Skip to main content
Pepperdine | Community

Disclosures and State Authorizations

In order to help ensure the integrity of education programs, the United States Department of Education requires that institutions comply with the state authorization requirements for each state in which the institution delivers distance education. Pepperdine University actively works with the relevant departments in each state to ensure that the University has the appropriate authorization (or exemption) to deliver its distance education programs to residents of the state. Additionally, students—regardless of their state of residence—are afforded thorough compliant processes that are outlined in the “Legal Notices” section of the academic catalog. However, if a student believes that their complaint or grievance warrants further attention after exhausting the procedures set forth in the catalog, the student may contact the appropriate agency in their state of residence.

Graziadio Business School

  Alabama

Seeking Authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Elizabeth C. French
Director, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
334-242-2179
elizabeth.french@ache.alabama.gov

Annette Funderburk
Private School Licensure Specialist
Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education
Office of Private School Licensing Division
334-293-4651
Annette.funderburk@dpe.edu

Rebecca Morris, CPM
Director of Business Services
Office of Alabama Secretary of State
334-242-7221
rebecca.morris@sos.alabama.gov

  Alaska

Seeking Authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Kierke A. Kussart
Program Coordinator for Institutional Authorization
907-465-6741
EED.ACPE-IA@alaska.gov
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
PO Box 110505 Juneau, AK 99811-050

  Arizona

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Keith Blanchard
Deputy Director
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
602‐542‐5769
keith.blanchard@azppse.gov

  Arkansas

Seeking authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Alana Boles
Coordinator, Academic Affairs
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
501-371-2060
Alana.Boles@adhe.edu

Brenda Germann
Director
Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education
501-683-8000
brenda.germann@arkansas.gov

  California

Approved

Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95833
Telephone: (916) 431-6924
FAX: (916) 263-1897

  Colorado

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Heather DeLange
Academic Policy Officer
1560 Broadway, Suite 1600
Denver, CO 80202
303-866-4209
heather.delange@dhe.state.co.us
Georgia Roberts
Deputy Director
Division of Private Occupational Schools
303-866-2723
Georgia.roberts@dhe.state.co.us

  Connecticut

Approved

Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Amy King
Office of Higher Education
860-947-1822
aking@ctdhe.org

  Delaware

Seeking authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Teacher & Administrator Quality Development
Delaware Department of Education
302-857-3388
IHE@doe.k12.de.us

  District of Columbia

Seeking authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Education Licensure Commission
810 First Street, NE 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20002

  Florida

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Commission for Independent Education
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1414
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
E-mail: amy.lefstead@fldoe.org
Fax: (850) 245-3238

  Georgia

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220
Tucker, Georgia 30084-5305
770-414-3300
770-414-3309 (FAX)
https://gnpec.georgia.gov

  Hawaii

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Bobbi Lum-Mew
HPEAP Administrator
P.O. Box 541
Honolulu, HI 96809
(808) 586-7327
hpeap@dcca.hawaii.gov

  Idaho

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Val Fenske
State Coordinator for Private Colleges & Proprietary Schools
Idaho State Board of Education
650 West State Street (PO Box 83720)
Boise, ID 83720-0037
Main Office: 208-334-2270
Direct Line: 208-332-1587
Fax: 208-334-2632
valerie.fenske@osbe.idaho.gov

  Illinois

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Richard Tapia
Associate Director for Diversity and Outreach
1 N Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333
Springfield, Illinois 62701
(217) 557-7359
tapia@ibhe.org
http://complaints.ibhe.org/

  Indiana

Seeking Authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Sara E. Appel, M.A.
Academic Programs Manager
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
101 West Ohio Street, Suite 550
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-1984
Phone: 317.464.4400
Fax: 1.317.464.4410
Email: sappeal@che.in.gov

Dinell Edge
Accreditation Specialist
317-234-8338
dedge1@dwd.in.gov

  Iowa

Seeking Authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Carolyn Small
Post-secondary Registration Administrator
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
877-272-4456
carolyn.small@iowa.gov

  Kansas

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Jacqueline G. Johnson
Director, Private/Out-of-State Postsecondary Education
1000 SW Jackson, Ste 520
Topeka, KS 66612
(785) 296-4917
jjohnson@ksbor.org

  Kentucky

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Steve Wilborn
Interim Executive Director
Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education
502-564-4185
kcpe@ky.gov

Sarah Levy, J.D.
Director of Postsecondary Licensing Council on Postsecondary Education
1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 320
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Tel: 502.573.1555, ext. 350
Fax: 502.573.1535
cpeconsumercomplaint@ky.gov

  Louisiana

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Emily C. Saleh
Policy Analyst
Louisiana Board of Regents
225-342-4253
Emily.Saleh@la.gov

  Maine

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Harry W. Osgood
Higher Education Specialist
Maine Department of Education
Augusta, Maine 04333
207-624-6846
harry.osgood@maine.gov

  Maryland

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Academic Affairs – Student Complaints
Maryland Higher Education Commission
6 N. Liberty Street, 10th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21207
acadprop@mhec.state.md.us

  Massachusetts

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Angela Williams
Paralegal and Coordinator for Accountability & Regulatory Affairs
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
(617) 994-6963
awilliams@bhe.mass.edu

  Michigan

Seeking authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Michael Beamish
Manager
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Corporations, Securities, and Commercial Licensing Bureau
Licensing Division
PO Box 30718
Lansing, MI 48909
517-241-6806
beamishm@michigan.gov

  Minnesota

Seeking Authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
George R. Roedler, Jr., JD
Manager
Institutional Registration & Licensing
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350
St. Paul, MN 55108
651-259-3975
651-642-0675 FAX
george.roedler@state.mn.us

  Mississippi

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Menia Dykes
Director of Accreditation
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211
mdykes@mississippi.edu

  Missouri

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Leroy Wade
Deputy Commissioner
Missouri Department of Higher Education
573-751-1776
leroy.wade@dhe.mo.gov

  Montana

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
State Authorization Compliance Agent
Montana University
System Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education
2500 Broadway, Box 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
406-444-6570
stateauthorization@montana.edu

  Nebraska

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Investigations Officer: Jeff Schneider
Nebraska Department of Education
301 Centennial Mall
South Lincoln, NE 68509-4987
402-471-0731
jeff.schneider@nebraska.gov

Kathleen Fimple
Academic Programs Officer
Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
402‐471‐0030
kathleen.fimple@nebraska.gov

  Nevada

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
David Perlman
Administrator
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
702-486-7330
dperlman@cpe.state.nv.us

  New Hampshire

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Edward R. MacKay
Director Division of Higher Education
Higher Education Commission
101 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301
603-271-0256
edward.mackay@doe.nh.gov

  New Jersey

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Robert Grimmie
Director
Center for Occupational Employment Information
609-292-8658
Robert.Grimmie@dol.state.nj.us

Rochelle Hendricks
Secretary of Higher Education
State of New Jersey Higher Education
P.O. Box 542
Trenton, NJ 08625-0542
Phone: 609-292-4310

  New Mexico

Seeking Authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Diane Vigil-Hayes
Private & Proprietary Schools Administrator and Compliance Officer
New Mexico Higher Education Department
2048 Galisteo Street
Santa Fe, NM 87505
(505) 476-8418
Diane.Vigil@state.nm.us

  New York

Seeking Authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Leslie Templeman
Director
Office of College and University Evaluation
New York State Education Department
leslie.templeman@nysed.gov

  North Carolina

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Terrence R. Scarborough
University of North Carolina General Administration
910 Raleigh Road Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688
(919) 962-4558
trscarborough@northcarolina.edu

  North Dakota

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Parrell D. Grossman
Director, Office of Attorney General
Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division
Gateway Professional Center
1050 East Interstate Avenue, Ste. 200
Bismarck, ND 58503
701-328-5570
pgrossman@nd.gov

Tanya Spilovoy, D.Ed.
Director of Distance Education and State Authorization
North Dakota University System
1815 Schafer St., Ste. 202
Bismarck, ND 58501-1217
tanya.spilovoy@ndus.edu

  Ohio

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Matt Exline
Assistant Director
Program Development and Approval
Ohio Board of Regents
614-728-3095
mexline@regents.state.oh.us

  Oklahoma

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Nora Ann House, Director
3700 N. Classen Blvd., Ste. 250
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Phone: 405-528-3370
Fax: 405-528-3366
nhouse@obpvs.ok.gov

Mr. Jose Dela Cruz
Coordinator of Academic Affairs Projects
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
405-225-9141

  Oregon

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Juan Baez-Arevalo
Director of Private Postsecondary Education
Higher Education Coordinating Commission
Phone: (503) 947-5977
Email: Juan.baez-arevalo@state.or.us

  Pennsylvania

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Patricia Landis
Division Chief, Higher and Career Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
717-783-8228
RA-COLLUNIVSEMINFO@state.pa.us

  Rhode Island

Seeking authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Michael Walker-Jones
Assistant Commissioner
Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner
michael.walker-jones@ribghe.org
401-736-1122
401-732-3541 (fax)

  South Carolina

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Lane Goodwin
Program Manager
Postsecondary Institution Licensing
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
1122 Lady Street Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201
803-737-3918
lgoodwin@che.sc.gov

  South Dakota

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
South Dakota Attorney General
1302 E. Highway 14, Suite 1
Pierre, SD 57501-8501
Telephone: (605) 773-3215

  Tennessee

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Shauna Jennings
Investigations Officer & Complaint Specialist
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900
Nashville, TN 37243
shauna.jennings@tn.gov
615-741-0662

  Texas

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):

The student complaint form is available on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board website. All complaints must be submitted to the Agency on the student complaint form.

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Cathie Maeyaert
Special Projects Director
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
512-427-6527
Cathie.Maeyaert@THECB.state.tx.us

Texas Workforce Commission Career Schools and Colleges
101 East 15th Street, Room 226T
Austin, Texas, 78778-0001
Phone at 512-936-3100.
Fax: 512-936-3111
Email: career.schools@twc.state.tx.us

  Utah

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Utah Division of Consumer Protection
Attn: Complaint Processor
160 East 300 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6704
Phone: 801-530-6601
www.dcp.utah.gov

  Vermont

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Cathy Hilgendorf
Postsecondary Approval Coordinator
Vermont Agency of Education
120 State Street
Montpelier, VT 06620
802-828-5402
cathy.hilgendorf@state.vt.us

  Virginia

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Sylvia Rosa-Casanova, Director
Private and Out-of-State Postsecondary Education
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
101 N. 14th Street
Richmond VA 23219
804-225-3399
SylviaRosaCasanova@schev.edu

  Washington

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Karen Oelschlager
Program Administrator
Washington Student Achievement Council
P.O. Box 43430
Olympia, WA 98504-3430
360-753-7869
kareno@wsac.wa.gov

  West Virginia

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Jim Skidmore
WV Council for Community and Technical College Education
1018 Kanawha Blvd., E. Suite
700 Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: 304-558-0265
Email: skidmore@wvctcs.org

Dr. Kathy Butler
Senior Director of Academic Affairs
WV Higher Education Policy Commission
1018 Kanawha Blvd., E. Suite 700
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: 304-558-0261
Email: kbutler@hepc.wvnet.edu

  Wisconsin

Seeking authorization:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Blanca James
Office Operations Associate
P.O. Box 8696
Madison, WI 53708-8696
608-266-1996
blanca.james@eab.wisconsin.gov

  Wyoming

Approved/Exempt:

  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Elaine Marces
Private School Licensing
307-777-6210
elaine.marces@wyo.gov
https://edu.wyoming.gov/beyond-the-classroom/school-programs/private-school-licensing/

  Guam

Approved:

  • Online MBA
  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Guam Community College
Mary Okada
President of Guam Community College
mary.okada@guamcc.edu
University of Guam
Robert Underwood
President of the University of Guam
anacletus2010@gmail.com

  Puerto Rico

Approved:

  • Online MBA
  • Online BS in Management

Agency Contact(s):
Puerto Rico Council on Education
Idalia I. Zavala Maldonado
Director, Licensing and Accreditation Area
Puerto Rico Council on Education
787-641-7100
izavala@ce.pr.gov