1 What happened Spring 2020? Moved to virtual visits some - PDF document

HLC Guidance in the COVID Era Information for the Michigan Community College Data and Evaluation Committee Conference Linnea A. Stenson, Ph.D. VP for Accreditation Relations Higher Learning Commission| August 4, 2020 1 What happened at HLC? • Had been monitoring pandemic situation • Began to make plans in the event we needed to work remotely • Inventoried upcoming visits and teams • Prepared to pivot (just like everyone else) • HLC Board adopted temporary policies to allow for the flexibilities provided by the Department 2 Who is immediately impacted? • Institutions Hosting Evaluations of the Criteria (Comprehensive Visits) • Institutions Hosting Focused Visits • Peer Reviewers who would otherwise travel to institutions to conduct those visits 3 1

What happened Spring 2020? • Moved to virtual visits– some institutions having only a few days to plan • Teams conducted their review at a distance through technology provided by the institution • Verification visits scheduled for Fall 2020 to meet Department of Education requirements for evaluations • 1-2 team members on the ground for a short period 4 For Reviews Beginning September 2020 • Like its member institutions, HLC has begun planning for accreditation activities in the fall. Evaluations, including on-site visits, will be conducted as scheduled if possible. • An institution should prepare for an evaluation as it would under normal circumstances. The purpose of an evaluation is to assess an institution’s typical practices, and that remains true during this crisis. In order to inform peer review teams of how an institution has responded to and been affected by the pandemic, institutions will be asked to complete a COVID-19 Response Form. 5 Institutional COVID-19 Response • Institution can provide a snapshot of the impact of COVID-19 and describe adjustments made, as well as longer-term plans • Organized around the Criteria for Accreditation 6 2

Institutional COVID-19 Response • Uploaded into the Addendum Tab in the Assurance System • Peer Reviewers can then differentiate between ‘normal’ operations and changes made as response to pandemic 7 For Reviews Beginning September 2020 • The peer review team will evaluate if an institution has demonstrated compliance with the Criteria and other HLC requirements and, if not, consider if it is a direct result of the institution’s need to respond to the pandemic. • If that is the case, the team will note this in its report but refrain from recommending increased monitoring. 8 What about that required on-the- ground peer reviewer? • Reviews will take place as scheduled with a single member of the review team traveling to the campus during the scheduled review. • This local reviewer (someone in the same state, traveling up to 90 miles by car) will be added to all fall visits, in order to promote safety, adhere to state-by-state Covid- 19 quarantine guidelines, and reduce interstate travel. 9 3

What’s up with Distance Education? • 209 institutions (out of 973) did not have the highest “courses and programs” approval • 57 of those institutions had no approval to offer distance education at all • Department of Education released two significant documents containing guidance to accreditors in response to the public health emergency 10 What’s up with Distance Education? • March 5, 2020 guidance document provided broad approval to institutions to use online technologies to accommodate students on a temporary basis, without going through the regular approval process of the Department in the event that an institution is otherwise required to seek Departmental approval for the use or expansion of distance learning programs. 11 What’s up with Distance Education? • March 5, 2020 guidance document also permitted accreditors to waive their distance education review requirements for institutions working to accommodate students whose enrollment was otherwise interrupted as a result of COVID-19. 12 4

What’s up with Distance Education? • Guidance updated on June 16, 2020, expanding flexibilities for standard term programs and extending the timeframe for those flexibilities through the end of the academic year that includes December 31, 2020. • Institutions may need to extend their original waivers (valid until September 1, 2020 through end of Fall 2020). 13 Distance Scenario #1 Institutions that do not anticipate exceeding their current distance education approval level after September 1, 2020 do not need a waiver extension. Ø What this means is if the institution will not be offering online instruction or will be within or ‘under’ their current stipulation, they can push the easy button and do nothing. 14 Distance Scenario #2 Institutions that decide to continue temporarily (Fall 2020 only) providing academic instruction through distance education beyond their current approval level must request a waiver extension. Ø What this means is if the institution will be offering online instruction beyond their current stipulation, they need a waiver. For example, if an institution has determined that a theoretical student can complete 50% or more of a program online and they are only approved for courses, they will need a waiver extension. 15 5

Distance Scenario #3 Institutions that anticipate providing academic instruction through distance education beyond their current approval level after Fall 2020 should apply for substantive change approval. Ø This means that whatever the institution wants to do after Fall 2020 that is beyond their current stipulation, they’ll need to submit an application. 16 Why a substantive change application for distance education? HLC cannot continue to assure the quality of the education being offered on a campus if it is occurring outside the institution’s distance education stipulation. The additional time afforded by the extension gives institutions the opportunity to develop and implement plans to ensure quality. HLC recognizes that institutions offering distance education, even on a temporary basis, want to meet their own quality expectations, as well as those of students and the public. 17 Waiver Extension Request Form • Short responses–so make ‘em count! • Pro tip: Remember to address “regular and substantive” faculty- student interaction 18 6

And of course… • Institutions as well as peer teams should continue to rely on the HLC staff liaison for guidance and support during the review process. • Check the Covid-19 link at the top of HLC’s website on a regular basis for the most recent updates. 19 Questions? 20 Linnea A. Stenson, Ph.D. Vice President for Accreditation Relations Higher Learning Commission lstenson@hlcommission.org 21 7