HLC conducts comprehensive evaluations of member institutions and institutions seeking membership to confirm that the institution meets the Criteria for Accreditation and other HLC requirements, is pursuing institutional improvement, and complies with requirements sets by the U.S. Department of Education. Evaluations are conducted by teams of peer reviewers.

When Comprehensive Evaluations Take Place

Comprehensive evaluations occur at multiple points in the accreditation relationship:

• When an institution is seeking candidacy or initial accreditation from HLC.
• During Years 4 and 10 of the Standard Pathway and Year 10 of the Open Pathway. (The Year 10 evaluations in both pathways include an action regarding the institution's reaffirmation of accreditation.)
• After an institution has been placed on Probation or issued a Show-Cause Order, to determine if the areas of concern that led to the sanction or procedural order have been ameliorated.

Components of a Comprehensive Evaluation

A comprehensive evaluation may include the following components:

• Assurance Review
• Federal Compliance Review (for evaluations for Candidacy, initial accreditation and reaffirmation of accreditation, and Probation and Show-Cause visits)
• Student Opinion Survey
• On-site peer review visit
• Multi-campus visit (for institutions with one or more branch campuses)
• Embedded Change Visit (if applicable)
• Embedded monitoring (if applicable)
• Review of compliance with the Assumed Practices (for evaluations for Candidacy or initial accreditation, or Show-Cause visits)
• Review of compliance with the Eligibility Requirements (for evaluations for Candidacy or initial accreditation)

Assurance Review

As part of the Assurance Review, the institution submits an Assurance Argument, along with materials of evidence (called an Evidence File), to demonstrate that it is in compliance with HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation. The team of peer reviewers conducting the comprehensive evaluation reviews these materials in preparation for an on-site visit.

Note: Institutions on the Standard Pathway create an expanded Assurance Argument, in which they also address their improvement efforts in relation to the Criteria for Accreditation. Institutions on the Open Pathway demonstrate their institutional improvement efforts through the Quality Initiative process.

Federal Compliance Review

A Federal Compliance Review is conducted as part of a comprehensive evaluation for Candidacy, Initial Accreditation or Reaffirmation of Accreditation, and for Probation and Show-Cause visits. Institutions must submit a Federal Compliance Filing demonstrating that they are meeting their Title IV program responsibility, as well as complying with the expectations of specific regulations set by the U.S. Department of Education. Compliance with these federal requirements is necessary for the institutions to be eligible for federal financial aid. HLC is required to conduct this review as a federally recognized accrediting agency.

Student Opinion Survey

HLC conducts an online survey of the institution’s student body two months prior to the on-site peer review visit. The survey is intended to give students an opportunity to participate in the evaluation process, and to help identify questions for the peer reviewers to ask while on site.

On-Site Peer Review Visit

On-site visits occur after the peer review team has reviewed the institutional report and student survey results. The team works with the institution to create the agenda for the visit, which typically includes meetings with the institution’s leadership and board, as well as open forums with faculty, staff and students. Visits typically last 1 1/2 days. The team will remain in the area for an additional day of deliberations after the visit.

Multi-campus Visit

A multi-campus visit is included as part of the comprehensive evaluation for institutions on the Standard or Open Pathways or seeking Candidacy or initial accreditation that have one or more branch campuses. Peer reviewers will visit a sampling of the institution’s branch campuses and inform the team conducting the comprehensive evaluation as to the quality of the branch campuses.

Embedded Change Visit

If an institution is applying for a change that requires a visit, it may request to embed the review of the change application into its comprehensive evaluation. Such requests must be submitted at least six months before the visit date. HLC staff will determine whether to embed a Change Visit based on peer reviewer availability and the complexity of the evaluation, among other factors. HLC may not be able to accommodate all requests.

If a change request does not require a visit, it is evaluated separately through HLC’s substantive change process.

Embedded Monitoring

If an institution has been assigned an interim report, HLC may embed that monitoring in an upcoming comprehensive evaluation. In such cases, the issues subject to embedded monitoring are to be addressed by the institution in the sections on the applicable Core Components in its Assurance Argument. The peer review team will determine whether the institution has satisfactorily addressed the monitoring issue(s) and will document its findings in the conclusion section of the team report for the review.

Compliance With the Assumed Practices

Institutions seeking accreditation with HLC are required to demonstrate their compliance with HLC's Assumed Practices as part of a comprehensive evaluation for Candidacy and initial accreditation. Institutions that have been issued a Show-Cause Order are also required to demonstrate their compliance with the Assumed Practices as part of the Show-Cause visit.

Compliance With the Eligibility Requirements

Institutions seeking accreditation with HLC are required to demonstrate their compliance with HLC's Eligibility Requirements as part of a comprehensive evaluation for Candidacy and initial accreditation.

Decision Making

The team drafts its report within four to six weeks following the visit. The institution may review the report and the team’s recommendations for errors of fact before the team submits its final report to HLC. The institution may also submit a response to the team report. The final team report and institutional response are then sent to the Institutional Actions Council for review and action.

Related Policies

Criteria for Accreditation—INST.B.10.010

Evaluative Framework for the HLC Criteria—INST.A.10.020

Substantive Requirements for Reaffirmation of Accreditation—INST.C.10.010

Process Requirements for Each Pathway—INST.C.10.020

Process Requirements Leading to HLC Action for Reaffirmation—INST.C.10.030

Probation—INST.E.20.010