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Policy
Effective June 1,
1976, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill adopted the CEU
as a unit of measurement for noncredit activities conducted under institutional
auspices and meeting specified operating standards.
The “Continuing
Education Unit” (CEU) is established for recording an individual’s
participation in noncredit courses, programs, and other activities. One
CEU is defined as ten hours of participation in organized noncredit continuing
education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction,
and qualified instruction.
Offering
for which CEUs are to be recorded must be approved in advance and must
not be publicized as qualifying for CEUs until institutional approval
has been given. The CEU records the extent of an individual’s participation
in noncredit continuing education activities, and should not be confused
with or equated with performance in a course for degree credit.
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Administration
The Director
of the Friday Center for Continuing Education, with the advice and assistance
of the Center’s Administrative Board, shall be responsible for institution-wide
administration of the CEU system. This responsibility shall include:
- carrying out
policies governing the CEU system
- maintaining procedures
for prior approval of activities for which CEUs are to be recorded
- maintaining,
in cooperation with Information Technology Services, an appropriate
record-keeping system for CEUs
- reporting annually
on the operation of the CEU system
- recommending
policy changes with respect to the CEU system
The Director
of the Friday Center has the responsibility of approving, in accordance
with procedures established by the Administrative Board, continuing education
activities for which CEUs are to be recorded; the Administrative Board
will act on any appeals of the Director’s decisions.
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Operating
standards
CEUs
will be recorded and maintained as permanent records for individual participants
in a continuing education activity that meets the following standards:
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The activity is planned in response to an assessment of educational
need either for a specific clientele group or for the general public.
The planning effort should include contributions from individuals
having expertise in the content area, and if a specific clientele
group is to be served, representatives of that group.
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There is a statement of objectives and rationale for the activity
prior to its initiation.
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Content of the activity is organized in a coherent and logical sequence.
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Qualified instructional personnel are selected to conduct the activity.
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The number of participant activity hours is specified.
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Provision is made for individual participants to register on the proper
forms.
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Procedures and criteria for the evaluation of the activity, and of individual
participants’ achievements, if appropriate, is established prior
to the activity and provision is made for the results to be recorded
at the conclusion of the activity.
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Definitions
Responsible sponsorship.
An activity for which CEUs are to be recorded must be sponsored by a department,
school, or other unit of the University. This sponsorship includes the
assignment of supervision of the activity to a professionally capable
program director or educational administrator, and compliance with applicable
reporting requirements.
Capable direction.
The elements of capable direction include:
- professional leadership
in program planning and development
- selection of effective
educational formats for the intended purposes and objectives
- assignment of qualified
instructional staff
- adequate program
management and administration
- the design and
implementation of evaluation techniques applicable to the total program,
and if appropriate, to individual participants
Qualified instruction.
The development of a systematic process leading to specified educational
objectives requires the selection of an instructional staff that has the
following qualifications:
- competence in the
subject matter
- ability to relate
the subject matter to the program objectives
- knowledge and skill
in the methodology and processes required
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Comments
The system provides
a uniform method of record-keeping and reporting, and facilitates documentation
of individual participation in noncredit educational activities. Use of
the CEU has been widely adopted by institutions of higher education, accrediting
associations, and professional organizations; its use is advised by the
Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
In addition, the University
of North Carolina is an organizational member of the International Association
for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), formerly the Council on
the Continuing Education Unit. IACET is a nonprofit association of educational
and training organizations and individuals devoted to the constructive
and consistent application of the CEU (as well as other units of measure)
to the improvement of continuing education and training programs. IACET’s
major objectives are to promote the development, interpretation, and dissemination
of the best methods, standards, and ideals for the use of the CEU and
to assist in strengthening educational and professional standards in the
field of continuing education and training.
Following are examples
of some typical activities for which CEUs may be recorded.
- continuing education
short courses in technical or professional areas (for engineers, lawyers,
nurses, teachers, etc.)
- in-service training
programs to improve competence in new techniques or new technical areas
- institutes
or workshops held by professional or educational organizations in cooperation
with the University—these activities must be educational in nature
and must be designed to upgrade the performance of members in their
professions
- liberal education
activities open to the general public
- special training
programs that may offer a combination of instruction and practice
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