What to expect during the HLC mock site visit: A guide for the KU community

With the University of Kansas’ mock site accreditation visit set for Monday, Sept. 9, on the Lawrence campus and Tuesday, Sept. 10, on the Medical Center campus in Kansas City, the entire KU community is encouraged to participate in the scheduled meetings and forums. 

This will be a practice session for members to interact with external reviewers who will share their feedback before the March 3-4, 2025, comprehensive reaffirmation of accreditation visit with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The HLC is one of six institutional accrediting bodies in the United States responsible for ensuring colleges and universities meet rigorous academic standards.

Accreditation is vital for the university as it ensures the value and recognition of its degrees; allows the university to receive federal funding, including student financial aid; and signals to students, employers and other educational institutions that KU meets or exceeds national standards.

What happens during the HLC mock site visit?

The HLC mock site visit signals a major step toward the culmination of years of preparation and self-study by the university. A team of peer reviewers — faculty and administrators from other higher education institutions — will visit KU’s campuses to evaluate its adherence to the HLC’s criteria for accreditation. 

Here’s what the KU community can expect during the mock site visit:

• Meetings and Open Forums: The review team will hold meetings with university leadership, faculty, staff and students. Open forums will be organized around different topics for campus groups to share their experiences, achievements and concerns. These forums are a critical opportunity for community members to engage in the process by providing feedback on how KU is meeting its mission and goals. The KU community is invited to the following open forums on Sept. 9 in the Kansas Union Ballroom.
  • 8:40 to 9:30 a.m. Mission and Integrity, Ethical and Responsible Conduct 
    (criterions 1 & 2).
  • 9:45 to 11 a.m. Teaching and Learning – Quality Resources, and Support & Evaluation and Improvement (criterions 3 & 4).
  • 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Institutional Effectiveness, Resources and Planning 
    (Criterion 5).
  • 2:40 to 3:10 p.m. Research and Scholarship Open Forum.

These open forum sessions are intended to be interactive and conversational. The reviewers will come with a few questions or prompts to generate conversation, but they will want to hear KU faculty, staff and student experiences. Everyone is welcome to attend these sessions and share their stories.

• Review of Documentation: In early August, KU submitted the first draft of its comprehensive self-study report detailing accomplishments, challenges and future plans. The review team will review this document and may request additional materials or clarification during its visit. Individuals can review these documents at the HLC Accreditation 2025 website.
• Community Engagement: Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to engage with the reviewers. Whether in formal meetings or casual interactions, this is an opportunity to contribute to the accreditation process and showcase the strengths of the university and highlight areas of improvement.

How to be involved

The participation of the KU community is essential to the success of the site visit. Individuals can join the process through the following:

• Attend the open forums: Voice your thoughts and experiences during the designated open forums.
• Be prepared to answer questions: If approached by a review team member, be ready to discuss your role at KU and how the university supports your work or studies.
• Stay informed: Follow updates from the university on the accreditation process and familiarize yourself with KU’s mission, values, visions, strategics plans and institutional learning goals.

Why this matters

Accreditation is not only about meeting external standards but also about ensuring that KU remains a leading institution of higher learning. Collective participation in this process underscores the university’s commitment to continuous improvement and the pursuit of excellence.

Find more information about the HLC accreditation process and how to become involved at the HLC 2025 Accreditation website.