CORE NEWS
Volume 11, Number 1 November 1999

CORE CHANGES

EFFECTIVE 1/1/00

At its 1999 Annual Meeting the Council on Rehabilitation Education approved the following changes effective January 1, 2000:

The Preamble to the CORE Standards will read: The granting of CORE accreditation is dependent upon the applicant's compliance with all applicable accreditation standards. Failure to comply with any applicable standard may result in the denial of accreditation. Accreditation may also be granted with conditions. Failure to satisfy a condition placed upon accreditation within the prescribed period of time will result in the automatic revocation of the conditional accreditation.

Under "Terms of Accreditation" (page 35 of the Accreditation Manual), the following sentences will be added: Accreditation shall automatically terminate if the condition(s) are not satisfied within the prescribed time span. Reinstatement of terminated accreditation for failure to satisfy a condition shall occur if, within the 60 day period immediately following termination of accreditation, the program (1) Submits proof, to CORE's satisfaction, that the outstanding condition(s) has been satisfied; or (2) Submits a written plan which, to the satisfaction of CORE and in CORE's sole opinion, sets forth clear and specific procedures and timetable for the satisfaction of all outstanding condition(s). Failure to satisfy conditions pursuant to the plan shall result in the termination of accreditation.


CORE also approved the following policies regarding Distance Education Programs:


For programs with large distance education components, (a) the number of site visitors shall be three, instead of two or the number of days for the site visit shall be increased to three days; (b) the results from survey respondents (i.e., students, graduates, employers) shall be grouped according to their program (i.e., distance education or on-campus). (continued on page 3)

UNDERGRADUATE
REGISTRY

The Committee on Undergraduate Education completed its first review of undergraduate rehabilitation programs to be included in the Undergraduate Registry. Programs recommended to and approved by CORE include:


For information related to the Registry contact: Dr. Tom Evenson ( EVENSON@scs.cmm.unt.edu) or Dr. Chrisann Schiro-Geist (chrisann@ uiuc.edu).



CORE-CACREP

CORE and CACREP are resuming joint site visits and are in the planning stages of a joint review of the counseling programs at West Virginia University for the 2000-2001 review cycle. Programs that are interested in a joint site visit should contact the CORE Administrative Office.

KUEHN NEW PRESIDENT

Dr. Marvin Kuehn, Professor in the Rehabilitation Counseling Program at Emporia State University was elected President of CORE at the 1999 CORE Annual Meeting in July.

Other newly elected officers include:
Vice- President: Dr. Dennis Maki

Secretary: Ms. Fran Lowder

Treasurer: Dr. Richard Coehlo


Ex officio members of the Executive Committee include Dr. Betty Hedgeman, Chair of the Commission on Standards and Accreditation and Dr. Nancy Crewe, Immediate Past President.

Dr. Garth Eldredge, who is retiring from the Commission on Standards and Accreditation was honored for his dedication and service.

Dr. Betty Hedgeman was re-elected Chair of the Commission and Dr. Bud Stude continues as Vice-Chair.


NEW MEMBER PROFILES

CORE. Two new members joined CORE this year :

* Dr. Dennis Maki is a Professor in the Graduate Programs in Rehabilitation and Chair of the Division of Counseling, Rehabilitation and Student Development at the University of Iowa. He has over 25 years of experience as a rehabilitation counselor, educator, and researcher.


*Dr. Richard Coehlo is Past-President of the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association.

The Commission on Standards and Accreditation:


*Dr. Arthur E. Dell Orto, C.R.C., is Professor and Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling and Associate Executive Director of the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University's Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. He is co-editor and co-author of a number of rehabilitation books.


CORE'S WEBSITE: HTTP://CORE-REHAB.ORG

CORE SURVEY RESULTS

CORE STANDARDS. As a follow-up to CORE's Strategic Planning Meeting, Dr. Marvin Kuehn surveyed CORE programs regarding their views on CORE's "flexibility and innovation." Kuehn, who had an 86% response rate, found that two-thirds of the program coordinators believe that CORE standards allow for both flexibility and innovation. Coordinators were asked to rate the following six statements on a scale of 1-Strongly Disagree to 5 - Strongly Agree. Means were as follows:


1. CORE standards allow for or encourage programs to be proactive in keeping up with the field. 3.74

2. CORE standards allow for programs to be innovative in curriculum development. 3.57

3. CORE standards permit sufficient flexibility to offer a curriculum consistent with the unique mission of the program. 3.57

4. CORE standards encourage programs to assess the relevance of their mission to the field and make improvements as necessary. 4.08

5. CORE standards encourage programs to continually evaluate and improve the compliance of their program with their mission. 4.37

6. CORE standards should allow more flexibility within the constraints of the established competencies that define the profession. 4.04


CORE is reviewing the comments from the other third of the program coordinators who believe CORE standards are too constraining.


PROGRAMS UNDERGOING REVIEW: RCE programs undergoing review by CORE are asked to rate the site visit process, procedures, visitors, as well as CORE staff and documents. Eight of 11 programs (73%) that were reviewed in 1999 completed the evaluation, using the scale of 5 - Excellent to 1 -Poor. Mean ratings were as follows:

Clarity/Helpfulness of Accreditation Manual 4.6
Value of Site Visit 4.5
Quality of Site Visit Report 3.5
RCE Improvement from Self-Study/Site Visit 4.5
Technical Assistance by CORE 3.9
CORE Newsletter 4.1
Availability of CORE Administrative Staff 4.7
Responsiveness of CORE Administrative Staff 5.0
Quality of CORE Products 4.3

2 CORE NEWS

PROFILE OF CORE-ACCREDITED RCE PROGRAMS


The following data are from Annual Program Progress Reports. One program is missing from each year.


STUDENTS

1997-98

1998-99
TOTAL
AVG/PRGM
RANGE
TOTAL
AVG/PRGM
RANGE

Full-time
2048
25.6
0-104
2019
38.6
1-99

Full-time non-white
490
6.1
0-54
646
7.9
0-63

Full-time with disabilities
452
5.7
0-36
445
5.4
0-23

Part-time
1254
15.7
0-164
1234
4.8
0-93

Part-time non-white
274
3.4
0-27
394
4.8
0-88

Part-time with disabilities
203
2.5
0-14
248
3.0
0-15

Total (Full-time + Part-time)
3301
41.2
9-268
3165
38.6
9-147

GRADUATES [Includes projected]






Graduates from 9/97 - 8/98
1230

3-66
1159

0-68

Non-white
312
25.3%
0-49
306
26.0%
0-42

Disabilities
244
19.8%
0-12
246
21.2%
0-11

Non-white with disabilities
53
4.3%
0-4
60
5.0%
0-7

# Receiving RSA Traineeships
490
39.8%
0-23
496
43.0%
0-20

Graduates who are non-US citizens
31
2.5%
0-3
20
1.7%
0-4

GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT

State-VR settings
266
22%
0-14
323
23.3%
0-26

Ccommunity-based programs
391
32%
0-24
417
30.0%
0-23

Rehabilitation-related settings
222
18%
0-20
262
18.9%
0-38

Private industry
85
7%
0-7
140
10.1%
0-20

University settings
45
4%
0-4
43
3.1%
0-5

Unemployed1
115
9%
0-11
113
8.1%
0-40

Seeking advanced degree-Rehab
36
3%
0-3
31
2.2%
0-5

Seeking advanced degree-not Rehab
19
1%
0-3
24
1.7%
0-6

Non-rehabilitation emp. settings
50
4%
0-12
35
2.5%
0-40

TOTAL
1229
100%

1308
99.9%

1Includes projected graduates who have not yet graduated, as well as unemployed graduates.
2Number is greater than # reported for graduates

REHABILITATION FACULTY






FTE Rehabilitation faculty
309.5
3.90
1-16
307.0
3.70
1-12

Full-time Rehabilitation faculty
260.65
3.30
0-10
292.5
3.60
1-14

Full-time minority faculty
37.5
.47
0-3
50.0
.61
0-5

Full-time faculty with disabilities
49.0
.61
0-5
59.0
.73
0-5

Entry 9 mo. salary Assistant Prof.
$37,607
28,000-54,000
38,598
30,000-53,000

3 CORE NEWS

PROGRAM INFORMATION


Departmental Affiliation






Dept. of Counselor Education/Counseling Psychology
10
12.3%

4
4.9%

Counseling Dept. with other

Disciplines (e.g., Adult Education)


20
24.7%

34
41.5%

Rehabilitation Dept./Inst.
10
12.3%

7
8.5%

Dept. of Special Education (may include others)
9
11.1%

7
8.5%

Dept. of Counseling and Special Education (may include others)
7
8.6%

3
3.7%

Others (e.g., Human Services, Health, Communication Disorders)
25
30.9%

27
32.9%

TOTAL
81
100.0%

82
100.0%

Degrees Titles:






M.A.
14
17.3%

13
15.8%

M.R.C.
7
8.6%

5
6.1%

M.S.
32
39.5%

39
47.5%

M.Ed.
8
9.9%

9
11.0%

M.H.S.
2
2.4%

2
2.4%

Not Reported in this Format
18
22.2%

14
17.1%

Program Length - Minimum
Mean: 52
Range: 48-68
Mean: 52.5
Range: 48-68
Number of Sem. Hours
Programs Offering :

Undergraduate Rehab Prgm
16
19.8%

17
20.7%


Doctoral Degree/Emphasis
17
21.0%

12
14.6%

Both Undergraduate and Doctoral
6
7.4%

8
9.8%


Distance Education Courses
18
22.2%

30
36.6%

Distance Education Degree
12
14.8%

15
18.3%


Programs where Graduates are Subject to Licensure
42
52.9%

29
35.8%

CORE Changes ...continued from page one
CORE standards are the same, whether applied to an "on-campus" program or a "distance education" program. However, RCE programs that have more than one program must provide evidence in their Self Study Documents for each of their programs. For example, the program may use the same written evaluation plan as a guide in evaluating multiple programs, but it must provide evidence of evaluation results from its individual programs (on-campus and distance education).


These policies will be implemented by the Commission on Standards and Accreditation and will be effective for the 2000-2001 review cycle. In addition, CORE will be adding a new section on Distance Education to its Site Visitor Manual.

CHEA


CORE submitted its application to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and will be preparing its own Self Study in anticipation of a review in 2001.

CORE FACT SHEET: 1999-00


OFFICERS: Marvin D. Kuehn, Ph.D., President; Dennis R. Maki, Ph.D. Vice President; Frances Lowder, Secretary; Richard Coelho, Ph.D., Treasurer.


HISTORY: The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) was formed in June 1971 and incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in Washington, DC, in 1972. In 1975, CORE was recognized by COPA,and was subsequently recognized by CORPA. It has now been recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).


MISSION: The mission of CORE is the accreditation of RCE Programs in order to promote the effective delivery of rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities by promoting and fostering continuing review and improvement of master's degree RCE Programs. CORE's accreditation process promotes program self-improvement rather than outside censure. A concomitant purpose of the process is to meet the personnel needs of both public and private rehabilitation agencies by providing graduates who have the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to provide rehabilitation counseling services to individuals with physical, mental, and/or emotional disabilities.


COMPOSITION: CORE is composed of representatives from each of five national professional organizations that are concerned with rehabilitation counseling: the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association (NRCA), the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA), the National Council on Rehabilitation Education (NCRE), the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSVAR), and the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB). CORE also has two public members: one who represents the consumer public and one who represents the public at large. In addition to the granting of program recognition, CORE serves as a forum for the evaluation of accreditation policies and practices as well as the effectiveness of accreditation efforts.


CONSULTATION SERVICES: Institutions interested in establishing, reorganizing or expanding an RCE Program can obtain program development consultation services from CORE. Information regarding the service can be obtained from the CORE administrative office.


CORE HOURS

CORE's administrative office is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The office is equipped with voice mail so that messages can be left around the clock. The office telephone number is (847) 39401785. The FAX number is (947) 394-2108. Dr. Jeanne Patterson, CORE's Executive Director, can be reached through the office or at the following numbers:

Telephone: (850) 878-4966 FAX: (850) 878-3183 E-Mail: patters@polaris.net

CORE WEB Page: http://www.core-rehab.org

PROGRAM EVALUATION - A CONTINUING CHALLENGE

Section B- Program Evaluation remains the most challenging of CORE's standards, in terms of the number of programs that have conditions associated with it. In 1997 Patterson and Sawyer found that one-third of all conditions were associated with this standard. This trend has continued and was noted by the Commission on Standards and Accreditation at its 1999 Annual Meeting. Patterson and Sawyer found different types of problems related to this standard. For example, some programs do not have a written evaluation plan. Other programs have a plan, but the plan is not systematically implemented. Still other programs have written plans, but the plans do not cover all of the required elements for evaluation. Lastly, some programs have plans that they systematically implement, but the results are not disseminated nor recommendations for changes made.

Section B has three parts. First, the standard requires a systematic, periodic written evaluation plan, which includes both internal and external review, to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the RCE Program in relation to its mission and objectives. Second, the evaluation plan must include the program's objectives, curriculum, clinical experiences, graduate achievement, recruitment and retention of students, program recognition and resources, and faculty strength in composition, qualifications, and performance. The third part of the standard requires that the results of the evaluation be communicated to institution administration, along with recommendations for changes. The evaluation results must also be submitted to CORE as part of the program's Self Study.

At a minimum, the written evaluation plan should identify (1) What - These are the elements set forth in B.2, e.g., program objectives, curriculum, clinical experience, (2) How - This includes any instruments or other data collection measures (e.g., follow-up surveys of graduates, student- faculty ratios for advisement, and minutes of faculty or advisory committee meetings), (3) When- This element assures the systematic nature by defining the time frame (e.g., each semester, annually), (4) Who -This may be the individual responsible for data collection or the group from which the data will be collected, and (5) Dissemination - Program evaluation results be disseminated to appropriate institutional officials, with recommendations. An Annual Report to a Department Chair or Dean may include a series of recommendations.

Abstracted from: Patterson, J.B., & Sawyer, H. W. (1997) Core accreditation standards: Compliance issues of rehabilitation counseling programs. Rehabilitation Education, 11, 289-305.