Kishwaukee College maintains accredited status with the Higher Learning Commission

Kishwaukee College has received formal notification of its reaccreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The decision follows a comprehensive evaluation and visit to Kish campus by a team of HLC peer reviewers in April. Accreditation is valid until the next Reaffirmation of Accreditation cycle in 2028-2029.

“Receiving reaccreditation by the HLC demonstrates the quality education Kish offers,” says Dr. Laurie Borowicz, president of Kish. “The rigorous accreditation process and feedback from the HLC reviewers gave us an outside perspective on the College, has affirmed we are doing good things to help our learners achieve their educational goals, and will help us to continue improving services for our students and our local communities.”

The accreditation process is designed to help colleges and universities critically evaluate their curriculum, instruction and support services. The overall objective is to help the institution meet threshold standards and engage in continuous improvement.

The visiting team of peer reviewers remarked on how well prepared and organized the College was for the visit, noting in their final report that, “All participants at site visit meetings spoke with confidence and enthusiasm regarding the direction of this college, their passion for being part of Kish, and the importance of KC to all district communities.” The reviewers also commented, “[…] the college may be on a trajectory to emerge as a noteworthy model institution in [the assessment of student learning].”

The HLC is one of six accreditation agencies in the United States that provides institutional accreditation on a regional basis. The HLC requires institutions to undergo a comprehensive evaluation every 10 years. Kish has earned accreditation by the agency since 1974.

“During the site visit, it was observed multiple times that the new, shortened mission (the college ‘improves lives through quality, affordable education’) embodies a widely shared passion for college purpose,” the final report states.