Reaffirmation of Accreditation Visit
What is the April 2021 Visit?
WMU's comprehensive review to reaffirm accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission occurred during the 2020-21 academic year. A campus visit by trained HLC peer reviewers occurred April 12-13, 2021.
Why?
Western Michigan University is an Open Pathway institution. In this pathway, institutions undergo a comprehensive evaluation every 10 years, which includes a campus visit.
April 12-13
What to expect
Before the visit:
Western Michigan University completed and submitted a Federal Compliance Form and an Assurance Argument which shows how the University meets the Criteria for Accreditation and Federal Compliance Requirements. A Student Opinion Survey was sent to students months before the visit; the survey is anonymous and reviewed by the peer reviewers before the visit.
During the visit:
A team of trained HLC peer reviewers from other institutions of higher education completed a comprehensive evaluation to ensure that the University is engaged in continuous improvement, meets the Criteria for Accreditation, and is in compliance with federal requirements. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WMU’s was conducted remotely through web conferencing platforms. During the remote visit, peer reviewers met with an institution’s leadership and held open forums with faculty, staff and students.
After the visit:
The HLC peer review team will submit a report to the University 4 to 6 weeks after the campus visit. WMU will have the ability to review the report for errors of fact and submit a response to the report. The HLC peer review team will provide a recommendation for review by the Institutions Actions Council.
