Steps to Accreditation
Step 1: Make initial contact
- Make initial inquiry to the Commission about seeking affiliation.
- Send a letter of intent to the Executive Director requesting an interview with staff. Include evidence of the following: Board permission to seek affiliation; proof of legal authorization to operate as an institution of higher education; financial base to support the institution; presence of a CEO; catalog.
- Interview with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) staff in Chicago.
- Inform HLC that GBSC will proceed with submitting the Preliminary Information Form (PIF).
Step 2: Submit Preliminary Information Form (PIF)
- Request that the HLC assign an available staff liaison.
- Submit the PIF to HLC, which forwards it to the Eligibility Process Reviewers (EPR).
- The EPR determines whether or not the institution is ready to prepare its self-study and schedule an on-site team visit.
- Notify HLC that GBSC is ready to proceed and suggest a date for the team visit.
Step 3: Conduct initial self-study (for candidacy status)
- Initiate a comprehensive self-study process and prepare a self-study report for the Commission.
- Send the self-study to HLC and the team members chosen by HLC to conduct the on-site visit.
- Host the team visit.
- The team prepares a draft report of its visit and makes a recommendation for action.
- The college is permitted to respond to the draft report.
- The college and team chair meet with a Review Committee (meets three times a year).
- Review Committee may agree with the team recommendation.
- Review Committee may make an alternative recommendation.
- In the latter case, both actions are forwarded for final action to the Governing Board.
Step 4: Candidacy status is granted
GBSC achieved candidacy status February 10, 2007.
Step 5: Conduct second self-study for initial accreditation
The college will undergo a comprehensive evaluation for full accreditation, and basically repeat the process beginning at Step 3
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