Southern New Hampshire University eager to streamline process to boost distance learning

The president of Southern New Hampshire University says the state's move to make education more accessible to college students across state lines will be a big deal for his school.

The New England Board of Higher Education recently voted to include New Hampshire in a national reciprocity agreement aimed at making it easier for students to take online courses offered by schools in other states. The agreement allows institutions accredited in their own states to operate in other participating states without seeking independent authorization.

Paul LeBlanc of SNHU says schools that offer online degrees face a "crazy quilt" of state regulatory systems. His school has 60,000 students enrolled in online courses and a full-time staffer who does nothing but deal with seeking authorizations from other states.