Collaborating on Quality: Preparation for the Comprehensive Evaluation
June 5 – June 6
Dates:
Thursday, June 5, 2025 | 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. CT
Friday, June 6, 2025 | 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. CT
Location: Zoom
Registration Fee: $1,250 per team (4-8 members)
Register By: May 23, 2025 | 11:59 p.m. CT
This team-based virtual workshop will support your institution’s preparations for your upcoming comprehensive evaluation. Hear from experienced Accreditation Liaison Officers and learn how to leverage an effective steering committee, prepare for the Assurance Argument, and equip the wider campus to engage in the visit.
Gather a cross-functional team from your institution to create a plan for making the best use of the 15 to 24 months of preparation time ahead of your scheduled comprehensive evaluation.
Who Should Attend?
This workshop is open to Accreditation Liaison Officers, Primary Filing Coordinators, and other institutional representatives responsible for preparations for institutions with an Open Pathway Year 10, Standard Pathway Year 4 or Standard Pathway Year 10 comprehensive evaluation scheduled September 2026 to June 2027.
Each participating institution is expected to send a team of four to eight members.
Program Fees
$1,250 per team
(4-8 members)
Each team consisting of 4 to 8 members will be charged $1,250.00. A minimum of four members is required for each team. A maximum of eight members is allowed.
Payment must be made in full prior to receiving access to SparQ and Zoom links.
Payment Options
Credit Card
Payment via credit card is preferred. HLC accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
Checks/ACH
Please email [email protected] with your check tracking information if you select this method.
Additions & Replacements
Additions
Each team is required to assign a Team Lead, who will serve as the primary contact and can add or modify team members in HLC’s online collaboration platform, SparQ. Once registration is complete, the Team Lead will receive a confirmation email containing SparQ login information.
Replacements
If a team member can no longer participate in the workshop, the Team Lead should delete them from SparQ and replace them with a substitute team member. Team changes can be made until May 23, 2025. Teams must maintain a minimum of four team members.
Cancellations & Refunds
You can cancel your registration online using the confirmation number you received in your registration confirmation email. If you’re unable to cancel your registration online, please email [email protected].
Refunds resulting from cancellations will be based on the following dates:
- Cancellations requested on or before May 20, 2025, will be eligible for a full refund, less a $25 processing fee per person.
- Cancellations requested between May 21 and June 4, 2025, will be eligible for a 50% refund, less a $25 processing fee per person.
- No-shows or cancellations requested on or after June 5, 2025, are not eligible for a refund.
Agenda Overview / Key Topics
Thursday, June 5
10 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
The What and Why of Comprehensive Evaluations
Why does HLC conduct comprehensive evaluations? The comprehensive evaluation process helps your institution demonstrate and document quality improvement. Learn about key expectations that inform the comprehensive evaluation process, the revised Criteria for Accreditation and other HLC requirements.
What do we need? Event leaders will discuss important distinctions to make during the writing process, such as differentiating between evidence and examples. Facilitators will work with your team to ensure your readiness to begin gathering evidence to write a compelling Assurance Argument.
Friday, June 6
10 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Customizing the How
On day two, engage with your team to focus on how to use materials from previous reviews and peer reviewer feedback to inform planning, build effective steering committees and harness your mission for writing your argument strategically. Get technical writing tips and feedback from event leaders to create a plan for the next two years ahead of your comprehensive evaluation.
Meet the Workshop Facilitators
Janna Oakes
Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, Rocky Vista University
Dr. Janna L. Oakes is Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness at Rocky Vista University and CEO and Principal at The Oakes Review, a consultancy focused on compliance, quality assurance, strategic planning, and executive coaching in higher education. She orchestrates institutional accreditation processes required by HLC and provides support for specialized program accreditation efforts (COCA, ARC-PA, etc). She oversees several functions and departments including state authorizations for clinical rotations and distance education, academic program review, Office of Assessment, Office of Testing, Office of Compliance, Institutional Research and Reporting, and Instructional Design & Technology.
Dr. Oakes is a 17-year HLC peer reviewer and federal compliance evaluator with 30 years of higher education experience. Her community college experience includes dean at Arapahoe Community College where she also served as CTE Director; in elected positions such as Webmaster, Secretary, and President for the Colorado Association of Career and Technical Administrators; and in Admissions at Central Carolina Community College, a rural community college in North Carolina with an agri-business focus.
Jennifer Miller
Interim Dean of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning, Bunker Hill Community College
Dr. Jennifer Miller is an academic administrator currently serving as the Interim Dean of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, Massachusetts. She previously served as the Dean of Continuing, Graduate, and Online Education at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. She has been a peer reviewer with HLC for over 10 years and has worked in accreditation, both for institutional and programmatic accreditation, for over 30 years. Dr. Miller has led steering committees and been part of accreditation teams on four different campuses. She has also served as an Accreditation Liaison Officer. Dr. Miller lives in Des Moines, Iowa and is a proud member of the Central Iowa Blues Society.
Technology Requirements
Platform
Before the event, you will receive an email from [email protected] with login information that will give you access to all course materials and activities in SparQ, HLC’s collaborative learning hub. If you do not receive this email, check your spam/promotions folders first, then contact [email protected].
Resources
Sharing of materials will be managed using SparQ, and the live component will be delivered on Zoom. Attendees, or their respective institutions, are responsible for installing and configuring any software or hardware necessary to participate. Follow these steps while checking device compatibility:
- Check the Zoom System Requirements to confirm each team member’s device can support the platform.
- Run an Internet Speed Test on the device(s) that will be connecting to the online meeting. Compare results to the Zoom system requirements to ensure the internet speed matches the recommended bandwidth for meeting attendees.
- Visit the Zoom Download Center to find out whether the latest version is installed or check for updates on your Zoom application.
- For the best attendee experience, it is recommended that built-in computer cameras or webcams are turned on and audio is connected directly through the device or with headphones.
Additional Zoom guidelines and event-specific instructions will be sent out to registered attendees closer to the event date.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register my team for the event?
The Team Lead completes the online registration form on this website and serves as the primary contact. Within five business days of completing registration, the Team Lead will receive an email from [email protected] with login credentials and instructions for adding team members.
How do I modify my team members?
Your Team Lead can add, delete, and/or replace team members in SparQ. Within five business days of your registration, you will receive an email from [email protected] with your login credentials and instructions for adding team members. Team modifications can be made until May 23, 2025.
For additional assistance, please contact our support team at [email protected].
Is there any pre-work?
To prepare for the workshop, each team is asked to review the following items:
- The institution’s last Assurance Argument
- The peer review team’s report from your last comprehensive evaluation
- Feedback from recent monitoring reports, if applicable
- Peer review team reports on any visits since your last comprehensive evaluation
I have a scheduling conflict over the event date. Can I send a different representative in my place over the conflicting date?
The Team Lead can add, delete, and/or replace team members in SparQ and can forward materials and communications to the replacement team member. Team modifications can be made until May 23, 2025.
How many people can participate from my institution?
Teams must have a minimum of four team members and a maximum of eight team members.
Since this is a virtual event, do all participating team members need to be in one location for the duration of the event?
The workshop will include presentations, team conversations, and activities. We encourage the entire team to participate from one location to better facilitate teamwork, but we can accommodate teams joining from various locations.
When will we receive the Zoom login information?
The Zoom link will be provided at least 24 hours prior to each session.
