Preparing for OSU’s HLC Mock Accreditation Visit

 

What Is the Mock Accreditation Visit?

 

This is a practice visit conducted ahead of OSU’s 2026 Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Reaffirmation of Accreditation visit. 

The purpose of the mock accreditation visit is to gather feedback from peers from other institutions on the argument, evidence files, and preparation to ensure that OSU has properly addressed the expectations of HLC. The goal is to ensure that OSU has shared its progress, told its story transparently and effectively, and demonstrated the concept of “genuine effort” that HLC asks of its participating institutions. This event will serve as an educational opportunity for the wider OSU community and will provide opportunities for others to make meaningful contributions in the collective effort to support OSU. Accreditation is critical and significant to all associated with OSU as it validates the quality of the institution that all are working to support.

OSU believes that it is critical and beneficial to have colleagues from peer institutions who have served as HLC peer reviewers to provide professional comments, feedback, and suggestions on how to further communicate OSU’s story, including its accomplishments and challenges, to HLC throughout the visit and writing process. These colleagues have kindly accepted the invitation to assist with OSU’s accreditation preparation and lend their expertise from their prior work as official HLC reviewers. A mock visit like this will be meaningful in teaching the OSU community about the real visit, gathering everyone together as a collaborative group, and promoting the voices of all of the OSU constituents through the argument and visit itself.

 

HLC Criteria

Criterion 1: Mission
Criterion 2: Integrity – Ethical and Responsible Conduct
Criterion 3: Teaching and Learning for Student Success
Criterion 4: Sustainability – Institutional Effectiveness, Resources and Planning

 

Why This Mock Visit Matters

 

Benefits for the Institution: Strengthens narrative and evidence in the Assurance Argument Identifies gaps to be addressed before the official visit Provides actionable feedback

Benefits for Faculty, Staff & Students: Helps identify improvements from multiple perspectives Clarifies OSU's approach towards accreditation Provides practice answering reviewer questions

 

What Will Happen During the Mock Accreditation Visit?

 

The purpose of this mock accreditation visit is to simulate as closely as possible the structure and flow of the actual HLC site visit that will take place in April 2026. To achieve this goal, the two-day mock visit will include meetings with OSU leadership, open forums with students, faculty, and staff, special-topic sessions, and a final debriefing.

 

How You Can Take Part

• Attend relevant forums
• Share authentic learning experiences
• Review mission and strategic priorities
• Discuss planning, resources, and decision-making scenarios

 

Sample Questions You Might Hear:

How does your work support OSU’s mission? How well do you think OSU’s current programs and initiatives (e.g., agriculture, engineering, Cowboy Compass, OSU Polytech) align with our land-grant mission? How do the Ideal Graduate competencies or OSU Portfolio connect with your academic or career goals? How does it add value to you as a person and to your college experience? How could OSU improve the communication of policies to students and faculty/staff? How supported have you felt when proposing new courses or modifying existing courses using CourseLeaf and ITLE resources?

Have you experienced challenges in transferring credits, enrolling in courses, or any other academic-related matter? How were these addressed? How do you see data and assessment being used to improve student learning in your classroom, department, college, and university at large? What resources have you found most beneficial to yourself or your students’ academic success? What additional mechanisms could strengthen transparency and communication between leadership and campus communities? Are there areas where you think resource allocation could be improved to support student success?

 

Getting Ready for the Mock Accreditation Visit

• Review OSU mission, vision, values
• Be ready to engage in constructive, honest dialogue
• Prepare concise, experience-based answers

 

Mock Visit Open Forums

 

The Mock Visit Open Forums taking place on January 29, 2026 (see full schedule below) are open to all students, faculty, and staff across the OSU community. During these forums, participants will be given a chance to share their perspectives through the question-and-answer session conducted by the mock reviewers. These events will also serve as an opportunity for the community to learn more about how the open forums will typically be run during the official site visit.

 

HLC-OSU Peer-Review Mock Site Visit Schedule

OSU-HLC Site Mock Visit Schedule.pdf