Number: FDCR.A.10.010

HLC’s Board of Trustees adopted revisions to this policy at its June 2019 meeting. The revised policy will go into effect on September 1, 2019.

An institution accredited by the Commission or seeking accreditation or candidate status shall demonstrate that it meets each of the Commission’s federal compliance requirements. This expectation shall apply to an institution regardless of whether the institution is participating in the Title IV program. However, an institution that does not participate in the Title IV program shall be exempted from that federal compliance requirement related to demonstrating that the institution is meeting its Title IV program responsibilities.

An institution shall provide evidence of meeting these requirements in preparation for a comprehensive evaluation and upon demand by the Commission. The comprehensive evaluation or other team will weigh the information and its relationship to the Criteria for Accreditation, and/or the requirements of the Candidacy program. If a team determines that an institution has failed to meet these requirements or if the team determines that issues in meeting these requirements raise concerns about the institution’s ability to meet the Criteria for Accreditation, Core Components or Assumed Practices, it may recommend further monitoring, sanction, or withdrawal of affiliation.

The Commission reserves the right to review an institution’s status with regard to these requirements and with the Criteria for Accreditation, Core Components or Assumed Practices, as appropriate, when the U.S. Department of Education findings or findings by another recognized accreditor have proven significant noncompliance with the Higher Education Act.

Policy History

Last Revised: June 2012
First Adopted: February 1996
Revision History: Adopted February 1996, effective September 1996, revised February 1998, edited October 2003, renumbered November 2010, revised and split between policies 4.0 and 4.0(d) June 2012
Notes: Former policy: 1.7 "Institutional Compliance with the Higher Education Reauthorization Act"; see also new Policy 4.5 "Institutional Compliance with the Title IV Program Responsibilities."