Lansing Community College
Procedure Details

Procedure Title: Academic and Training Partnerships
Procedure #: AA.012
Revision #: 000

Unit Responsible: Academic Affairs
Individual Responsible: Provost

Effective Date: 02/04/2022
Initial Approval Date: 02/04/2000
Last Review/Update Date: 02/04/2022
Next Review Date: 02/01/2025

*Does this procedure support a Board Policy? Yes
If yes, identify: 3.150-Partnerships

Board policies can be found at: LCC Board of Trustees Policy Page

*Does this procedure support HLC criteria? Yes
If yes, identify: 3A

HLC Criteria can be found at: HLC Accreditation Criteria

*Does this procedure support a State or Federal Regulation? No
If yes, identify: N/A

*Note: Standard Operating Procedures should be in furtherance of some LCC policy and/or accreditation criteria, even if the relationship is not direct. Assistance in determining this information can be obtained from the Academic Procedure Advisory Committee (APAC) and/or the Accreditation Liaison Officer.

Academic and Training Partnerships, BP 3.150

1. Purpose

To implement the Board Policy on Partnerships, and ensure compliance with Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Criteria for Accreditation.


2. Scope

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) applies to all academic and training partnerships entered into by Lansing Community College (LCC).


3. Prerequisites

HLC Criteria for Accreditation, particularly Core Component 3.A. and subcomponent 3.A.3., require that LCC provides quality education of rigor appropriate to higher education consistently, across all modes of delivery and at all locations. This includes any academic programs offered in whole, or in part, through contractual or consortial arrangements.

The College will engage in partnerships only with organizations which maintain the standards of quality and service to which we hold ourselves.


4. Responsibilities

The Provost (or designee) is responsible for ensuring that all academic and training partnerships meet the requirements of the LCC Board of Trustees, as identified in Board Policy 3.014 – Partnerships, as well as HLC accreditation criteria.

The Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) is responsible for identifying accreditation compliance guidelines regarding academic partnerships, in accordance with HLC requirements.


5. Procedure

  1. The ALO will inform the Provost (or designee) of updates or changes to HLC requirements pertaining to academic partnerships.
  2. The Provost (or designee) will establish guidelines for Deans, Associate Deans, and/or Directors to follow when considering or arranging academic partnerships. These guidelines will include relevant accreditation and Board concerns as identified in #3 below.
  3. The Provost (or designee) will ensure that every partnership meets the Board’s expectations as follows:
    • The partnership will increase educational opportunities for LCC students and the community.
    • The parties share mutually agreed upon goals.
    • The partnership must be mutually beneficial to all partners.
    • There must be demonstrable evidence that the partnership can succeed.
    • The partnership can be adequately supported by College fiscal and human resources.
  4. The ALO will work with academic programs to ensure compliance with HLC as necessary.
    This may involve either notifying HLC of the partnership or obtaining HLC approval for the partnership.
  5. When HLC approval is required, the ALO will submit the appropriate forms and inform the academic program and the Provost (or designee) when approval has been confirmed or denied.
  6. Academic and training partnerships will be reviewed biannually to ensure that the Board’s expectations in #3 above are met.


6. Reference

HLC Criteria for Accreditation


7. Definitions

Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) – The individual identified by LCC to serve as a contact point with the Higher Learning Commission, in addition to the College’s President. The ALO is expected to be aware of HLC requirements and to guide the College’s efforts in relation to compliance.