Number: PEER.A.10.050

HLC staff shall determine the specific number of peer reviewers comprising any evaluation activity following HLC policies related to the specific type of evaluation being conducted. The panel, committee, team or other evaluative group shall be large enough to make a thorough and professional evaluation of the particular institution. In composing the team or evaluative group, staff will weigh variables such as institutional mission, number of students served, number of degree levels offered, number of programs offered, breadth of services provided students and other constituencies, and number and type of off-campus offerings supported by the institution. Matters unique to a review (e.g., unusual new institutional dynamics, pending implementation of significant changes, response to alternative evaluation agreements) may add to the size of the group of peer reviewers conducting the review. Staff may also consider institutional requests for a large enough group of peer reviewers to ensure that specific institutional issues are addressed.

With the exception of allowing for one peer reviewer from a reaffirmation visit to be placed on the following Standard or Open Pathway Year 4 review team for the purpose of improved historical context for the review, HLC staff shall not assign a peer reviewer who participated in an HLC comprehensive evaluation or an IAC Hearing to another evaluative assignment at that same institution for a period of ten years.

With the exception of where deemed appropriate by HLC staff, for example, for continuity purposes, a peer reviewer who participated in an HLC panel or evaluative activity other than a comprehensive evaluation, in an HLC decision-making activity, or in an Academy assignment may not be assigned to another evaluative assignment regarding that same institution for a period of three years. In addition, HLC staff has the discretion to exclude or remove from any evaluative activity, decision-making body or Academy assignment any peer reviewer. Typical reasons include, but are not limited to, when a peer reviewer is employed by (or serves on the Board of Trustees of) an institution on an HLC sanction or designation or that has been the subject of a Show-Cause Order or withdrawal action.

Institutional Review of Peer Reviewers Identified for a Team. The names of persons proposed by HLC staff to compose a team to visit an institution will be submitted to the institution. The institution is then invited to comment upon the initial composition of the proposed team, and staff will take such comments into consideration in finalizing the team. If any changes in the team are necessary after the initial team is set, HLC reserves the sole right to replace peer reviewers and, unless the institution identifies a bona fide conflict of interest with the new reviewer, HLC considers the team finalized.

HLC reserves final responsibility and authority for composing teams that visit institutions as part of an HLC evaluation. In exercising that responsibility, HLC has determined that issues of equity and diversity will be addressed as well as issues of institutional fit and educational and administrative emphases.

Policy History

Last Revised: November 2022
First Adopted: February 1994
Revision History: October 2003, November 2012, June 2018, February 2020, June 2021, November 2022
Notes: Former policy number 6.7, 6.8. In February 2021, references to the Higher Learning Commission as “the Commission” were replaced with the term “HLC.”