Park University Set to Secure Renewal of Higher Education Commission's Accreditation
Park University, continuously accredited through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1913, is set to undergo a comprehensive evaluation in April. The evaluation, scheduled for the 8th and 9th of April, will take place at the Parkville (Mo.) Campus, with additional visits to the Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus and Camp Pendleton (Calif.) Marine Corps Base Campus in the coming weeks.
The HLC's evaluation is a thorough process, assessing institutions against five core criteria. These criteria include Mission, Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct, Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support, Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement, and Institutional Effectiveness, Resources, and Planning. Each criterion contains specific standards, such as ensuring the quality of educational offerings and continuous improvement processes.
For institutions with branch campuses, a multi-campus visit may be part of the evaluation to verify the quality and support of extended operations. This is also the case for Park University, as the HLC will be visiting the Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus and Camp Pendleton (Calif.) Marine Corps Base Campus in addition to the Parkville Campus.
The HLC's evaluation involves a peer review team that conducts an on-site visit and examines relevant reports and evidence submitted by the institution. The overall goal is to confirm that the institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its programs, resources, learning environments, and continuous evaluation efforts to promote ongoing improvement.
The HLC's comprehensive evaluation also includes review of federal compliance. This is significant as accreditation through the HLC allows the University to disperse federal Title IV funding to students.
Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate in all opportunities for interaction with the peer review team during the HLC evaluation. Information about Park University's preparation for the evaluation can be found on the Office of Academic Affairs MyPark page. For inquiries about Park University's HLC preparation, please email academic_affairs@our website.
[1] Higher Learning Commission. (n.d.). Criteria for Accreditation. Retrieved from https://www.hlcommission.org/Higher-Learning-Commission/Criteria-for-Accreditation [2] Higher Learning Commission. (n.d.). Guiding Values, Assumed Practices, and Criteria for Accreditation. Retrieved from https://www.hlcommission.org/Higher-Learning-Commission/Guiding-Values-Assumed-Practices-and-Criteria-for-Accreditation [3] Higher Learning Commission. (n.d.). Multi-Campus Evaluations. Retrieved from https://www.hlcommission.org/Higher-Learning-Commission/Multi-Campus-Evaluations
- Given the upcoming HLC evaluation, Park University's education and self-development processes will be assessed against criteria such as quality of educational offerings, continuous improvement, and institutional effectiveness.
- As part of the HLC's comprehensive evaluation, faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to engage with the peer review team, ensuring active participation in education-and-self-development initiatives aimed at promoting ongoing improvement at Park University.
