Number: COMM.A.10.010

HLC shall have the authority to make specific disclosures to the public, state higher education agencies, the U.S. Department of Education and recognized accreditors regarding member institutions or applying institutions as outlined below. HLC shall provide notification to the affected institution about the disclosure prior to, or simultaneous to, the time the disclosure is made, as determined by HLC.

Notification of Accrediting Actions. HLC shall ensure that it properly notifies the public, state higher education agencies, the U.S. Department of Education, and recognized accreditors regarding HLC’s accrediting actions.

All HLC actions will be provided to state higher education agencies, the U.S. Department of Education and recognized accrediting agencies within thirty (30) days of the action. This includes actions to reaffirm accreditation, grant or deny accreditation or candidacy, or approve or deny a substantive change, or approve the results of monitoring.

1. With regard to an action to place an institution on Notice or Probation, to extend Notice or Probation, to remove an institution from Notice or Probation, to issue a Show-Cause Order to an institution, or to remove a Show-Cause Order, HLC will provide notification of the action to applicable state higher education agencies, the U.S. Department of Education, and applicable recognized accreditors simultaneously with the action being communicated to the institution, and not later than thirty (30) days after the action, and will provide notification to the public within one (1) business day of notice being provided to the institution.
2. With regard to an action to deny or withdraw accreditation or candidacy, HLC will provide notification of the action to applicable state higher education agencies, the U.S. Department of Education, and applicable recognized accreditors simultaneously with the action being communicated to the institution, and not later than thirty (30) days after the action, and will provide notification to the public within one (1) business day of notice being provided to the institution.
3. With regard to a decision by an institution to voluntarily resign accreditation or candidacy, HLC will provide notification of the action to state higher education agencies, the U.S. Department of Education, and recognized accreditors within ten (10) days of receipt of notice of voluntary resignation as required by policy, and will provide notification to the public within one (1) business day of notifying the institution that the voluntary resignation has been accepted, but not more than thirty (30) days.
4. With regard to an action to approve a Provisional Plan, HLC will provide notification to recognized accreditors of approval of the plan not later than thirty (30) days after the action if the teach-out includes a program accredited by such accreditor.

Such notification shall take place for the public through a Public Disclosure Notice (PDN) on HLC’s website, and for state higher education agencies, the U.S. Department of Education and recognized accreditors through electronic or other communication.

Public Disclosure Notices (PDNs). HLC will issue a Public Disclosure Notice (PDN) regarding the following actions:

1. Adverse action (denial or withdrawal of accreditation or candidacy);
2. Sanction (placing an institution on sanction, extending a sanction or removing an institution from a sanction);
3. Show-Cause Order (issuing or removing a Show-Cause Order);
4. Denial of an application for Change of Control, Structure or Organization;
5. Institutional designations (imposing an institutional designation); and
6. Voluntary resignation of accreditation or candidacy.

The PDN shall contain information about the action, the findings of the Board associated with the action, or, for an institutional designation pursuant to the Special Monitoring policy, the findings of HLC’s President when the designation was imposed, and the availability of appeal, if any.

Public Statements. HLC may, in its discretion, issue a public statement regarding an institution. This could include, for example, to correct or confirm a media report, to respond to frequent inquiries from the public, to inform the public about a lawsuit, investigation or advisory visit, to inform the public of an application for Change of Control, Structure or Organization that has been approved, or to address other matters as determined appropriate by HLC. HLC may, but is not required to, provide prior notice to an institution regarding any such public statement.

Policy History

Last Revised: June 2022
First Adopted: August 1996, February 1996, June 2004
Revision History: February 1998, May 2002, October 2002, June 2008, February 2010, June 2012, November 2012, April 2013, August 2016, November 2019, November 2020, February 2021, February 2022, June 2022
Notes: Policies combined in November 2012 – 12.4, 2.3(c), 2.3(c)1, 2.3(c)2, 2.3(c)3. In February 2021, references to the Higher Learning Commission as “the Commission” were replaced with the term “HLC.”