Authority for Conferences and Online, Professional and Continuing Education (V.B.4)

Volume V: Governance
Chapter B: Governance
Responsible Executive: Chief Financial Officer and Provost
Responsible Office: Purdue University Online and Purdue Conferences and Event Design
Date Issued: June 30, 2006
Date Last Revised: June 1, 2026

Table of Contents

Contacts
Statement of Policy
Reason for This Policy
Individuals and Entities Affected
Exclusions
Responsibilities
Definitions (defined terms are capitalized throughout the document)
Related Documents, Forms and Tools
Website Address for This Policy
History and Updates
Appendix

Contacts

Policy Clarification

Office of the Provost
provost@purdue.edu

Online, Professional and Continuing Education Questions

Senior Vice President for Partnerships and Online
765-494-3491 | Purdue Online Leadership

Conference Questions

Director -Purdue Conferences and Event Design
765-494-0243 | conferences@purdue.edu

Regional Campus Questions

Fort Wayne Conferences: Special Events
260-481-6612 | Special Events Team

Fort Wayne Online, Professional and Continuing Education: Executive Director, Continuing Studies and Special Events 
260-481-6619 | Division of Continuing Studies Team

Northwest Conferences: Senior Director of Auxiliary Sales & Services
219-785-5219 | Events@pnw.edu

Northwest Online, Professional and Continuing Education: Office of the Chancellor
219-989-2204 | Chancellor’s Staff

Statement of Policy

Purdue University categorizes certain types of learning and engagement opportunities as either Conferences or Online, Professional and Continuing Education. These activities and programs are administered differently from the standard course offerings of the University.

The delegations below outline administrative and fiscal authority for Conference and Online, Professional and Continuing Education activities originating from any campus.

Administrative Authority

The authority for administration, organization and management of Online, Professional and Continuing Education activities is granted to the following:

• West Lafayette Campus: Senior Vice President for Partnerships and Online
• Fort Wayne and Northwest campuses: Chancellors, except for online activities, for which authority is granted to the Senior Vice President for Partnerships and Online in collaboration with the appropriate Chancellor

The authority for administration, organization, and management of Conference activities is granted to the following:

• West Lafayette Campus: Director of Purdue Conferences and Event Design
• Fort Wayne and Northwest campuses: Chancellors

The above authority may be further delegated within each unit/campus.

Fiscal Authority

The authority to approve budgets, Conference fees, noncredit registration fees and other charges, and to receive monies related to Online, Professional and Continuing Education activities or Conferences, is granted to the following:

• West Lafayette Campus: Director of Financial Affairs (DFA) assigned to Purdue University Online and the DFA assigned to Purdue Conferences and Event Design
• Fort Wayne and Northwest campuses: Vice chancellors with oversight for business and financial matters

For-credit activities are charged fee rates approved by the Board of Trustees, except as permitted under special rate requests approved by the Chief Financial Officer, or designee.

Reason for This Policy

As a public university and land grant institution, Purdue University has a responsibility to offer online and non-traditional programs, professional education and development activities. This policy establishes academic, administrative and fiscal responsibilities for Conferences and Online, Professional and Continuing Education.

Individuals and Entities Affected

• All colleges, schools, departments and other units of the University
• Recognized student organizations
• External Sponsors of Conferences and Online, Professional and Continuing Education

Exclusions

Programming delivered by Purdue Extension is not included in the definition of Online, Professional and Continuing Education and is not covered by this policy.

Responsibilities

Sponsors

• Engage with the appropriate Purdue unit to determine the content and all associated details of the Conference or Online, Professional and Continuing Education activity.
• Provide or coordinate funding for the activity.

Purdue University Online

• Develop the preliminary budget for Online, Professional and Continuing Education activities and advise the Sponsor on all financial matters during planning.
• As applicable, provide marketing services; recruiting, admissions, advising, and student coaching; instructional design and delivery; partnership development with companies, military and government entities, and universities; third-party licensing agreements; and financial management for Online, Professional and Continuing Education activities.
• Oversee all administrative matters connected with the activity’s operation, including but not limited to, providing a digital platform for online activities, reservation of facilities and coordination of audio/visual needs for in-person programs, and coordinating registration and billing.
• Participate in academic decisions to the extent there are potential impacts on financials, scheduling, or regulatory/legal concerns.
• Work with the appropriate University units to administer, distribute and/or license Purdue-originated or Purdue-related courses and programs.
• Exercise the above responsibilities for all online activities originating from the Fort Wayne and Northwest campuses.

Purdue Conferences and Event Design

• Provide guidance to the Sponsor on scheduling and financial matters related to the activity.
• Oversee all administrative matters connected with the operation of Conference activities for Purdue West Lafayette, including but not limited to, developing the preliminary budget; overseeing financial management, reservation of facilities, marketing services, and registration; and coordinating food services, audio/visual needs, and transportation needs.

Chancellors

• Delegate authority and/or approve processes for all administrative matters connected to Online, Professional and Continuing Education activities on their campus.
• Delegate authority and/or approve processes for all administrative matters connected with the operation of Conference activities on their campus.

Vice Chancellor for Financial and Administrative Affairs and Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Services

• Delegate authority and/or approve processes for carrying out the fiscal authority granted to them in this policy.

Definitions

All defined terms are capitalized throughout the document. Refer to the central Policy Glossary for additional defined terms.

Online, Professional and Continuing Education
Noncredit or for-credit activities where the administrative effort and resource cost are primarily related to the instructional component. These activities are distinct from the regular campus-affiliated, core and elective courses of the University in one or more of the following aspects:

1. They may address audiences that are generally distinct from the traditional on-campus student and who may require special administrative handling or pedagogical strategies, whether as an individual learner or part of a corporate learning partnership.
2. They may serve the University’s engagement mission as well as the learning mission.
3. They may be offered and delivered in non-traditional formats (e.g., intensive, off-campus, on-site training, online learning, etc.).
4. They may involve non-University content and/or provision of services to a Sponsor.
5. They may operate outside traditional academic loads and may be fiscally self-supporting, thereby requiring special financial procedures.
6. There may be miscellaneous learning, engagement, or discovery functions that require the unique services and/or facilities managed by Purdue University Online.

These activities may be classified as online courses and programs, off-campus courses and programs, on-campus evening and intensive courses, external degree or certificate programs, or contract training.

Conference
A noncredit educational program or activity where the administrative effort and resource cost are primarily related to the logistics and hospitality services for the event. Conferences are planned and designed to achieve one or more of the following objectives:

1. Update or expand technical or professional skills.
2. Increase understanding of or involvement in special problems.
3. Offer new attitudes or insights.
4. Provide information about new techniques or disseminate new knowledge.
5. Search for solutions to existing problems.
6. Achieve learning for cultural enrichment.
7. Conduct a business, social, or administrative function of a campus unit or outside organization that requires the unique services and/or facilities managed by Purdue Conferences.

Conferences may be classified as follows:

1. University Programs: Sponsored by a college, school, department, other unit of the University, or a recognized student organization. The primary participants may include individuals or organizations external to the University, but also include some or all faculty, staff, and students of the University.
2. Non-University Programs: Sponsored by Purdue Conferences and/or an external organization. The primary participants are individuals or organizations external to the University.

Sponsor/Sponsored
The entity who engages with Purdue University Online for Online, Professional and Continuing Education or who assumes responsibility for the content and/or academic quality of the event. University programs may be conducted “in cooperation with” (non-financial assistance) or may be “supported by” (financial assistance) outside organizations provided there is internal sponsorship by a college, school, department or other university unit.

Related Documents, Forms and Tools

Related Policies and Standards

• Courseware and Online Modules (S-19)
• Intellectual Property (I.A.1)
• Overload Compensation (VI.C.4)

Additional Offices and Resources

• Office of the Bursar
• Sponsored Program Services
• University Billing and Receivables

Website Address for This Policy

www.purdue.edu/vpec/policies/governance/vb4/

History and Updates

June 1, 2026: Policy updated to reflect current organizational structure. Procedural information removed. Title of policy changed from “Responsibility and Authority for Continuing Education and Conference Activities.”

November 18, 2011: Policy number changed to V.B.4 (formerly VIII.2.1).

June 30, 2006: This policy supersedes Executive Memorandum B-47, dated March 15, 1977, and amended May 26, 2004, Executive Memorandum A-254, dated December 28, 1964, and Executive Memorandum A-198, dated December 15, 1960.

Appendix

There are no appendices to this policy.