Number: COMM.B.10.040

HLC may request or HLC staff may initiate non-substantive changes in the terms of HLC’s relationship with the institution as outlined in the Statement of Accreditation Status. HLC approval is required to change the terms of the accreditation relationship with an institution in any of the following ways:

1. Change existing stipulations in a manner consistent with a proposed change requiring prior approval by a decision-making body of HLC.
2. Change the date of the next comprehensive evaluation or Assurance Review:
   • Changes of no more than one year from the date set by the last action following an evaluation process. (HLC staff may approve the change unless the one-year extension places an institution’s comprehensive evaluation beyond the ten years required by HLC policy.
   • Changes of more than one year from the date set by the last action following an evaluation process or beyond the ten year maximum for comprehensive evaluations. Extensions of more than one year and extensions beyond ten years may be granted only for good cause. (Institutional Actions Council must act to approve all such changes.)
3. Change the date of other visits or required reports or other HLC monitoring or interaction previously scheduled for the institution, including accepting required progress or monitoring reports or scheduling follow-up reports on the same or related topics. (HLC staff may approve the change).
4. Require new monitoring be added to the Statement of Accreditation Status. (HLC staff may make a recommendation for action to the Institutional Actions Council to approve the change, except that the President may act, without first seeking approval of the Institutional Actions Council, to require routine monitoring immediately following the conclusion of any special monitoring process conducted under INST.F.20.010 Special Monitoring.)
5. Suspend or remove an institution from the Notification Program for Additional Locations. (HLC staff may approve removal.)

Process for Initiating a Non-substantive Change in the Relationship With HLC

The institution may file a written application seeking a change in its relationship with HLC in any of the ways defined above. Alternatively, HLC staff may propose such a change and will provide the proposed action or recommendation in writing to the institution for comment. The institution will be provided an opportunity to respond in writing to any change in relationship with HLC arising from its own application or at the initiative of HLC. Where such action is unfavorable to the institution, HLC will consider the institution’s response prior to completing any staff action or action by the IAC.

Policy History

Last Revised: June 2022
First Adopted: November 1999, June 2010
Revision History: November 1999, June 2009, June 2011, June 2012, February 2021, June 2022
Notes: Policies combined November 2012 – 3.1, 3.1(a). In February 2021, references to the Higher Learning Commission as “the Commission” were replaced with the term “HLC.” Policy renumbered in June 2023 (former policy number INST.F.20.030).