IAC Public Member Application

HLC is seeking members of the public—individuals who are not affiliated with a member college or university or a higher education agency—to serve on our Institutional Actions Council (IAC). The role of public members is to bring the perspective of the general public to HLC’s decision-making processes. It is important that public members have limited to no experience in higher education at any point in their career. 

The IAC reviews and takes action on recommendations from peer reviewers who evaluate institutions for compliance with our accreditation requirements. Public members provide an essential perspective and voice in this oversight role.

Public members serve 4-year terms and are assigned to 2–3 virtual meetings and one in-person hearing per year. Additional qualifications and responsibilities are detailed below.

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Qualifications

To serve as a public member, an individual must:

  • Not serve in any of the following roles—or have a spouse, parent, child or sibling who serves in any of these roles—at an HLC member institution or an institution seeking membership with HLC:
    • Employee
    • Member of the governing board
    • Owner
    • Shareholder
    • Consultant
  • Not be an employee of a higher education agency.
  • Reside in the United States (HLC’s jurisdiction).
  • Have access to a computer and internet connection in order to participate in virtual IAC meetings and access materials for meetings and hearings.

Ideal candidates are those who are:

  • Interested in and committed to quality education.
  • Interested in the viability of U.S. colleges and universities and can bring an external perspective to quality assurance and business-related issues.
  • Able and willing to make the time commitment required.
  • Big-picture thinkers.
  • Excellent communicators (able to express ideas well, ask thoughtful questions and listen).
  • Able to synthesize information quickly and accurately.
  • Excellent collaborator.
  • Mid- to senior-level professionals (e.g., K–12 educators and administrators; corporate or non-profit managers, directors, executive officers, etc.).
  • Have limited to no experience in higher education at any point in their career.  

Responsibilities

IAC members serve on committees to review cases and take action at virtual IAC meetings and in-person IAC hearings. Public members are expected to:

  • Participate in 2–3 virtual IAC meetings and one in-person IAC hearing each year.
  • Read their assigned institutional cases for each meeting or hearing. Typically, the reading load is 400–450 pages per meeting or hearing, and committee members receive case materials four weeks in advance.
  • Participate in the annual meeting of the full IAC.

Members receive honoraria for their service.

For more information about the role of the IAC, see HLC’s Decision-Making Bodies and Processes.

IAC Public Member Application