LATEST UPDATES

2013 Self-Study Instructions for NASPAA Accreditation Released
COPRA is pleased to release the 2013 Self-Study Instructions for NASPAA accreditation. This is the official document that outlines the data requirements for accreditation and provides definitions, a basis of judgment, and illustrative examples on each of the standards. The revisions reflect clarifications based on the experiences of the programs having completed accreditation under the 2009 standards, as well as some updates to data fields, and even a few deletions. Most changes have previously been announced in COPRA’s policy statements in 2012-2013, and are now being collected into the official documentation. A summary of the changes in the 2013 release and the Self-Study Instructions themselves can be found here.

Online Resources for Programs and Site Visitors
NASPAA is excited to announce that COPRA has added an online component to site visitor training! We are excited to not only be able to supplement current in-person training and to reach interested site visitors through the new online course, but also to provide programs with explanatory videos to improve their familiarity with the standards. Many programs have found that the online resources are helpful to the faculty and staff of programs during all phases of accreditation. The course videos walk viewers through each of the 2009 Standards, individually – clarifying, emphasizing, and explaining how to interpret the standards. The video on Standard 5 is especially helpful in describing COPRA’s expectations and how to best approach competency assessment.

Interested in serving on a site visit team and completing the required training online? We’ll add you to our waitlist! Please email Heather Gregory to be included in our future online cohorts.  (March 2013)

NASPAA Accreditation Maintenance Report
Program's Accreditation Maintenance Report will be due October 29, 2012. You can access the online accreditation management system at naspaa.civicore.com. more >>

Archived Annual Reports for Accredited Programs
Programs that wish to review their previous Annual Reports, you should go here.
To request login information, please email Stacy Drudy.

COPRA Competency-Based Assessment Grant Announcement
The Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA) is seeking a grantee to research and write a publishable-quality paper looking at the implementation of student learning assessment, specifically regarding the measurement of competency attainment. The paper would take a comparative perspective looking at the multitude of ways in which various programs are implementing competencies based assessment. For more information go here.

COPRA White Papers and Policy Statement
COPRA has released two white papers regarding early case law and emerging views on academic and professional qualifications, and thresholds for competency assessment.  You can view the white papers here.  COPRA has also issued a policy statement based on COPRA decisions at its June 2012 meeting.  The policy statement can be found here.

Site Visitor Registration for Online Accreditation System
Have you trained to be a NASPAA Site Visitor under the new Standards?  Have you completed the Site Visitor Registration form in the new online accreditation system?  If not please go to naspaa.civicore.com and complete the registration form at your earliest convenience.  This will give you access to the system when you are assigned to a team and will house all of the important information we need to make sure you are matched with a program in which you are a good fit.  To view an instructional video on registering for and navigating the system go here.

New Mentor Program Announced
COPRA has enthusiastically implemented a mentorship program for programs seeking NASPAA accreditation for the first time, in order to ensure that new applicants have additional support in their efforts to achieve accreditation. Applicants in the Eligibility stage of accreditation will be matched with experienced former Commission members and Site Visit Chairs for an independent perspective. If you would like more information on the mentorship program, please contact NASPAA’s Accreditation staff.

Apply for NASPAA Accreditation
Programs that wish to apply for NASPAA accreditation for the first time have two upcoming deadlines for Eligibility applications--April 1 and August 1. This initial phase is a prerequisite to submitting an accreditation Self-Study report. If you plan to submit an application, please contact NASPAA staff for more information on starting the process. All applying programs must be a NASPAA member.