by Deanna Reyes
Staff Writer
The University of La Verne’s Athletic Training program officially received word on Feb. 6 that it had achieved candidacy status for accreditation.
Accreditation is a national status which verifies an academic program adheres to certain standards for educating students.
The athletic training department had been looking into applying for accreditation over the last few years. After the department received ULV’s administration approval, they began the application process, which consisted of 150 to 200 pages of reports.
According to Marilyn Oliver, director of athletic training education, the department had to report the number of personnel it has, its academic plan, course syllabi, loads for instructors and how students are selected to enter the department.
Achieving candidacy is one of the first steps in the accreditation process. The department will be in candidacy status for two years.
During this time the department is required to perform an in-depth self-study where it will evaluate graduation rates, certification rates and the diversity of the student body, among other things. It must implement new required courses that have been taught at least one time before accreditation. It is also recommended that they bring in an outside consultant to examine their programs and give recommendations for improving the department.
After submission of the self-study on Sept. 1, 2002, an evaluation team from the accreditation committee will make a site visit to ULV and the athletic training department.
“If what we say we are doing on paper matches what we are doing in practice, then we should receive accreditation,” said Oliver.
The entire accreditation process does require some cost for the University. Oliver said just being a candidate for accreditation requires a yearly fee of $500. The University also paid an application fee of $350, plus it must pay for the site team as well as the consultant for the process.
Previously, the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) had allowed two programs for students to receive certification-which is necessary to become an athletic trainer.
One route was called Curriculum, where students focused on course work and experienced less “hands-on” training. The latter was called Internship, where students had fewer academic courses and more hands-on experience.
Up until this point, ULV had employed the internship route for athletic training students. Students could become qualified to take the NATA exam through this process.
“If we don’t receive accreditation, our students won’t be eligible to enter the profession as a certified athletic trainer,” said Oliver.
Within the last few years, the NATA decided to no longer utilize the two-program process, and now requires one route to certification.
According to Oliver, the two-route program will still be in effect until December 2003, and the new program will effect freshman students this year in the athletic training major.
In the old program, students were evaluated on the 1,500 hours of required clinical experience.
The new program requires additional classroom time and tests proficiency rather than hours of clinical experience accumulated.
In the event that the department does not receive accreditation, Oliver said they would be forced to “regroup.”
She said there would no longer be an athletic training program offered at the University because students will not be able to go from a bachelor’s degree to taking the National Board Exam. It would not be worthwhile for students because they would not be able to receive certification after graduating from ULV.
“Students interested in athletic training could go into an entry level masters program at another school,” said Oliver. “So students who really want to be an athletic trainer wouldn’t have to give up their life aspirations. But they couldn’t pursue it here.”
Oliver said the athletic training department as well as herself is very excited to have achieved the candidacy status.
She said that the department needs to make sure they are in constant communication with the freshman students so they can gage their academic career, which as of now, is based on whether or not the department receives accreditation.
