“The hardest part of what I do is enforcing the rules for continuing education classes,” says Kristin Parker, Director of Education & Events, “I often have to be the bad guy when people show up late to a CE class and remind them that I cannot give them CE credits, but they are welcome to stay for the educational content.”
SPAAR is among the many organizations that must comply to Minnesota Department of Commerce requirements, including:
Continuing education courses must be attended in their entirety in order to receive credit for the number of approved hours. (MN Statute 45.30 Subd 4a). SPAAR takes this obligation very seriously and enforces these requirements in order to maintain its ability to continue to offer education to members.
In addition, in order to receive CE at SPAAR, not only can members not show up even one minute late, but the rule applies to members leaving early. Furthermore, if a class instructor dismisses a class earlier than the approved course timeline dictates or a speaker not fulfill his or her time obligation, SPAAR is not able to provide CE credit to the licensees (not even partial).
Adds Kristin: “When attending a continuing education class, at SPAAR or elsewhere, my advice is to be early, and stay for the duration, in order to receive the full credit expected.”
