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Licensing staff report staffing shifts and early gains from Connect; bureau oversees 1,536 locations statewide
Summary
The licensing unit said the Connect transition and internal process changes are already trimming some processing time: early data show applications processed in Connect were approved about 130 days faster than paper filings. The bureau reported 1,536 locations under oversight and said renewals remain complex.
The Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education’s licensing unit told the advisory committee it is operating through a major system transition, has experienced leadership changes, and expects application timeframes to improve as more application types move to the Connect platform.
“Early data shows that applications processed in Connect were approved on average a hundred and thirty days faster than paper submissions,” Deputy Bureau Chief Manila Longmeni said in her licensing report.
Longmeni said licensing staff logged 369 hours of regression testing for Connect during quarter 4 and redirected two analysts to support the launch. The team is actively recruiting to fill a licensing chief vacancy after Greg Donkerbrook accepted a position with another state agency.
By the end of the fiscal year, the bureau reported 1,536 total locations statewide. Longmeni provided a breakdown: 385 institutions approved by means of accreditation, 500 with full non‑accredited approvals, 138 out‑of‑state registrations and none currently operating under conditional approval. She also reported that the bureau processed nearly 300 verification of exemption actions and more than 200 approval change requests during the fiscal year.
Committee members asked whether Connect can produce a ‘chess‑clock’ style analysis showing how much time an application spends waiting on institutions versus bureau review. Longmeni said that capability is planned for the longer term but not available immediately. Members also asked about more frequent, institutional conference options to resolve repeated deficiency letters; Longmeni said such meetings are available on request and could be formalized as part of business process improvements.
Why it matters: application processing times and communication practices directly affect institutions’ ability to operate and students’ continuity of instruction. The move to Connect is the bureau’s principal tactical approach to shorten timeframes and reduce manual backlogs.
What’s next: licensing will continue streamlining internal business processes, expand online application types, and consider formalizing targeted meetings with institutions that face repeated deficiencies.
