Higher Learning Commission:
Reaccreditation under Pathways
Regional Accreditation
• North Central-Higher Learning Commission
• 10 years
• Self-study
– 2 years to produce
– Hundreds of pages
– Resource Room
• New methodology – Open Pathway
Open Pathway
• Two components
– Quality Initiative
Quality Initiative
• Original proposal identified two areas
• Consultants visited Mar. 2010
• Expand the student populations for BGSU
enrollment and implement programs to
recruit them and retain them to successful
degree completion.
– The Learning Commons
– Summer course offerings
Open Pathway
• Two components
– Quality Initiative
– Assurance Document
Assurance Document
• Replaces the self study
• Moved to an online process
• Requires answering a series of prompts to
address five major criteria
• New criteria
Criteria
• Mission
• Integrity: Ethical & Responsible Conduct
• Teaching & Learning: Quality, Resources, and
Support
• Teaching & Learning: Evaluation and
Improvement
• Resources, Planning, and Institutional
Effectiveness
Assurance Document
• 35,000 words total
• Only 15 user accounts (3 system)
• All documents uploaded
Open Pathway
• Two components
– Quality Initiative
– Assurance Document
• Compliance with Federal regulations
Federal Compliance
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Credits, program length and tuition*
Student complaint process
Transfer policies
Verify student identities (distance)*
Title IV information*
Institutional Disclosures on Advertising/Recruitment
Materials*
• Relationships with other Accrediting Agencies*
• Public Notice of Evaluation Visit
Title IV Information
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General programs findings
Financial Responsibilities requirements
Student loan default rates
Campus Crime information
Student Right to Know
Satisfactory Progress/Attendance Policies
Contractual relationships
Consortial relationships
Open Pathway
• Two components
– Quality Initiative
– Assurance Document
• Compliance with Federal regulations
• Site Visit
Site Visit
• Before
~15 people
Multiple days
Preliminary findings
• Now
~6 people
1.5 days
No preliminary findings
BGSU Team
• Mission – Joe Frizado
• Integrity – Pat Pauken
• Teaching & Learning: Quality, Resources, and
Support – Simon Morgan-Russell
• Teaching & Learning: Evaluation and
Improvement - Sue Houston
• Resources, Planning, and Institutional
Effectiveness – Mel Hudson-Nowak
General Timeline
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Writing Teams staffed before May 1
Writing Teams complete first draft by Sept. 15
Technical editing begins
BGSU General Review begins Oct. 15
Second round of editing/updates
Final version is submitted by Mar. 15, 2013
Summary
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Quality Initiative – Aug. 31, 2012
Assurance File – Mar. 15, 2013
Compliance Document – Mar. 15, 2013
HLC Campus Visit – April 15, 2013