HLC visit ended with positive feedback for CState

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Comprehensive Evaluation accreditation site visit to Cincinnati State concluded with a brief Exit Report from the members of the visiting Peer Review Team.

The Peer Review Team chair, Dr. Jackie Freeze, said the final written report will include some “suggestions for changes to work on,” but the report highlights shared at the Exit Meeting on April 30 were all positive observations, including:

• Cincinnati State is “a solid institution” that is student-centered and is “doing the right things, in the right ways.”
• The College has “dedicated employees” and a “committed Board” as well as strong community support.
• The College provides “amazing” student support networks along with state-of-the-art technology for learning.
• The College’s co-op program is an asset that matters to students and to employers.
• The College is in a strong financial position.
• The College community is “respectful” of each other, and shared governance processes are widely used and well-understood.

The Review Team also said they appreciated good participation by faculty and staff members during the final week of the semester, and the good turn-out at sessions for students and community representatives.

Next steps in the re-accreditation process include:

• The Peer Review Team will complete their written report, based on the College’s Assurance Argument document and information gathered during the visit.
• The report will be sent to President Posey and Associate Provost Denise Rohr to review and to correct errors of fact, if needed.
• The report will be sent to Cincinnati State’s HLC Liaison for staff review.
• The final report, including recommendations regarding accreditation status, will be sent to Dr. Posey and Dr. Rohr for comment, and the College’s comments will be returned to the HLC.
• The report will be reviewed by the HLC’s Institutional Actions Council (IAC). The IAC can accept the recommendations of the Visit Team and HLC Staff, or send the report to the HLC Board of Trustees.
• After the report and recommendations are approved, the College will be notified of our accreditation status. Notification is expected no later than August 2024.