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HLC Accreditation Cycle

SWOSU participates in the 10-year accreditation cycle with HLC. The following graph outlines the timeline of the cycle:

Years 1-3: Prepare Assurance Filing

SWOSU gathers documents for its Evidence File and writers the four-year Assurance Argument for the Assurance Review

Year 4: Assurance Review

HLC conducts an Assurance Review, with the final action being an acceptance of or action on the review.

Years 5-9: Quality Initiative Proposal and Report

SWOSU proposes and completes a Quality Initiative suited for its needs and objectives. The purpose of the initiative is to increase the ability of SWOSU to meet its mission. In the current cycle, SWOSU’s Quality Initiative was the Three Pillars project, in which courses were redesigned to improve student learning.

Year 10: Comprehensive Evaluation and HLC Visit for Reaffirmation

HLC conducts a full comprehensive accreditation evaluation. This includes a Federal Compliance Review, a review of the university’s Assurance Argument, a Student Opinion Survey, and a site visit from peer reviewers. This evaluation is designed to ensure that SWOSU meets HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation, follows U.S. Department of Education requirements, and pursues continuous improvement.