As promised, we’ll begin to explore how the Accreditation Standards were created and why they are important. The take home point about the Standards is that they provide the framework for excellence and evaluation as well as pragmatic guidelines for the design and delivery of the program. They are the compass rose for the program. […]
In preparing to write this blog, I looked up the definitions and synonyms of mission. I was especially interested in the difference between “mission” and “vision”. Here is what I found. The Business Dictionary.com offers these definitions: A mission statement is: “A written declaration of an organization’s core purpose and focus that normally remains unchanged over time. Properly crafted mission statements (1) serve […]
When the Cheshire Cat asked Alice where she wanted to go, she answered: “I don’t much care where–” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. “–so long as I get SOMEWHERE,” Alice added as an explanation. “Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.” (Lewis Carrol) Program development can seem […]
First a brief history: In 1929 the Hungarian writer Frigyes Karinthy published in a short story called “Chains” describing how everyone on the planet is connected through their acquaintances. Karinthy speculated that there were no more than five connections between any two people.Throughout the 20th century, researchers tried unsuccessfully to prove the theory of six degrees […]
The news in DC last week was full of stories about major public institutions and public figures and their credibility or lack thereof, safety or lack thereof, and trust or lack thereof. There were two consistent questions: “Were they adhering to their core beliefs and ‘doing the right thing’?” and “What would the consequences be?” […]
Returning to the nature theme – our purple martins have returned. Last year was the first time that we had a purple martin house. I’d read that they are rather finicky about how high the house is, the color, the size, if there are other species of birds etc. My approach is: Do as much […]
Before joining the Consortium, I spent about 20 years in academic medical education, working on medical school curriculum, faculty development, and residency training. Then in 2005 I shifted to the nonprofit association world, and joined the Consortium in late 2015. One of my colleagues from a previous nonprofit association introduced me to the concept of […]
If you’re like me, you’ve had enough of the presidential primary races. My jaded perceptions moderated a bit after a leisurely weekend with my husband — time spent puttering about the yard and working in our gardens. So, in a more generous and relaxed frame of mind, it occurred to me that the purpose of […]
I’ve just returned from the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors’ spring conference in Chicago. The theme of the conference was consistency and fairness in accreditation. It was inspiring — filled with collegial exchanges, shared best practices, and thought-provoking presentations. I was welcomed to Chicago by a glorious spring day: windy, sunny and 72 º. […]
Last week the cherry blossoms were at their peak. The promise of spring was visible in the cotton candy clouds of soft pink and bright white that topped the trees. Yesterday harsh winds tore through the region and now the ground is littered with petals. My bird feeder lies broken, half way across the lawn. […]
