E-Commerce Policy

BUSD-POL-002

I. Policy Statement

This policy outlines RIT Certified’s framework for supporting other RIT departments in offering non-credit educational programs that require e-commerce functionality not supported by traditional university systems. These services enable educational innovation while ensuring compliance, consistency, and a high-quality learner experience.

II. Definitions

  • E-Commerce Course: A non-credit instructional experience made available to external learners, in which tuition is collected through RIT Certified’s e-commerce infrastructure. These offerings are not managed by RIT Certified, and typically originate from other RIT units or External Partners. They may or may not include assessment or credentialing components.
  • Hosting Department: An RIT academic or administrative unit requesting e-commerce services from RIT Certified. Services provided by RIT Certified to Hosting Departments shall follow this policy and the Tier Support decided upon by both departments.
  • External Partner: A non-RIT organization that collaborates with RIT Certified to deliver a noncredit offering. External partnerships require a formal contract with the possible addition of an MOU.
  • MOU (Memorandum of Understanding): An optional formal agreement that governs roles, responsibilities, pricing, and ownership for each course offered prior to a contract.
  • E-Commerce Support Services: Services provided by RIT Certified that may include platform setup, registration management, payment processing, marketing, enrollment, customer service, and analytics/reporting.
  • Fees: In the context of RIT Certified’s e-commerce partnerships, fees refer to the costs associated with hosting and supporting a course on RIT Certified’s platform(s). These fees ensure transparency and cost alignment for all parties involved in the delivery of non-credit offerings through RIT Certified. Fees include:
    • Administrative Fee – A base cost that supports the administrative setup, coordination, registration services, and learner support functions required to operate the course. This fee may be adjusted in the MOU based on the scale or complexity of services requested by the partner.
    • Revenue Share Fee – A percentage-based cost applied to total revenue generated from the course. This fee reflects shared use of RIT Certified’s infrastructure, systems, and services.
    • Payment Processing Fee – The pass-through cost charged by RIT Certified’s third-party payment processor for handling online transactions. This cost is transferred to the Hosting Department or External Partner.

III. Eligibility Criteria

To qualify as an e-commerce course supported by RIT Certified:

  • The E-Commerce Course must be a non-credit instructional experience with a clearly defined educational purpose and a designated instructor or facilitator. Examples may include courses, conference sessions, micro-courses, workshops, etc.
  • RIT Certified will provide platform and/or service support (e.g., Student Information System (SIS), payment processing, registration).
  • The curriculum must be owned and developed by the Hosting Department or External Partner. RIT Certified does not claim academic ownership unless explicitly negotiated in the contract or MOU. If the Hosting Department or External Partner uses materials owned and/or licenses from a third-party provider, the licensing terms must be clearly documented and permit the use of the materials in the E-Commerce Course. The Hosting Department or External Partner is responsible for securing and complying with all intellectual property rights associated with the content.
  • Revenue sharing or internal billing shall be subject to the terms outlined in this policy or the applicable MOU or contract.
  • External organizations require a contract with the option to add an in MOU.

IV. Tiered Support Model

RIT Certified offers three (3) service tiers. The minimum lead time, the amount of time required to adequately prepare and render services to the Hosting Department or external vendor, needed for Tier 3 services is 60 calendar days before course launch.

Tier 1

  • RIT Certified processes a journal entry to transfer funds.
  • RIT Certified provides limited IT support (i.e. login assistance, complications with SIS, etc.). Specific support for Hosting Departments or External Partners will be determined and outlined in a contract and optional MOU.
  • The Hosting Department or External Partner is responsible for all back-end work: course development, instructor selection, marketing, SIS input, and customer service.
  • Fees – Administrative fee + 5% revenue sharing + 2.5% payment processing.

Tier 2

  • RIT Certified provides up to 50% backend support (SIS input, limited marketing, and basic customer service – i.e. answering learner questions, career guidance support, etc.) and IT support (i.e. login assistance, complications with SIS, etc.). Specific support for Hosting Departments or External Partners will be determined and outlined in a contract and optional MOU.
  • The Hosting Department or External Partner will handle course development and instructor selection.
  • Fees: Administrative fee + 15% revenue sharing + 2.5% payment processing.

Tier 3

  • RIT Certified manages backend work including SIS input, marketing, enrollment, and customer service (i.e. answering learner questions, career guidance support, etc.).
  • RIT Certified will provide IT support (i.e. login assistance, complications with SIS, etc.). Specific support for Hosting Departments or External Partners will be determined and outlined in a contract and optional MOU.
  • Course content development may be added to the contract and optional MOU. Specific course content development for Hosting Departments or External Partners will be determined and outlined in a contract and optional MOU.
  • Subject matter experts and instructors must be provided by the Hosting Department or External Partner.
  • Fees: Administrative fee + 25% revenue sharing + 2.5% payment processing. Additional course development: $120 - $140/hr.

Note: Unless otherwise agreed to by RIT Certified, the Hosting Department or External Partner is responsible for issuing badges or certificates of completion

System Availability Disclaimer
RIT Certified strives to maintain reliable platform access for all hosted offerings. However, occasional interruptions may occur due to scheduled maintenance, technical issues, or circumstances beyond our control (e.g., outages, force majeure). RIT Certified is not liable for delays or disruptions caused by such events. It is the responsibility of the Hosting Department or External Partner to account for potential access issues in assessment timelines and course design. Where possible, advance notice of maintenance windows will be communicated.

V. Contract and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Requirements

  • All services require submission of the E-Commerce Service Request Form and a signed contract or MOU prior to being provided.
  • Contract or MOU must be agreed upon and signed at least 30 days prior to course start. Tier 3 requires more lead time.
  • Contract or MOU must include course title, pricing, roles, IP terms, deliverables, and contact info for both parties.
  • RIT Certified and Hosting Departments shall memorialize the services in writing prior to the provision of services.

VI. Fees and Payment Terms

Note: If RIT Certified develops or co-develops the curriculum and retains ownership of the content, the offering may fall under the Corporate Training Policy rather than this e-commerce framework. Please consult the Registrar to determine the appropriate model.

  • Accepted payments for learners: Credit/debit cards (American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa) and ACH. Any additional options needed must be determined and outlined in the MOU.
  • Third-party sponsorships and RIT Certified institutional discounts do not apply unless documented in the contract or MOU.
  • Revenue is distributed to the Hosting Department after course completion.
  • Custom pricing or discount structures must be reviewed by the RIT Certified Registrar and the Academics team and reflected in the contract or MOU.

VII. Dispute Resolution

Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties in a contract, any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to services shall first be resolved through good faith negotiations between the parties. If the dispute is not resolved within forty-five (45) days, either party may proceed at law, or in equity, in a court of competent jurisdiction.