Dear Campus Community,

As many of you know, accreditation is the primary way higher education institutions in the United States are assessed to assure and improve their quality. On March 30-31, 2020, our accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), will be evaluating the university through a peer review process that typically includes a campus visit, but now will take place online.

Faculty, staff and students are invited to participate in open meetings that will allow the reviewers to learn more from these respective groups about their experiences at the university.

Faculty Open Meeting: March 30, 4:00pm-4:50pm

Staff Open Meeting: March 31, 1:00pm-1:50pm

Student Open Meeting: March 31, 2:00pm-2:50pm

You can register to attend the meeting by going to the reaccreditation website and clicking the link for the appropriate meeting for the registration information. The reaccreditation website also provides more information about our accreditation and the visit, including:

• the list of peer review team members
• the university’s assurance argument (self-study document)
• summaries of the five criteria along with possible questions

Please know that if you attend a meeting with the peer reviewers, you will be asked questions about the university. To prepare, read the assurance argument. Know that you are not expected to represent the entire university, but instead speak from your own experience.

We have a strong history of accreditation and are confident we will be reaccredited, as we have been every year since 1913. We want to be sure you are aware of this event, its importance to our university and give you a chance to participate. Questions about HLC accreditation may be addressed to provost@illinois.edu.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones
Chancellor

Andreas C. Cangellaris
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Provost