Decision-Making Bodies

Actions on HLC-affiliated institutions are taken by decision-making bodies comprised of institutional representatives and public members. Unless otherwise specified, the decision-making bodies are broadly representative of the colleges and universities accredited by HLC, with attention to institutional type, control, size and geographical distribution. All decision-making bodies abide by HLC’s conflict of interest policies.

Upcoming Meetings

Recent Institutional Actions

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the governing body of HLC. It is made up of at least 15 and no more than 21 trustees. Member institutions elect trustees in the spring to four-year terms that begin on September 1. One of every seven trustees is a representative of the public, and the others are broadly representative of HLC member institutions.

Cases that require final action by the Board include the following:

• Granting or denying an institution candidacy or initial accreditation.
• Issuing or withdrawing status from an accredited institution.
• Issuing or withdrawing a sanction.
• Issuing or removing a Show-Cause Order.
• Approving or denying a Change of Control, Structure or Organization

Institutional Actions Council

The Institutional Actions Council (IAC) is composed of approximately 140 members representing HLC member institutions and the public. The Board of Trustees appoints and authorizes IAC members to serve four-year terms. Those members who represent institutions are also current members of the Peer Corps. Biographical information about IAC members is available upon request.

The IAC has the authority to act on substantive change cases, recommendations following interim monitoring, mid-cycle pathway reviews, biennial evaluations and cases of reaffirmation of accreditation, including pathway placement. Some cases heard by the IAC require action by the Board of Trustees. In these instances, the IAC submits a recommendation to the Board for consideration. The Board may either adopt the recommendation of the IAC as its action or may take another action provided by HLC policy.

Appeals Body

The Appeals Body is selected by the Board of Trustees to be available to serve on Appeal Panels. Although many actions by the Board are considered final actions, an institution may appeal an adverse action of the Board prior to the action becoming final. In these instances, an Appeals Panel hears the case and has the authority to affirm, amend or remand the action of the Board.

Decision-Making Process

The decision-making process begins once an evaluation concludes. A peer review report that includes a recommendation is submitted to an HLC decision-making body. Unless a case is required by policy to go directly to the Board of Trustees for consideration and action, most cases are sent to the IAC for final action or for a secondary review prior to action being taken by the Board of Trustees. 

Each year the IAC reviews more than 1,000 cases in two settings. The first is called a meeting, which is held via webinar with a committee of IAC members. Representatives from the institutions are not present at these meetings. The decisions of IAC meeting committees are final unless the Board of Trustees is required by policy to take final action.

The second type of setting is a hearing. HLC policy requires that certain cases go to an IAC hearing rather than a meeting. Representatives from both the institution and peer review team, along with a committee of IAC members, are physically present at these hearings. The IAC hearing committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees for final action.

A committee of IAC members is selected for each meeting and hearing; they are responsible for reading the entire record related to each case. Approximately every six weeks, IAC committees review cases in a meeting format. Hearings timed to occur in advance of Board meetings. 

An action taken by the IAC is considered a final action unless the case requires review by the Board of Trustees. If the case requires action by the Board, the IAC includes a recommendation with the report sent on to the Board of Trustees for final action.

The Board meets in person three times a year to take action on institutional cases, to approve and adopt changes to HLC policy, and to conduct other regular business. The Board may also take institutional actions at other times during the year, via teleconference or mail ballots, as necessary. 

Approximately two weeks after a final action by the IAC or Board of Trustees, an Action Letter is sent to the institution. The Action Letter relays the final action to the institution.

An institution may appeal an adverse action of the Board of Trustees prior to the action becoming final by filing a written request to appeal following HLC’s appeals procedures. Adverse actions are those that withdraw or deny accreditation or candidacy. An Appeal Panel will hear the case and decide to affirm, amend or remand the adverse action to the Board. If the panel affirms or amends the action, the Board will review and act to implement the panel’s decision. If the panel remands the action to the Board for additional consideration, the Board will, after taking into account the panel’s explanation of its reasons for remanding the action, act to affirm, amend, or reverse its original adverse action.

Institutional Response

Institutions are offered an opportunity to respond after each evaluation and at each stage of the decision-making process. Each decision-making body considers the institutional response as part of the full record of the case, along with the recommendation of the peer review team.