Council on Education pitches changes to accreditation standards

Schaumburg, Ill.

-- The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) has proposed and is now seeking comments on possible changes to the Standards of Accreditation.

The first proposed change would require that veterinary school curriculum must be reviewed as a whole, not in parts, and that the majority of members of curriculum committees be full-time faculty members. Grading systems for veterinary college would also be required to be “relevant and applied to all students in a fair and uniform manner,” according to the proposed language of the revised Standard 9.

Another proposed change, to Standard 7, would affect admission requirements and require that academic achievement no longer be considered an optional consideration for veterinary school admission.

The final proposed change, to Standard 6, would remove the language being proposed to Standard 9 about grading, as well as a clause requiring the college to provide students with details about licensure.

The proposed changes were reviewed by the COE at its fall 2010 meeting, and comments will be accepted on the possible revisions until Dec. 1, 2010. Comments can be mails to Millie Maresh, Administrative Assistant, AVMA, 1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360.

Any changes must be submitted to the AVMA Executive Board by the COE in order to take effect.