administrative Services, with questions or concerns (570.585.9317; adreyer@ClarksSummitU.edu).

Clarks Summit University is working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education and state agencies to comply with required authorizations to provide educational access to students across the country. When authorization or licensure is necessary or becomes necessary, Clarks Summit University is working to obtain the required approvals and authorizations or exemption to meet all state requirements. While we monitor the laws in each state, authorization of distance education is a dynamic environment and prospective students should check this site often for updates.

Some states have exemptions for specific programs only. Clarks Summit University can accept applications from the following states only for the specific programs listed.  This applies only to online students residing in these states.

Wisconsin

• Programs allowed:  Bible and Theology (A.A. and B.S.); Christian Ministries (A.A. and B.S.); Master of Arts – Bible concentration; All Baptist Bible Seminary programs

Due to state and federal higher education regulations, Clarks Summit University does not offer online education to students residing in the following states. This applies only to online students residing in these states. Students from all 50 states as well as international students are welcome to apply for any on-campus program. Please contact an admissions counselor for further information.

All Online Degree Programs

• Arkansas
• District of Columbia
• Georgia
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New York
• North Dakota
• Oregon

Master of Science in Counseling

• New Mexico
• Washington

Master of Divinity

• New Mexico

Alaska
The online programs are exempt from authorization under AS 14.48 because the program is online or distance delivered and do not have a physical presence in the state. 20 AAC 17.900 (a)(12) defines physical presence as presence of a facility, faculty, or staff within the state; in this paragraph, “faculty” and “staff” do not include site supervisors or mentors for local internships or practica, or adjunct personnel.

Indiana
This Institution is authorized by: The Indiana Commission for Higher Education/The Indiana Board for Proprietary Education, 101 West Ohio Street, Suite 670, Indianapolis, IN 46204-1984. 317.464.4400 Ext. 138, 317.464.4400 Ext. 141.

Iowa
Clarks Summit University is registered with the Iowa College Student Aid Commission and authorized to offer degree granting, distance education programs in the state of Iowa. The Commission accepts questions, concerns and complaints from any student attending an Iowa postsecondary school, regardless of the student’s state of residency, and from an Iowa resident attending any postsecondary school in the United States. A Student Complaint Form has been created to accept a student’s questions, concerns, or complaint related to a postsecondary school. The form is available at https://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/StudentComplaintForm. A student may also contact Iowa College Aid toll-free at 877.272.4456.

If, at any time, an Iowa on-line student terminates a postsecondary educational program due to the student’s physical incapacity or, for a program that requires classroom instruction, due to the transfer of the student’s spouse’s employment to another city, the terminating student shall receive a refund of tuition charges in an amount that equals the amount of tuition charged to the student multiplied by the ratio of the remaining number of calendar days in the school period to the total number of calendar days in the school period.

Maryland
Clarks Summit University is registered with the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Minnesota
For more information, contact: http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/sPages/oheContact.cfm
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108-5227
Phone: 651.642.0567
Toll Free: 800.657.3866
Fax: 651.642.0675

Ohio
Authorization is limited to the on-ground experiences.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education
1007 North Orange Street
4th Floor, MB #166
Wilmington, DE 19801
267.284.5011
Telephone: 267.284.5000
Email: info@msche.org Spanish: españolinfo@msche.org

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education (CHEA). Contact Information about how to file a complaint is available at: http://www.msche.org/documents/HowtoSubmitThirdPartyComment.pdf.
https://www.msche.org/complaints

Association for Biblical Higher Education
5850 T.G. Lee Blvd, Suite #130
Orlando, FL 32822
Telephone: 407.207.0808
FAX: 407.207.0840
http://www.abhe.org/

ABHE has a formal Policy on Complaints Against an Institution. Contact ABHE via e-mail at info@abhe.org or telephone (407.207.0808) if you wish to discuss a complaint and/or to receive a copy of our policy.

Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Division of Higher Education
333 Market Street, 12th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126

Individuals wishing to file a complaint concerning Clarks Summit University, may contact the Department of Education at the information above or at: Students Complaints (pa.gov)

State Consumer Protection Laws
Students wishing to file a complaint to the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office regarding a consumer-related issue, may contact the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General 16th Floor, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, PA 17120 or online at: https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/submit-a-complaint/consumer-complaint/

Out-of-State Academic Student Complaint Procedure
In compliance with the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) conducted a Negotiated Rule Making Process in 2010, and institutions offering distance education must provide enrolled and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accrediting agency and with the appropriate state agency for handling complaints in the student’s state.

Students enrolled in online classes at Clarks Summit University who reside out-of-state should follow the Complaint Procedures listed under “Student Complaint Process” to resolve concerns. Online students have the same rights and responsibilities as those students enrolled in on-campus courses. Complaints are addressed through informal and formal processes. It is suggested that students first try to resolve an issue through the informal report and resolution process before submitting a formal complaint.

Federal regulations require Clarks Summit University to provide contact information of state agencies that handle complaints against post-secondary education institutions offering distance learning or correspondence education within that state. Students are encouraged to first use the Clarks Summit University internal complaint process outlined above prior to filing a complaint with a state agency or accrediting agency.

Student Complaint Information by State and Agency

Additional Student Complaint Information by State

Maryland
Clarks Summit University is subject to investigation of complaints by the Office of the Attorney General or the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Complaints should be directed to:
Maryland Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
200 St. Paul St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
Telephone: 410.528.8662 or 888.743.0823 (toll free)

For various reasons, students may need to stop attending all of their courses. Any student who either stops attending or officially drops all of their current courses is considered to have withdrawn from the institution.

Information for Online Student Withdrawal Policies

Information for Residential Student Withdrawal Policies

Clarks Summit University & Baptist Bible Seminary is committed to providing students and their families with the best information and processing alternatives available regarding student borrowing. In support of this and in an effort to rule out any perceived or actual conflict of interest between CSU officers, employees or agents and education loan lenders, CSU has adopted the following:

Clarks Summit University & Baptist Bible Seminary is committed to providing students and their families with the best information and processing alternatives available regarding student borrowing. In support of this and in an effort to rule out any perceived or actual conflict of interest between CSU officers, employees or agents and education loan lenders, CSU has adopted the following:

• CSU does not participate in any revenue-sharing arrangements with any lender.
• CSU does not permit any officer, employee, or agent of the college who is employed in the financial aid office or is otherwise involved in the administration of educational loans to accept any gifts of greater than nominal value from any lender, guarantor, or servicer.
• CSU does not permit any officer, employee, or agent of the college who is employed in the financial aid office or is otherwise involved in the administration of educational loans to accept commission compensation for any consulting or other contract for services from any lender or on behalf of any lender relating to educational loans.
• CSU does not permit any officer, employee, or agent of the college who is employed in the financial aid office or is otherwise involved in the administration of educational loans to accept anything of value from a lender, guarantor, or group of lenders and/or guarantors in exchange for service on an advisory of value from a lender, guarantor, or group of lenders and/or guarantors in exchange for service on an advisory board, commission, or other group established by such a lender, guarantors group or lenders and/or guarantors. CSU does allow for reasonable reimbursement of expenses associated with participation of such boards, commissions, or groups by lenders, guarantors, or groups of lenders and/or guarantors.
• CSU does not assign a lender to any first-time borrower through financial aid packaging or any other means.
• CSU recognizes that a borrower has the right to choose any lender from which to borrow to finance his/her education. CSU will not refuse to certify or otherwise deny or delay certification of a loan based on the borrower’s selection of a lender and/or guarantor.
• CSU will not request nor accept any funding in support of a private loan fund from any student loan lender in exchange for guarantee volume of loan funds, guarantee number of applications for loans, and/or placement on a preferred lender list.

Survey of May 2016 Graduates

Early each calendar year, Clarks Summit University surveys all graduates from the previous May.

In the most recent survey, approximately 68 percent of respondents indicated they were currently employed full-time, 23 percent are employed part-time and 24 percent are currently full or part-time students. Only about 5 percent of graduate respondents said they were both currently unemployed and not continuing their education.

On employment, approximately 71 percent of respondents stated they were employed full-time in vocational ministries, such as churches, Christian schools, and mission agencies. A part of the 71% were either full or part-time students.

Clarks Summit University has two programs that lead to professional certification or licensure—the Teacher Education programs and the Master of Science in Counseling program. These programs meet the requirements for certification and licensure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In many cases, our requirements will meet or exceed other states’ requirements. However, some states have additional requirements to meet certification or licensure in their state. CSU has not determined whether program requirements for our programs meet the specific requirements for other states. We encourage students to contact the educational and licensing board of their home states for more information. It is also imperative that students notify the registrar’s office if their home residential state changes during their program of study.

Baptist Bible Seminary does not have any professional licensure programs.

This information is provided in response to Federal Code of Regulations, 34 CFR 668.43.

Clarks Summit University believes that learning, wherever it occurs, should be recognized and integrated into a student’s degree program when that learning is found to be equivalent to that offered by post-secondary educational institutions and determined to be applicable for meeting degree and program requirements. Clarks Summit University makes every effort to transfer as many courses as possible, credit-for-credit. However, the student should be aware that all transferable credits may not apply to the degree program of choice.

Applicants who have completed courses in an accredited college, university or seminary, may receive transfer credit for courses which apply to one of the University degree programs, and which reflect the required grade according to college undergraduate, graduate, or seminary transfer policies. Credits from non-accredited schools are also eligible for transfer based upon above mentioned criteria. Only the credit is transferred into the degree program. The grade and grade points are not calculated in the student’s grade point average. Students who take a course at Clarks Summit University who have received transfer credit for an equivalent course at Clarks Summit University will forfeit the transfer credit.

Credits from both accredited and non-accredited institutions and other sources must be validated prior to awarding transfer credits. Evaluation of credits for transfer is done by the Registrar. The validation process considers the following:

• Acceptable course grade according to the individual undergraduate, graduate, or seminary credit transfer policies.
• The academic credentials of the course instructor.
• The course description and or content of the course.
• The acceptance of the credits by other reputable colleges, universities, or seminaries.
• ACE recommendations
• For graduation, each degree has a policy of either a minimum number of credits that must be earned at CSU or a maximum number of credits that can be transferred in. The university reserves the right to adjust these requirements in exceptional cases.

The policies are listed below:

• Associates degrees: a minimum of 30 credits must be completed at CSU
• Bachelor’s degrees: a minimum of 30 credits must be completed at CSU
• M.A., M.S.C., M.Ed. degrees (graduate school): a minimum of 2/3 credits must be completed at CSU
• M.A. degree (seminary): a maximum of 12 credits/4 courses can be transferred in
• M.Min. degree seminary):  a maximum of 12 credits/4 courses can be transferred in
• M.Div. degree (seminary): a maximum of 36 credits/12 courses can be transferred in
• Th.M., D.Min., Ph.D. (seminary): generally no transfer credits are accepted with few exceptions
• Clarks Summit University accepts transfer credit for suitable scores in Advanced Placement (AP) exams, International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, College Level Examination Programs (CLEP) exams, Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) exams, and ACE approved training (including military experience).

Copyright Compliance and Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Policy

Any person using the Clarks Summit University network is required to comply with all Federal and University laws, regulations, and policies concerning copyright and peer-to-peer (P2P) filing sharing.

Copyright Policy

Clarks Summit University complies with the provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA) and the Copyright Act of 1976. These two acts represent the Federal law (U.S. Copyright Act, Title 17 of the US Code, and more recently the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 105 PL 304) making it illegal to download, upload, or distribute in any fashion, copyrighted material, in any form without permission or a license to do so from the copyright holder. These Acts cover music, movies, text, and anything that is copyrighted.

Unauthorized distribution of copyright material may result in civil and criminal penalties. Information on violations and fines can be found in chapter 5 – Copyright law of the United States of America. Student use of the Clarks Summit University network to violate any law or the Clarks Summit University standards and Community Commitment is not permitted and may result in fines, loss of internet privileges, legal action or possible dismissal as determined by the Office for Student Development.

Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Policy

Peer-to-peer file sharing is the distribution and sharing of digital media such as software, videos, music, and images using peer-to-peer (P2P) networking technology. Generally, P2P software allows users to search for and then to select which files to share or download. Sharing such media is not illegal if one has the rights to distribute them. However, many file sharing applications can and are used illegally to access copyrighted material.

Illegal use of P2P file sharing may result in civil and criminal penalties. Information on violations and fines can be found in chapter 5 – Copyright law of the United States of America. Student use of the Clarks Summit University network to violate any law or the Clarks Summit University standards and Community Commitment is not permitted and may result in fines, loss of internet privileges, legal action or possible dismissal as determined by the Office for Student Development.

More information can be found at https://www.copyright.gov/title17/.