Academic accreditation: who, what, when, where, and why?

What is Accreditation? It's a status granted to an academic institution or program that meets established criteria of educational quality. Ninety-three of the programs on this list--located in 37 states and Canada--are accredited, and six more have submitted a preliminary application. They range in size from small programs with a strong focus on general professional preparation, to large state institutions that offer all the accredited options and other specializations as well.

Why? The purpose of accreditations is to assure program quality and assist in program improvement. Accredited programs have undergone a rigorous process of self assessment and peer review and have met standards established by the profession itself as essential to prepare graduates for competence in entry level positions in the field. Students from accredited programs are immediately eligible to take the Certified Leisure Professional (CLP) examination to qualify for CLP certification.

What Are the Standards? The standards are statements of quality that address all aspects of a program's operation including philosophy, administration, faculty, students, instructional resources, and professional competencies in eight different areas.

What's an "Option"? There are four optional specializations beyond the basic professional preparation program for which accreditation standards have been established. They prepare students for entry level positions in the following areas:

* Leisure Services Management

* Natural Resources Recreation Management

* Leisure/Recreation Program Delivery

* Therapeutic Recreation Only these four areas have been judged to have sufficient commonality and breadth to merit designation as accreditable Options. Other specializations cannot be accredited and therefore are not listed here.

How Do Programs Become Accredited? They complete an extensive self study, host an on-campus review team, receive and respond to a written report of the team's findings, and appear before the Council for final determination of accreditation status. Every five years the review process is repeated, and interim reports keep the Council informed of any changes. On this list, the dates for the first and next review are given.

Who Does the Accrediting? The NRPA/ AALR Council on Accreditation, formally established in 1974 and jointly sponsored by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the American Association for Leisure and Recreation (AALR), conducts the process of accreditation. The Council meets twice annually to review accredited programs, revise and update the standards and procedures, and conduct Council business. The ten members, appointed by the two sponsoring organizations, include both educators, practitioners and a public representative.

Every five years the Council itself is reviewed by a national organization which evaluates accrediting bodies. In 1986 the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA) first recognized the Council.

So what's new in accreditation this year? Two programs have passed their accreditation review with flying colors: the Council itself and the first Canadian park and recreation program. In April the University of Ottawa became the first Canadian program to join the ranks of accredited programs, In August 1995 COPA's successor organization, the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation (CORPA), again recognized the NRPA/AALR Council on Accreditation as an accrediting body meeting all the procedural and organizational criteria necessary for effectively conducting the accrediting process.