2021-22 Four Year Interim Reporting

NMSU will submit its four-year interim accreditation report to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) during the 2021-22 academic year. The HLC identifies five Criteria for Accreditation, in addition to adherence to assumed practices and federal compliance, that the institution must address in the form of an Assurance Argument to retain its accreditation status. In preparation, NMSU is developing “Criteria Teams” to specifically address each of the five criteria, as well as a team that will work on the branch campus report for the NMSU-Grants campus, which is accredited with the Las Cruces campus.

NMSU is currently accredited by the HLC. After meeting all criteria for accreditation with no concerns in 2018, our next comprehensive re-affirmation of accreditation is scheduled to occur during the 2027-28 academic year. The HLC is a regional accreditation agency that accredits degree-granting colleges and universities that are based in a 19-state region of the United States. NMSU has been accredited institutionally accredited since 1926, with uninterrupted accreditation as a doctoral degree granting institution since 1963. NMSU is on the Open Pathway for reaffirmation of accreditation.

Description and Role of HLC Criterion Team Members

1.  Mission

The institution’s mission is clear and articulated publicly; it guides the institution’s operations. 

2.  Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct

The institution acts with integrity; its conduct is ethical and responsible.

3.  Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support

The institution provides high quality education, wherever and however its offerings are delivered.

4.  Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement

The institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs, learning environments, and support services, and it evaluates their effectiveness for student learning through processes designed to promote continuous improvement. 

5.  Criterion 5. Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness

The institution’s resources, structures, and processes are sufficient to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its educational offerings, and respond to future challenges and opportunities. The institution plans for the future.