Guidelines for the Accreditation of Graduate Programs in Behavior Analysis
ABA International Guide of Professional Conduct for Accreditation Site Visitors
The purpose of this guide is to present the more salient features of the ABA International accreditation service as they pertain to the site visitors. Many of these features are taken from the APA Accreditation Handbook. The information is viewed as a supplement to the principles and procedures set forth in the Report of the Task Force on Accreditation dated May 27, 1991.
- The Accreditation Board, the site visitors, and the program must attempt to minimize conflicts of interest to maintain the credibility of the accreditation process. The responsibility to minimize conflicts of interest lies equally with all three parties. Conflicts of interest apply to the site visit process as well as to reviews and recommendations by voting members of the board. Examples of conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to: a) a site visitor or member of the Accreditation Board who is a graduate of the program under review, b) a site visitor or member of the Accreditation Board who has a former graduate student on the staff at the program, c) a site visitor or member of the Accreditation Board who has a family connection with the program, d) a site visitor or member of the Accreditation Board who has a former close colleague on the staff at the program, and e) a site visitor or member of the Accreditation Board who has a former close classmate on the staff at the program.
- In general, a site visitor's role during the visit is descriptive, not prescriptive. Within this context, the role of the site visitors is to collect information on which a recommendation to the Board will be based. This recommendation is then communicated to the program. Thus, the role of the site visitors is not to provide expert consultation to the program during the visit regarding personnel needs or programmatic issues.
- The site visitors must be neutral observers, concerned with the quality of the program in relation to the criteria. The visitors should clarify to those at the program that the purpose is to serve as a representative of the Accreditation Board and collect data on the program, rather than make a decision about the program. Apart from informal communications about logistics (travel, lodging, agenda), communication about the visit will ordinarily be referred to the Accreditation Board, rather than the site visitors.
- The site visitors should be prompt for meetings and interviews, and should remain for the entire visit. Sensitive collegial interaction is the rule.
- The site visitors should avoid socializing with program staff or students. Professional informal contact is appropriate (e.g., at a luncheon), but the contact should not interfere with the purpose of the visit.
- The site visitors should limit personal free time during the visit and should plan to be available for meetings.
- The site visitors should treat any background material collected during the visit as confidential.
- The site visitors should not give the impression that they have already arrived at a decision. Accreditation recommendations are made by the Accreditation Board and accreditation decisions are made by the ABA International Executive Council.
- The site visitors should not imply criticism of the persons or aspects of the program under study.
- The site visitors should not argue about the evaluation process or the professional issues surrounding accreditation.
- The site visitors should not give the impression that any interview is pro forma.
- To prepare for the visit, the site visitors should become thoroughly familiar with ABA International's criteria, and with the program's self-study report. Such preparation ordinarily includes formulating questions to be asked of the program staff at the time of the visit.
- The accreditation site visit represents an action initiated by the program staff for professional/scholarly purposes. The request for the site visit is voluntary, and all parties will be assumed to be operating professionally in good faith in connection with the purposes of the visit. Within this context, the burden of proof falls on the program. Program staff must prepare a thorough application that allows for a detailed evaluation by the site visitors. Program staff should not expect the site visitors to prepare the program's case for them. The program staff, and not the site visitors or Accreditation Board, are responsible for ensuring that all relevant information is contained in the application and that the program is described fully. The Board is responsible for assessing the quality of the program based on the application and the site visit. In short, program staff must make the case for their accreditation. An incomplete presentation will likely result in a negative decision.