Bridging the Gap: Best Practices for Compliance Staff Working with Faculty on Licensure
State licensure requirements are ever-changing, complex, and high-stakes. For compliance professionals in higher education, staying on top of those requirements is a job in itself—but ensuring the curriculum aligns with them requires strong faculty collaboration. That’s where the real challenge begins.
At HELP, we regularly hear from institutions across the country navigating this exact tension: compliance staff trying to operationalize new regulations while faculty balance a full academic plate.
We recently spoke with Timothy Stevens, Deputy Provost of Yeshiva University, and member of The Bookmark, who offered insight into what’s working—and what isn’t—when it comes to faculty engagement.
Common Challenges (and How to Navigate Them)
1. Faculty Time is Limited
The challenge: Faculty often lack the time to take on course-to-licensure alignment, especially when they don’t fully understand the stakes.
What works:
Compliance teams can lighten the load by gathering preliminary data—such as course title, description, and credit hours from the catalog—and presenting it in a clear, pre-formatted spreadsheet using a tool like The Bookmark. Faculty then only need to review and validate, rather than start from scratch.
2. Faculty Don’t Know What They Don’t Know
The challenge: Many faculty assume their programs meet licensure requirements in all states, especially if they themselves are licensed. But that’s often not the case.
As Tim noted, “Faculty in licensure programs are often unaware that their curriculum doesn’t qualify students for licensure in other states… and they may overestimate the transferability of their program.”
What works:
Providing clear, comparative data and emphasizing that requirements differ widely—and change frequently—helps faculty grasp the complexity and importance of compliance work. It also helps them understand the limits of their own assumptions.
3. Lack of Context = Lack of Buy-In
The challenge: When compliance feels like a checkbox rather than a student support strategy, faculty engagement suffers.
What works:
Explaining the why behind the what is essential. “Faculty need to understand that this isn’t just about internal policy. It connects to Title IV financial aid eligibility, and ultimately student livelihoods,” noted Tim.
Framing the conversation around student outcomes—not just regulations—can shift it from a chore to a shared priority.
Best Practices from the Field
1. Treat Compliance as a Year-Round Process
Regulatory changes don’t follow academic calendars. Regular communication—through email updates, internal newsletters, or shared folders—helps faculty stay aware of evolving licensure standards.
“Send updates throughout the year, even if it doesn’t affect their specific program,” Tim shared. “It’s a reminder that this work is ongoing.”
2. Build Direct, Reliable Communication Channels
Rather than relying on a cascade of messages from deans to department chairs to faculty, build direct lines to the people actually managing curriculum and advising students.
Working directly with program directors—rather than only through deans—proved to be key. “They are the ones charged with curriculum management. And if they’re in accredited programs, they’re already deep into compliance standards for their discipline,” shared Tim.
Whether that means connecting with program directors, lead faculty, or designated compliance liaisons, it’s essential to identify the right points of contact and maintain consistent communication.
3. Align Compliance with Accreditation Goals
Faculty are often deeply invested in their program’s accreditation status. When possible, position licensure alignment as a natural complement to accreditation work—not an add-on.
Tim noted that faculty are more receptive when they see how licensure data supports broader program quality and accountability efforts.
4. Use Tools that Double as Teaching Aids
Tools like The Bookmark don’t just simplify compliance—they help faculty better understand the licensure landscape they’re operating in.
In one instance, Tim shared that a group of faculty members, after reviewing a customized licensure spreadsheet from The Bookmark, were “almost in tears of gratitude.” Even experienced faculty found the data helpful: “It immediately reinforced things they had forgotten about—and gave them a broader understanding of how licensure impacts their own accreditation.”
5. Invest in Training That Sticks
Webinars and other faculty-facing trainings have proven highly valuable for institutions looking to improve understanding and engagement.
Tim’s team found that access to HELP’s curriculum comparison webinars—particularly those focused on specific license types—helped deepen faculty knowledge and reinforced why compliance work matters. These sessions give faculty the tools and language they need to take ownership of licensure alignment.
6. Center the Student Impact
Perhaps the most compelling reason to engage faculty in licensure compliance? It directly affects students’ ability to get licensed and work in their chosen field—especially if they move across state lines.
Tim recalled a recent graduate who moved to another state and discovered she couldn’t get licensed. Thanks to up-to-date licensure data, his team was able to guide her through next steps and explore alternative pathways—something that would’ve taken hours of research without The Bookmark.
Final Advice for Compliance Professionals
If you’re looking to strengthen your partnership with faculty, start with these two core principles:
Provide context. Share the big picture—federal regulations, accreditation connections, and student outcomes—not just deadlines.
Make it continuous. Build systems for regular updates, reminders, and faculty engagement. Compliance is not a one-and-done task—it’s a living process.
The Right Tools Make All the Difference
Tim noted that his institution upgraded its Bookmark membership to gain access to webinars and deeper support. “The resources are incredibly valuable—and the team behind The Bookmark makes everything easy. It’s rare to feel that level of personal attention.”
Want to strengthen your compliance-faculty collaboration?
Basic Plus, Standard and Enterprise members of The Bookmark get exclusive access to our Curriculum Comparison Webinars—plus the tools and updates you need to stay compliant and ensure your students succeed.
Bring The Bookmark to Your Campus
From real-time regulatory updates to ready-to-use licensure comparison charts, The Bookmark makes it easier for compliance teams and faculty to work together—and for students to graduate ready to meet their career goals.
Join institutions like Yeshiva University who are turning compliance challenges into competitive advantages.
👉 Explore membership options today and see how The Bookmark can save your team hours of work, reduce risk, and improve student support.
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