Comprehensive Evaluation
HLC conducts comprehensive evaluations of member institutions to confirm that the institution continues to meet the Criteria for Accreditation, is pursuing institutional improvement and complies with requirements sets by the U.S. Department of Education. Evaluations are conducted by teams of peer reviewers.
Comprehensive Evaluations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In spring 2020, many comprehensive evaluations occurred virtually, with a follow-up verification visit that will occur in fall 2020.
All fall comprehensive evaluations will be conducted as scheduled. The majority of the team will be virtual, with one member traveling to campus during the scheduled visit date. If it is impossible to have a peer reviewer on campus, then a verification visit will be scheduled for Spring 2021.
Additional resources:
- FAQs Regarding Comprehensive Evaluations During the Pandemic
- Health and Safety: Peer Review Visits to Campus
Evaluating the Criteria for Accreditation
To help institutions and peer reviewers address the COVID-19 pandemic in their comprehensive evaluations and Assurance Reviews, HLC has published new guidance on evaluating the Criteria for Accreditation during the pandemic.
An institution should prepare for an evaluation as it would under normal circumstances. In order to inform peer review teams of how an institution has responded to and been affected by the pandemic, institutions will be asked to complete a COVID-19 Response Form.
Please visit HLC's information regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) for more information.
For accredited institutions, comprehensive evaluations occur at different points along each pathway for reaffirmation of accreditation:
- Standard Pathway: Year 4 and Year 10
- Open Pathway: Year 10 (an Assurance Review is conducted in Year 4)
The evaluation that occurs in the final year of each pathway cycle – Year 10 – includes an action regarding the institution’s reaffirmation of accreditation.
Institutions that have been placed on Probation also undergo comprehensive evaluations to determine if the areas of concern that led to the sanction have been ameliorated.
Policies
Criteria for Accreditation—INST.B.10.010
Evaluative Framework for the HLC Criteria—INST.A.10.020
Substantive Requirements for Reaffirmation of Accreditation—INST.C.10.010
Process Requirements for Each Pathway—INST.C.10.020
Process Requirements Leading to HLC Action for Reaffirmation—INST.C.10.030
Components of a Comprehensive Evaluation
For all institutions, a comprehensive evaluation includes the following components:
- Submission and review of an Assurance Filing demonstrating compliance with HLC's Criteria for Accreditation
- Federal Compliance Review (when applicable)
- Student Opinion Survey
- On-site peer review visit
- Multi-campus visit (for institutions with one or more branch campuses)
- Embedded Change Visit (if applicable)
- Embedded monitoring (if applicable)
Assurance Review
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.
Note: Institutions on the Standard Pathway create an expanded Assurance Argument, in which they also address their improvement efforts in relation to the Criteria for Accreditation. Institutions on the Open Pathway demonstrate their institutional improvement efforts through the Quality Initiative process.
Assurance System
Federal Compliance Review
A Federal Compliance Review is conducted as part of a comprehensive evaluation for Candidacy, Initial Accreditation or Reaffirmation of Accreditation. Institutions must submit a Federal Compliance Filing demonstrating that they are meeting their Title IV program responsibility, as well as complying with the expectations of specific regulations set by the U.S. Department of Education. Compliance with these federal requirements is necessary for the institutions to be eligible for federal financial aid. HLC is required to conduct this review as a federally recognized accrediting agency.
Student Opinion Survey
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
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.
Multi-campus Visit
A multi-campus visit is included as part of the comprehensive evaluation 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.
Embedded Change Visit
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 interim report, HLC may embed that monitoring in an upcoming comprehensive evaluation. In such cases, 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.
Decision Making
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. The institution may also submit a response to the team report. The final team report and institutional response are then sent to the Institutional Actions Council for review and action.