Statement of Accreditation Status
as of March 25, 2023
Illinois College of Optometry
3241 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 949-7700
www.ico.edu
The information on this page describes the accreditation relationship between this institution and the Higher Learning Commission. General information about the Commission and the accreditation process is provided at the end of this document. In addition, links to definitions are provided for many of the terms used.
Accreditation Information
Current status: Accredited
• Action Letter - Continued Accreditation
| Candidacy date(s): |
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| Accreditation granted: |
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Most recent reaffirmation of accreditation: 2018 - 2019
Next reaffirmation of accreditation: 2028 - 2029
Upcoming or In-Progress Reviews
| Date | Event | Description |
| 2028 - 2029: | Comprehensive Evaluation | |
Most Recent History With HLC
| Date | Event | Description |
| 02/27/2023: | Comprehensive Evaluation | Continue Accreditation |
| 06/04/2019: | Comprehensive Evaluation | Reaffirm Accreditation with Monitoring - The recommendation for monitoring on course syllabi is related to concerns about missing statements such as those concerning Title IX and ADA on the syllabi. Including such statements might be considered best practice but it is not a federal or HLC requirement. The institution addresses its responsibility to inform students of Title IX and ADA policies in other, sufficient ways. The team evaluated Core Components 3.A, 3.B, 4.A and 4.B as all met with concerns and required monitoring on the basis of the Bachelor of Science in Visual Studies (BSVS) program The BSVS degree is awarded to students who complete the first two years of the DO program successfully but who are admitted without a bachelor's degree. There are only a few such students each year. The team expected to find differentiated learning outcomes (3.A), a program of general education (3.B), a program review process (4.A), and an assessment program (4.B) for the BSVS program. The institution, in its response, agreed that monitoring with respect to Core Component 4.B is appropriate. Such a report will ensure that learning outcomes are fully developed, and data are collected and analyzed for program improvement. However, the institution argued that a specification of a program for general education is inappropriate for such a degree completion program in which all the general education courses are taken elsewhere. The institution also argued that a separate program review process for this program is inappropriate as the program review for the DO program encompasses all the aspects that would be part of a BSVS program review. The HLC staff liaison for the institution wrote a memo supporting the institution's analysis and noted that the monitoring report required for Core Component 4.B as required by IAC is sufficient to ensure that the concerns of the team with respect to this program are addressed. IAC agreed with the institution and the HLC staff liaison that monitoring on Core Component 4.B was appropriate and that this monitoring would suffice to address the integrity of the awarding of this degree. IAC agreed that the concerns with respect to 3.A, 3.B, and 4.A, given the nature of this program as a small, degree completion program, did not rise to the level of a judgement of met with concerns nor is separate monitoring on these core components necessary or appropriate. |
| 08/28/2009: | Comprehensive Evaluations - Approved for Continued Accreditation | |
General Institutional Information
This section provides brief, general information about the institution’s organization and scope as self-reported by the institution through its annual Institutional Update to HLC.
The U.S. Department of Education publishes a College Scorecard (available at https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/), which allows students to search and compare colleges: their fields of study, costs, admissions, results, and more. Additional information can also be found at nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/.
Please note: All institutions are required to represent themselves accurately and consistently to multiple agencies. However, some information about institutions may appear differently among agencies depending on the timing of the institution's updates to those agencies or those agencies' definitions or standards. Such agencies should be consulted directly for further information. For example, an institution's "Control" (or "Type") may be categorized differently by the U.S. Department of Education for other purposes under its standards.
Control: Private NFP
Degree programs (number in each category): Bachelors (1), Doctoral (1)
Certificate programs (number offered): 0
Off-Campus Activities (This listing was last updated: 02/25/2022.) The institution’s accreditation includes courses and programs at these approved sites. (This includes sites that are active and inactive (meaning approved but currently without students):
| In-State: | Campuses: | None. |
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| Additional Locations: | None. | |||
| Out-of-State: | Campuses: | None. | ||
| Additional Locations: | None. | |||
| Out-of-U.S.: | Campuses: | None. | ||
| Additional Locations: | None. | |||
| Location | Campuses | Additional Locations |
| In-State: | None. | None. |
| Out-of-State: | None. | None. |
| Out-of-U.S.: | None. | None. |
About HLC and Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditation agency that accredits degree-granting colleges and universities that are based in the United States.
Institutional accreditation validates the quality of an institution as a whole and evaluates multiple aspects of an institution, including its academic offerings, governance and administration, mission, finances, and resources. HLC’s accreditation includes all degree levels as well as onsite and online course delivery. Institutions of higher education in the United States may also seek accreditation through specialized or programmatic accreditation agencies, which accredit programs, departments or schools within a college or university.
Institutions that HLC accredits are evaluated against its Criteria for Accreditation, a set of standards that institutions must meet to receive and/or maintain accredited status. HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation reflect a set of Guiding Values.
The accreditation process is based on a system of peer review. Approximately 2,000 educators from institutions of higher education serve as HLC peer reviewers conducting accreditation evaluations for other institutions. They make recommendations to HLC’s decision-making bodies, which take final action on institutional evaluations and are made up of both peer reviewers and public members.
Evaluation Process
HLC accreditation assures quality by verifying that an institution (1) meets threshold requirements and (2) is engaged in continuous improvement. In addition, all institutions are required to data annually in the Institutional Update, undergo annual monitoring of financial and non-financial indicators, and adhere to HLC policies and practices, including Assumed Practices and Obligations of Membership.
Decision Making
HLC’s decision-making bodies evaluate and make decisions, called actions, on recommendations from peer review teams that review institutions for their compliance with HLC's Criteria for Accreditation and other requirements. The decision-making bodies are comprised of institutional representatives and public members. See Decision-Making Bodies and Processes for more information.
Public Information
HLC is committed to providing information to the public regarding accreditation decisions made regarding individual institutions.
Actions that are taken by HLC regarding an institution’s accreditation status are disclosed to the public. In cases of reaffirming continued accreditation, placing an institution on or reviewing a sanction, or withdrawing accreditation, the Action Letter issued to the institution is made available for viewing on the institution’s Statement of Accreditation Status, found by searching the institution’s name through HLC’s online directory. Public Disclosure Notices are also issued and posted in the directory in cases of sanction, assigning or removing an institutional designation, resignation of accreditation or candidacy, institutional closing or withdrawal of accreditation by HLC. The PDN provides the public with the most applicable information from the posted Action Letter. HLC decision-making outcomes also are summarized on the HLC Institutional Actions page.
Complaints Against Institutions
HLC has a formal complaint process, consisting of an online complaint form on the HLC website, for faculty, students and other parties to submit information regarding a member institution’s potential non-compliance with HLC requirements. HLC does not accept complaints through mail, email or over the phone. As stated in HLC policy, the complaints process is designed to enable HLC to review, in a timely and fair manner, information that suggests potential substantive non-compliance with an institution’s ability to meet HLC requirements.
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