Using the ACS approval process of chemistry programs to improve department health

CHED 541

J. W. Kozarich, johnk@activx.com, ActivX Biosciences, Inc, 11025 North Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037
In 1936 the ACS established the Committee on Professional Training(CPT) to define guidelines for quality education in chemistry at the postsecondary level and to administer an approval program to evaluate compliance with those guidelines. Departments have successfully used the approval process to document their abilities to the public and prospective students, compare their curriculum and capabilities to standards set by the broader chemistry community, and to leverage needed support from their institutional administration. The regular evaluation cycle for ACS-approved departments also provides the opportunity for chemistry faculty to review their curriculum and the adequacy of departmental resources to support their educational goals. In these ways, the ACS-approval process serves as a vital tool for department review and improvement.