Quality Assurance Process Flow for Third-Party Education Provider (OPM) 

1. Instructor Information and Quarterly Evaluations

• Action: Ensure all instructor information and quarterly evaluations are saved in designated folders.
• Details:
  • Maintain updated records of instructor qualifications, teaching assignments, and contact information.
  • Store quarterly evaluations promptly after they are completed.

2. Addressing Concerns in Evaluations

• Action: Review quarterly evaluations and address any concerning issues.
• Details:
  • Identify any negative feedback or areas of concern in evaluations.
  • Develop and implement action plans to address these concerns collaboratively.
  • Follow up with instructors and other stakeholders to ensure issues are resolved.

3. Updating Information on New Instructor Hires

• Action: Update records with information on new instructors hired by OPM.
• Details:
  • Collect and verify professional qualifications and relevant documents for new hires.
  • Ensure new instructor information is added to records and folders promptly.

4. Quarterly Check-In Meetings

• Action: Conduct quarterly check-in meetings to review and exercise quality control.
• Details:
  • Schedule and hold regular meetings with partners and internal stakeholders.
  • Review instructor performance, feedback, and any outstanding issues.
  • Discuss and implement improvements to maintain high-quality standards.

5. Maintaining Instructor Professional Qualifications

• Action: Ensure all instructors meet the professional qualifications required for the program.
• Details:
  • Verify that all instructors possess the necessary certifications, degrees, and experience.
  • Regularly review and update qualification requirements as needed.
  • All evaluations, instructor files and, if needed, notes from the review sessions would be stored in the department's shared drive.

6. Annual Website Review

• Action: Implement a policy to review program websites annually to ensure the information provided is current and accurate.
• Details:

• Engage with relevant stakeholders to create and implement the review policy.
• Conduct annual reviews of program websites associated with courses supported by OPMs.
• Formally document these reviews and track any needed or subsequent changes.

Engagement with Third-Party Online Program Management Providers Policy 

Summary

This UC Santa Barbara Professional and Continuing Education (UCSB PaCE) administrative policy outlines the responsibilities of UCSB PaCE in its engagement and annual review of third-party online education program management service providers (OPM), specifically those offering contractually obligated services for PaCE’s educational, revenue-generating programs.

Definitions 

Third-party Online Program Management (OPM) Vendor or Service Provider: Any third party that provides one or multiple services of the following nature: instructional design, learner and instructor recruitment, international agents, marketing, sales, academic technology platform, market analysis, financial modeling, content/course development (including pre and post-production), white labeling of courses.

Scope of Policy

OPM Engagement, Procurement, Contract Creation, and Negotiation

This policy covers PaCE’s engagement with third-party online program management (OPM) vendors for online education program services. This policy also covers renewals of existing OPM service agreements initially issued before establishing this policy. 

PaCE will conduct an initial annual review, which will commence in the Winter quarter of 2025, with the results due in June 2025. This review ensures adherence to compliance standards outlined on both PaCE and OPM websites.  The findings and any actions taken to meet compliance requirements will be formally documented by PaCE. 

PaCE’s Associate Dean centrally coordinates the review process.  Every Winter quarter, the Associate Dean will direct the Program Managers responsible for OPM-contracted programs to perform the annual review.

Why We Have This Policy

This policy is intended to ensure the best operational and financial terms while also protecting UCSB PaCE’s reputation and brand. It promotes compliance with applicable laws, notably ADA accessibility and data security, and privacy, while ensuring that university IP is protected. It provides the EVC Office with the transparency needed to make informed decisions that ensure PaCE students and partners receive the greatest benefit possible through participation in online education programs. It also provides transparency, best practices, and compliance standards for academic units that use services from third-party online program managers and service providers. Finally, this policy provides a means for transparent communication to current and prospective students about the nature of the UCSB PaCE and OPM partnership. It will allow these learners to better understand the roles and responsibilities of the OPM provider in these academic programs.

Procedures

Online Program Management (OPM) Provider Vetting 

• The process for vetting technology follows UCSB Procurement and Risk Management processes in accordance with Campus Policies and Standards. These areas for analysis include the following: 
  • Technology platform data security, data privacy, and accessibility compliance
  • Digital content accessibility compliance
  • Procurement processes and legal/policy compliance 
• Additional analysis and review needed outside of the standard technology procurement processes include:
  • Digital asset, as well as innovative enhancement of ownership and access
  • Faculty intellectual property and copyright protection
  • UCSB PaCE brand protection and business contracts review
  • Financial modeling and feasibility analysis
  • adherence to UC and UCSB policies, including faculty incentives and collective bargaining agreements
• OPM Instructor and Approval processes follow the same steps as PaCE’s non-OPM programs. The process is outlined in this document.

OPM Annual Review

The process for reviewing compliance standards (see below) and collecting the required information is:

• PaCE’s Associate Dean will reach out to the Program Managers affected by this review policy.
• PaCE’s Associate Dean will provide a template to be filled out by PaCE’s Program Managers.  This template will collect the following information:
  • Links to the appropriate sections of program websites that detail relevant information required by the below policies.
  • Documentation of emails sent to students/OPM providers regarding curricula approval.
  • Documentation verifying the collection of appropriate program revenue, including gross revenue and revenue shared according to OPM provider agreements/contracts.
• Finally, the PaCE’s Associate Dean will share specific dates with PaCE’s Program Managers for the initial review of the draft templates and the final submission deadline.

Compliance Standards to be Reviewed Annually

• All OPM provider relationships must be disclosed on the relevant course and program pages on the websites for PaCE and the partner’s website (as contractually obligated).  
• All OPM Providers are required to follow our style guidelines and publish the required disclaimer text. To that effect, we provide a page template and a style guide to follow. 
• Use of our logo to express ongoing partnership or collaboration will be part of the review. 

• All relevant course and program pages on PaCE’s website must be linked to a dedicated informational webpage outlining the OPM provider's role.
• When the OPM provides instruction services for academic programs, the relevant course pages of the PaCE website must report instruction bio information, including education, training, and experience. 

• PaCE’s academic program websites must disclose the amounts of all nonrefundable deposits or fees for those programs that are offered in collaboration with an OPM provider.

What are the Medical Clearance Prerequisites?

You are required to register with CastleBranch, at a one-time cost of $118.99. Through CastleBranch, you will upload your health requirements and prerequisite documents, which will be confidentially verified. This is a prerequisite for the course and must be completed before the first day of class.

If you encounter any issues, such as delays with scheduling appointments or updating expired immunizations, you must contact the program director immediately at cconnolly@ucsb.edu. Do not wait until the last minute, as delays may result in your inability to meet the deadline.

Please download the necessary forms from CastleBranch to take to your healthcare provider for completion. We strongly recommend that you also download the vaccination requirements from CastleBranch and bring them to your appointment. Your healthcare provider can verify your vaccination history, administer any additional vaccines or blood titers that may be needed, and sign the required medical clearance documents.

Below are the required health prerequisites you must obtain and upload to CastleBranch:

• Physical Exam
  • Proof of a physical examination within the past 6 months, signed by a physician, stating you have no physical limitations for participating in the classroom and clinical components of the EMT course.
  • The required form for your physician to sign is available on CastleBranch.
• 10-Panel Drug Screen
  • A 10-panel drug screen must be completed at a CastleBranch testing site. 
• Proof of the following immunizations:
  • Hepatitis B
    • Hepatitis B vaccination records,
    • Hepatitis B titer records, or
    • The Hepatitis B declination form (available on CastleBranch).
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
    • MMR vaccination records, or
    • Positive MMR titer.
  • Tdap (Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis)
    • Tdap vaccination record within the past 10 years, or
    • Tdap antibody titer.
  • Tuberculosis
    • A negative TB skin test within three months of the course start date,
    • Quantiferon-Gold blood test within three months of the course start date, or
    • For a previous positive TB skin test, documentation of a negative chest X-ray within the past 2 years.
  • Varicella
    • Varicella vaccination record,
    • Positive varicella titer, or
    • Documentation from your physician stating you have had chickenpox, including the date of illness.
• Other immunizations (no exemptions accepted due to the clinical partnerships):
  • Covid-19
    • COVID-19 vaccination record, including the initial series and one booster dose if eligible, or
    • If declining COVID-19 vaccination, please contact the director at cconnolly@ucsb.edu. 
  • Influenza (if your course is between September and March):
    • Influenza vaccination record within the previous 12 months, or
    • The influenza declination form (available on CastleBranch)

Failure to complete the Medical Clearance Prerequisites and upload all required documents to CastleBranch by the deadlines specified will result in removal from the course.

How to withdraw from a class

If you wish to withdraw from your IR course, you may do so until the last class session by notifying PaCE by using our help request form. No refund will be issued. A “No Credit” grade will be assigned as a final grade.

Drop Refund Policy

Requests for full refunds must be received in writing by June 12, 2025. There is a non-refundable $40 Drop Fee for all refunds. No refunds will be granted after June 12, 2025. Requests must be submitted in writing to help@professional.ucsb.edu.
 

Exceptions

All requests for exceptions must be submitted in writing by using our help request form. Be sure to attach any supporting documents (such as a doctor's note).

Campus Wifi

Please follow directions here to establish wifi connection when on campus.

Parking & Campus Map

The course will take place in Bren Hall. You can purchase parking permits from the kiosks in Structure 10:

Maps Links: Google Maps / Apple Maps

Permits are registered by your license plate, so please have your license plate number ready to input at the kiosk:

1. In Coastal Access spaces, you can pay for 4 hours, and if necessary, add an additional 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours. So, there is an option to add time if needed.
2. On the very top floor of Lot 10, visitors can purchase a 'VIP Permit,' which is $10 for the day.
3. You can go to the TPS office and purchase a bulk-day pass to pay in advance if you would like.

Parking at UCSB is the individual's responsibility. If you have any parking-specific questions, please direct them to tps-sales@ucsb.edu.
 

Campus Map

To see the best parking and location of the course, please review this campus map.

Do I receive a certificate or credential? Is there a test?

UCSB PaCE Certificates of Completion will be granted to students completing the course. If you wish to receive a grade for this course, a test will be administered online. Students who complete and pass the final exam will be granted a Digital Credential.

What can I expect from the Modern IR Detectors & System Applications course? 

This is a 5-day in-person course on the UCSB campus, covering IR detector theory, including hands-on laboratory experiments that provide foundational understanding for IR professionals. Please see the course schedule for a detailed breakdown of the course topics.