The Open Pathway is an accreditation model of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). It is the model that Stark State College elected to pursue after the AQIP model the College has followed since 2006 was retired.

Open Pathway follows a 10-year cycle and is focused on quality assurance and institutional improvement. The Open Pathway is unique in that its improvement component, the Quality Initiative, affords institutions the opportunity to pursue improvement projects that meet their current needs and aspirations.

Stark State College’s participation in the Open Pathway demonstrates the College’s commitment to our stakeholders and to advancing quality higher education. The HLC accreditation process supports identifying what is important to our stakeholders, what is working for our stakeholders, and what needs to be improved.

“An institution on the Open Pathway shall have its accreditation reaffirmed every ten years. Reaffirmation shall be contingent on the institution having undergone an Assurance Review in year four of the cycle and a comprehensive evaluation in year ten of the cycle through processes that assure the higher education community and the public that the institution continues to meet the Criteria for Accreditation and the Federal Compliance Requirements, and demonstrates a focus on continuing improvement.” – from HLC Policy Process Requirements for Each Pathway, Number: INST.C.10.020