Benefits of Volunteer Service
CIPS program evaluators find the experience of serving on accreditation review and evaluation teams to be personally and professionally rewarding for a variety of reasons, including opportunities to:
· Help assure that CIPS accreditation criteria reflect contemporary practice and the expectations of the technical professions and their key constituents;
· Gain insight into "best practices" and trends in technical education and the particular characteristics of individual schools and programs; and
· Benefit from interaction and networking with committed peers.
Volunteer! Become a CIPS Program Evaluator
CIPS could not perform its accreditation activities without its volunteers - professionals who are passionate about improving their professions through quality education. Volunteers evaluate program material and visit campuses, and actively participate in accreditation decisions. Volunteers play an essential role in assisting institutions to improve their academic programs.
Most CIPS volunteers begin their service as Accreditors in Training. Accreditors in Training first take the Association of Accrediting Agencies of Canada Basic Site Evaluator Course. Following the completion of this course, accreditors in training are added to an experienced accreditation team and have an observer role.
The Role of the Program Evaluator
Academic programs are evaluated against a set of specific criteria. These criteria outline the requirements for student support, quality and appropriateness of faculty and facilities, relevance of curriculum, continuous quality improvement processes, and other key program areas. It is the program evaluator’s job to determine if these criteria are met.
Review the Self-Study Report
The work of a program evaluator begins with a review of the self-study report, which is prepared by the program seeking accreditation. The self-study report contains information about the institution, as well as detailed information that illustrate how the academic program meets the evaluation criteria.
On-Site Visit
The program evaluator travels to the campus with one or more additional program evaluators and an evaluation team leader. The program evaluator spends approximately two days investigating his or her assigned program with the help of the program’s chair and faculty. Travel expenses for the on-site visit are reimbursed by CIPS.
On-site visit activities include:
· verifying the information provided in the self-study report
· observing classes;
· interviewing students, faculty members, administrators, and staff;
· visiting classrooms, labs, and other key facilities; and
· reviewing textbooks, course syllabi, student work and assessment materials.
Based on a review of the self-study report and observations made on campus, the program evaluators prepare a draft report describing how well the program met CIPS criteria.
After the On-Site Visit
After the visit, the accreditation team prepares a report. The report is presented to the school for a check of factual errors, then finalized and provided to the Accreditation Council for a decision on accreditation. This then completes the accreditation review.
For more information or to get involved, contact the CIPS Accreditation Secretariat.
