OBU Earns Reaffirmation of Accreditation Through Higher Learning Commission

March 7, 2018

The Institutional Actions Council of The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has reaffirmed Oklahoma Baptist University’s status as an accredited institution of higher learning. The 10-year accreditation will stand until the next reaffirmation appointment in 2027-28. The reaffirmation took place during the council’s February meeting.

Dr. David W. Whitlock, OBU president, was grateful and pleased with the reaffirmation.

“Receiving the reaffirmation of our 10-year accreditation is a milestone for every institution of higher learning,” Whitlock said. “This accreditation demonstrates that Oklahoma Baptist University is conducting the business of education at a high level while meeting rigorous standards. I congratulate our entire campus community on a job well-done, and I am pleased that our efforts have been recognized with a sterling reaffirmation report.”

Dr. Stan Norman, executive vice president for campus life and provost, was appreciative of the entire campus community for the work put into this process.

“The HLC’s reaffirmation of OBU’s accreditation is a testament to the outstanding faculty and staff serving at Oklahoma Baptist University,” he said. “The preparation necessary for a successful evaluation visit is demanding, with many hours invested to adequately document how OBU has met the HLC’s criteria for accreditation. This was no small task, and our campus community rallied to the occasion.”

The HLC is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region of the United States, which includes 19 states.

To qualify for accreditation, an institution must meet the criteria for accreditation, which serve as the standards of quality by which the commission determines whether an institution merits accreditation or reaffirmation of accreditation.

These criteria are separated into five areas of focus. First, the institution must have a clear and publicly articulated mission to guide its operations. Second, it must act with integrity, guiding its conduct with proper ethics and responsibility. Third, it must provide a high-quality education in whatever way its offerings are delivered. Fourth, the institution must demonstrate 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. Finally, its resources, structures, and processes qualify as sufficient to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its educational offerings, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.