Accreditation equals quality assurance when it comes to higher education.
In 2012, Campbell University received several important accreditations and accreditation renewals, allowing the school to not only start new programs and a new school but also maintain schools and programs that have blossomed over the years.
The year began with perhaps the most important accreditation of all – reaffirmation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, otherwise known as the SACSCOC. President Jerry Wallace called it a “resounding affirmation of the University’s quality and strength, as assessed by peers across the spectrum of higher education.”
Campbell is considered a Level V university in that it offers three doctoral degrees. A fourth doctorate is being shaped as the University’s planning continues for a School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Why is this important? Accreditation with SACSCOC allows Campbell students to graduate from an accredited institution, which is important of employment. It also permits students to receive federal funding for their education and allows faculty to be supported by federal grants and contracts. Additionally, it assures all other disciplinary accrediting organizations of an appropriate level of learning.
Other important accreditations in 2012 included:
MEDICAL SCHOOL – COCA
In April, Campbell University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine was approved to begin recruiting students for its inaugural class, which will begin next fall.
The Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) voted to award the medical school provisional accreditation status, which went into effect in July. This important step allowed the school to begin accepting students.
Campbell’s medical school will eventually graduate 150 physicians each year, many of whom will practice in rural and underserved regions of the state. Students will spend their first two years training in the new medical school at Campbell University. Construction on the 96,500-square-foot facility on Highway 421 began in December 2011 and is expected to be completed by May.
Provisional accreditation status, as outlined by the COCA, means the school is eligible to actively recruit students, matriculate new students and offer a program of medical instruction with an approved osteopathic curriculum. Provisional status can last for no more than five years and can extend until the year in which CUSOM intends to graduate its first class in May 2017.
BUSINESS – ACBSP
Campbell announced in May the undergraduate and graduate business programs offered by the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business were accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
ACBSP is a global business accreditation organization that provides specialized accreditation for business degree programs. The accreditation applies to the business programs offered on the main campus and at the extended campus locations at Fort Liberty, Camp Lejeune, the RTP Campus and the Law School in Raleigh.
Campbell’s programs were evaluated on Leadership, Strategic Planning, Student and Stakeholders Focus, Student Learning and Performance, Faculty and Staff, and Educational Business Process Management.
PUBLIC HEALTH – SACSCOC
Campbell University’s master of science in public health degree was awarded accreditation this year from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
The inaugural class began last fall.
The degree will focus on rural health care disparities and address the shortage of public health professionals. Students will work with faculty members to complete the Harnett County Public Health Assessment over the next year and partner with health departments, community clinics and other local organizations to conduct research and execute campaigns.
Public health students will participate in the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences’ interprofessional education pilot program this fall with pharmacy and physician assistant students. Incorporating this field into a team-based training model will place a greater emphasis on expanding a health care workforce with expertise in public and rural health.
ATHLETIC TRAINING – CAATE
Campbell University’s Athletic Training Education program earned reaccreditation this year from the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education.
Campbell’s program, now in its 20th year, was awarded the maximum 10-year accreditation, a sign that the University’s program is going strong, according to Director Catherine Simonson, who also serves as an instructor in the Department of Exercise Science.
“In the past, our accreditation came in five- or seven-year increments,” said Simonson, who took over the program in 2008. “Getting 10 years is phenomenal, and it was definitely a team effort. Without a doubt, everyone involved with the ATEP contributed to this success.”
Campbell’s Athletic Training Education program currently has 19 students who are educated and evaluated across the following content areas: evidence-based practice, prevention and health promotion, clinical examination and diagnosis, acute care of injuries and illnesses, therapeutic interventions, psychosocial strategies and referral, healthcare administration, and professional development and responsibility. Students are then required to demonstrate comprehensive clinical integration of that knowledge and skill in a real time setting as a part of their professional preparation.