Van Andel Institute Graduate School (VAIGS), under the auspices of Van Andel Research Institute, offers a program of study leading to a Ph.D. in cell and molecular genetics. VAIGS is seeking reaffirmation of its accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) as part of the standard pathway. VAIGS was granted initial accreditation in November 2013. As part of the reaffirmation process, VAIGS invites comments from the public prior to an on-site evaluation visit by a team from HLC.

In the United States, colleges and universities voluntarily seek accreditation from nongovernmental bodies. The Higher Learning Commission is one of six regional organizations that conducts institutional accreditation. To ensure the accreditation process is responsive to a broad range of constituents, HLC has integrated into its regular accrediting processes the third-party comment process mandated by the federal Higher Education Act Amendments. HLC forwards these comments to the evaluation team members and the institution.

Comments should address substantive matters related to the quality of VAIGS and its academic programs. Comments should include the name and address of the person(s) providing the comments, and will not be treated as confidential. Interested parties can submit comments by Monday, Jan. 29, either online at http://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/third-party-comment.html or by regular mail:

Third-Party Comment on Van Andel Institute Graduate School
Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604-1411

More information about the Higher Learning Commission can be obtained through its website at www.hlcommission.org. The VAIGS website is found at vaigs.vai.org.