The Task Force on Accreditation Process and Communication was established by the ALA Executive Board at the 2015 ALA Annual Conference.
Charge: To make recommendations to the ALA Executive Board on the following areas:
External Communications, including the importance of LIS education to the profession, the academy, and the public; the celebration of the strength of LIS programs; and, advocacy and outreach about how the field is transforming to meet the needs of a changing society.
Internal Communications, including specifically a joint ALA/ALISE statement on the value of accreditation to LIS; an articulation of the value realized by an institution when librarians or faculty members serve on the Committee on Accreditation or on an External Review Panel; a protocol for improved accreditation-related communication between ALA/COA and ALISE (including particularly the Council of Deans/Directors/Chairs; a clear description of the accreditation process that will be accessible to both individuals in practice and in the academy; and, a clear description of the COA/ERP relationship and communication.
Consultant Recommendations: the Task Force is also charged with reviewing recommendations related to process from an external consultant and making any additional or related recommendations to the ALA Executive Board.
Timeline: the Task Force will make an interim report to the ALISE Board of Directors and the ALA Executive Board in January 2016, with a final report to the ALA Executive Board at the 2016 Annual Conference in Orlando.