The Open Pathway for Reaffirmation of Accreditation
The University of Illinois Springfield participates in the HLC Open Pathway. It follows a 10-year cycle, focused on a quality assurance review and institutional improvement. The Open Pathway is unique in that its improvement component, the Quality Initiative, affords institutions the opportunity to pursue improvement projects that meet their current needs and aspirations. In the final year of the cycte, UIS will undergo a comprehensive evaluation to ensure that it is meeting the Criteria for Accreditation, pursuing institutional improvement, and complying with certain requirements set by the U.S. Department of Education.
UIS 10-Year Cycle
| Timeline | Stage | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Years 1-3 (2018-2021) | Prepare Assurance Filing | UIS began updating the Assurance Argument and compiled evidence to support its argument for the Year 4 Assurance Review. In addition, HLC accepted an Interim Report with continued monitoring on April 18, 2019. |
| Year 4 (2021-2022) | Assurance Review | UIS' Assurance Review was submitted in Year 4. HLC completed the review with monitoring on October 3, 2022. In addition, HLC accepted two Interim Reports on July 24, 2024: (1) general education and assessment of student learning and (2) planning and budgeting. |
| Years 5-7 (2022-2025) | Quality Initiative Proposal | The Quality Intiative Proposal is due to HLC by June 1, 2025. Progress updates can be found on the UIS Quality Initiative website. |
| Years 7-9 (2025-2027) | Quality Initiative Report | The Quality Initiative Report is due to HLC by June 1, 2027. UIS will also begin preparing its Assurance Filing for the Year 10 comprehensive evaluation. |
| Year 10 (2027-2028) | Comprehensive Evaluation for Reaffirmation of Accreditation | During the 2027-2028 Academic Year, UIS will submit its comprehensive evaluation materials and its Federal Compliance Review. HLC will conduct a comprehensive evaluation with peer review and site visit. |
Contact
If you have any questions or comments regarding the University of Illinois Springfield’s accreditation process, please contact Dr. Michele Gribbins, Associate Provost for Institutional Research and Effectiveness at 217-206-8251 or mgribbin@uis.edu. Dr. Gribbins is the UIS Accreditation Liasion Officer for HLC.
The Higher Learning Commission can be reached at:
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago IL 60604
(800) 621-7440
info@hlcommission.org