American Chemical Society
Historical Background of the ACS Approval Program
Anne B. McCoy
Department of Chemistry
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH 43210
BCCE Symposium on The Evolution of the ACS Approval Process: Moving beyond the 2008 Guidelines
July 31, 2012
What is CPT?
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Founded in 1936
Brief history of the origins:
In 1935 – the ACS Council established a “Committee for Accrediting Educational Institutions” with Thomas Midgley, Jr. as the Chairman
Mandate: “The responsibility for properly accrediting institutions is wholly within the province of the permanent committee and it is hereby granted authority commensurate with this responsibility.”
What is CPT?
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Brief history of the origins:
CPT Became a standing committee of the ACS in 1936
Initial tasks included:
Establish "minimum standards of eligibility", institutions to apply for approved status.
Survey of current practices sent to 750 universities and colleges, 450 replies received and analyzed.
Data included staff, training, teaching loads, research activity, educational practices, procedures, etc.
Classified and tabulated to provide comprehensive picture about "professional training of chemists at the collegiate level".
What is CPT?
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Now…
Our goals:
• Promoting and assisting in the development of high standards of excellence in all aspects of post-secondary education, and undertaking studies important to their maintenance.
• Collecting and making available information concerning trends and developments in modern chemical education.
• Cooperating with the American Chemical Society and other professional and educational groups having mutual interests and concerns.
The process:
By 1940, there were 65 approved programs. Today there are 667!
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Approved program by institution type:
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
1 32
63
92
12
3
15
4
18
4
21
5
24
6
27
7
30
8
33
9
37
0
40
1
43
2
46
3
49
4
52
5
55
6
No
rma
lized
Fra
ction
of B
A/B
S C
he
mistry D
eg
ree
sN
um
be
r o
f B
A/B
S C
he
mis
try
De
gre
es
Institution Number
BA/BS Chemistry Degrees
D
M
B
• research universities depend critically on the baccalaureate degree recipients of smaller programs to staff their graduate programs
• some level of uniformity in programs and standards of excellence is beneficial to the profession
Who is involved in CPT
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Distinguished chemists from preeminent universities and colleges and from industry have donated countless hours to the ACS-CPT program both as committee members and as Visiting Associates.
Current members and affiliations:
– Anne B. McCoy (Chair) – Bob A. Howell CONSULTANTSOhio State Central Michigan University
– Ron C. Estler (Vice Chair) – Laura L. Kosbar – John W. KozarichFort Lewis College IBM T.J. Watson Research Cntr Activx Biosciences
– Edgar A. Arriaga – Clark R. Landis – Joel I. ShulmanUniversity of Minnesota UW – Madison University of Cincinnati
– Ronald Brisbois – Cynthia K. Larive – George S. Wilson Macalester College UC, Riverside University of Kansas
– Ron W. Darbeau – Lee Y. ParkMcNeese State University Williams College
– Joseph S. Francisco – Richard W. Schwenz COMMITTEE SECRETARYPurdue Univ. of Northern Colorado
– Suzanne Harris – Thomas J. Wenzel – Cathy A. NelsonUniv of Wyoming Bates College ACS
– Scott C. HartselUW-Eau Claire
What do we do?
• Establish and administer the approval program
– The ACS through CPT approves chemistry programs
• Conduct surveys to understand current trends in areas related to the professional education of chemists
• Other activities relating to the professional training of chemists
– ACS Directory of Graduate Research
– Coordinating efforts to establish workshops
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The approval program
Conduct and enhance an approval procedure for bachelor’s degree programs in chemistry.
• CPT approves degree programs according to the 2008 guidelines. Currently 667 programs are approved.
• Individual departments then certify students who meet the approved program curricula.
Committee on Professional Training
Program Approval
The Chemistry Profession is Changing
The 2008 guidelines presented a large departure from earlier versions in recognition of the evolution of the
profession.
Coursework Required for Certification under 2008 guidelines
Added emphasis on Student Skills:
The process:
Currently schools begin the process with a preapplication which is acted upon within 2 months
Next they fill out a self-study which is evaluated by the committee and discussed with representatives from the department
A site visitor is selected by CPT and goes to the institution at the invitation of the President to obtain a local view of the department
Decisions for approval are made based on all of the gathered information
Once approved, departments submit short annual reports and longer reports every five years.
The five year reports are brought to the full committee and provide the basis for continuing approval of a program
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One of the goals of the 2008 guidelines was to streamline the application process and
feedback to departments following receipt of the periodic
reports
Looking forward
• The committee typically revises the Guidelines every four to six years in order to keep up with evolving trends in chemistry education and changes in the educational needs of professional chemists
• We have begun the process of revising the 2008 guidelines, with an anticipated publication date for the revised guidelines in spring 2014
• To initiate the process we solicited feedback through a Comment Column, published in C&E News in January 2012
• In June, we held a retreat during which we developed the goals for the revision
• We will be continuing to solicit feedback through symposia (like today’s), open meetings.
• Additional information will be published in the semi-annual CPT Newsletter.
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Goals of the revision
• To engage in a “self-evaluation” of how the 2008 guidelines are working given the size of the departure in requirements and practices compared to earlier editions of the Guidelines
• To clarify issues that came up in the periodic reports
• To look at how changes in technology affect the delivery of chemistry curricula and how these changes should be reflected in the Guidelines
• To evaluate what a experiences chemistry major needs to have in preparation to join the workforce and evaluate how these should be reflected in the Guidelines
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An important part of this process is community input…
The remainder of today’s symposiumThe evolving landscape of chemistry education.
Richard Schwenz (University of Northern Colorado) 9:55
Small Group Discussion (10:15-10:35)
The role of undergraduate research in the certified chemistry major
Thomas Wenzel (Bates College) 10:35am
Break 10:55-11:10
The increasingly multidisciplinary nature of chemistry.
Joseph Francisco (Purdue University) 11:10am
Challenges in preparing professional chemists: Imparting and assessing student skills
Joel Shulman (University of Cincinnati) 11:30am
Small Group Discussion (11:50-12:10)
Panel Discussion (12:10-12:30)
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