Westminster College is a member of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is regionally accredited by HLC. The Commission's web site is https://www.hlcommission.org/ and their phone number is 800.621.7440.
Westminster is currently in the Standard Pathway and is due for its next Reaffirmation of Accreditation in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Westminster's statement of affiliation status with HLC can be found at https://www.hlcommission.org/component/directory/?Action=ShowBasic&Itemid=&instid=1476&lang=en.
Westminster's Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) is:
Dr. Carolyn Perry, Senior Vice-President and Dean of Faculty, (573) 592-5212 or by email at: Carolyn.Perry@westminster-mo.edu
Quality Assurance Process
Westminster College is a Pathways Cohort #3 institution and recently engaged in a quality assurance process to evaluate the Lumina Foundation's Degree Qualifications Profile. Below are links to Westminster's Quality Initiative Report and HLC's approval of our Quality Initiative Project:
- Westminster's Quality Initiative Report
- HLC's approval of our Quality Initiative Project
- Executive Summary of Westminster's Quality Initiative Report
Comprehensive Evaluation Process
Westminster hosted an HLC accreditation team on January 26-27. The team evaluated the evidence that Westminster meets the five criteria for accreditation, all associated core components of those criteria, and meets the criteria for Federal Compliance.
Criteria for Accreditation
HLC Final Assurance Argument
The HLC Assurance Argument provides evidence that Westminster College meets HLC's five criteria for accreditation: 1) Mission; 2) Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct, 3) Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support; 4) Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement; and 5) Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness. Within each criterion are several "core components," which must also be addressed. The College was limited to a total of 35,000 words (the document actually contains 34,995 words) and thus has linked arguments to supporting documentation (anything underlined and in blue is linked to a document - approximately 140 documents were used in our evidence file).
HLC Final Assurance Argument
Federal Compliance
In addition to providing evidence that Westminster meets HLC Criteria for Accreditation, Westminster must also provide evidence of compliance with Federal regulations. Specifically, Westminster must show that it is in compliance with: 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) Title IV Program Responsibilities; 6) Required Information for Students and the Public; 7) Advertising and Recruitment Materials and Other Public Information; 8) Review of Student Outcome Data; 9) Standing with State and Other Accrediting Agencies; and 10) Public Notification of Opportunity to Comment. The files below document Westminster's compliance with these regulations.
Credit Hours
Student Complaints
Transfer Policies
Verification of Student Identity
Title IV Program Responsibilities
Information for Students and the Public
Advertising and Recruiting Materials
Student Outcomes Data
Standing with State and Other Accrediting Agencies
Public Notification of Opportunity to Comment