HLC/NCA Accreditation Timeline

Summer – 2007

• Self-study coordinators complete self-study plan and timeline
• Coordinators prepare draft outline of self-study report
• Members of writing teams recruited by writing team chairs
• Self-study plan submitted to HLC/NCA staff liaison for feedback
• Steering committee retreat as training for self-study process
• Communication plan for self-study process developed
• Coordinators and provost outline responses to issues noted in previous team report

Fall – 2007

• Formal campus launch of HLC accreditation process with provost and president
• Writing teams prepare work plans and submit to self-study coordinators
• Self-study writing teams begin work in assigned areas of responsibility
• Coordinators attend writing team meetings to provide support 
• Steering team meets monthly to review progress, emerging issues, and data needs
• Steering team determines desired HLC/NCA team composition

Winter – 2008

• Coordinators send HLC/NCA desired team competencies and confirm dates of campus visit
• Writing teams prepare initial drafts of assigned sections of self-study report for steering committee review and feedback
• Steering team meets monthly to review progress, emerging issues and data needs

Spring – 2008

• Steering team meets monthly to review progress, emerging issues and data needs
• Steering team members participate in HLC/NCA self-study workshop during HLC annual meeting in Chicago
• Writing teams complete drafts of self-study sections
• Steering committee reviews drafts to determine areas for additional study

Summer – 2008

• Coordinators and provost review draft materials and prepare feedback for use by writing teams in preparation for final revisions
• Coordinators send HLC/NCA their comments and suggestions about proposed team composition
• Provost approves institution’s response to issues noted in the previous team report

Fall – 2008

• Coordinators receive final list of HLC/NCA team members; list is shared with campus community
• Writing teams prepare final revisions of report sections by Oct. 1
• Draft of complete self-study report prepared and reviewed by steering committee by Nov. 1
• Draft of self-study report made available to campus community for comment and suggestions during November and December
• Coordinators meet with stakeholder groups as needed to gather feedback
• “Mock Visit” – HLC consultant review of self-study report draft

Winter – 2009

• Coordinators communicate with team chair regarding campus visit plans
• Steering committee meets to plan campus visit
• In January, steering committee reviews feedback on self-study report and offers ideas to address issues raised
• In February, final draft prepared by coordinators, supported by appropriate experts
• In March, self-study report prepared and printed
• Resource room established and organized
• Team work room and resources finalized

Spring – 2009

• Coordinator sends copies of self-study report (electronic and print version) and all supporting documents to HLC/NCA and visiting team
• Final schedule for campus visit set
• Resource room and team work room ready
• Campus visit April 27-29
• Steering committee celebrates favorable team recommendations

Summer – 2009

• President receives draft of team report from HLC/NCA, shares with provost and steering committee and responds with any corrections of fact
• President selects reader’s panel to review team report and recommendations
• Coordinators send all self-study documents to assigned members of reader’s panel

Fall – 2009

• President receives final commission action and recommendation for continued accreditation
• Commission actions communicated to campus community and stakeholders