6. Integrity, Transparency, and Ethical Behavior or Practice

The Higher Learning Commission understands integrity broadly, including wholeness and coherence at one end of the spectrum and ethical behavior at the other.

Integrity means doing what the mission calls for but not doing what it does not call for; governance systems that are freely, independently, and rigorously focused on the welfare of the institution and its students; scrupulous avoidance of misleading statements or practices; full disclosure of information to students before students make any commitment to the institution, even a commitment to receive more information; and clear, explicit requirements for ethical practice by all members of the institutional community in all its activities.