Wood Science and Technology
Program Accreditation in the
United States- History, Guidelines,
Processes and Changing Demand.
Robert W. Rice, Ph.D
University of Maine
Types of Accreditation in the US
“The goal of accreditation is to ensure
that education provided by institutions
of higher education meets acceptable
levels of quality”*
* US Department of Education, 2010
University-Wide Accrediting Bodies
•
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Established: 1885, Location: Massachusetts, Web: www.neasc.org
•
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
Established: 1895, Location: Illinois, Web: www.ncahlc.org
•
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
(NWCCU)
Established: 1917, Location: Washington, Web:
ww.nwccu.org
•
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
Established: 1912, Location: Georgia, Web: www.sacscoc.org
•
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Established: 1962, Location: California, Web: www.wascsenior.org
•
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS)
Brief History of Accreditation
•
Started before WWII
•
Real impetus was GI Bill and funding for
University-Wide Accreditation
Focus-US Dept. of Education Guidelines- to ~1992
•
Appropriateness of the institutional mission and objectives
•
Effectiveness of the institution in meeting its mission and
objectives
•
Adequacy of financial and physical resources library,
classrooms, labs, offices
•
Quality of faculty
•
Effectiveness of management, administrative structure and
function
•
Adequacy of personnel and student services offered by the
1992 Changes to Accreditation
Assessment Criteria*
•
academic calendars, catalogs, publications, grading, and advertising
•
curricula
•
faculty
•
facilities, equipment, and supplies
•
student support services
•
recruiting and admissions practices
•
fiscal and administrative capacity as appropriate for the scale of the institution
•
program length and tuition and fees and the objectives of the degree
•
measures of program length in clock hours or credit hours
•
student outcome measures
•
default rate
•
record of student complaints received by the accrediting association or state
agency
•
compliance with program responsibilities under Title IV of the Higher Education
Act
Programmatic Accreditation
The initial accreditations in the
United States were for specific
programs, not University-wide
History of Programmatic Education in the US
•
1904 - Council on Medical Education and
Hospitals in 1904. (AMA)
•
1918- Dental education standards
•
1923-Legal education
•
1936- Engineering education
•
1940- Pharmaceutical education
•
Etc, etc
The US Government Does Not “Approve”
Program Specific Accrediting Bodies, They
“Recognize” Them
•
Government recognition is not mandatory for
an association to accredit a discipline or
program.
•
Over 100 agencies or associations are
recognized as accreditors.
•
Certain accreditations have legal
Program specific
accreditation defines the
profession to a large extent.
The Purposes of Program Accreditation
•
Quality assurance/quality control
•
Recognition by the profession
•
Certain level of professionalism
•
Credibility
SWST Program Specific Focus
•
Standard I—Program Mission, Goals and Objectives
•
Standard II—Curriculum and Student Competencies
•
Standard III—Organization and Administration of the Teaching
Program
•
Standard IV—Faculty
•
Standard V—Students
Training in Basic Wood Sciences
•
Anatomy and Biology of Wood Formation;
Wood Identification
•
Physical Properties
•
Mechanical Properties
•
Chemical Characteristics and Properties
•
Wood Degradation and Deterioration
•
Composite Materials
Wood Processing and Manufacturing
•
Mechanical Reduction and Attrition
•
Drying Processes
•
Manufacture of Solid Wood Products
•
Manufacture of Composite Materials
•
Chemical Wood Processing
Contemporary Issues of Wood Use
•
Understanding the demand and use of wood-based products
as well as the impact on society and the environment.
•
Understanding the principal applications of wood and
wood-based materials by choosing and specifying appropriate
wood-based products for a variety of uses.
•
Understanding the major policy, regulation, environmental
and other societal issues that impact the discipline.
•
Understanding professional ethics, including the SWST Code
of Conduct, and recognition of ethical responsibility to adhere
to those standards.
•
Understanding the health, safety, and security issues that
Major Shift ~2005
Course/Credit
Problems
•
Interest is waning in Wood Science and
Technology programs
•
Wood science related grant funding has
decreased.
•
Industry support fluctuates
•
University administrators increasingly
Wood Science and Technology programs are not alone:
University
Programs Eliminated or Changed 2009-2010
Brandeis U
Undergraduate majors in Italian studies and Hebrew languages and literature; master's-degree programs in cultural production and theater design
Florida State U.
Undergraduate degrees in anthropology, recreation and leisure
management, physical education, art education, mathematics education, science education, apparel design, textiles, human geography, and
management information systems; master's-level degrees in scenic design and lighting; doctoral degrees in anthropology
Louisiana State U. at Baton Rouge
Undergraduate programs in food science and technology; eight doctoral programs, including linguistics and comparative literature
McNeese State U. Undergraduate majors in environmental science and wildlife management
Meredith College Undergraduate majors in French, women's studies, and public history
Mississippi State U.
Three undergraduate majors, including agriculture-pest management; six master's, including architecture; seven doctoral, including biomedical engineering and elementary education
U. of Wisconsin at Madison
Undergraduate program in clinical laboratory science, and master's and doctoral programs in environmental monitoring
A Few More:
University
Programs Eliminated or Changed 2009-2010
Nicholls State U.
Undergraduate majors in manufacturing engineering
technology and French
Oregon State U.
Five undergraduate majors, including American studies and
computational physics; 16 master's-level programs, eight of
which were specialized teaching degrees; and two doctoral
programs
St. Cloud State U.
Seven undergraduate majors, including geology and
information media; five master's-level programs, all of which
were specialized education degrees
U. of Central Florida
Undergraduate programs in cardiopulmonary sciences,
engineering technology, management information systems,
radiologic sciences, and actuarial sciences
U. of Northern Iowa
11 undergraduate programs, including American studies, Asian
studies, and computer information systems. Three
master's-level programs, including art with a studio emphasis
U. of Wisconsin
at Madison
Undergraduate program in clinical laboratory science, and
master's and doctoral programs in environmental monitoring
Solution ?
•
Reinvent
•
Repackage
Initiatives
Program Traditional Emphasis New Emphasis
Wood Science and
Technology Program
Renewable or
Sustainable Materials
Program
Basic biology/chemistry of wood and wood fibers
Basic biology/chemistry of renewable materials
Wood and wood structure mechanics
Green building materials
Sporadic emphasis in most cases
Environmental and ecological concerns related to renewable materials
Wood and wood fiber processing
Renewable materials
processing and environmental effects.
Wood and fiber drying, physical properties
Physical properties of renewable materials,
bioenergy, bioenergy systems
Forest products marketing and management
Business, entrepreneurship and management in
renewable materials companies.
