The accreditation review process

After initial accreditation, academic institutions participating in the Higher Learning Commission's Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality are reviewed every 10 years according to the following five-step reaffirmation process, which is also outlined on the HLC website http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org.

1. The organization engages in a self study process for approximately two years and prepares a report of its findings in accordance with Commission expectations.
2. The Commission sends an evaluation team of consultant-evaluators to conduct a comprehensive visit for continued accreditation and to write a report containing the team's recommendation.
3. The documents relating to the comprehensive visit are reviewed by a Readers Panel or, in some situations, a Review Committee.
4. The IAC* takes action on the Readers Panel's recommendation. (If a Review Committee reviewed the visit, the Review Committee takes action.)
5. The Board of Trustees validates the IAC or Review Committee, finalizing the action.

* The Institutional Actions Council (IAC) consists of 20 experienced peer reviewers and six public members appointed to four-year terms by The Board of Trustees.