Park University Braces for Reaffirmation of Accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission
Park University is preparing for a comprehensive evaluation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in April, as part of the accreditation reaffirmation process. The evaluation will assess the University's compliance with the HLC's five Criteria for Accreditation, which encompass mission, integrity, teaching and learning, resources and planning, and institutional effectiveness.
The evaluation will involve a thorough review of various aspects of the University, including teaching and learning quality, academic policies and faculty qualifications, student support services and outcomes, institutional mission and integrity, resources, planning, and institutional effectiveness, as well as federal compliance requirements.
To demonstrate alignment with the HLC's Criteria for Accreditation, Park University will submit an Assurance Argument, which provides evidence supporting its compliance with each Criterion and Core Component. This evidence may include policies, assessment results, strategic plans, financial statements, faculty credentials, student data, and more.
During the evaluation process, a team of HLC peer reviewers will conduct a comprehensive visit, either virtually or on-site. The visit will include forums and interviews with various campus constituencies, such as faculty, staff, students, trustees, and community partners, to validate the assurance argument and inspect the evidence presented.
Following the visit, the peer review team will issue a report with findings and a recommended action, which could range from reaffirmation to withdrawal. The final accreditation decision will be made by HLC's Institutional Actions Council.
The HLC's visit to Park University's flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus is scheduled for April 8-9. Additionally, the HLC will visit the Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus and Camp Pendleton (Calif.) Marine Corps Base Campus in the coming weeks.
The HLC's Guiding Values, Assumed Practices, and Criteria for Accreditation serve as Park University's institutional guidelines. The University has been continuously accredited through the HLC since 1913, allowing it to disperse federal Title IV funding to students.
For more information about Park University's preparation for the HLC evaluation, visitors can refer to the Office of Academic Affairs' page on MyPark. All students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate in opportunities for interaction with the HLC peer review team.
Sources:
- Higher Learning Commission. (n.d.). Comprehensive Evaluation. Retrieved from https://www.hlcommission.org/Higher-Learning-Commission/Accreditation/Comprehensive-Evaluation
- Higher Learning Commission. (n.d.). Criteria for Accreditation. Retrieved from https://www.hlcommission.org/Higher-Learning-Commission/Accreditation/Criteria-for-Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission. (n.d.). Federal Compliance Requirements. Retrieved from https://www.hlcommission.org/Higher-Learning-Commission/Accreditation/Federal-Compliance
- Higher Learning Commission. (n.d.). Assurance Argument. Retrieved from https://www.hlcommission.org/Higher-Learning-Commission/Accreditation/Assurance-Argument
- Higher Learning Commission. (n.d.). Comprehensive Evaluation Timeline. Retrieved from https://www.hlcommission.org/Higher-Learning-Commission/Accreditation/Comprehensive-Evaluation-Timeline
Park University is focusing on the teaching and learning quality to align with the Higher Learning Commission's (HLC's) Criteria for Accreditation, as part of their preparation for the thorough evaluation in April. They plan to submit an Assurance Argument, which includes evidence such as faculty credentials, student data, and assessment results, to demonstrate their compliance with the HLC's standards for education-and-self-development and learning.
