Higher Learning Commission Accreditation

Higher Learning Commission

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation and one of two Commission members of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), which was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. The Higher Learning Commission accredits, and thereby grants membership in the Commission and in the North Central Association, to degree-granting educational institutions in the North Central region: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Accrediting Agencies for Academic Programs

Automotive

Accrediting Agency: National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF)
101 Blue Seal Drive, S.E. Suite 101
Leesburg, VA 20175
703-669-6650
703-669-6125 fax
Years of Accreditation or Approval: 2022
Next Accreditation or Approval: June 2027
www.natef.org
 

Medical Assistant

The Nicolet Area Technical College Medical Assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), upon recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment (AAMAE)

Accrediting Agency: Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB)
2339 N. California Ave., #47138
Chicago, IL 60647
312-553-9355

Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
P:727-210-2350
F:727-210-2354
E: mail@caahep.org

Year of Last Accreditation or Approval: 2022
Next Accreditation or Approval: 2030
 

Nursing

Accrediting Agency: Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc.
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326
404-975-5000
404-975-5020 fax
Years of Last Accreditation or Approval: 2023
Next Accreditation or Approval: 2031
https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs
  

Criminal Justice

Approved for: Preparatory Law Enforcement, Preparatory Jail, Certification Track – Jail, Certification Track – Law Enforcement
Accrediting Agency: Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Law Enforcement Services, Training and Standards Bureau
17 West Main Street
P.O. Box 7070
Madison, WI 53707-7070
(608) 266-8800
Year of Last Accreditation or Approval: December 2022
Next Accreditation or Approval: December 2024
 

Emergency Medical Technician 

Accrediting Agency: Wisconsin Department of Health Services Office of Preparedness and Emergency Health Care
1 West Wilson Street Rm 1150
PO Box 2659
Madison, WI 53701-2659
Phone: 608-266-0737
Year of Last Accreditation or Approval: 2018
Next Accreditation or Approval: N/A

Student Achievement 

Nicolet College centers our work around our learners.  The success of our learners in their academic and future career pursuits are at the core of the Nicolet community.  Guided by the Student Success Framework for the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS), the College defines and measures student achievement in a variety of ways. 

The WTCS Student Success Scorecard provides student achievement measures for all WTCS colleges in the areas of course completion, retention/persistence, credential attainment, transfer to other institutions, job placement, and graduate outcomes. 

Click here to find Nicolet’s key indicators as they related to retention/persistence, credential attainment, and licensure exam pass rates for academic programs that have such exams.

2023-2025 Comprehensive Evaluation

Institutional accreditation validates the quality of an institution as a whole and evaluates multiple aspects of an institution, including its academic offerings, governance and administration, mission, finances, and resources. HLC evaluates institutions against its criteria for accreditation that reflect a set of guiding values. HLC's accreditation includes all degree levels as well as onsite and online course delivery.

Nicolet College has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1975. HLC is one of the seven regional accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The college's last comprehensive evaluation occurred in 2015 and validated the college's quality and integrity of academics, research, administration, faculty, staff, resources, facilities and procedures. The college was reaccredited by HLC for 10 years (until 2025), the maximum period possible.

Reaffirmation of Accreditation

To reaffirm accreditation, Nicolet College is following the open pathway, which is one of two options that an institution has for maintaining accreditation with HLC. The open pathway 10-year cycle is focused on quality assurance and institutional improvement. In the final year of the cycle, the institution undergoes a comprehensive evaluation to ensure that it is meeting the criteria for accreditation, pursuing institutional improvement, and complying with certain requirements set by the U.S. Department of Education.

Assurance Review

As part of the assurance review, the institution submits an assurance argument, along with materials of evidence (called an evidence file), to demonstrate that it is in compliance with HLC’s criteria for accreditation. The team of peer reviewers conducting the comprehensive evaluation reviews these materials in preparation for an on-site visit.

Federal Compliance Review

A federal compliance review is conducted as part of a comprehensive evaluation. Institutions must submit a federal compliance filing demonstrating that they are meeting their title IV program responsibility, as well as complying with the expectations of specific regulations set by the U.S. Department of Education. Compliance with these federal requirements is necessary for the institutions to be eligible for federal financial aid. HLC is required to conduct this review as a federally recognized accrediting agency.

Student Opinion Survey

HLC conducts an online survey of the institution’s student body two months prior to the on-site peer review visit. The survey is intended to give students an opportunity to participate in the evaluation process, and to help identify questions for the peer reviewers to ask while on site.

On-Site Peer Review Visit

On-site visits occur after the peer review team has reviewed the institutional report and student survey results. The team works with the institution to create the agenda for the visit, which typically includes meetings with the institution’s leadership and board, as well as open forums with faculty, staff and students. Visits typically last 1 1/2 days. The team will remain in the area for an additional day of deliberations after the visit.

Multi-location Visit

Institutions with three or more active additional locations are required to undergo a multi-location visit in Year 3 and Year 8 of the Standard and Open Pathways. The visit is conducted by an HLC peer reviewer and involves a representative sample of the institution’s additional locations. The purpose of the multi-location visit is to confirm the continuing effective oversight by the institution of its additional locations. A multi-location visit was successfully completed in March 2023.

Visit the HLC website to learn more about the comprehensive evaluation process.