6101 Regular and Substantive Interaction

Policy Details:

Policy Name: Regular and Substantive Interaction 

Policy Number: 6101 

Applicable Code/Law: US Department of Education, Title 34 C.F.R. § 600.2 (amended April 3rd, 2024)
Northwest Commission on College and Universities (NWCCU) Policy: Distance Education and Correspondence Education. 

Policy: 

Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) is defined as interaction initiated by the instructor to their students, focused on the course subject matter, and must be both frequent and consistent throughout the academic quarter. 

The policy of Shoreline College District Number Seven (7) is to ensure Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) occurs for all classes with online instructional elements, including all modes of course instruction that require online submissions: such as, but not limited to, Online, Hybrid, FLEX, and Web-Enhanced. Instances of communication and feedback must be documented in the College's Learning Management System (LMS).  RSI communication and feedback should be instructor-initiated, regular, responsive, and substantive. 

 This practice aligns with requirements of both the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the College’s accrediting body, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) as follows:   

• The U.S. ED requires that all online courses (distance education courses) offered by institutions in which students can receive Title IV funds (federal financial aid) must display evidence of “regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors.” Title 34 C.F.R. § 600.2 (amended April 3rd, 2024)  

• NWCCU requires academic policies and procedures for instructors to implement requirements for regular and substantive interaction in distance education courses. 

Adopted: 

Adopted: 05/27/2026
Reviewed by Academic and Student Affairs Council: 03/02/2026
Reviewed by Institutional Equity Advisory Committee: 03/20/2026
Reviewed by Faculty Senate: 05/27/2026
Recommended by ET: 05/27/2026