Choosing a Pathway for Reaffirmation of Accreditation
HLC has two Pathways for Reaffirmation of Accreditation: Standard and Open. An institution’s pathway is typically determined upon the completion of an institution’s current cycle, which is after reaffirmation of accreditation in Year 10.
Institutions may choose their pathway at the time of determination, unless they meet one or more of the conditions that would require placement on the Standard Pathway. An institution on the Open Pathway may also be moved to the Standard Pathway if any of these conditions arise during the cycle.
Conditions Determining Placement on the Standard Pathway
An institution may be placed on the Standard Pathway if it has been accredited for fewer than 10 years. An institution on the Open Pathway may also be moved to the Standard Pathway at any point during its cycle if any of the following conditions apply:
- It is in the process of a Change of Control, Structure or Organization or it has undergone a Change of Control, Structure or Organization within the last two years.
- It is under HLC Notice or related action or has been under HLC sanction or related action within the last five years.
- It has been assigned a focused visit or extensive other monitoring, or it has a history of extensive HLC monitoring, including accreditation cycles shortened to seven or fewer years, multiple monitoring reports, and multiple focused visits extending across more than one accrediting cycle.
- It is or has been undergoing dynamic change (e.g., significant changes in enrollment or student body, opening or closing of multiple locations or campuses) or requiring frequent substantive change approvals since the last comprehensive evaluation.
- It is raising or has raised significant HLC concerns about circumstances or developments at the institution (e.g., ongoing leadership turnover, extensive review by a governmental agency, patterns identified in financial and non-financial indicators).
- It has failed to make a serious effort to conduct its Quality Initiative in the Open Pathway.
Note: Institutions that are on Probation or under a Show-Cause Order are not considered to be on a pathway.