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Verification of Student Identity in Distance Education

As a result of the pandemic, American Islamic College has approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer distance courses until the waiver sunsets on January 1, 2024. AIC was granted full permission to offer online courses and programs by The Illinois Board of Higher Education in 2021. During virtual class hours, the below policy is enforced. Please note that the College is not a distance education institution and therefore does not exceed the 50% threshold of its courses, programs, or students through distance education.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that American Islamic College operates in compliance with the provisions of the United States Federal Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Public Law 110-315 and Higher Learning Commission Policy FDCR.A.10.050 concerning the verification of student identity in distance learning. As such, all credit-bearing courses offered through distance learning methods must verify that the student who registers for a distance education course is the same student who participates in and completes the course and receives academic credit.

In verifying the identity of students who participate in class or coursework the institution may make use of a one or more methods, at the option of the institution, which may include but need not be limited to: (1) secure login and pass code; (2) proctored examinations; and (3) new or other technologies and practices that are effective in verifying the identity of students. Institutions must notify students at the time of registration or enrollment of any projected additional student charges associated with the verification of student identity such as separate fees charged by proctoring services, etc. (HLC Policy FDCR.A.10.050)

College policy:

  1. Each student is assigned a unique username and password to log into the College’s learning management system (currently Populi) where they are also required to upload a recent photo of themselves. Students are required to provide complete and accurate information during the identification verification process, such as providing their government-issued photo ID and partaking in video conferencing during the admissions process.
  2. An account is provided to an individual for their exclusive use only. Any attempt to discover another user’s password or gain unauthorized access to someone else’s account is strictly prohibited. The password used to enter the system is a secure credential and must not be shared or given to anyone other than the assigned user for any reason. This is for the protection of the student and for the verification of their educational work.
  3. Faculty members will emphasize the importance of academic integrity as stated in the catalog and when communicating with students. They should use standard teaching practices, such as reviewing student work and holding conferences with students, to verify their identity. Since technology and personal accountability may not guarantee absolute identity verification or ensure complete academic integrity, faculty members are encouraged, whenever possible and appropriate, to design unique assignments and evaluations that support academic integrity.
  4. All users of the College’s learning management system are responsible for maintaining the security of their usernames, passwords, and other access credentials as required.
  5. American Islamic College does not charge additional fees for student identity verification. Students in an online course may be required to use a computer equipped with a web camera and headset. Faculty state the expectation of the use of a camera and headset in their course materials and syllabus.

Responsibilities

All users of the College’s learning management system are accountable for maintaining the security of their usernames, passwords, and other access credentials. Each account is provided exclusively for individual use.

Students bear the responsibility of familiarizing themselves with the course syllabus to understand the course policies regarding assignment evaluation methods (e.g., submission using Populi, in-person exams, proctored exams, etc.) and whether any specific equipment is necessary for the course.

Faculty members teaching courses through distance education methods hold the primary responsibility for ensuring students’ adherence to the College’s identity verification policy. Given the challenges associated with verifying students’ identities in distance education, faculty members are encouraged to design courses with assignments and assessments that support academic integrity.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs is responsible for ensuring that faculty members are informed about this policy and that the college remains in compliance with it.

All methods of verifying student identity must protect the privacy of student information in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and any other applicable laws or regulations regarding the confidentiality of personally identifiable information, and the College’s Privacy Policy. Please see the College’s policies on FERPA, Student and Academic Records, and Personal Identifiable Information at https://aicusa.edu/academics/academic-affairs and in the College Catalog.