Higher Learning Commission Decision-Making Bodies and Processes
Decision-Making Bodies
Actions on affiliated organizations are taken by decision-making bodies comprised of organizational representatives and public members. Unless otherwise specified, the decision-making bodies are broadly representative of the colleges and universities accredited by the Commission, with attention to institutional type, control, size, and geographical distribution. All decision-making bodies abide by the Commission's conflict of interest policies.
Visit the Calendar of Events to see a list of meetings of the Commission's decision-making bodies.
- The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the Commission. The Commission's member organizations elect Trustees in the spring to four-year terms that begin on September 1. The Board is made up of no fewer than fifteen and no more than twenty-one persons. One of every seven Trustees is a representative of the public, and the others are broadly representative of organizations that are members of the Commission.
- The Institutional Actions Council (IAC). The Board of Trustees appoints and authorizes members of the Institutional Actions Council (IAC) to conduct reviews and take actions on the majority of accreditation recommendations. IAC has at least 40 members representing academe and the public. IAC members who represent institutions shall be broadly representative of institutions accredited by the Commission, with attention to institutional type, control, size, and geographical distribution, and shall be current members of the Peer Review Corps. The IAC shall include a sufficient number of public members to allow for one public member to be appointed to each committee.
IAC members serve four-year terms. IAC makes use of committees, known as the First Committee and Second Committee. The First Committee consists of at least four peer review members and one public member drawn from the current Institutional Actions Council. The Second Committee consists of at least four peer review members and one public member, drawn from a body of fifteen members of the Institutional Actions Council whose terms on the Council have been extended by one additional year to complete this responsibility. Both the IAC First and Second Committees hold meetings and conduct hearings at appointed times throughout the year.
The decisions made within the last year are available at Recent Actions.
The Commission also has the following groups:
- The Appeals Body reviews Commission institutional actions when requested by the institution.
- The Financial Panel reviews institutions whose Annual Financial Reporting data may cause concern about the institution.
- The Nominating Committee nominates candidates for election to the Board of Trustees.
