Accreditation 2020-2021

HLC Pathways

HLC Pathways

Cleveland State University (CSU) is in a process called Open Pathway, one of three options the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) uses to determine eligibility for re-accreditation. In this particular case, CSU is in a 10-year re-accreditation cycle. All three pathways focus on quality assurance and institutional commitment to continuous improvement. One unique feature of the Open Pathway is the Quality Initiative, which is selected by each participating institution in the re-accreditation process. This deliberate choice is supported by campus-wide analyses of functional areas of the college or university that could be included in a structured process, mediated by HLC, that would lead to improvements in the current capacity to fulfill the institutional mission and enact upon aspirations for future growth. As mentioned earlier under Assurance Review, CSU focused its Quality Initiative on the assessment of the General Education program.

Federal Compliance Review

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is one of the six accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Consequently, HLC is required to ensure that colleges and universities within HLC’s jurisdiction are in compliance with specific federal regulations related to the following:

  1. Assignment of credits, program length and tuition
  2. Institutional records of student complaints
  3. Publication of transfer policies
  4. Practices for verification of student identity
  5. Publication of student outcome data
  6. Standing with state and other accrediting agencies​​​​​​​

HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation

Cleveland State University relied on the guidance provide by Higher Learning Commission’s criteria for accreditation, which represent the standards of quality that determine an instituion’s compliance with preset expectations along the following:​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 Criterion 1: Mission – The institution’s mission is clear and articulated publicly; it guides the institution’s operations.

Criterion 2: Integrity – Ethical and Responsible Conduct – The institution acts with integrity; its conduct is ethical and responsible.

Criterion 3: Teaching and Learning – Quality, Resources, and Support – The institution provides high-quality education, whenever and however its offerings are delivered.

Criterion 4: Teaching and Learning – Evaluation and Improvement – The institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs, learning environments, and support services, and it evaluates their effectiveness for student learning through processes designed to promote continuous improvement.

Criterion 5: Teaching and Learning – Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness – The institution’s resources, structures, and processes are sufficient to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its educational offerings, and respond to future challenges and opportunities. The institution plans for the future.

Student Survey

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) includes a student opinion survey in its comprehensive evaluation process. As Cleveland State University (CSU) is preparing for the submission of the Assurance Argument and the site visit, we are committed to including the voices of all our students in the process, as we depend on their feedback on their experiences at CSU. Therefore, all degree-seeking students enrolled in classes during the Spring 2021 semester are invited to complete a brief, anonymous survey. Students should expect to receive a link to the survey via their csuohio.edu e-mail on Monday, March 8, 2021. The window of opportunity to take the survey extends to March 17, 2021. A summary of input from all participating students will be provided to the HLC team tasked with the comprehensive evaluation of the University. All information identifying respondents will be removed prior to releasing the aggregate data to the review team members. Participation in the survey is completely voluntary.