Section 49.53. Elimination or change of types/categories of certificates

(a) The Secretary, the Board and the PSPC will receive requests to eliminate/change a type/category of certificate. When any of these parties receives such a request, it will inform the other two parties.

(b) The Department will conduct an investigation into a written request to eliminate/change a type/category of certificate. The PSPC on its own initiative may conduct an investigation.

(c) The Department and the PSPC will review the findings of the investigation regarding the need to eliminate/change a type/category of certificate and present their individual recommendations to the Board.

(d) If the Board does not disapprove or take any other action on the elimination or change of the type/category of certificate within 150 days of submission to the Board of a formal recommendation from either the Department or PSPC, the type/category of certificate will be considered eliminated/changed.

(e) In the case of the elimination of a type/category of certificate, once the elimination is approved by the Board, the Secretary will notify all institutions of higher education offering the programs that effective as of the date of notification no further students are to be accepted into the program. Students currently enrolled in the certification phase of the program will be given an opportunity to complete the program and degree or be provided an opportunity to switch to a different course of study.

The provisions of this § 49.53 adopted July 14, 2006, effective July 15, 2006, 36 Pa.B. 3655.