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This is the tenth in a series of occasional ASHA Executive Director updates. These updates are intended to provide ASHA members a more in-depth view of various National Office units, their key member services and the names and roles of ASHA staff in those units. Information about staff changes and ASHA National Office recognitions/awards is also included.
Many thanks to those of you who have provided feedback regarding the previous updates, or suggestions for future ED updates.
This update focuses on the ASHA Credentialing Team - Academic Accreditation.
What exactly is "credentialing?" It can refer to either individuals or organizations that have been assessed or evaluated in some manner and determined to meet certain qualifications, requirements, or standards. ASHA uses the term to refer to some type of designation, award, status, recognition, or "seal of approval." ASHA currently administers 3 different credentialing programs: clinical certification, academic program accreditation, and specialty recognition.
The mission of ASHA's Credentialing Team is to facilitate the provision of quality academic and clinical education in audiology and speech-language pathology through the operation of a nationally-recognized, premier accreditation program and to communicate the core values of ASHA's credentials.
The staff who support the credentialing and accreditation activities include:
- Director of Credentialing (Patti Tice)
- Associate Director of Credentialing for Policy and Education (Tess Kirsch)
- Associate Director of Credentialing for Research and Quality Management (Kelly Appler)
- Manager of Accreditation Administration (Sue Flesher)
- Accreditation Coordinator (Sarah Preston)
The Team's main purposes are to:
- Administer and manage the accreditation program in an efficient manner
- Coordinate the conduct and facilitation of academic program reviews in a prompt and efficient manner
- Educate, communicate, and consult with program constituents regarding the credentialing standards, policies, processes, and benefits of accreditation
- Develop and implement quality management systems
- Track academic program trends for analysis and dissemination
- Maintain recognition of ASHA's accrediting agency by the US Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
With accreditation of the first graduate program in 1965, 2005 marks the 40th anniversary of ASHA's accreditation program. The program is governed by a semi-autonomous body, the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA), which is a volunteer group of educators, practitioners, and a public member. Get more information on the CAA and the types of accreditation statuses that are awarded.
The CAA has been recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Secretary of Education (ED) since 1967 and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) since 1964. These recognition processes provide accrediting agencies a mechanism for self-assessment and external/peer review for the purpose of advancing academic quality, encouraging purposeful change and program quality improvement, and demonstrating accountability to the public and to students.
The major ongoing activities of the academic accreditation program include:
- Professional consultation with the academic community
- Standards development, monitoring, and implementation
- Training accreditation site visitors and conducting accreditation site visits
- Providing educational opportunities to facilitate program improvement
- Processing accreditation applications and reports
- Maintaining accreditation records
- and lists of accredited programs
- Recognition as an accrediting agency by the Council for Higher education Accreditation (CHEA) and the U.S. Secretary of Education
- Conducting self-assessments as part of its Quality Management System to enhance and improve the provision of services to academic programs and to the public
Current accreditation program priorities include:
- Develop a Web-based Higher Education System that integrates 7 different survey and reporting instruments into one database that features ease in data collection, extraction, analyses and reporting features
- Improve and streamline accreditation operations (numerous changes and improvements have been made over the last year to improve efficiency and responsiveness to academic programs)
- Revise the Standards for Accreditation - a process that is ongoing in informal ways, but is conducted in a more systematic and comprehensive manner every 5-8 years (draft of revised accreditation standards to be released Summer 2005)
- Implement ASHA's Credentialing Communication Plan by developing messages that convey the value and benefits of academic accreditation to various audiences
Credentialing and Accreditation staff are available by phone Monday through Friday from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm or via email at accreditation@asha.org.
National Office Staff Update
The following individuals are new to the ASHA Staff:
- Rebecca Bachman - Jr. Graphic Designer
- Ilya Berdichevsky - Programmer/Analyst
- Joe Cerquone, Director - Public Relations
- Gretchen Gould - Librarian, National Center for Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Disorders
- Karen Graham - Assistant Content Developer
- LaTasha Greenaway - NSSLHA Administrative Assistant
- Mame Yacine Kane - Administrative Assistant, Office of Multicultural Affairs and Continuing Education
- Hope Levy Kott - CE Provider Manager
- Daniella McCarthy - Academic Affairs Program Manager
- Jinwen Tang - Database Administrator
- Jackie Ward - Community and Intranet Manager
The following individuals have left ASHA to pursue other opportunities:
- Lucky Diplan - Office Service Specialist
- David Gammel - Director, Web and Knowledge Strategy
- Marek Kaminiski - Staff Accountant
- Renault King - Manager, Postal, Receiving, and Central Supply Operations
- Virginia Traylor - CE - Media Development Manager
Recent ASHA National Office/Staff Awards:
The ASHA Convention has been included in a list of the top 50 medical shows compiled by the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association (HCEA).
JoAnne Janhunen was appointed to the Authorized Provider Commission of the International Association for continuing Education and Training (IACET). The Commission sets the standards for continuing education and training, and reviews and approves organizations who meet the IACET standards.
Charlie Diggs has been recognized as an ASHA Fellow. See the complete list of ASHA's 2005 Award Recipients.
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