Overview of the Reaccreditation Process
Indiana University South Bend is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association.
The HLC reviews institutions every 10 years to ensure that they continue to meet the criteria for accreditation through a peer review process. IU-South Bend will be reviewed during the Fall semester of 2007-08.
On 1 January 2005, the HLC implemented a new set of five criteria for accreditation, with each criteria further subdivided into several core components. The five criterion are:
Mission and Integrity: What is the mission of the institution and is it clearly stated and followed?
Preparing for the Future: How does the institution plan and allocate its resources?
Student Learning and Effective Teaching: How does the institution ensure students learn?
Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge: What results from the education provided?
Engagement and Service: How does the institution serve its constituencies?
The accreditation review has two basic components. First, the institution is required to conduct a thorough self-study to determine if the five criteria are satisfied and assess the institution’s strengths and challenges, and then file a report on its findings with the HLC. Second, a team of HLC consultant-evaluators visits the campus to verify the accuracy of the self-study report and offer suggestions concerning the identified areas of concern.
