Comprehensive Evaluation

HLC conducts comprehensive evaluations of member institutions and institutions seeking membership to confirm that the institution meets the Criteria for Accreditation and other HLC requirements, is pursuing institutional improvement, and complies with requirements sets by the U.S. Department of Education. Evaluations are conducted by teams of peer reviewers.

When Comprehensive Evaluations Take Place

Comprehensive evaluations occur at multiple points in the accreditation relationship:

When an institution is seeking candidacy or initial accreditation from HLC.
During Years 4 and 10 of the Standard Pathway and Year 10 of the Open Pathway. (The Year 10 evaluations in both pathways include an action regarding the institution’s reaffirmation of accreditation. In some circumstances, the Year 4 comprehensive evaluation can also include a reaffirmation of accreditation.)
After an institution has been placed on Probation or issued a Show-Cause Order, to determine if the areas of concern that led to the sanction or procedural order have been ameliorated and that the institution is otherwise in compliance with HLC requirements.

Components of a Comprehensive Evaluation

All comprehensive evaluations involve an Assurance Review, Student Opinion Survey and on-site peer review visit. Other evaluation components may also be required as applicable.

Assurance Review

All comprehensive evaluations

As part of the Assurance Review, the institution submits an Assurance Argument, along with materials of evidence (called an Evidence File), to demonstrate that it is in compliance with HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation. The team of peer reviewers conducting the comprehensive evaluation reviews these materials in preparation for an on-site visit.

Institutions submit their Assurance Filings and peer reviewers conduct their evaluation using HLC’s Assurance System. See Using the Assurance System for training and support.

Student Opinion Survey

All comprehensive evaluations

HLC conducts an online survey of the institution’s student body two months prior to the on-site peer review visit. The survey is intended to give students an opportunity to participate in the evaluation process, and to help identify questions for the peer reviewers to ask while on site.

On-Site Peer Review Visit

All comprehensive evaluations

On-site visits occur after the peer review team has reviewed the institutional report and student survey results. The team works with the institution to create the agenda for the visit, which typically includes meetings with the institution’s leadership and board, as well as open forums with faculty, staff and students. Visits typically last 1 1/2 days. The team will remain in the area for an additional day of deliberations after the visit.

Federal Compliance Review

Comprehensive evaluations for Reaffirmation of Accreditation, Candidacy, Initial Accreditation, Probation or Show-Cause

Institutions must submit a Federal Compliance Filing demonstrating that they are complying with the expectations of specific regulations set by the U.S. Department of Education. HLC is required to conduct this review as a federally recognized accrediting agency.

Multi-campus Visit

Comprehensive evaluations for Reaffirmation of Accreditation, Candidacy and Initial Accreditation for institutions with one or more branch campuses

Peer reviewers will visit a sampling of the institution’s branch campuses and inform the team conducting the comprehensive evaluation as to the quality of the branch campuses. See Multi-Campus Visit for procedure details.

Compliance With the Assumed Practices

Comprehensive evaluations for Candidacy, Initial Accreditation and Show-Cause

Institutions submit the Evidence of Compliance With the Assumed Practices Form to demonstrate how they meet these HLC requirements.

Compliance with the Eligibility Requirements

Comprehensive evaluations for Candidacy and Initial Accreditation

Institutions submit the Compliance With Eligibility Requirements Form to demonstrate how they meet these HLC requirements.

Embedded Change Visit

If HLC embeds the review of a substantive change application into the comprehensive evaluation

If an institution is applying for a change that requires a visit, it may request to embed the review of the change application into its comprehensive evaluation. Such requests must be submitted at least six months before the visit date. HLC staff will determine whether to embed a Change Visit based on peer reviewer availability and the complexity of the evaluation, among other factors. HLC may not be able to accommodate all requests. If a change request does not require a visit, it is evaluated separately through HLC’s substantive change process.

Embedded Monitoring

If an institution has been assigned an embedded interim report

The issues subject to embedded monitoring are to be addressed by the institution in the sections on the applicable Core Components in its Assurance Argument. The peer review team will determine whether the institution has satisfactorily addressed the monitoring issue(s) and will document its findings in the conclusion section of the team report for the review.

Peer Review and Decision Making

Peer Review Team Report

The team drafts its report within four to six weeks following the visit. The institution may review the report and the team’s recommendations for errors of fact before the team submits its final report to HLC.

Institutional Response

HLC will share the final team report with the institution and invite the institution to submit a response to the team’s findings and recommendations. The institution will have 14 days from the date HLC provides the final team report to submit its response.