The University of Arizona
HLC 2021 Reaffirmation of Accreditation
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The University of Arizona has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1917. HLC is one of six regional accreditation agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The university’s last comprehensive evaluation for re-accreditation occurred in 2010 and validated the University’s extraordinary quality and integrity of academics, research, administration, faculty, staff, resources, facilities and procedures. Learn more about the history of UArizona Accreditation here.
The Provost has appointed Dr. Roger Miesfeld, Department Head & University Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Dr. Barbara Mills, Regents’ Professor of Anthropology, to serve as Co-Chairs of UArizona's HLC 2021 criteria committee for the upcoming Reaffirmation of Accreditation. Dr. Gail Burd, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, serves as the Executive Director of the UArizona HLC Team and provides invaluable insights due to her extensive experience as a HLC Peer Reviewer. To ensure a successful review, the UArizona HLC 2021 Team, which includes the Leadership, Advisory, Criteria and Federal Compliance Committees, has been established.
Reaffirmation of Accreditation
To reaffirm accreditation, the University of Arizona is following the Open Pathway, which is one of three options that an institution has for maintaining its accreditation with HLC. The Open Pathway's 10-year cycle is focused on quality assurance and institutional improvement. In the final year of the cycle, the institution undergoes a comprehensive evaluation to ensure that it is meeting the Criteria for Accreditation, pursuing institutional improvement and complying with certain requirements set by the U.S. Department of Education.
Visit the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) website to learn more about the process.
Open Pathway
The university is participating in the HLC Open Pathway which focuses on quality assurance and institutional improvement.
Open PathwayQuality Initiative
The Open Pathway requires the university to undertake a major Quality Initiative designed to suit our present concerns or aspirations.
Quality InitiativeComprehensive Evaluation
A team of peer reviewers conducts a comprehensive evaluation in the final year of the 10-year Open Pathway cycle.
Comprehensive EvaluationCriteria for Accreditation
The Criteria for Accreditation are the standards of quality by which the Higher Learning Commission determines whether an institution merits reaffirmation of accreditation.
Criteria for AccreditationAssumed Practices
Foundational to the Criteria for Accreditation is a set of Assumed Practices shared by higher education institutions in the U.S that are unlikely to vary by institutional mission or context.
Assumed PracticesFederal Compliance
All HLC member institutions must meet their Title IV program responsibilities and comply with the expectations set by the United States Department of Education.
Federal ComplianceOur Project
Read the latest HLC 2021 News
HLC 2021 Team
The team is comprised of leaders, advisors and individual contributors who are preparing for the Reaffirmation of Accreditation.
HLC 2021 TeamHLC 2021 Project Plan
The Project Plan is a compilation of documents including the project charter, roles and responsibilities, project schedule, and more.
HLC 2021 Project PlanHLC 2021 Dashboard
The HLC 2021 Dashboard provides a snapshot of the current status of efforts to prepare for the 2021 Comprehensive Evaluation.
HLC 2021 DashboardStudent Opinion Survey
UArizona students can participate in the review process by completing an online survey. Their responses help reviewers identify topics of discussion for the site visit.
Student Survey Coming in Fall 2019HLC 2021 Key Milestones
The Key Milestones reflect the critical timeline to ensure that The University of Arizona is awarded Reaffirmation of Accreditation following the 2021 Comprehensive Evaluation.
HLC 2021 Key MilestonesResources for Committee Members
Resources for Committee Members include links to project documents, guidelines for project tasks and access to data repositories. Access to some pages and folders are restricted.
Resources for Committee Members
Related Topics
Strategic Plan
The five pillars of the University of Arizona Strategic Plan represent broad focus areas that work in concert and collectively act as a robust roadmap for the university's future.
UArizona Strategic Plan
UArizona HLC Accreditation
The University of Arizona is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
UArizona HLC Accreditation
UArizona Learning Initiative
The UArizona Learning Initiative is an approved HLC Quality Initiative designed to enhance and support student learning through integrated student and faculty programs.
The UArizona Learning Initiative