In response to the growing demand for distance education opportunities across the U.S. and the increase in federal regulatory enforcement of state authorization requirements, the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) was created. This state reciprocity agreement provides a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. SARA’s policies help protect students and provide benefits to both states and institutions carrying out distance education in multiple states. In December 2013, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) was established to oversee the national implementation of SARA. NC-SARA is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with a board of directors.
All accredited degree-granting institutions in SARA member states – public, private, independent, non-profit, and for-profit – have the opportunity to participate in SARA. In order to participate, institutions must agree to comply with specific requirements that are monitored and enforced by the state in which the institution is located. SARA’s standards are designed to enhance quality and strengthen oversight of distance learning programs for the benefit of all students.
States who seek to become NC-SARA members are required to have a “state portal entity” with state authority and jurisdiction over institutions within their state that seek to participate in SARA. Wisconsin’s state portal entity is the Wisconsin Distance Education Authorization Board (DLAB)(see more information below). Wisconsin became a member of NC-SARA in 2016.
As of 2022, 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are members of SARA. California is the only non-member state in the U.S. Over 2,300 colleges and universities participate in SARA.
Wisconsin Distance Learning Authorization Board (DLAB)
State Portal Entity
In 2015, the State of Wisconsin adopted legislation (Wis. Stat. 39.85-87, et al) that authorized the creation of the State of Wisconsin Distance Learning Authorization Board (DLAB). DLAB serves as Wisconsin’s “state portal entity” for purposes of NC-SARA membership and has statutory jurisdiction to regulate and enforce the requirements of a voluntary, reciprocity agreement, commonly known as the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) toward any postsecondary institution that seeks to offer distance education to students who reside in other NC-SARA member states. Wisconsin joined NC-SARA in August of 2016. All U.S. states and territories, except California, are members of NC-SARA.
DLAB is responsible for processing the annual applications of Wisconsin-located institutions that seek to participate in SARA, determining whether those institutions meet all SARA Policy Manual criteria and requirements, approving or denying said applications, receiving and responding to complaints filed by students who are enrolled in a Wisconsin institution’s distance learning program and located in another member state, verifying institutional compliance with the SARA student consumer protection provisions, and filing for the renewal of its NC-SARA membership every other year.
DLAB is comprised of five members representing the following five entities: University of Wisconsin System (UWS), Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS), Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU) for private, nonprofit institutions, Wisconsin’s Tribal Colleges, and the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services for proprietary institutions.
| Institution | SARA Coordinator | Title | |
| UW-Eau Claire | Mary Hoffman | Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs | hoffmamf@uwec.edu |
| UW-Green Bay | Courtney Sherman | Associate Provost for Academic Affairs | shermanc@uwgb.edu |
| UW-La Crosse | Sandy Grunwald | Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs | sgrunwald@uwlax.edu |
| UW-Madison | Karen Mittelstadt | Institutional Academic Planner | mittelstadt@wisc.edu |
| UW-Milwaukee | Cheryl Andres | Institutional Academic Planner | candres@uwm.edu |
| UW-Oshkosh | Caroline Geary | Associate Vice Chancellor | gearyc@uwosh.edu |
| UW-Parkside | Amber Handy | Associate Vice Provost | handy@uwp.edu |
| UW-Platteville | Randy Mentz | Administrative Manager | mentzr@uwplatt.edu |
| UW-River Falls | Caroline Baker | Interim Associate Provost | caroline.baker@uwrf.edu |
| UW-Stevens Point | Todd Huspeni | Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Teaching, Learning, & Strategic Planning | thuspeni@uwsp.edu |
| UW-Stout | Meredith Wentz | Assistant Chancellor | wentzm@uwstout.edu |
| UW-Superior | Shevaun Stocker | Associate Dean of Academic Affairs | sstocker@uwsuper.edu |
| UW-Whitewater | Katy Casey | Director of Academic Assessment | caseyk@uww.edu |
| UW Administration | OAA | Office of Academic Affairs; Diane Treis | oaa@wisconsin.edu; diane.treis@wisconsin.edu |
| UW Administration | Paige Smith | System Chief Compliance Officer | paige.smith@wisconsin.edu |
| WOAC | Meredith Thomsen | Dean of Graduate & Extended Learning; Representative for the Wisconsin Online Advisory Council | mthomsen@uwlax.edu |
To update your institution’s contact information, please fill out and complete this form.
Professional Licensure Disclosures
Information regarding professional licensure disclosure requirements for SARA participating institutions.
NC-SARA Resources
Find helpful information, resources, webinars, updates and more on the NC-SARA official website.
Institution Application Renewal Process and Forms
Information for SARA Coordinators on application renewal process and forms
Student Complaint Process and Form
Information on filing a complaint with the Wisconsin Distance Learning Authorization Board (DLAB)