Writing About Quality: Crafting a Persuasive Assurance Argument
Dates:
Thursday, November 5, 2025 | 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. CT
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 | 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. CT
Location: Zoom
Registration Fee: $1,250 per team (3-8 members)
Register By: October 22, 2026 | 11:59 p.m. CT
This interactive workshop will equip a team from your institution with practical strategies for developing a compelling Assurance Argument. Through guided discussion and activities, you’ll learn how to tell your institution’s story in a way that highlights its distinctive mission and context. This workshop will offer techniques for crafting a persuasive argument by integrating evidence, demonstrating its existence, use, and effectiveness, and addressing prior evaluations. You’ll leave with a clear, actionable approach to building an Assurance Argument that is mission-driven, evidence-rich and ready for evaluation.
By the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to:
- Analyze how your institution’s mission and context can shape a distinctive, cohesive narrative.
- Apply persuasive writing strategies to demonstrate how your institution meets the Core Components.
- Integrate evidence into the Assurance Argument to show its existence, use, and effectiveness.
- Incorporate feedback from prior evaluations into your narrative.
- Develop an actionable plan for continuing to develop your argument beyond the workshop.
Who Should Attend?
This workshop is open to Accreditation Liaison Officers, Primary Filing Coordinators, and other representatives responsible for preparing the Assurance Argument for institutions with an Assurance Review scheduled from September 2027 – May 2028 as part of a Year 4 or Year 10 evaluation.
Each participating institution is expected to send a team of three to eight members.
Program Fees
$1,250 per team
(3-8 members)
Each team consisting of 3 to 8 members will be charged $1,250.00 A minimum of three 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
Card payment is preferred. HLC accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
If your institution requires payment via check/ACH, you can choose this option during registration. We must receive payment before distributing event materials.
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 primary contact will receive a confirmation email containing SparQ login information.
Replacements
If a team member can no longer participate in the workshop, the primary contact should delete them from SparQ and replace them with a substitute team member. Team changes can be made until October 29, 2026. Teams must maintain a minimum of three team members.
Cancellations & Refunds
All cancellation requests must be sent to [email protected].
Refunds resulting from cancellations will be based on the following dates:
- Cancellations requested on or before October 21, 2026, will be eligible for a full refund, less a $25 processing fee per person.
- Cancellations requested between October 22 and November 4, 2026, will be eligible for a 50% refund, less a $25 processing fee per person.
- No-shows or cancellations requested on or after November 5, 2026, are not eligible for a refund.
Agenda Overview / Key Topics
Elements of the Assurance Review
Kick off the workshop with an overview of Assurance Review expectations and the Criteria for Accreditation.
Telling your Institutional Story: Mission and Context
With the removal of subcomponents in the revised Criteria, you can reimagine how you tell your institutional story in the Assurance Argument. Hear from workshop leaders about mission-driven inquiry and how to consider your institution’s current context.
Addressing Feedback and Breadcrumbs
In your argument, your institution should build on past efforts and address recommendations and suggestions from previous peer reviewers. Hear strategies for embedding a response and progress update in your argument.
Tips for Crafting a Persuasive Argument
Get tips on articulating how your institution meets the Core Components. Learn how to embed evidence into the narrative by demonstrating its existence, use, and effectiveness.
Writing Exercises
During team time, practice persuasive writing using your draft or previous argument and get feedback from facilitators and other workshop participants.
Meet the Workshop Facilitators
Shawna Herwick
Associate Vice President of Accreditation and Strategic Initiatives, Southeast Community College
Shawna leads complex initiatives, strategic and operational planning, assessment, and accreditation processes across a comprehensive community college. She is the institution’s Accreditation Liaison Officer and a member of the HLC Peer Corps. As a first-generation college graduate, Shawna has a deep commitment to higher education and has dedicated 18 years of experience, serving in a variety of administrative, faculty, and student affairs roles. She is passionate about collaborating with colleagues to pursue institutional excellence and access to higher education through creating shared visions and breaking down silos.
Rebecca House Stankowski
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Purdue University Northwest
Becky has spent her entire career in higher education, with 20 years as an academic librarian, 10 years as an associate dean, and the last 12 years in the Provost’s office where she focuses on institutional effectiveness and compliance. She has been a member of HLC’s Peer Corps since 2009, the Purdue Northwest Accreditation Liaison Officer since 2015, and is the liaison to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. Away from work she is an avid baker and last year brought that to campus as well, teaching Introduction to Baking for the Purdue Northwest HTM program.
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. Team modifications can be made until October 29, 2026.
For additional assistance, please contact our support team at [email protected].
Is there any pre-work?
Any applicable pre-work will be shared in SparQ at least two weeks prior to the workshop.
I have a scheduling conflict over the event date. Can I send a different representative in my place over the conflicting date?
The designated Team Lead can add, delete, and/or replace team members in SparQ and can forward materials and communications to the replacement team member.
How many people can participate from my institution?
Teams must have a minimum of 3 team members and a maximum of 8 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. However, 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 the event.
November 5 – November 10
