Accreditation Criteria for IS/IT Programs

John T. Gorgone
jgorgone@bentley.edu
Computer Information Systems
 Bentley College
Waltham, MA  02452 USA
 

David Feinstein
feinstein@cis.usouthal.edu
 Computer and Information Sciences
 University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL  36688 USA
Doris Lidtke
	lidtke@saber.towson.edu
Computer & Information Sciences
Towson University
Baltimore, MD  21252 USA


Keywords:  Accreditation, information systems accreditation, information science accreditation, information technology accreditation

Abstract 

The time for accreditation of programs in Information Systems seems appropriate because of the demands of industry and academe. This project is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF DUE09812278) and has representatives appointed by the leading societies in computing, Association for Information Systems (AIS), Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), IEEE Computer Society (IEEE-CS), Association for Information Technology Professionals (AITP) and the computing Sciences Accreditation Board   (CSAB).   The recent major activities in the development and dissemination of Curricula [Information Systems '97 (IS'97), Information Systems Centric Curriculum '99 (ISCC'99) and the substantial effort on IS 2000] and the adoption of these curricula are major contributions to the curricular portion of the accreditation criteria. Additionally, a recent web-based survey, with over 300 respondents, was analyzed and the Criteria were revised to become the proposed "Criteria for Accreditation of Information Systems Programs."  This set of criteria and procedures could be used for accreditation of aforementioned programs.  The draft IS Criteria was presented to CSAB at its July 2000 board meeting.  CSAB approved a small (3-4 programs) test study of the Criteria to be carried out during as soon as possible, perhaps during Fall 2001.  Materials are now being prepared to train team chairs and program evaluators, etc. in order to conduct the test visits. 

Doris Lidtke of Towson University is the principal investigator and project director.  The co-principal investigators are John T. Gorgone of Bentley College, John C. Henderson of Boston University, and Willis K. King of the University of Houston.  In addition to the investigators, other members of the IS Accreditation Executive Committee are David Feinstein of University of South Alabama, Benn Konsynski of Emory University, Sorel Reisman of California State University, Jon A. Turner of New York University, Joe Valacich of Washington State University, and Gayle Yaverbaum of Penn State University - Harrisburg.

For this session Information Systems may be thought to cover any program which has the content described, even though the program may be called by another name, for example, Computer Information Science, Computer Information Systems, Information Science.  This session will present the current draft of "Criteria for IS Accreditation" and current progress of the accreditation project.  Audience discussion is strongly encouraged. Feedback from the community is solicited.