PRESIDENT’S CORNER
The Next Step Concerning
Accreditation for the ASA
V
oluntary individual accreditation is a subject but rather asked that the committee determine what
of great importance to the American such a program should look like if the decision were
Statistical Association and the statistics dis- made to create an ASA voluntary individual accredi-
cipline. It is an issue that has been the topic of much tation program. This board action stemmed from
discussion and debate over the past decade. a recommendation of the 2005 ASA Task Force
Accreditation is a term taken from the Statistical
on Recognition of the Professionalism of Those
Sally C. Morton
Society of Canada’s Accreditation Program, and it
in Business Practice, which was appointed by ASA
should be distinguished from certification. The lat-
President Fritz Scheuren to assess accreditation or
ter involves extensive testing to establish compe-
certification of statisticians. Based on the results of
tency in a profession. In contrast, accreditation is
focus groups and surveys, as well as other means of
“peer recognition that an individual has statistical
dialogue with ASA members, the task force reached
training/knowledge and experience in applying that
the conclusion that an accreditation program would
expertise, maintains appropriate professional devel-
benefit a segment of the association’s membership.
opment, practices ethically, and has good oral and
ASA President Tony Lachenbruch subsequently
written communication,” according to “Questions
appointed the Ad Hoc Committee to Propose an
About Accreditation Answered,” published in the
Approach to Individual Accreditation, consisting
December 2007 issue of Amstat News.
of Mary Batcher (chair), Parul Aneja, Jesse Albert
The ASA strategic plan specifically identifies
Canchola, Judith-Anne Chapman, Frank David De
accreditation as a possible way to meet the needs of
Meo, Martin Lee, George McCabe, Jeri Mulrow, and
applied statisticians and other nonacademic mem-
Theresa Utlaut. He also appointed ad hoc members
bers in the Membership Growth plank of the plan.
Nicholas Fisher, Bret Fuller, and Ralph O’Brien.
In addition, the plan states that a “challenge for the
The committee’s charge was to do the
ASA is to reach out to understand groups while
following:
continuing to serve our traditional constituencies,”
— Develop a proposal for an accreditation pro-
which underscores the need for transparency and
gram for ASA individual members that would
open communication in the association as, together,
address minimally the following operating detail
we consider alternatives and additions to the services
and issues:
we provide members. The purpose of this article is
to update you on the progress on accreditation, and
• Criteria for granting accreditation
a new step the association is taking to ensure that
• Length of accreditation
this topic is assessed and communicated thoroughly,
equitably, and reasonably.
• Application and approval process
In March of 2007, the ASA Board approved the
• Assessment of possible legal constraints
creation of an Ad Hoc Committee to Propose an
Approach to Individual Accreditation. The board
• Costs
specifically did not commit the association to cre- • Other relevant details that will need to
ating and implementing an accreditation program, be resolved
MARCH 2009 AMSTAT NEWS 3
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92