Educational Outreach

Continuting Education Units (CEU)

Overview

The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a nationally recognized system of recording and recognizing your participation in noncredit professional educational programs. The University Senate of SIUE has established a policy for the optional use of the CEU in workshops, courses, seminars, institutes, conferences and other educational activities. The Continuing Education Unit is defined, administered and supervised in accordance with the recommendation of the CEU Task Force of the Illinois Board of Higher Education. A review and approval process helps to ensure that the use of the CEU will be compatible with the scope and mission of the University. The Office of Educational Outreach has been designated to review, approve use of the CEU and award the CEU at SIUE.

Definition

One Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is defined as TEN CONTACT HOURS OF PARTICIPATION IN AN ORGANIZED CONTINIUING EDUCATION EXPERIENCE, UNDER RESPONSIBLE SPONSORSHIP, CAPABLE DIRECTION AND QUALIFIED INSTRUCTION.

• Participation in” is defined as attendance at, and active involvement in, a continuing education learning activity.
• Organized continuing education experience” means a learning activity wherein participation needs have been determined, goals and objectives are clearly specified, appropriate instruction is offered and pertinent evaluation is conducted.
• Responsible sponsorship” translates as a bona fide, accredited educational institution (i.e. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville)
• Capable direction” is defined to mean active direction by an experienced and professional staff member in the employ of the “responsible sponsor”.
• Qualified instruction” means that the activity will be taught by faculty members of the “responsible sponsor” and/or individuals whose experience and instructional ability qualifies them as experts on a particular subject.

Program Requirements

At SIUE programs must meet the following requirements if they are to award CEUs.

• Satisfy all aspects of the definition of the CEU.
• Plan for a specific clientele whose representatives, when applicable, have been involved in designing the program.
• Clearly state its educational objectives.
• Be conducted by qualified instructional personnel.
• Specify performance objectives before the program begins.
• Require registration details sufficient for a permanent record of individual participation.
• Be evaluated by procedures designed during the planning process to measure quality and effectiveness.
• Include procedures for establishing satisfactory completion by each participant and for notifying the appropriate records office of CEU awarded.

CEU Approval Process

Those who wish to request the awarding of the CEU must complete and submit an application for approval at least four weeks prior to the start of the activity.  The application should be submitted to the Associate Director, Conferences and Institutes, who oversees the CEU process for the Office of Educational Outreach. Applications that originate within the institution are reviewed and approved by the Executive Director of Educational Outreach, who is responsible for ensuring that applications are complete and that provisions of the aforementioned publication are met. The Executive Director will clarify questions about program content and instruction through discussion with the chair and faculty colleagues in the sponsor's unit. Applications to award CEUs that originate outside the institution are reviewed and approved in a similar manner, with the advice of the dean of the appropriate school or college and the chairperson of the appropriate department (or their delegates).

For activities which require the approval of an agency or association outside the University, such approval shall be the responsibility of the administrative unit or off-campus activity sponsor.

After the activity has occurred the administrative unit or off-campus sponsor conducting registration for a CEU activity must submit a list of participant names, addresses, and identification numbers with the CEU fees for only those wishing to receive CEUs. The Office of Educational Outreach will record this information and prepare official CEU certificates. 

CEU Availability Notification

Brochures or other marketing materials sent to participants soliciting registrations should contain the following statement:

This program has been approved for an award of _____ Continuing Education Units by the Office of Educational Outreach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for those who wish to obtain this recognition for participation.

Records

The Office of Educational Outreach maintains the master course file for CEU approved activities. That office also prepares official certificates and records and maintains CEU participant records. Information recorded includes name, address, identification number, educational activity title, date and number of CEU awarded.

Requests for CEU transcripts may be forwarded to the Associate Director, Conferences and Institutes. Your request should include:

• Current name and other names under which we may have your records
• Identification Number. (For most students, this is your Social Security number or the last 4 digits of your Social Security number)
• Current address and daytime telephone number or email address
• Name and approximate date of activity
• Your signature
• Delivery instructions

You may request a transcript by mail, fax or in person. The fee for each transcript is $5; payment by check or money order.

CEU Guidelines

CEU Request to Award