Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:55:29 -0400

From: KDG Consulting <kdgconsulting@VERIZON.NET>

Subject: Re: Commonalities and distinctions between certification and accreditation

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Three quick ideas:

1. Maybe Michaela from the health promotion career net service that advertises programs so often on HEDIR can tell us about the demand for CHES, too. I have had the same experience and have the same sense as Bill, having seen - albeit slowly...but surely!...increased requests for CHES eligible if not CHES preferred or required on job descriptions. This is heartening.

2. I believe that anything that can be done to improve the "power" to use Mark's word of the profession is important - but it seems that each has its limitations...which is probably why a combination of possible strategies is helpful.

3. It seems that institutional resistance is a major concern that could be better addressed by our learning more about academic administrators'

politics, priorities, and practicalities. As I discovered at the Dallas congress on professional preparation, too many of us in academia do know about higher ed administration and what its concerns are, and therefore have trouble diffusing our academic innovations because we don't understand the system into which we wish to introduce it. I'd be interested in learning more about how the people who administratively run the organization are trained, what their values, goals, visions, priorities, etc. are so that when interacting with them on topics such as accreditation pros and cons, I could learn to see if from their perspective, and then make a more informed decision.

4. Another idea or the same idea again: a huge CNHEO "sponsored" meeting attended by representatives - anyone who wants to go but the leadership of all at that time for sure - to discuss these common issues. I think a variety of sessions at a working conference in which all of us with all of our specializations could talk openly about this might be a way to go. We wouldn't h ave to dedicate an entire convention to it, but it might be a core area of concern that could be on the agenda plus other generic health education concerns that would promote our unity as a profession. To see us all come together - if we can get past the logistical nightmare I'm sure is involved in a collaborative project like this with each organization needing the funds raised, to do business - would be wonderful.

kdg

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2006 5:01 PM

To: HEDIR-L@listserv.siu.edu

Subject: Commonalities and distinctions between certification and accreditation

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Mark Fulop and Interested Others.

Credentialing is a broad general term for describing what professions, government agencies, and professional entities do to assure quality in the services provided by professional experts. One category of credentialing applies to assuring quality of the skills and knowledge of the individuals performing the work of the professional experts. Individual credentialing commonly takes one of three forms: licensure, registration or certification.

Licensure is a legal form of quality assurance established through grovernment legislation and managed through a government agency.

Registration is commonly a process in which a government agency or employment entity maintains a list of individuals determined to hold the desired expertise to maintain a pool of prospective employees.

Certification is typically a process established by a profession or agency through which individuals can voluntarily establish evidence of their competence. CHES is the third form.

The other category of credentialing includes processes to verify the quality of professional preparation programs. The terms commonly used for assurance of the quality of programs are accreditation and approval. In many cases, eligibility for individuals to become licensed, registered or certified is based on successful completion of accredited or approved professional

preparation programs. Therefore, credentialing of individual practitioners

and professional preparation programs is frequently related.

As to the evidence that CHES is becoming incresingly accepted and valued, I have observed increasingly frequent announcements of vacant positions for

which CHES or CHES qualified applicants are preferred are required. In the

mid-1990's, Dr. Judy Baker and I did an content analysis of position vacancy announcements in the Chronical of Higher Education. We found a small number of announcements that expressed preference or reguirement for CHES or CHES qualified applicants. While I have not done a formal study of this kind since, I have observed much more frequent announcements stating this preference in the past ten years. Probably, one of the NCHEC staff members or commissioners has gathered some data on this kind. If not, this would be a good master paper study.

Bill Cissell

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** The HEDIR Bulletin Board

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#584

Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 15:09:34 -0500

From: "Cissell, William" <WCissell@MAIL.TWU.EDU>

Subject: Re: Commonalities and distinctions between certification and accreditation

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Karen,

I have trouble counting and keystroking the letters and numbers I have in mind on many occasions.

It may be a couple of years before AAHE, SOPHE, NCHEC and NCHEO are willing to coordinate and finance another meeting as large as the one in Dallas. Those who want a conference on quality assurance issues need to continually bring up this desire with members of CNHEO and in the professional organization meetings of those organizations in which they are active. There are lots of people interested in quality assurance, including the executive directors of AAHE and SOPHE, the commissioners of NCHEC, members of NCHEO and many others. They have a desire to hear more dialog among members of our profession on topics related to quality assurance, particualrly as it advances the profession. Advancing the profession is the 10th area of responsibility of the professional health educator.

Bill Cissell

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Mon 8/21/2006 1:40 PM

To: Cissell, William

Cc:

Subject: RE: Commonalities and distinctions between certification and accreditation

Well, it wasn't in the framework, and neither is my personal counting system

- damn...think it'll start a thread of discussion about rules for counting

accurately? :-)

And yes, having a panel with read debating would be a wonderful event at a

convention such as I envision.

Have brought it up and up and up over and over and over, and would welcome

any thoughts you might have on making it a reality, my friend!

kdg

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Monday, August 21, 2006 2:33 PM

To: KDG Consulting

Subject: RE: Commonalities and distinctions between certification and

accreditation

Karen,

Do health educators need to be able to count? You said you had three ideas

and you listed four.

I like the idea of a conference of the kind you describe.

There are administrators at several levels, department chairs/program

directors, deans and at least on president (Jim rosser, Cal State U-Los

Angeles) who are health educators. There are vast differences in viewpoints

among them about the value of quality assurance of preparation programs.

People like Jeff Brandon, Dean, College of Health and Social Services, New

Mexico State University, value it very much. Jeff served for a number of

years on SABPAC. Others, as Steve Dorman did in Dallas believe that many

university administrators are hesitant to pay the expenses associated with

outside reviwers and agency fees charged by quality assurance agencies. It

would be good to hear both sides of this argument.

Bill

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Mon 8/21/2006 7:55 AM

To: Cissell, William; HEDIR-L@listserv.siu.edu

Cc:

Subject: RE: Commonalities and distinctions between certification

and accreditation

Three quick ideas:

1. Maybe Michaela from the health promotion career net service that

advertises programs so often on HEDIR can tell us about the demand

for CHES,

too. I have had the same experience and have the same sense as

Bill, having

seen - albeit slowly...but surely!...increased requests for CHES

eligible if

not CHES preferred or required on job descriptions. This is

heartening.

2. I believe that anything that can be done to improve the "power"

to use

Mark's word of the profession is important - but it seems that each

has its

limitations...which is probably why a combination of possible

strategies is

helpful.

3. It seems that institutional resistance is a major concern that

could be

better addressed by our learning more about academic administrators'

politics, priorities, and practicalities. As I discovered at the

Dallas

congress on professional preparation, too many of us in academia do

know

about higher ed administration and what its concerns are, and

therefore have

trouble diffusing our academic innovations because we don't

understand the

system into which we wish to introduce it. I'd be interested in

learning

more about how the people who administratively run the organization

are

trained, what their values, goals, visions, priorities, etc. are so

that

when interacting with them on topics such as accreditation pros and

cons, I

could learn to see if from their perspective, and then make a more

informed

decision.

4. Another idea or the same idea again: a huge CNHEO "sponsored"

meeting

attended by representatives - anyone who wants to go but the

leadership of

all at that time for sure - to discuss these common issues. I think

a

variety of sessions at a working conference in which all of us with

all of

our specializations could talk openly about this might be a way to

go. We

wouldn't h ave to dedicate an entire convention to it, but it might

be a

core area of concern that could be on the agenda plus other generic

health

education concerns that would promote our unity as a profession. To

see us

all come together - if we can get past the logistical nightmare I'm

sure is

involved in a collaborative project like this with each organization

needing

the funds raised, to do business - would be wonderful.

kdg

-----Original Message-----

Cissell,

William

Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2006 5:01 PM

To: HEDIR-L@listserv.siu.edu

Subject: Commonalities and distinctions between certification and

accreditation

** Become Part of the Solution-AAHE

**

** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift

**

Mark Fulop and Interested Others.

Credentialing is a broad general term for describing what

professions,

government agencies, and professional entities do to assure quality

in the

services provided by professional experts. One category of

credentialing

applies to assuring quality of the skills and knowledge of the

individuals

performing the work of the professional experts. Individual

credentialing

commonly takes one of three forms: licensure, registration or

certification.

Licensure is a legal form of quality assurance established through

grovernment legislation and managed through a government agency.

Registration is commonly a process in which a government agency or

employment entity maintains a list of individuals determined to hold

the

desired expertise to maintain a pool of prospective employees.

Certification is typically a process established by a profession or

agency

through which individuals can voluntarily establish evidence of

their

competence. CHES is the third form.

The other category of credentialing includes processes to verify the

quality

of professional preparation programs. The terms commonly used for

assurance

of the quality of programs are accreditation and approval. In many

cases,

eligibility for individuals to become licensed, registered or

certified is

based on successful completion of accredited or approved

professional

preparation programs. Therefore, credentialing of individual

practitioners

and professional preparation programs is frequently related.

As to the evidence that CHES is becoming incresingly accepted and

valued, I

have observed increasingly frequent announcements of vacant

positions for

which CHES or CHES qualified applicants are preferred are required.

In the

mid-1990's, Dr. Judy Baker and I did an content analysis of position

vacancy

announcements in the Chronical of Higher Education. We found a

small number

of announcements that expressed preference or reguirement for CHES

or CHES

qualified applicants. While I have not done a formal study of this

kind

since, I have observed much more frequent announcements stating this

preference in the past ten years. Probably, one of the NCHEC staff

members

or commissioners has gathered some data on this kind. If not, this

would be

a good master paper study.

Bill Cissell

**

** The HEDIR Bulletin Board

**

** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising

**

**

**

** The HEDIR Bulletin Board

**

** The HEDIR is Supported by Paid Advertising

**

**

------------------------------

#585

Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 19:39:46 -0400

From: "Cleary, Michael" <michael.cleary@SRU.EDU>

Subject: Re: Commonalities and distinctions between certification and accreditation

** Become Part of the Solution-AAHE

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** Support the HEDIR With Your Gift

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To Karen & Bill & others:

Outside pressures will compel certain universities to seek whatever accreditation is out there. For example, the chancellor of our PA state system of higher education (14 universities) wants all academic programs to be accredited nationally (if available) from their respective learned bodies or risk being shut down. While some in the state legislature may interpret this as a quest for quality assurance, others see it as a means for the chancellor to close down otherwise solid programs with good enrollment and downsize the state system. Based upon what the chancellor wants, the administration at my university would probably be more likely to support the cost of an accreditation visit than in the past.

The business schools in our System , however, are struggling to aquire/ maintain the "gold standard" accreditation (don't ask me the acronym) because the necessary faculty (i.e. PhDs in Economics who earn 150K in the private sector) command salaries way beyond our union's pay scales for a full professor.

Michael

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