3.17 Iowa Coordinating Council for Post-High School Education Intra- and Intersector Cooperation

The constituent agencies, associations, and institutions of post-high school education represented on the Iowa Coordinating Council for Post-High School Education (ICCPHSE), recognizing both the importance of conserving limited resources and the necessity to provide needed educational services to the citizens of Iowa, hereby agree to:

1. Enter into discussions with any institution currently serving a geographical region with programs in the same subject matter area prior to initiating a potentially duplicative new program.  
   1. The purpose of these discussions shall be to ascertain:
      1. The possibility of cooperative offerings;
      2. The possibility of alternative offerings;
      3. The desirability of proceeding with development of the proposed program;
      4. Articulation opportunities.  
   2. For purposes of ascertaining the programs offered in a given area, a current listing of programs offered in the State of Iowa listed on the Board of Regents website shall be consulted.  
2. The parties to this collaboration commit themselves to work cooperatively to minimize duplication of education programs offered in a given geographical region. As a general principle of good practice, an institution shall not offer courses or programs (as herein defined) that duplicate an offering already provided and until such time as communication has existed between the affected institutions.  
   1. It is recognized that this collaboration does not cover courses or programs offered prior to the approval of this voluntary agreement. It is hoped, however, that where duplicate offerings already exist, the institutions involved will discuss the possibility of cooperative efforts.
   2. Definition: For the purposes of this collaboration, a program is defined as a series of learning experiences leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate. A course is defined as a unit of learning offered by an institution of higher learning for credit that could lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate.