Public Information

Required Information for Students and the Public

An institution demonstrates that it makes available to students and the public fair, accurate and complete information in catalogs, student handbooks, and other publications that include, at a minimum, information about the institution’s calendar, grading, admissions, academic program requirements, tuition and fees, and refund policies.

Information About Student Achievement

An institution’s website for students and the public shall include a webpage containing (or linking to) accurate information regarding student achievement. The institution must disclose data that address the broad variety of its student populations and programs, including at the undergraduate and graduate levels as applicable. This information must include, at a minimum, retention, completion, required state licensure exam pass data, and data about the institution’s students after transfer or graduation (such as continuing education, job placement and earnings). The institution must also accurately disclose which student populations are excluded from the data.

The data may also include information appropriate for the mission of the institution and its goals for all students.

If an institution uses student job placement data in any marketing or recruitment content, it must also publicly disclose these data on its website along with information necessary to substantiate the truthfulness of its marketing and recruitment materials. All student achievement information must be presented in plain language with any technical terms defined and the institution’s methodology for compiling the data included.

Advertising and Recruiting Materials and Other Public Information

An institution’s public information including its advertising and recruiting materials shall evidence the same fairness and accuracy HLC expects in an institution’s catalog and other documents for students.

Disclosure of Accreditation Status

If the institution chooses to reference its accreditation status in advertising and recruiting materials or other document or location, such as its website, that disclosure will accurately explain its status with HLC and the academic programs, locations and other institutional activities included in its accreditation. This obligation includes accurately disclosing when an action affecting its accreditation status has been taken by any other institutional or programmatic accrediting body. Institutions under HLC sanction or a Show-Cause Order shall comply with additional disclosure requirements pertaining to the applicable sanction or Show-Cause Order as described elsewhere in these policies and as required by HLC’s Board of Trustees.

The institution will accompany any reference to accreditation status with information on how to contact HLC. It shall provide HLC’s address and telephone number, or it may use HLC’s website address in lieu of this information. Electronic materials shall use HLC’s Mark of Accreditation Status. HLC reserves the right to issue a public statement or Public Disclosure Notice (PDN) correcting any incorrect or misleading information HLC determines that an institution has publicized about its accreditation status, recent actions by HLC or other information.

Public Opportunity to Comment

HLC will provide comment from third parties about an institution to such institution and the peer review team evaluating it at the time of a comprehensive evaluation based on its procedures.

Policy History

Last Revised: June 2022
First Adopted: August 1990, February 1996, and June 2012
Revision History: Adopted August 1990, revised August 1996 (effective September 1996), February 2010 (renumbered), June 2012 (revised and renumbered), October 2014, June 2019 (effective September 1, 2019), November 2020, June 2022
Notes: Policies combined November 2012 – 4.0(f), 4.0(g), 4.0(j). In February 2021, references to the Higher Learning Commission as “the Commission” were replaced with the term “HLC.”