This manual is intended to guide institutions of higher education and evaluation teams through the evaluation visit by, and the subsequent processes of, the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. The manual is divided into the following chapters: (1) institutional preparations for the visit (preparations that must be made beginning 2 years before the visit); (2) team preparations for the visit (including lines of communication, analysis of written materials, and the Commission staff); (3) conducting the evaluation visit (including evaluation team role, meetings and conferences, and the exit interview); (4) the team report (including structure, evaluation for affiliation, advice for institutional improvement, the team recommendation, and drafting of the report); (5) the review processes (institutional response, readers' panel, and review committee); (6) focused evaluations; and (7) special cases. Seven appendices provide the general institutional requirements and the evaluative criteria, a sample timeline, institutional materials, sample evaluation visit summary sheet, a planning checklist for the team chairperson, a sample title page for the team report, and a sample Statement of Affiliation Status (SAS) worksheet. An index of Commission policies and a list of Commission members and staff are also provided. (KM)