POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR ACCREDITATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMS
AMENDED JANUARY 2009
View Policies and Procedures

1. Scope of Accreditation

ACPE accredits the professional degree program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Evaluation and accreditation of this program (hereinafter "professional degree program") is in accord with Standards and Guidelines for the Professional Degree Program Leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Degree. The latest revision was adopted January 15, 2006, and will be effective July 1, 2007. Pharmacy education is in the process of transition as reflected by a corresponding change in accreditation standards . Information concerning specific colleges or schools of pharmacy (hereinafter "colleges or schools") may be obtained by corresponding directly with the college or schools of pharmacy listed in the ACPE Annual Directory of Accredited Professional Degree Programs of Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy at www.acpe-accredit.org .

2. External Recognition of ACPE

ACPE is recognized for the accreditation and preaccreditation (precandidate and candidate status) of professional degree programs by the Secretary of Education, United States Department of Education. ACPE accreditation serves to establish eligibility for participation in a variety of federally funded programs, not including eligibility for Title IV Programs, Higher Education Act, 1965, as amended. ACPE is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) for meeting their recognition criteria.

3. Eligibility for ACPE Accreditation or Preaccreditation

In order to be eligible for initial or continuing accreditation, the Doctor of Pharmacy program must be part of an independent college or school of pharmacy or a college or school of pharmacy within a University, which is regularly incorporated and is a legally empowered postsecondary educational institution. The institution housing the college or school, or the independent college or school, must be accredited by a regional/institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or another agency acceptable to the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). Any free standing college or school of pharmacy must achieve regional/institutional accreditation in a timely manner. Accreditation standards call for a college or school of pharmacy as an autonomous organizational unit, and the administrative structure of the college or school of pharmacy must provide for a dean, who serves as the chief administrative and academic officer. Evaluation for purposes of initial or continued accreditation requires an invitation by the chief executive officer, or designate, of the institution.

4. Assistance in Accreditation Matters

ACPE staff and its consultants provide guidance, upon request, on matters pertaining to pharmacy education, especially as related to the preaccreditation and accreditation process. Staff guidance is available through various formats, including discussions at the ACPE office (no fee) and at the site of the institution (with a consultative fee). The ACPE Board of Directors and staff also provide assistance in the advancement and improvement of pharmacy education through active cooperation with professional organizations and societies in support of sound educational policies and procedures.

5. Accreditation Standards and Guidelines

Accreditation standards reflect professional and educational qualities identified by ACPE - through profession-wide dialogue and feedback - as essential to the professional degree program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD). Adherence to standards equates to accreditation of the professional degree program. Based upon the several evaluative steps in the accreditation process, ACPE determines compliance with standards and the ability of the program to be accredited. Guidelines are a derivative of a particular standard and are provided for guidance and/or interpretation of the standard's intent and purpose. Guidelines are also presented to illustrate ways and means of complying with standards . Moreover, guidelines assist the college or school of pharmacy as it demonstrates compliance with standards and they assist evaluation teams in the evaluation of the college's or school's addressing of the standards and the ACPE Board's determination of compliance with the standards. All members of the ACPE Board and staff are provided training pertaining to the standards and guidelines, techniques of on-site evaluation, and ACPE policies and procedures prior to assuming their responsibilities. Prior to participation on an evaluation team, evaluation team members also receive training pertaining to the standards and guidelines, techniques of on-site evaluation, ACPE policies and procedures, and their role in evaluation.

6. Review, Revision and Establishment of Standards

The first accreditation standards were published in 1937 and have been revised periodically, about every six or seven years, in keeping with changes in pharmacy education and pharmacy practice. The revised standards and guidelines (Standards 2007) for the professional degree program were adopted January 15, 2006, and became effective July 1, 2007, following a revision process that was initiated with advance notice (spring 2003) and involved the entire community of interest for a period of three years, including a comment period. Furthermore, implementation procedures were developed in consultation with the community of interest that provided for a transition period from January15, 2006 to June 30, 2007.

ACPE maintains a systematic program of review that assures that its standards are appropriate to the educational preparedness of the students and graduates and are adequate to evaluate the quality of professional education provided by the professional degree program. The systematic program of review is comprehensive and involves the entire community of interest, including provision for input by all relevant stakeholders, with examination of each standard and guideline, as well as the standards as a whole. The ACPE Board of Directors has resolved that the review and revision process for guidelines may be separate from that of the standards . The standards will likely be reviewed approximately every six to eight years, while the guidelines can be refined and improved as needed based on stakeholder feedback and experience. If at any point it is determined by ACPE that a change needs to be made to a standard(s) or guideline(s), action for change is initiated within 12 months. Completion of the revision process, so initiated, will occur within a reasonable period of time and as soon as feasible, based upon the extent of the change necessitated.

Action for establishing or revising a standard or standards requires that advance public notice of the revisions or changes proposed by ACPE be provided to all relevant stakeholders. The revision process includes, but may not be limited to, the following steps: a draft of the proposed revisions or changes is provided to the deans of the colleges and schools of pharmacy for consideration by them and their respective institutional administrative and executive officers, faculties and students; to the chief executive officers of state boards of pharmacy for consideration by the respective boards; to the chief executive officers of educational and professional organizations and societies affected by the accreditation process in pharmacy, for dissemination among their members; to the leaders of national pharmacy student organizations; and to the chief executive officers of institutional (regional) and other programmatic accrediting agencies, for distribution. The proposed changes or revisions are provided to the U. S. Department of Education and to the general public, upon request. The proposed changes or revisions are presented on the ACPE web site www.acpe-accredit.org along with an invitation to comment. All relevant stakeholders and other interested parties are given adequate opportunity to comment on the proposed revisions or changes. Each comment on the proposed changes or revisions, received within the published timeframe for the comment period, is taken into account. Subsequently, revisions and changes are finalized and adopted by the ACPE Board of Directors. The revised standards become effective on a date designated by ACPE based upon the extent of the change necessitated, generally later than that of their adoption.

7. Directory of Accredited Professional Programs

ACPE publishes the Directory of Accredited Doctor of Pharmacy Programs of Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy on its web site. The type of accreditation status and the academic year of the most recent review or reconsideration of accreditation and the academic year for the next currently scheduled review or reconsideration of accreditation are indicated for each program. Moreover, the Directory presents the name, address (mail and Web-site), telephone and fax numbers of the dean of the college or school offering the professional program. The web site also describes ACPE and its accreditation process and presents key policies and procedures, including the policy on complaints.

8. Reference to Accreditation

The type of accreditation status of the professional degree program and other info rmation, as specified below, should be prominently disclosed by the college or school of pharmacy in its promotional and descriptive materials, such as its catalog or bulletin. References should accurately reflect the designation indicated in the current Directory of Accredited Doctor of Pharmacy Programs of Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy . References to accreditation are regularly monitored by ACPE to ensure accuracy; correction of any inaccurate or misleading statements concerning the accreditation status of a professional degree program will be sought immediately.

8.1 Accreditation . References to a program that is accredited should state only the following: " Name of Institution's Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500 , Chicago , IL 60602-5109 , 312/664-3575; FAX 312/664-4652, web site www.acpe-accredit.org ."

8.2 Preaccreditation . References to a program that has been granted a preaccreditation status (precandidate or candidate) should state the following: " Name of Institution's Doctor of Pharmacy program has been granted precandidate/candidate status by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500 , Chicago , IL 60602-5109 , 312/644-3575; FAX 312/664-4652, web site www.acpe-accredit.org ." An explanation of the respective preaccreditation status, as defined by the ACPE, should accompany this reference.

8.3 Probation . Reference to a program that has been placed in a probationary status should state the following: "The accreditation of " Name of Institution's Doctor of Pharmacy program has been placed in a probationary status by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60602-5109, 312/664-3575; FAX, 312/664-4652, web site www.acpe-accredit.org ." This reference should include the following additional statement: "For an explanation of probationary status, consult the office of the dean."

8.4 Application. References to the effect that a professional degree program has applied, or is in the process of applying, to ACPE for accreditation may only be made by the college or school once an application has been formally submitted, and the receipt thereof has been acknowledged by ACPE. The reference should state the following: " Name of Institution's Doctor of Pharmacy program has applied for accreditation status by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500 , Chicago , IL 60602-5109 , 312/644-3575; FAX 312/664-4652, web site www.acpe-accredit.org ." This reference should include the following additional statement: "For an explanation of ACPE accreditation process, consult the office of the dean or ACPE ( www.acpe-accredit.org )."

Authorization of an on-site evaluation for pre-candidate status does not carry with it nor imply an accreditation status. The on-site is authorized solely for purposes of gathering additional information so that the ACPE Board of Directors can take an accreditation action.

9. Types of Accreditation Status and Notification of Accrediting Decisions

9.1 Accreditation: Initial or Continued Accreditation . The professional degree program of a college or school of pharmacy is granted initial or continued accreditation if it has been demonstrated to the satisfaction of ACPE that the program complies with accreditation standards , including the appropriateness of the program's mission and goals, the adequacy of resources and organization to meet the mission and goals, outcomes which indicate that the mission and goals are being met, and the reasonable assurance of the continued compliance with standards.

In the event that the ACPE Board of Directors determines a program is not in compliance with a standard or standards, the program will be notified in writing of its non-compliance and given a period not longer than two years to bring all aspects of non-compliance into compliance with ACPE accreditation standards. Generally, if after one year of notification of non-compliance, the program fails to demonstrate adequate progress towards achieving compliance with ACPE standards, ACPE will place the program on probation. Such probationary status will be published in the ACPE Directory on the web site along with appropriate notification as set forth in 9.2 below.

Upon initial or continued accreditation of a program, or in the event of voluntary withdrawal from accreditation, or upon a decision to let accreditation lapse, written notification of such actions shall be made to the U.S. Secretary of Education, the appropriate state licensing or authorizing agency, the appropriate regional and/or other accrediting agencies, and the public within 30 days. Public notification includes presentation on the ACPE web site.

9.2 Probation . A professional degree program of a college or school of pharmacy that has been granted accreditation, and after failure to be in compliance with a standard or standards after the time frame set forth in 9.1, will be given the accreditation status of Probation. Due notice of this action, indication of the area(s) of non-compliance, and the time period within which the program is expected to bring itself into compliance with standards , are given. The response of the institution should be presented in writing in advance of the meeting in which the program is scheduled for consideration. The chief executive officer of the institution, or a designate, and the dean of the college or school of pharmacy are invited to personally attend this meeting and present comments. Probation reflects a diminished accreditation status. Graduates of a program in a probationary status retain all the rights and privileges associated with an accredited program. Probation is not an adverse accreditation action. Adverse accreditation action is defined as withdrawal or denial of accreditation or preaccreditation. Adverse accreditation action will be taken if a college or school of pharmacy fails to bring a program into compliance within the period specified by ACPE; such time period shall not exceed two years from the initial notification of partial or non-compliance with a standard(s) and may be extended only for good cause.

Written notification of probationary action shall be made to the U.S. Secretary of Education, the appropriate state licensing or authorizing agency, appropriate regional and/or other accrediting agencies, and the public, at the same time the institution is notified of the probationary action, but no later than 30 days after the decision is made. Public notification includes presentation on the ACPE web site.

9.3       Preaccreditation .  A newly instituted Doctor of Pharmacy program of a college or school of pharmacy must be granted each of the two preaccreditation statuses at the appropriate stage of its development.  The standards are the same as those employed for accredited status, however, preaccreditation involves, in large measure, planning in accord with standards and provision of reasonable assurances for a quality outcome.  It should be noted that a new program must achieve precandidate accreditation status prior to the enrollment of students. Failure to do so will preclude consideration for ACPE accreditation until after graduates have been produced, at which time a program could be considered for full accreditation status.  As these first graduates would emerge from a program with no accreditation status, they may not be eligible for licensure as pharmacists.

9.3.1    Precandidate .  A new program that has no students enrolled but that meets the eligibility criteria for accreditation may be granted Precandidate accreditation status.  The granting of Precandidate status indicates that a college or school's planning for the Doctor of Pharmacy program has taken into account ACPE standards and guidelines and suggests reasonable assurances of moving to the next step, that of Candidate status.  Granting of Precandidate status brings no rights or privileges of accreditation.  Full public disclosure by the college or school of pharmacy of the terms and conditions of this accreditation status is required.

9.3.2    Candidate .  Once students have enrolled in a new program, but the program has not had a graduating class, the program may be granted Candidate status.  The granting of Candidate status denotes a developmental program, which is expected to mature in accord with stated plans and within a defined time period.  Reasonable assurances are expected to be provided that the program may become accredited as programmatic experiences are gained, generally, by the time the first class has graduated.  Graduates of a class designated as having Candidate status have the same rights and privileges as graduates of an accredited program.

Upon granting preaccreditation status (Precandidate or Candidate) to a program, or in the event of voluntary withdrawal from preaccreditation, or upon a decision to let preaccreditation lapse, written notification of such action shall be made to the U.S. Secretary of Education, the appropriate state licensing or authorizing agency, the appropriate regional and/or other accrediting agencies, and the public within 30 days.  Public notification includes presentation on the ACPE web site. 

10. Adverse Accreditation Action: Denial or Withdrawal of Accreditation

When ACPE determines that the professional degree program of a college or school of pharmacy fails to comply with standards and that identified deficiencies have not been satisfactorily addressed, initial accreditation or preaccreditation may be denied, or the existing preaccreditation or accreditation status may be withdrawn. The denial of initial accreditation or preaccreditation status or the withdrawal of accreditation or preaccreditation status is considered an Adverse Accreditation Action. Withdrawals of accreditation will generally, but not necessarily, occur after Non-Compliance/Probation Status has been given.

Should the ACPE Board of Directors find a college or school of pharmacy non-compliant or only partially compliant to one or more of its standards, the program will be notified of the non-compliance or partial compliance, including specific points of deficiency, and given a maximum of two years to bring the program into compliance to all ACPE accreditation standards. Generally, the communication of a finding of partial or non-compliance to any standard will be solely between ACPE and the program for one year. If in the judgment of the ACPE Board of Directors, insufficient progress has been made during that period to bring the program into full compliance with all ACPE accreditation standards, then ACPE may publish the program's non-compliance/probation status, with appropriate notification of all parties of interest. It is expected that any issue of non-compliance will be addressed within the two year timeframe as mandated by the U.S .Department of Education. If full compliance is not achieved within the two year timeframe, an adverse accreditation action will result.

After availing themselves of other opportunities to avoid such adverse action, institutions may initiate the formal ACPE Appeal Procedure for an Adverse Accreditation Action as outlined in Section 13.

Notification of any adverse action by ACPE shall be in writing and delivered by certified mail to the chief executive officer of the institution affected. Such notification shall give a statement of reasons for the adverse accreditation action along with notice of the right to appeal and the time constraints for initiating such an appeal. Any time after the effective date of denial or withdrawal, the chief executive officer of the institution may reapply for accreditation. The reapplication shall follow standard evaluation procedures set forth for evaluation of the professional degree program for purposes of preaccreditation, initial or continuing accreditation as applicable. If preaccreditation or accreditation is granted, that fact will be made public and the accreditation status will be indicated on the ACPE web site in the Directory of Accredited Professional Programs of Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy .

Subsequent to a final decision (after appeal or opportunity to appeal) to deny or withdraw accreditation or preaccreditation, written notification shall be made to the institution within 30 days, and at the same time as institutional notification, to the U. S. Secretary of Education, the appropriate state licensing or authorizing agency, and the appropriate regional and/or other accrediting agencies, and the public. Public notification includes presentation on the ACPE web site. A brief statement summarizing the reasons for denying or withdrawing preaccreditation or accreditation, and any comments from the affected institution shall be made available not later than 60 days after such final action to the U.S. Secretary of Education, the appropriate state licensing or authorizing agency, and the appropriate regional and/or other accrediting agencies, and, upon request, to the public. Public notification includes presentation on the ACPE web site.

11. Application Procedures

A written application must be submitted to ACPE by a program seeking accreditation. Written instructions regarding format, length, content, and timeline are available from ACPE.

11.1 Preaccreditation.

11.1.1 Precandidate . A college or school of pharmacy that satisfies eligibility requirements may apply for Precandidate status for the Doctor of Pharmacy program by submitting an application that takes the form of a self-study of the proposed professional degree program. The self-study should be organized standard-by-standard, presenting plans by which compliance will be assured. An invitation to evaluate the professional degree program for purposes of granting precandidate status is required from the chief executive officer of the institution. Upon submission of the Application/Self-Study, ACPE will provide an initial review for purposes of eligibility for accreditation and may provide comments to consider. If ACPE review of the applicant's application/self-study and other materials finds that they are incomplete or do not otherwise provide sufficient evidence which suggests that planning has taken into account standards and guidelines, the college or school of pharmacy will be advised to withdraw its application or to resubmit an appropriately revised application. If ACPE review of the application/self-study and other materials submitted suggests that planning has taken into account adequately the accreditation standards and guidelines, an on-site evaluation will be authorized and scheduled in accord with standard evaluation and operational procedures. On the basis of the on-site evaluation procedures employed, Precandidate status may be granted or denied.

11.1.2 Candidate. A college or school of pharmacy that satisfies eligibility requirements may apply for Candidate status for its Doctor of Pharmacy program after achieving pre-candidate status and having enrolled its first class. Once students are enrolled, an on-site evaluation will be authorized and scheduled in accord with standard evaluation and operational procedures. The program will be evaluated taking into account that portion of the program in operation as well as plans for the remainder of the program. On the basis of the evaluation process, candidate status may be granted or denied.

11.1.3 Terms. Preaccreditation status is awarded in accord with specified terms and conditions, involving monitoring provisions that generally include on-site reviews. Precandidate status is generally awarded for two years, after which the program is expected to seek Candidate status. Candidate status is generally awarded for not more than two, two-year periods. However, the Preaccreditation status shall be limited to an aggregate of no more than five years (i.e., combined number of years as candidate and precandidate shall not exceed five).

11.1.4 Voluntary Withdrawal of Applications for Precandidate or Candidate Status . The chief executive officer of the institution may voluntarily withdraw an application for any status of preaccreditation at any time. The college or school of pharmacy may then choose to reapply at a later date.

11.2 Initial and Continued Accreditation .

11.2.1 Initial Accreditation . After graduation of its first class, a Doctor of Pharmacy program that has been granted a preaccreditation status shall be considered for initial accreditation in accord with terms set forth in the preaccreditation action.

11.2.2 Continued Accreditation . The procedures involved for evaluation for purposes of continuing accreditation are initiated by ACPE. ACPE will info rm the chief executive officer of the institution and the dean of the college or school of pharmacy offering an accredited program of the approach of a period during which re-evaluation would normally be conducted. The academic year of the next review or reconsideration of accreditation is presented in the last accreditation action and is also published in the Directory . The customary on-site review cycle is six years. The exact dates of the on-site evaluation are established in consultation with the dean. Instructions concerning the details of the evaluation, the materials required (e.g., self-study) and the evaluative procedures employed are essentially equivalent to those requested for initial evaluation.

Programs may also be reviewed for purposes of accreditation in a cycle of less than six years at the discretion of ACPE. Shorter review cycles are designed to monitor progress on specified issues and do not represent a diminished accreditation status . Such early reviews may be based upon a written report of progress from the institution or an on-site evaluation. An on-site evaluation requires a self-study in accord with standard evaluation and operational procedures. ACPE will also consider requests from an institution for an alteration in the review cycle; however, the schedule does not generally extend beyond six years, without due cause.

Failure on the part of the institution to permit re-evaluation of its professional program for purposes of continued accreditation, after due notice of the scheduled review has been given, shall result in withdrawal of accreditation.

The chief executive officer of the institution may withdraw from accreditation status, at any time.

12. Evaluation and Operational Procedures

12.1 Self-Study . For purposes of accreditation or preaccreditation, submission of a program self-study and completion of prescribed administrative summaries are required. The self-study process should be in-depth, and broadly based, involving a representative portion of the college or school of pharmacy's administrative leaders, faculty, professional staff, students, alumni, practitioners, governing body and other appropriate stakeholders. The self-study should include required documentation and data as specified by ACPE, a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the strengths and limitations of the program, qualitative and quantitative info rmation on both faculty and student achievements, and provide evidence of outcomes that demonstrate the program's successes in attaining its mission and goals, including success in student learning. The self-study should provide program description and analysis, present findings and conclusions, appraise strengths and weaknesses, and where deficiencies exist, outline plans for improvement, with appropriate implementation strategies and timelines. ACPE conducts, as an integral component of its accreditation review, its own analyses and evaluations of the self-study and other documentation provided. The self-study should serve as a point of reference for the institution's future planning. As of July 1, 2007, ACPE requires colleges and schools of pharmacy to follow the template and guidance provided by its self-study guidance on the ACPE web site (www.acpe-accredit.org), so as to ensure adequate evaluation of educational quality and to effectively present efforts to improve quality. The template provided in the ACPE Self-Study Guide is based on the Evaluation Form (rubric) that is used by evaluation teams during on-site visits. Ultimately, the ACPE Board determines compliance (or otherwise) with standards .

Within each of the six standards-based sections of the Standards 2007 Evaluation Form, ACPE requests data (raw data and the analysis thereof) from surveys of students, faculty, preceptors, and alumni carried out by the college or school. For many of the criteria within the Standards, objective outcomes measures may not be readily available, hence the value of such survey data. ACPE supported the development by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) of survey instruments for these stakeholder groups. All colleges and schools whose programs are being evaluated during the academic year 2008-2009 and beyond are required by ACPE to submit data obtained through the administration of the these AACP surveys in their comprehensive self study reports. In the transition (i.e., for programs evaluated during the academic year 2007-2008 and for those colleges and schools electing to be evaluated under Standards 2007 during the academic year 2006-2007), ACPE will accept data from the AACP surveys or comparable data obtained through similar surveys administered by the college or school.

Members of the ACPE staff conduct workshops for representatives of those colleges or schools scheduled for an accreditation review. The purpose of the workshop is to orient and assist the colleges or schools in the process of the self-study as well as other aspects of the evaluation procedure, such as, use of the rubric as the basis for evaluation. Alternatively, a college or school may request assistance from the ACPE staff by scheduling a conference at the ACPE office (no fee) or ACPE staff may meet with the self-study committee at the college or school of pharmacy (with a consultative fee). The staff consultation provides opportunity to assist with the self-study organization and to offer clarifying and other info rmation needed by the college or school.

12.2 Written Third Party Comments . Prior to the on-site evaluation, opportunity is provided by means of public notice for written third party comment concerning qualifications for accreditation or preaccreditation. Notification of deadlines for receipt of any written responses is provided by an ACPE public document, such as a newsletter and posting on the ACPE web site, including opportunity for consideration by the college or school.

12.3 On-Site Evaluation . The self-study and other pertinent materials are distributed prior to the on-site evaluation to members of an ACPE Evaluation Team for their independent analysis. Evaluation teams include both educators (one of whom is a dean of an ACPE-accredited program) and practitioners, and are generally comprised of a member of the ACPE Board of Directors, a member of the ACPE staff, and two or more other selected individuals, qualified by experience and training. Evaluation Team Members are provided training by ACPE on accreditation standards , policies and procedures, and their role in the on-site evaluation. Practitioners include individuals who are currently practicing pharmacy and who are primarily identified with a practice role/setting rather than a collegiate faculty or administrative position. The dean of the college or school is given opportunity to review the proposed team for potential or real conflicts of interest. A member of the board of pharmacy of the state, district or territory, in which the institution is located is invited to work with the Evaluation Team as an observer, thereby facilitating a better understanding of and engendering confidence in the accreditation process among licensing bodies. A member of the appropriate regional accrediting agency may be invited by the institution to observe the work of the team. The size of the evaluation team, the specific dates of the on-site evaluation, and the number of days necessary for completion of the evaluation are established in consultation with the dean of the college or school of pharmacy.

The on-site evaluation generally involves two to three days and includes interviews with the dean and other administrative leaders, faculty, students, alumni, pharmacy practitioners, and university administrators. A survey is made of physical facilities, the library and educational resources, and the facilities utilized for pharmacy practice experiences. Team members will be provided a standard-by-standard evaluation form (rubric) to aid in their review. A consensus evaluation form (rubric) developed during the on-site evaluation to guide preparation of the written evaluation team report ("ETR"). Members of the team initial the consensus evaluation form (rubric) to document their participation and agreement with its content. At the conclusion of the on-site evaluation, the evaluation team presents findings orally to the dean of the college or school of pharmacy and to the chief executive officer of the institution, generally the president or a designate. These findings serve as the framework for the written evaluation team report ("ETR"), which is furnished first to the evaluation team for review, then to the dean for correction of any factual errors, and subsequently officially to the institution.

The college or school of pharmacy is expected to demonstrate that it systematically obtains outcome info rmation and that it applies this info rmation to foster program improvements and to enhance student learning and achievement of the required competencies. Other activities of the college or school of pharmacy may markedly influence the instruction given in professional programs. Accordingly, the evaluation for purposes of accreditation will include a review of other activities which may be sponsored by the college or school of pharmacy, such as non-practice undergraduate degree programs in pharmacy-related disciplines; graduate offerings including master and doctor of philosophy degree programs in pharmacy-related disciplines; continuing education activities; certificate or other non-degree programs; research and scholarly activities; and professional and public service programs.

Where the institution is accredited by a regional accrediting agency, ACPE may rely upon the assessments made by the regional agency concerning the basic science and general education components of the professional programs. Likewise, the evaluations of the regional accrediting agency concerning general institutional policies and central administrative support may be recognized. However, ACPE is not obligated to accept automatically the evaluations of any other agency.

12.4 Evaluation Team Report . As a result of the on-site evaluation, a written report (ETR) that assesses compliance with each of the standards and assesses performance with respect to student learning is furnished to the chief executive officer of the institution and the dean of the college or school of pharmacy at a reasonable time after the site team visit. The ETR also comments on the program's areas of strength and areas needing improvement; mentions specific areas, if any, where the program is partially or not meeting the standards ; and, where appropriate, may offer suggestions concerning means of improvement for the college or school to consider. The chief executive officer of the institution and the dean of the college or school of pharmacy are given opportunity to correct factual errors, to comment on the ETR, and to provide supplemental materials related to its facts and conclusions prior to the time an accreditation action is taken. The report generated by the evaluation team, therefore, is not a definitive accreditation report, but an interim, evaluative step in the accreditation process. The evaluation team validates (or otherwise) the program's self-study, providing the perspective of an independent external peer review.

12.5 Accreditation Actions . Based upon the Evaluation Team Report, the self-study, communications received from the institution, and an optional personal presentation by the chief executive officer of the institution or a designate and/or the dean of the college or school of pharmacy, ACPE Board of Directors determines the program's compliance with standards , makes an accreditation action (type of accreditation status and terms and conditions associated with the accreditation status) and presents comments and recommendations. A copy of the Accreditation Action and Recommendations indicating the preaccreditation or accreditation status granted by ACPE along with stated terms and conditions and comments are sent to the chief executive officer of the institution and the dean of the college or school of pharmacy. The Evaluation Team Report and the ACPE's Accreditation Action and Recommendations are confidential documents and are considered to be the property of the institution. These documents will not be released to third parties without the authorization of the chief executive officer of the institution. Without such authorization, the sole info rmation available to the public consists of that info rmation contained in the Directory and in the Report of Proceedings from the meeting at which the accreditation action was taken . If the institution releases any portion of the Evaluation Team Report or the Accreditation Action and Recommendations, or releases any statement concerning such documents, that ACPE believes requires public clarification or presents a misleading impression, ACPE may make an appropriate response or cause the release of such documents in their entirety.

Accreditation actions, including reconsideration of any prior accreditation action shall be made by the Board of Directors only during a regularly scheduled meeting of such Board. Meetings of the Board are currently scheduled for January and June of each calendar year.

The Board decision to authorize an on-site evaluation of a program or college or school of pharmacy shall be made at a meeting of the ACPE Board of Directors as authorized by the corporate bylaws. Within each ACPE Accreditation Action and Recommendation document (A&R) summarizing the action taken by the Board, the Board generally specifies the timeframe within which ACPE shall conduct an on-site evaluation of a new or existing pharmacy program. ACPE staff shall schedule on-site evaluations within the designated timeframe specified in the A&R. In the unlikely event that an on-site evaluation during the time specified in the A&R cannot be scheduled, staff shall consult with the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors to determine if such on-site evaluation can be scheduled for a date falling outside the timeframe specified in the A&R.

12.6    Annual and Other Reporting During the Accreditation Term .  Program monitoring between on-site evaluations is achieved by means of annual reviews, correspondence, written interim reports and focused evaluation visits as may be requested by the ACPE Board of Directors. Programs are monitored annually through statistical analysis of program info rmation (including enrollment trends) and review of graduates' performance on standardized licensure examinations. 

12.6.1     Changes and Trends in NAPLEX ® Outcomes

At least once per year, during one of the biannual ACPE Board meeting, the ACPE Board will review annualized data provided by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) for the performance of graduates of accredited programs on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination TM (NAPLEX ® ) for the purpose of identifying changes or trends in outcomes that reflect student learning and curricular effectiveness.

For each graduating class or group, colleges or schools of pharmacy which have multiple branches, campuses, or pathways to degree completion are required to provide to NABP a list of student names and the respective branch, campus or pathway designation. As applicable, the data provided to ACPE by NABP will include an analysis of the performance of graduates broken down by campus, branch, or pathway to facilitate a comparison of the respective outcomes.

As described below, ACPE will follow-up with applicable colleges or schools via written correspondence requesting that they identify the cause of the change or trend and provide an action plan for correcting any negative changes or trends.

12.6.1.a       A letter will be sent to a college or school whose graduates obtain a percentage pass rate on the NAPLEX ® lower than that represented by at least two standard deviations below the average obtained by all candidates taking that examination. This shall apply only to first-time examination candidates from ACPE-accredited programs.

12.6.1.b   A letter will be sent to a college or school if there is a substantial change from the previous periods (i.e., a cumulative decrease of two standard deviations over a period of less than three years.)

12.6.1.c   A letter will be sent to a college or school based on any other analysis indicating a negative trend in NAPLEX ® outcomes.

12.6.2     Changes and Trends in Enrollment

At least once per year, during one of the biannual ACPE Board meeting, the ACPE Board will review data provided by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) (as published in the AACP Profile of Pharmacy Students ) relating to enrollment of students in the professional degree program for the purpose of identifying changes and trends in enrollment that may impact the ability of a college or school to remain in compliance with the standards.

As described below, ACPE will follow-up with applicable colleges or schools via written correspondence requesting that they identify the cause of the change or trend and provide an action plan for correcting any negative changes or trends.

12.6.2.a    A letter will be sent to a college or school having a change in the first professional year enrollment larger than twenty percent from the previous year or cumulatively by the same amount in any two-year period. Situations in which a college or school is deemed to be in a period of transition between professional programs will be taken into account in a review of a program's ability to remain in compliance with the standards, particularly those addressing curricular effectiveness,

12.6.2.b   A letter will be sent to a college or school based on any other analysis indicating a substantial trend affecting a program's ability to remain in compliance with the standards, particularly those standards addressing curricular effectiveness.

12.6.3     Graduation Rate Monitoring

Beginning after academic year 2006-2007, ACPE also will request annual reporting of the following information regarding the most recent graduating class from accredited programs:

-                     Matriculating class size for the first professional year of graduating class (e.g., for 2006-2007 graduates, entry class size in 2003-2004 for an academic four-year curriculum)

-           Number of graduates of the class completing the curriculum in the specified timeframe (i.e., 3 or 4 years). 

-           Number of academic dismissals

-           Number of student withdrawals

As described below, ACPE will follow-up with applicable colleges or schools via written correspondence requesting that they identify the cause of the change or trend and provide an action plan for correcting any negative changes or trends.

12.6.3.a A letter will be sent to a college or school requesting further information and clarification if the number of academic dismissals is greater than or equal to ten percent of the matriculating class size.

12.6.4     Other Monitoring

The ACPE Board of Directors may review data relating to other programmatic outcomes, such as the performance of graduates on other standardized examinations including the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination ® (MPJE ® ), to monitor changes and trends at colleges and schools.

ACPE will follow-up with applicable colleges or schools via written correspondence requesting that they identify the cause of the change or trend and provide an action plan for correcting any negative changes or trends.

13. Appeal Procedure for an Adverse Accreditation Action (Denial or Withdrawal)

13.1 Initiating the Appeal and Convening the Appellate Commission . In the event ACPE renders an adverse accreditation action (denial or withdrawal of preaccreditation or accreditation), the chief executive officer of the institution involved, after notification of such action by ACPE, may appeal the decision of ACPE to an Appellate Commission on the grounds that the decision of ACPE was arbitrary, prejudiced, biased, capricious, or based upon incorrect facts or incorrect interpretation of facts. No change shall occur in the accreditation status of the program of a college or school of pharmacy that shall exercise its right of appeal in accordance with the procedure provided herein, pending the disposition of the appeal. The existing accreditation status of the program shall be maintained and such status shall continue to be reflected in the Directory until the appeal procedure is finalized. Notice of appeal by the institution shall be in writing and delivered personally or by certified mail to the offices of ACPE within 30 days after receipt of notification of the adverse accreditation action of ACPE . Such notice of appeal shall specify and set forth the facts supporting the grounds on which the appeal is based. Upon receipt of said notice, ACPE shall proceed to constitute the Appellate Commission and, after consulting with officers of the associations set forth in Section 13.2, shall notify the individuals of their appointment to the Appellate Commission and shall info rm them of their responsibilities thereto. ACPE shall notify the institution that initiated the appeal that the Appellate Commission has been created and info rm it of the names and addresses of all members. The Appellate Commission can be convened only on notice of appeal as described above. Both parties of the appeal have the right to representation by counsel throughout the appeals procedure . All reasonable expenses incurred by the Appellate Commission including but not limited to travel expenses (e.g., transportation, accommodations, and meals) shall be paid by the institution that initiated the appeal. Notice of appeal shall be accompanied by a fee equal to the current cost of an on-site evaluation, to be used against expenses. Any necessary additional expenses shall be promptly paid by the institution that initiated the appeal and any surplus of the deposit shall be promptly returned to the institution. The institution shall be provided with an itemized list of the expenses of the Appellate Commission.

13.2 Members of the Appellate Commission . The Appellate Commission shall consist of the current chief elected officer of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the American Pharmacists Association, and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. No member of the Appellate Commission shall be a member of the board of directors or staff of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education nor shall any member have an affiliation with the institution involved that would create an apparent or real conflict of interest (e.g., alumnus, present or former faculty member). In the event any person designated herein shall be ineligible, refuse, or be unable to serve on the Commission for any reason at any time, the executive committee (or such other appropriate committee or board) of the organization he or she is representing shall designate an alternate member. The designated representative of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy shall be chairman of the Commission. Any member who shall be designated as a participant on the Commission shall remain a member of the Commission until the Commission is discharged, even if his or her successor in the elective office of the respective association is installed in the interim. The Appellate Commission shall be discharged by ACPE at the adjournment of the ACPE meeting next succeeding the date of the filing of the Commission's report.

13.3 Responsibilities . Within thirty days of the notice of the appeal, the institution and ACPE shall present statements of their respective positions to the Commission. Hearings shall be held as soon as possible thereafter, at which time evidence may be presented. Thirty days shall be allowed to pass following completion of the hearings for memoranda of arguments to be presented. Within an additional thirty days the Commission shall render a decision. The minutes of its meeting(s) shall be recorded. In disposing of an appeal the Appellate Commission shall (1) affirm the decision of ACPE or shall (2) remand the matter to ACPE for review and reconsideration. A report of the Commission's findings shall be submitted to ACPE, its Executive Director, and the chief executive officer of the institution and the dean of the college or school of pharmacy concerned.  

13.4 Final Consideration . All matters referred to ACPE by the Appellate Commission for review and reconsideration shall be considered by ACPE at is first meeting next succeeding the date of the report of the Appellate Commission. The final decision and report of ACPE, including the basis for the decision, shall be in writing and shall be forwarded to the chief executive officer of the institution and the dean of the college or school of pharmacy. This final report shall also be forwarded to all members of the Appellate Commission.

14. Complaint Regarding an Accredited Program

ACPE has an obligation to assure itself that any institution that seeks or holds a preaccreditation or accreditation status for its professional program conducts its affairs with impartiality, non-discrimination, honesty and frankness. Complaints from other institutions, students, faculty, or the public against a college or school of pharmacy, including tuition and fee policies, and as related to ACPE standards , policies or procedures, shall be placed in writing in detail by the complainant and submitted to the ACPE office. The complaint shall be submitted to the institution for response. Requests for confidentiality shall be respected to the extent any such info rmation is not necessary for the resolution of the complaint.

The Executive Director, or his/her designate, shall, based upon the complaint, the response, and information from such further investigation deemed necessary, promptly determine the facts surrounding the issue, determine the validity of the complaint, and resolve the issue; provided, however, where the Executive Director deems it necessary or appropriate, the matter shall be considered at the next regular meeting of ACPE. The time frame for resolution is generally within six months. A record of complaints regarding a specific college or school of pharmacy, including student complaints received or made available, is kept for consideration on file at the ACPE office. Such records of complaints are considered during scheduled evaluations, or a special evaluation, as the case may require.

The procedure shall provide for treatment of complaints in a timely manner that is fair and equitable to all parties. The complainant shall be advised of the decision or action as soon as possible. When ACPE has cause to believe that any institution with which it is concerned is acting in an unethical manner or is deliberately misrepresenting itself to students or the public, it will investigate the matter and provide the institution an opportunity to respond to the allegations. If, on the basis of such investigation, after notice to the institution and opportunity for institutional response, ACPE finds that an institution has engaged in unethical conduct or that its integrity has been seriously undermined, ACPE will either:

(A) request that the institution show cause, within a stated time period, why adverse action should not be taken, or

(B) in extreme cases, immediately discontinue its relationship with the institution by denying or withdrawing preaccreditation or accreditation status.

A complaint against a college or school of pharmacy must be related to the standards or the policies and procedures of ACPE and must be submitted in writing to the Executive Director. Under existing practices, when a complaint is received, it is submitted to the college or school affected for response. If, thereafter, based upon the complaint and the response, the Executive Director determines that a complaint is not related to the standards or policies, the complainant is so advised in writing with a copy to the college or school, and the matter is treated and resolved.

Anonymous complaints pertaining to accreditation matters are retained and, depending on circumstances, may or may not be forwarded to the college or school involved, depending somewhat on the severity of the complaint. This decision is made by the Executive Director.

Responses to anonymous complaints will be:

To Whom It May Concern:

Please be advised that we have received the information which you forwarded to the attention of ACPE.

In accordance with ACPE Policies and Procedures, a complaint against a college or school of pharmacy, as related to ACPE standards, shall be placed in writing and signed by the complainant. Any such complaint must provide direct contact information of the complainant(s) and should contain specific evidence of non-compliance with ACPE Standards or Policies and Procedures to ensure that the matter can be resolved in a timely manner. ACPE will respond to such a complaint in accordance with ACPE Policies.

For further information regarding the Standards and Policies and Procedures of ACPE, please refer to our website at www.acpe-accredit.org .

Sincerely,

ACPE Staff

Where a complainant has threatened or filed legal action against the institution involved, ACPE will hold complaints in abeyance pending resolution of the legal issues and the complainant is so advised.

If the Executive Director finds a complaint to be extremely serious in nature charging egregious conduct that may warrant adverse action by ACPE, or involves an interpretation which the Executive Director believes should be made by ACPE, the complaint will be submitted to the ACPE Board of Directors for determination at the next regular meeting. Extraordinary remedies available for complaints covering extreme cases are set forth in paragraphs 14(A) and 14(B).

15. Record of Student Complaints available to ACPE

The colleges or schools of pharmacy have an obligation to respond to any written complaints by students lodged against the college or school of pharmacy, or the pharmacy program that are related to the standards or ACPE's policies and procedures. The college or school of pharmacy shall establish, implement and maintain a student complaint procedure that affords the complainant fundamental procedural due process. The college or school of pharmacy should communicate the complaint policy to students.  The college or school of pharmacy, or the pharmacy program, shall maintain a file that contains the written complaint, a written record of each step of the complaint procedure and the outcome, except as otherwise prohibited by state or federal law. The files shall be made available for inspection to ACPE during on-site evaluations, or otherwise at ACPE's written request. The findings of this inspection, and the resulting implication(s) to the accreditation of the professional program, shall be noted in the Evaluation Team Report.

16. Complaint Regarding ACPE

ACPE has an obligation to respond to any complaints which may be lodged against it by any institution, student, faculty or third party in respect to the application of ACPE's standards, policies and procedures where the complaining party is directly affected thereby. Any such complaint shall be submitted in writing. The Executive Director shall promptly determine the facts surrounding the issues and shall attempt to resolve the matter in consultation with the Public Interest Panel established pursuant to Article V of the ACPE By-Laws. Complaints that cannot be resolved by the Executive Director shall be considered and resolved at the next regular meeting of ACPE. The time frame for resolution is generally within six months.

17. Substantive Change (Substantive Change Policies and Procedures)

ACPE's definition of substantive change includes, but is not limited to: any change in the established mission or goals of the institution; the addition or deletion of courses, pathways or programs that represent a significant departure in either content or method of delivery from those that were offered during the program's previous accreditation cycle (e.g., a non-traditional doctor of pharmacy program or development of a joint delivery of program agreement); a substantial change in enrollment; a substantial change in the number of clock or credit hours required for successful completion of the program; a significant change in the length of the program; the establishment of an additional geographic location at which the program is offered; and any other changes that the dean feels require notification to ACPE.

The deans of colleges or schools of pharmacy (which are in operation, have an accredited professional degree program, and propose to implement substantive change in their program) should notify ACPE of substantive change proposals. Such notification must be in advance of the implementation of any change and must provide documentation that the program will continue to comply with accreditation standards . The notification must allow sufficient time for evaluation by ACPE of continued compliance with standards . The circumstances described may present the need for review and reconsideration of accreditation in accord with standard evaluation and operational procedures or appropriate monitoring, such as an on-site review.

a. Institutional or Collegiate Reorganization

Those colleges and schools of pharmacy which are in operation, have an accredited professional degree program, and propose to become affiliated with, or become an integral part of, another educational institution, or propose to implement substantive changes in their institutional or collegiate organization and administrative structure, should notify ACPE of such proposals. Such notification must be in advance of the implementation of any change and must provide documentation that the program will continue to comply with accreditation standards . The notification must allow sufficient time for evaluation by ACPE of continued compliance with standards. The circumstances described may present the need for review and reconsideration of accreditation in accord with standard evaluation and operational procedures or appropriate monitoring, such as an on-site review. Should a change of ownership that results in a change of control be effected, an on-site review may be required and conducted as soon as practicable, but no later than six months after the change of ownership.

18. Emergencies

As noted previously, re-evaluation of each accredited program of a college or school of pharmacy is to be made normally at least once every six years. In the event of national or other emergencies that interrupt the normal schedule, ACPE will act in accordance with the data available at the time concerning the professional degree program(s) scheduled for review.

19. Teach-out Agreement

Should a professional degree program that has accreditation or preaccreditation (precandidate or candidate) status be discontinued while students are enrolled and still progressing toward completion of degree requirements, the teach-out agreement between the college or school of pharmacy that discontinues the program and the college or school of pharmacy that intends to accept the students or otherwise take responsibility for the students' completion of the program, must submit such agreement to ACPE for review. The agreement must provide assurances that adequate faculty, physical, practice site, preceptor, and other resources are present so that the students will be provided a program of study that satisfies all necessary curricular requirements, in accord with established ACPE standards and guidelines, prior to the award of a professional degree in pharmacy.

20. Conflict of Interest Policy

Due to the sensitivity of ACPE's activities, policies are maintained regarding conflict of interest or the appearance thereof, by ACPE Board members, evaluation team members, professional staff, consultants, and other representatives participating in or observing the professional program accreditation process. Conflict of Interest statements are signed yearly by ACPE Board members and staff; as well as prior to each visit or meeting by evaluation team members, consultants, and other representatives participating in or observing the professional program accreditation process. When a conflict of interest exists, the ACPE Board member and/or staff person declares the conflict, and abstains from discussion and voting by leaving the meeting room; others with conflicts leave the meeting room. Evaluation team members without conflicts are selected for evaluation site team visits. Copies of the conflict of interest policies are available on request.

In addition, the following statement should be incorporated into oral presentations and or slide presentations when an ACPE Director is making such presentation in their individual capacity on a subject or generally-related subject to ACPE activities rather than in their capacity as an ACPE Director:

Disclaimer:

This presentation represents my personal views and opinions with regard to the subject matter at issue. I am not making this presentation in my capacity as a member of the Board of Directors of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). The information contained herein has not been reviewed by, nor is it endorsed by, ACPE.

For further information regarding ACPE, please refer to the website located at www.acpe-accredit.org .

21.   Decisions of Other Accrediting and State Agencies and Relationship to ACPE Accreditation

21.1                 In considering whether to grant preaccreditation, initial accreditation, or continued accreditation, ACPE takes into account actions by recognized institutional accrediting agencies that have denied accreditation or preaccreditation to the parent institution offering the program, placed the parent institution on public probationary status, or revoked the accreditation or preaccreditation of the parent institution, and actions taken by a state agency that has suspended, revoked, or terminated the parent institution's legal authority to provide postsecondary education.  During any period of program accreditation or preaccreditation, ACPE will promptly review the accreditation status of the program to determine if an adverse action should be taken, if a recognized accrediting agency places the institution on probation, or takes adverse action with respect to the parent institution of the college or school offering the program. 

ACPE will initiate a request for information from the accredited program within two weeks of identification of an adverse accreditation action or probation by another agency.  The request for information will be communicated via a letter (see below) specifically requesting information regarding the action of the other accrediting or state agency and the effect of the cited issues on the ability of the program to maintain compliance with each of the relevant ACPE standards.  The ACPE accredited program will be given a thirty-day time frame to respond to ACPE.  Upon receiving the program's response, the ACPE executive committee and Board will determine the course of action (such as further monitoring, including an on-site review or an adverse action), which will be taken depending on the issue(s) identified by the other agency.       

If upon review of the program, ACPE grants or continues accreditation or preaccreditation notwithstanding the actions and context of the circumstances set forth above, a report, consistent with ACPE accreditation standards, shall be provided to the U.S. Secretary of Education within thirty days of the action, thoroughly explaining why the previous action by a recognized institutional accrediting agency or the State against the parent institution does not preclude the granting of preaccreditation or accreditation.  A letter is sent in the format outlined below.

Dear [Dean]:

Please be advised that ACPE has identified that [COLLEGE or SCHOOL NAME/INSTITUTION NAME] has been placed on probation or is the subject of an adverse action by [NAME OF ACCREDITING OR STATE AGENCY].

As a consequence of this action, and in accordance with ACPE Policies and Procedures, and as required by the U.S. Department of Education, Regulation 602.28(d), ACPE requests:

•  Information on the reasons for and nature of the action of the other accrediting or state agency,

•  A report organized by the relevant ACPE standards, addressing the effect of the cited issues on the ability of the Doctor of Pharmacy program to maintain compliance with ACPE's Accreditation and Guidelines for the Professional Program in Pharmacy Leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree.

In an effort to ensure ACPE conducts a prompt review of the program and any effect on the accreditation status, the report must be submitted to the ACPE office no later than thirty days from receipt of this letter. 

Sincerely,

ACPE Staff

cc: ACPE Board President

21.2   AC PE routinely shares information through public documents and special notices

when needed, regarding the preaccreditation or accreditation status of the programs it accredits, including any adverse actions, with institutional and other appropriate recognized accrediting and state agencies.

22. Reporting to the U.S. Department of Education

In addition to info rmation relating to accreditation actions, documents including, but not limited to, the Annual Report, the Directory of Accredited Programs , a summary of accrediting activities during the previous year, and proposed changes in policies, procedures and standards that may relate to scope of recognition or compliance with recognition requirements, are routinely submitted to the Department of Education. Notification of the name of any program accredited by ACPE, or its parent institution, will be given to the Department (Secretary) if there is reason to believe that the institution or program is failing to meet its Title IV, HEA program responsibilities or is engaged in fraud or abuse, along with the reason for the concern. Moreover, upon request of the Department (Secretary), info rmation will be provided regarding an accredited or preaccredited institution's compliance with its Title IV, HEA program responsibilities, including its eligibility to participate in Title IV, HEA programs, for the purpose of assisting the Department (Secretary) in resolving problems with the institution's or program's participation in these programs.

23. Fees

Fees and assessments for evaluation by ACPE for purpose of preaccreditation or accreditation (initial or continuing) are set at a level intended to assist in the support and continued improvement of accreditation services and to defray actual travel and other costs involved in the evaluation of professional programs. In addition, an annual sustaining fee is charged. ACPE may adjust the fees and set effective dates for such adjustments at any regular or special meeting of ACPE. Information regarding the current fee and assessment policy is available upon request, as well as published on the ACPE web site (www.acpe-accredit.org).

24. Record Keeping Procedure for Accredited Degree Programs

ACPE will maintain complete and accurate records of the two immediately preceding accreditation or preaccreditation reviews for each college or school of pharmacy. Complete records will include on-site Evaluation Team Reports, reports of periodic or special reviews conducted during the accreditation or preaccreditation period, all ACPE actions and recommendations (including all adverse actions, e.g., withdrawal or denial) and any and all correspondence regarding the Evaluation Team Report or ACPE decisions. In addition, a copy of the most recent self-study of the college or school will be included.

25. Disaster Recovery Plan

(under development)