Colleges of applied arts and technology procedures for funding approval of programs of instruction

Purpose and application

Note: This procedure does not include programs delivered only as part-time activity (refer to Funding of Part-Time Activity.)

Colleges may seek funding from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (formerly the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities) to offer programs of instruction that are consistent with the objects set out in the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act, 2002.

The act also provides the Minister of Colleges and Universities with the authority to issue policy directives that are binding on all colleges of applied arts and technology. The criteria that programs of instruction are to meet to be approved for funding are detailed in the Minister’s binding policy directive funding approval of programs of instruction.

The purpose of this operating procedure is to assist all colleges of applied arts and technology in Ontario in requesting approval of postsecondary programs of instruction for funding from the general purpose operating grant.

This operating procedure is effective February 1, 2005 with the establishment of a system-wide credential validation service and the revised Minister’s Binding Policy Directive on Framework for Programs of Instruction.

Glossary

Approved program sequence (APS) number:

A unique 5-digit number assigned to an approved program of instruction by the Credential Validation Service and used for enrolment reporting to the ministry.

Cancelled program of instruction:

Cancelled program of instruction: a program the college is no longer offering and in which no students are enrolled.

College community:

College community: the students and employers served by a college of applied arts and technology, which may be defined in local, regional, provincial, national, or international terms.

Credential Validation Service:

A system-wide self-regulating service that provides reasonable assurance that all postsecondary programs of instruction leading to one of the following credentials:

Ontario College Certificate
Ontario College Diploma
Ontario College Advanced Diploma
Ontario Graduate Certificate (or the French language equivalent) offered by the colleges, regardless of funding source, conform to the Credentials Framework and are consistent with accepted college system nomenclature/program titling principles.

General purpose operating grant (GPOG):

The portion of the provincial operating grant for colleges that is distributed among colleges on the basis of each college’s share of enrolment in courses and programs of instruction eligible for funding.

High demand program:
(formerly additional cost recovery ACR):

A program of instruction eligible for general purpose operating grant funding for which colleges have the discretion to charge fees above the maximum permitted for regular-fee programs. This discretion is allowed for applied degree, post-basic or Baccalaureate of Nursing programs and/or for basic programs which have been determined to meet each of the following three criteria:
1. there is high demand for instructional space
2. graduates have above-average prospects for employment
3. graduates have the potential to earn an above-average income

All post-basic, applied degree and Baccalaureate of Nursing programs are automatically considered high demand. Basic programs are considered high demand if they satisfy the above three criteria.

Instructional settings:

The instructional settings as defined to which colleges are to refer when completing the Program Delivery Information to Calculate Funding Parameters form.

Learning outcomes:

Learning outcomes: statements of performance that can readily be demonstrated by a student indicating that certain learning has been completed. Learning outcomes focus on the terminal performance of the essential knowledge, skill and attitude, and not on what the learning is or where and how learning occurs. Learning outcomes describe essential knowledge, skill and attitude in the vocational, generic employability, and general education areas and are expressed at a program level and at a course level.

MTCU code:

A 5-digit number assigned by the ministry to postsecondary programs of instruction and used to identify the provincial program category to which programs that are broadly similar in their vocational objectives and titles have been assigned.

Ministry-funded programs:

Programs of instruction approved by the ministry for funding through the general purpose operating grant.

Postsecondary program of instruction:

Postsecondary program of instruction: a group of related courses leading to one of the following credentials:

Ontario College Certificate
Ontario College Diploma
Ontario College Advanced Diploma
Ontario Graduate Certificate
A baccalaureate degree in an applied field of study, or joint college/university programs that lead to the awarding of a degree by the university partner.

Program of instruction:

Program of instruction: a group of related courses leading to a diploma, certificate or other document awarded by the board of governors.

Program standard:

A document produced by the ministry that sets out the essential learning that a student must achieve before being deemed ready to graduate. A program standard applies to all postsecondary programs of instruction in an identified category regardless of the funding source and, for most programs, consists of a vocational standard, a generic skills standard and general education requirements. Prior to graduation, students must achieve all 3 parts of the program standard.

Program duration:

The total planned instructional time required to achieve the program standard/outcomes, including the in-school academic and the practical experience components, which are mandatory parts of the program.

Reactivated program of instruction:

A program into which a college has decided to resume admitting first year or beginning students.

Suspended program of instruction:

Suspended program of instruction: a program into which a college has decided not to admit first year or beginning level students.

Requirements

Colleges

A college is to submit to the Colleges Unit, Ministry of Colleges and Universities a complete request for approval for funding form for each program of instruction it has approved and wishes to have funded through the general purpose operating grant. A college can access the funding form in Program Funding Approval and Administration Module (PFAAM) or request the funding form by contacting colleges.unit@ontario.ca.

Once completed, the funding form can be submitted in PFAAM – Colleges.

Note: This procedure does not include programs delivered only as part-time activity. (Refer to Funding of Part-Time Activity.)

Colleges are required to notify the ministry, in writing, of changes made to ministry- funded programs of instruction when:

• the existing program learning outcomes are changed, resulting in a greater or lesser degree of specialization such that a distinct program is created, or resulting in a program that no longer meets ministry program standards
• the total length of the program either increases or decreases, resulting in the re-classification of the program to another MTCU code
• the program of instruction has been suspended, reactivated or cancelled

Modifications to ministry-funded programs of instruction will be submitted to the ministry in a manner similar to that for approvals for funding of new programs of instruction, as outlined below.

Colleges will notify the ministry of suspensions, reactivations and cancellations of ministry-funded programs of instruction by submitting a letter including the approved program title, MTCU code, and APS number and the date when the suspension, reactivation or cancellation will be effective (refer to Program Suspension and Cancellation.)

Ministry

The ministry accepts requests for approval for funding of programs of instruction that are to be funded through the general purpose operating grant. This applies to new programs of instruction and to previously approved programs that have been modified.

The ministry, prior to making a funding decision, reviews the information related to programs of instruction. The ministry will consider approving for funding those programs of instruction that meet the requirements outlined in the Minister’s Binding Policy Directive on funding approval of programs of instruction.

Approval procedures

1. Following approval by the board of governors and receipt of confirmation from the credential validation service, the college may submit a request for approval for funding to the ministry in Program Funding Approval and Administration Module PFAAM – Colleges.
2. On receipt of a completed request for approval for funding for a postsecondary program of instruction, the ministry will review the request against its existing criteria outlined in the Minister’s Binding Policy Directive on funding approval of programs of instruction.
3. Proposals approved for funding will be assigned:
   • a ministry program code (MTCU code) according to program titling principles and expressed program learning outcomes confirmed by the credential validation service
   • funding parameters consistent with the MTCU code assigned and the program delivery information received from the college.
4. Colleges will be notified, in writing and in a timely manner, of the ministry’s decision with regard to funding approval.
5. Where approval is granted, written notification will include the funding parameters assigned and other information related to the funding and delivery of the program of instruction.
6. Proposals for postsecondary programs not approved for funding will be returned to the college with reasons for the decision. A college may appeal a ministry decision not to fund a program. Contact Ministry of Colleges and Universities at Colleges.Unit@ontario.ca.

For further information regarding this operating procedure in general, contact Colleges.Unit@ontario.ca.

Summary of responsibilities

Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology

The college is responsible for:

• Ensuring that the board of governors approves programs of instruction to be offered by the college
• Submitting appropriate documentation to the ministry or via the Credential Validation Service for each new and modified program of instruction proposed for funding through the general purpose operating grant.
• Notifying the ministry of any suspensions, reactivations and cancellations of ministry-funded programs of instruction (refer to Program Suspension and Cancellation).

Ministry of Colleges and Universities

The ministry is responsible for:

• Reviewing requests submitted by colleges for approval of funding through the general purpose operating grant.
• Approving for funding programs of instruction that are to be funded through the general purpose operating grant and informing the college of the appropriate identification numbers used for enrolment reporting.
• Responding to appeals from colleges regarding funding decisions.

Instructional settings

The following definitions are to be used by colleges when completing the Program Delivery Information to Calculate Program Funding Parameters form required for ministry-funded programs of instruction.

The form is available from the Program Funding Approvals and Administration Module (PFAAM)

Classroom instruction: instruction that may be provided in a setting in which individuals do not require access to equipment, except:

• Situations in which microcomputer labs are used for instruction in standard word processing, spreadsheet and database software packages.
• Traditional classrooms and lecture halls.
• Virtual classrooms used in online learning.
• Situations in which laboratories and workshops may be used for convenience.

Laboratories/workshops/fieldwork: scheduled hours of activities intended to give students hands-on experience.

This instructional setting is characterized by:

• Activities in which students are provided with instruction and are directly supervised by college staff.
• Settings either inside college facilities (for example, laboratories, workshops) or outside college facilities (for example, fieldwork) in which individual students are required to use instructional equipment and/or supplies. These settings do not include situations in which microcomputer labs are used for instruction of standard word processing, spreadsheet and database software packages or situations in which laboratories and workshops are used for convenience.

Independent (self-paced) learning: student directed learning in which contact with college staff is limited to situations in which advice or solutions to specific problems is sought, usually online learning.

One-on-one instruction: those exceptional situations in which college academic staff can provide instruction to only one student at a time (for example, in a flight simulator or on top of an electrical tower).

Clinical placement: scheduled hours of activities intended to give students handson experience in a hospital or health care setting; this instructional setting is characterized by activities:

• that are an integral component of the curriculum of the program and necessary for the successful completion of the program
• in which students are continually supervised directly by college staff or individuals working on behalf of the college

Field placement/work placement: scheduled hours of activities intended to give students hands-on experience in the workplace and for which the students do not receive a regular salary or wage from the employer.

This instructional setting is characterized by activities:

• that are an integral component of the curriculum of the program and are necessary for the completion of the program
• in which college staff do not directly supervise students and for which college staff undertake one or more of the following activities:
  • Make periodic site visits
  • Ensure that assignments given to students and the work being done by students are suitable for the program
  • Monitor the students’ progress in the field placement activity
  • Help address problems encountered by students in the field or work placement activity
  • Evaluate students’ performance in the field or work placement activity

Co-operative education work placement: Education at Work Ontario, a regional association of the Canadian Association for Co-Operative Education, defines a co-op program as one that formally integrates a student's academic studies with work experience.

The usual plan is for the student to alternate periods of experience in career-related fields according to the following criteria:

• each work situation is approved by the Co-operative Education institution as a suitable learning situation
• the Co-operative Education student is engaged in productive work rather than merely observing
• the Co-operative Education student receives remuneration for the work performed
• the Co-operative Education student's progress on the job is monitored by the Co-operative Education institution
• the Co-operative Education student's performance on the job is supervised and evaluated by the student's employer
• the time spent in periods of work experience must be at least thirty percent of the time spent in academic study

Note: Co-op and Degree Programs are offered by colleges on the basis of a ministerial consent under the Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000 are required to follow the program structure requirements and definitions for co-op programs outlined by the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board in its Handbook for Ontario Colleges (that is, a minimum of 8 semesters of on-campus studies and at least 1 separate, paid, full-time work term of no less than 14 consecutive weeks)

Small group tutorial: instructional activity that must occur in small group settings (usually 5 to 10 students) and in which individual students do not require access to equipment except situations in which:

• microcomputer labs are used for the instruction of standard word processing, spreadsheet, and database software packages
• laboratories and workshops are used for convenience