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title: "September 8, 2025 - Substantive Change Actions"
canonical: "https://resources.acenursing.org/space/CA/4010311692/September%208%2C%202025%20-%20Substantive%20Change%20Actions"
format: markdown
---
# **Notification of Substantive Change Actions September 8, 2025**

## Board of Commissioners Actions 

The following publicly available information is provided by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) concerning actions taken on **September 8, 2025**, by the ACEN Board of Commissioners related to substantive changes. Commission staff will not speculate on what decision might be made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners the next time a program is reviewed. For additional information regarding ACEN accreditation process, access the [Accreditation Manual](https://resources.acenursing.org/space/AM).

**The Board of Commissioners approved the substantive change report for the following programs:**

**The Commission approved the **<u>**substantive change**</u>** for the following programs:**

- **Harper College **(practical) Palatine, Illinois, related to an increase in program enrollment of 50% or greater.
- **Inter American University of Puerto Rico – Metropolitan Campus **(baccalaureate) San Juan, Puerto Rico, related to the implementation of the new RN to BSN program option.
- **St. John's College **(baccalaureate) Springfield, Illinois, related to an increase in program enrollment of 50% or greater.
- **St. Joseph’s University New York **(master’s) Brooklyn, New York, related to the implementation of distance education of 50% or greater and the addition of a new program option. The new program option is a PMC which will prepare graduates for FNP certification.
- **West Virginia Junior College – Bridgeport **(associate) Bridgeport, West Virginia, related to the merger of the West Virginia Junior College – Bridgeport and West Virginia Junior College – Charleston nursing education units and the implementation of a new off-campus instructional site. As reported, the main campus will now be located at the Charleston campus located at 5514 Big Tyler Road, Suite 200, Cross Lanes, West Virginia and the off-campus instructional site will be located in Bridgeport at 176 Thompson Drive.

**The Commission approved the **<u>**substantive change**</u>** for the following programs and authorized a **<u>**focused visit**</u>**:**

- > Macro (anchor)

**None**

**The Commission approved the **<u>**substantive change report**</u>** and requested a written report about the status of the implementation of the substantive change for the following programs:**

- **None**

> Macro (anchor)

**The Commission approved the **<u>**substantive change**</u>** and **<u><span style="color: #ff0000">**removed**</span></u><span style="color: #ff0000">** **</span>**the requirement for a **<u>**focused visit**</u>** for the following programs:**

- **None**

**The Commission **<span style="color: #ff0000">**denied **</span>**the **<u>**substantive change**</u>** for the following programs:**

- **None**

**The Commission **<span style="color: #ff0000">**denied **</span>**the **<u>**substantive change**</u>** and authorized a **<u>**focused visit**</u>** for the following programs:**

- **None**

## **Definitions**

**Substantive Change Report**: A report submitted by an accredited program informing the ACEN of a significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of a nursing program and/or nursing education unit.

**Focused Visit**: A site visit authorized by the ACEN Board of Commissioners to review significant accreditation-related information disclosed about a program as a result of:

- A substantive change
- Information revealed about a program between periods of scheduled review.
- Information received from the governing organization’s accrediting body related to an adverse action.
- Information received from the program’s state regulatory agency for nursing related to a change in its status.
- Information revealed by a program during the Evaluation Review Panel process.
- Information received from the U.S. Department of Education regarding a program’s compliance responsibilities under Title IV of the Higher Education Act such as information related to a program’s most recent student loan default rates, the results of financial or compliance audits, program reviews, and any other information that may be provided by the U.S. Department of Education.