EHAC-National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council

I. Goals and Criteria Statement
The goal of accreditation of undergraduate environmental health science and protection programs in the U.S. or abroad is to enhance the education and training of students who intend to become environmental health science and protection practitioners/ professionals. The criteria used in the evaluation of programs has been developed through the joint efforts of environmental health science and protection academicians and practitioners.
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II. Background of the Accreditation Council
The National Accreditation Council for Environmental Health Curricula was established in 1967. The charge to this Council was to develop criteria and to implement a program accrediting undergraduate and graduate programs in the field of environmental health. The name of the Council was changed to the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council in 1991 to better reflect the entire discipline considered by the Council.

Membership of the Accreditation Council consists of qualified professionals elected to the Council by members of the Council, and two public members appointed by the Council chair. At least one-half, but not more than two-thirds of the elected Council members are associated with education and training in environmental health science and protection. The remainder of the elected membership includes individuals experienced with agencies and companies employing environmental health science and protection personnel. The Council is composed of at least fifteen but not more that twenty-one members. The Council general chair may appoint ex-officio members and consultants to the Council for special assignments.

The Council is an autonomous organization which relates to and works closely with the National Environmental Health Association from which it evolved.
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III. Aims and Objectives of the Council
A. Promote a high quality education for persons studying environmental health science and protection in the U.S. or abroad.

B. Assist and support universities and colleges developing or offering a curriculum in environmental health science and protection, advising them on curriculum content and faculty qualifications.

C. Promote commonality in coverage of basic concepts of environmental health science and protection education.

D. Promote undergraduate curricula of a quality and content compatible with admission prerequisites of graduate programs in environmental health science and protection.

E. Evaluate academic programs in environmental health science and protection using criteria established by the Council.

F. Publish a list of the institutions with programs accredited by the Council.
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IV. Accreditation Process
The Council provides advice or assistance through correspondence, telephone conferences, or on-site consultation to faculty who have developed or are considering the development of an environmental health science and protection curriculum. It has developed guidelines for faculty to use in preparing a Program Evaluation Report--a self-study of their programs. The Council will consider accreditation of a domestic or foreign environmental health science and protection program upon request by the program administrators, provided that the institution is accredited by a regional accrediting association for institutions of higher learning (post-secondary education) and have graduated one or more classes. After an institution seeking accreditation has submitted to the Council the Program Evaluation Report, with supporting materials, a survey team (also referred to as the site visit team) will conduct a site visit at that institution.

The survey team is normally composed of an environmental health science and protection academician and a practitioner. The purpose of this visit is to verify information submitted to the Council and to supplement that material with information as required by members of the Council. (See Table 1 for the suggested schedule for the site visit.) The survey is to establish a clear understanding and comprehensive knowledge of the environmental health science and protection curriculum and the organization and administration of the program. The survey team is to explore relationships established by the environmental health science and protection faculty with the faculty in related programs, students, and the community. Before leaving the institution, the survey team will meet with the dean or other appropriate administrators to report on its observations and on the general tenor of the information and details which will be emphasized in the survey team's report.

The survey team will prepare a written report containing comments on its observations and its recommendations for the enhancement of the program in reference to subject matter covered by the accreditation guidelines. The environmental health science and protection program administrator will have an opportunity to review the survey team report for accuracy before it is submitted to the Council. The survey team will report its findings to the Council at its next meeting. A representative of the institution will participate in the discussion. Discussions of the Council relevant to a specific program are treated as confidential information by the Council. Self-study reports will be public documents available for review.

Table 1 Suggested Schedule for Site Visit Team
Conferences	Approximate Time Needed
First Day
1. Responsible administrative personnel	1 hour
2. Curriculum Director	2 hours
3. President, Provost, Dean or other (a protocol visit) 1/4 hour	1/4 hour
4. Faculty members in Environmental Health Science and Protection and related courses	3 hours
5. Tour of facilities and campus	1 hour
Second Day
1. Environmental health science and protection class or laboratory in session	1 hour
2. Review of student and program records	1 hour
3. Student and alumni interviews	1 hour
4. Public/private environmental health science and protection practitioners	1 hour
5. Survey team private conference	2 hours
6. Final conference with administrative personnel	1 hour
7. Exit interview	1 hour

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V. Accreditation and Preaccreditation Actions

The Council may grant one of six statuses to environmental health science and protection programs:

1. Preaccreditation. Granted to a program which demonstrates reasonable assurance that it will be able to meet the criteria for full accreditation within two years. An acceptable, amended self-study must be submitted within two years of the Councilís decisions to grant preaccreditation. At the end of the period of preaccreditation, the program must apply for full accreditation, or its preaccreditation will be withdrawn.

2. Full Accreditation: Granted to a program when the institution and environmental health science and protection accreditation program are in compliance with the Councilís accreditation criteria and policies, and the program has graduated at least one class. Full accreditation is granted for a period of two to a maximum of six years. Full accreditation status may be granted to programs with non-substantial deficiencies that can be easily corrected and documented within one year.

3. Conditional Accreditation: The conditional accreditation status is a form of probation. It is granted when deficiencies in the environmental health science and protection program have been identified through the self-study document, the site visit process, the complaint process, or the annual review process. "Deficiencies" are defined as areas of noncompliance with Council accreditation criteria or policies that are serious enough to require a full two years to correct. Conditional accreditation may be granted at the time of initial recognition, during accreditation renewal or during a term of full accreditation when the deficiencies have been identified through annual reports or student complaints. Failure to correct the deficiencies in the program within the agreed upon time frame, will cause the accreditation of the program to be withdrawn, unless the program can satisfy the requirements for an "extension of accredited status."

Conditional accreditation will be granted for no more than two years. When the program corrects the deficiencies, its accreditation status will be upgraded to full accreditation for the completion of the original term of accreditation (in the case of programs whose status was downgraded to "conditional" during a term of full accreditation) or will be upgraded to full accreditation for a period of up to four years (in the case of programs granted "conditional" status at the time of renewal of their accreditation status).

4. Accreditation Withdrawn: Accreditation will be withdrawn from fully accredited, preaccredited, and conditionally accredited programs in the following situations: (1) when major problems of compliance with Council accreditation criteria and policies have been identified through the annual report and follow up investigation or through the complaint procedure and follow up investigation; (2) when preaccredited programs fail to correct deficiencies identified during their two-year period; or (3) when conditionally accredited programs fail to correct the deficiencies identified by the Council within the agreed upon time period. "Major problems of compliance" are defined as: loss of institutional accreditation; loss of program funding; suspension or closing of a program by the institution; problems requiring more than two years to correct. An institution or program may appeal any decision of the Council. A copy of the appeal procedure is available from the Council upon request. A program that has had its accreditation withdrawn may reapply when the problems have been corrected.

5. Accreditation Denied: Accreditation will be denied in the cases of programs seeking initial accreditation, preaccreditation, or renewal of full accreditation that prove to have major problems of compliance with Council accreditation criteria and policies. "Major problems of compliance" are defined as: loss of institutional accreditation; loss of program funding; suspension or closing of a program by the institution; problems requiring more than two years to correct. An institution or program may appeal any decision of the Council. A copy of the appeal procedure is available from the Council upon request. A program that has been denied accreditation may reapply when the problems have been corrected.

6. Extension of Accredited Status: Granted to fully accredited programs for a period of one year when circumstances beyond the control of the environmental health science and protection program prevent the completion of the self-study document and scheduling of the site visit, or the correction of identified compliance problems within the agreed upon time frame. An extension on the due date of the self-study document must be requested no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of notice from EHAC of the self-study due date. This notice typically occurs in August in the year prior to the end of the current period of accreditation. If a program requests an extension prior to the Annual Meeting of the year before accreditation expires, the Council will vote on the extension at the meeting. If a program requests an extension after the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors will vote on the matter, and respond within thirty (30) days.

In addition to the above, programs housed outside the United States may affiliate with EHAC provided that they meet standards effectively equivalent to those required of programs within the United States. It is the responsibility of the program seeking affiliate status to demonstrate equivalency. It is recognized that demonstrating equivalency does not require meeting identical requirements. For example, EHAC accreditation requires that the program’s institution is accredited by a regional accrediting association for institutions of higher learning (post-secondary education). Programs seeking international affiliate accreditation typically could not meet this specific standard, but must demonstrate equivalent status of the institution within its home country.
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VI. Reporting Obligations of Accredited and Preaccredited Programs

A.Notification of Council Regarding Major Changes in Accredited Programs
Replacement of Program Faculty: Each program is required in its annual report to identify any changes to its faculty. If program leadership is changed, the Council must be notified immediately. Each program must have an individual identified responsible for program leadership, which includes overseeing daily activities and providing long-term program planning.

Curriculum Changes: When a major change in the program or a major revision of curriculum is planned, such as substantial reduction of teaching staff or reemphasis of an environmental health science and protection course or courses, this information should be sent to the Chair of the Accreditation Council. This information may be forwarded to all members of the Council for their review.

Suspension or Closing of a Program: A college or university which establishes a program by the Council incurs an obligation to the students to conduct the program as planned. If circumstances require closure of an educational program, a minimum of one year's notice to the Council is required. This will permit the Council's informational literature containing names of accredited schools to be amended. Such notice is not merely a courtesy, but is required for the benefit of the general public, the professional associations concerned, and the school.

B. Annual Report:
All programs shall be reviewed annually. Each accredited program is required to submit an annual report to the Council, by a date specified by the Council, providing information on current student enrollment; number of graduates during the year, and significant curriculum, program, or budget changes and all faculty changes. Lacking a report or if there are significant changes in the program, accreditation status may be reconsidered. For programs seeking reaccredidation, failure to comply with this deadline will result in an automatic conditional accreditation and your review will be postponed until the following year.

C. Provision of Council Information to All Students: Accredited and preaccredited programs must provide all students in their program with the name, address and telephone number of the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council. This information is to be used for accreditation related inquiries and complaints.

D. Program Outcomes Assessment Survey: At the time of re-accreditation, the institution shall survey program graduates and employers via the Councilís outcome assessment tool. All graduates since the last accreditation shall be in the pool of those to be surveyed. The completed tools shall be gathered by the institution and forwarded to the Executive Director of the Council six months prior to the annual meeting of the Council. The Council will supply a summary of the information gathered to all accredited programs on an annual basis.

The purpose of this survey is to determine the adequacy of the accreditation process mandates to the needs of the professional practice of environmental health. The information gathered by an institution through the outcome assessment process will not be used as part of the self-study for re-accreditation purposes for a given institution. The Council will use the compiled information from all institutions undergoing re-accreditation to evaluate and modify the requirements of accreditation.
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VII. Accreditation Criteria
A. Institution
A curriculum in environmental health science and protection must be offered through a domestic or foreign university or a college which is an accredited institution of higher learning. of higher learning.

B. Faculty
1. The faculty member responsible for administering the environmental health science and protection program must be a full-time faculty member qualified for this position by an advanced degree in a relevant academic discipline and pertinent experience relevant to environmental health science.

2. Faculty members (a minimum of two full-time faculty - one full-time and one full-time equivalent) in the environmental health science and protection program are to be qualified for their positions by an advanced degree in a relevant academic discipline and/or pertinent experience relevant to environmental health science. Use of environmental health science and protection practitioners as part-time faculty is acceptable to supplement the environmental health science and protection faculty.

3. Faculty workloads must fall within the norm for the institution. Time should be allocated for faculty research, field practice, and/or consultation in environmental health science and protection.

4. Faculty/student ratio must be adequate to satisfy the instruction, advising and placement needs of the environmental health science and protection students. The ratio must fall within the norm of science based programs of the institution.

C. Program Funding
The institution must provide funding to assure basic support for adequate faculty, staff, facility and equipment for the program.

D. Enrollment
The number of students enrolled in environmental health science and protection curricula should be commensurate with physical facilities, financial resources, and the number of faculty available.

E. Library
Current environmental health science and protection periodicals and reference materials and access to the Internet should be available in the library for faculty and students in the environmental health science and protection program.

F. Advisory Committee
An advisory committee to the environmental health science and protection program is optional. An environmental health science and protection program can benefit from an active, concerned and knowledgeable advisory committee composed of environmental health science and protection practitioners working with local, state, federal and international agencies, businesses and industries. Such a committee can provide "outside" overview of the environmental health science and protection program and give perspective on breadth, balance and comprehensiveness of the curriculum. The committee may assist in locating internship opportunities, suggesting and finding outside sources of funding and equipment, and be an advocacy group for the program.
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VIII. Baccalaureate Environmental Health Science and Protection Degree--Curriculum Criteria
A. The department or unit offering the environmental health science and protection curriculum should have a statement of philosophy and objectives of the program.

B. The four-year curriculum should include the following general and specific objectives:

General Objectives:
1. Promote critical thinking.

2. Provide for the development of the skills, technical knowledge and attributes necessary for graduates to function as members of a health team in the public or private sector.

3. Inspire students to continue their education throughout life and to fully appreciate their professional obligations.

Specific Objectives (See Table 2):
1. Provide a sound foundation of instruction in core, related and technical areas.

2. Provide for an extended field training practicum or experience for each student.

3. Provide studies in:

a. The Basic Sciences: biology, chemistry and physics.

b. Communication: written composition, public speaking and computers. Strongly recommend additional work in technical writing.

c. Mathematics: pre-calculus. Calculus is recommended.

d. General Education: humanities and social sciences.

It is recognized that each institution has its own unique requirements or constraints which may dictate the depth and breadth of a curriculum. The resources at hand, including the availability and qualification of faculty, will determine the areas and the degree of emphasis on specific subjects. The National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council recognizes these factors and expects variation among environmental health curricula. The Council also recognizes that progress toward the development of the "optimum" environmental health curriculum requires the skillful application of imagination and creativity. The Council therefore, welcomes the opportunity to review innovative programs and curricula in environmental health science and protection.

Table 2

Criteria for Accreditation of
Environmental Health Science and Protection Baccalaureate Curricula

A. FOUNDATOIN AREAS:

1. METHODOLOGY CORE: Every baccalaureate student must complete separate courses in the following foundation areas.

Epidemiology

Statistical Methods

Toxicology

2. RELATED AREAS: Basic understanding must be obtained in the following areas. Specific units are not prescribed for these areas.

Environmental Economics

Environmental Health Management

Environmental Law and Public Policy Development

Risk Assessment

Risk Communication

B. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMMATIC AREAS:

Every student must complete in depth study in at least four of the following technical areas and be exposed to a majority of the following topics:

Air Quality Control (indoor and outdoor)

Environmental Chemistry

Environmental Epidemiology

Environmental Health Planning (Land Use, Transportation, Energy, Urban Development and Resource Conservation)

Environmental Microbiology

Food Protection

Global Environmental Health (including population control)

Housing

Hazardous Materials

Hydrogeology

Industrial Hygiene

Injury Prevention

Institutional Health (including infection control and infectious waste)

Noise Control

Occupational Health and Safety

Radiation Health (ionizing and non-ionizing)

Recreational Environmental Health

Soils

Solid Waste Management

Vector Control

Wastewater

Water Quality

Water Supply

C. FIELD EXPERIENCE AND PROBLEM BASED LEARNING:

Field practicum or equivalent experience should encompass a minimum of 180-clock hours total. Students should be exposed to field equipment, data collection and data interpretation. From this experience students should develop problem solving skills, learn to work as part of a team and gain an understanding of organizational dynamics. Environmental Health faculty should maintain liaison with local ,state and international health and environmental control agencies, institutions and industries which can provide students with exposure to the applied aspects of environmental health. Alternatives to field practicum will be considered by the Council.

D. BACKGROUND AREAS

1. BASIC SCIENCES:
These courses must be the same as those offered to basic science majors.

Biological Sciences with laboratories (to include microbiology) - one year or equivalent.

Chemistry with laboratories (general and organic) - one year or equivalent.

Physics - one-half year or equivalent.

Basic Science - one and one-half years or equivalent

2.Communication

Graduates needs skills to communicate effectively. These skills include the ability to speak effectively and persuasively with others individually, in small groups, and in making formal presentations. Furthermore, writing skills need to be sufficient to be able to communicate clearly to a variety of audiences.

It is the responsibility of the program to demonstrate that students have acquired these skills as part of the graduation requirement.

3. Computer Skills
Minimal computer skills include facility with the use of email, the Web, word processing and simple data management programs.
It is the responsibility of the program to demonstrate that students have acquired these skills as part of the graduation requirement.

4. GENERAL EDUCATION: (Humanities and Social Sciences)
Must be satisfied per each university's general education requirement. May include such courses as: Anthropology, Art, Drama, Economics, Human Relations, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, etc. Most of these courses will be at the introductory level and are intended to "broaden" and provide understanding of values and a historical perspective critical to self and society.
E. OPTIONAL (ELECTIVES):
Other courses may fit into particular programs if they are offered within the university's curriculum. These courses may be selected with the consent of the student's advisor.

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IX. Information For Applicants
The Accreditation Council invites formal application for initial approval of a curriculum any time after the first class of students, who have elected to major in environmental health science and protection, have entered their final year of study. The site visit and final consideration for accreditation should be requested after the first class has graduated. An institution that anticipates seeking accreditation of its environmental health science and protection program should contact the Accreditation Council chairperson before proceeding with the Self-Study. The institution should be knowledgeable of the time required by the Council to review the submitted material, potential dates for a site visit, the next meeting date of the Accreditation Council when an application could be reviewed, the fees and charges and their payment.

The Accreditation Council office should be contacted to obtain the name of the current Council chairperson.

Please contact:
The National Environmental Health Science & Protection Accreditation Council
2632 SE 25th Avenue, Suite F
Portland, OR 97202
(503) 235-6047 (Voice)
(503) 235-7300 (Fax)
ehacinfo@aehap.org(E-Mail)

Upon request, applicants will be sent accreditation guidelines (this booklet) and other materials needed to pursue accreditation. Upon completion of the self-study, a set of the completed material should be sent to each Council member, identified on a roster supplied by the Council, and the Council administrative office at least six months before the next Council meeting. Bulletins, class schedules, course outlines, and other supporting materials are requested and should be submitted with the completed self-study.
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X. Program Evaluation Report — A Self-Study

Administrators and faculty of an institution seeking accreditation of an environmental health science and protection program are expected to develop a Program Evaluation Report (also referred to as a "self-study") following the guidelines established by the Council. This report will present information and documentation needed by the Council in its evaluation of the program. No later than January 1st of the year the academic program is reviewed at the annual EHAC meeting. For programs seeking reaccredidation, failure to comply with this deadline will result in an automaticconditional accreditation and your review will be postponed until the following year.

The outline below is to be followed in preparing the report and the supplementary information to be submitted with the report. The self-study document should be preceded by a Table of Contents. The pages in the main body of the self-study should be numbered sequentially. Each appendix should be numbered and referenced with that number in the body of the self-study.

A complete set of the material should be submitted to each Council member identified on the current Council roster, with an additional set sent to the administrative office.

A. Identification

1. Program name
2. Name of school/college or department
3. Name of institution
4. Name of the program administrator or contact person
5. Mailing address
6. Telephone, fax number and E-mail address
7. Name of the administrator who is to sign for the university
8. Name of the chairperson of the school/college
9. Name of the dean of the school/college

B. General Information

1. Institution's philosophy
2. Program objectives
3. Organizational table of the institution -- This table should identify the organization structure of the institution and the position and relationship of the environmental health science and protection program with other baccalaureate programs and the administration.
4. Brief program history

C. Curriculum

1. Admission requirements to the environmental health science and protection program
a. When are students admitted (e.g., freshman or junior)?
b. Grade or test score requirements
c. Other admission requirements
2. Course requirements
a. Prerequisite courses to be completed prior to admission or matriculation in technical/professional courses
b. Professional/technical courses required--taught outside this program
c. Professional/technical courses required--taught within this program
d. Professional/technical selective or elective courses recommended
Provide a list containing the course identification number, course title, and the instructor's name for each course included under C. 2. b, c, and d. For each course provide more detailed information in the appendix which includes: course objectives, course outline for class schedule of lectures or laboratories, assignments, text or major references, and credit hours.

Please click here for the Course Requirement Form which needs to be submitted with the Self-Study.

3. Course Evaluations, Curriculum Evaluation
a. Describe how students and faculty evaluate required professional courses in this profession
b. When and how is the curriculum reviewed or evaluated by the faculty?
4. What are the plans or considerations to add courses or to make significant changes in the content of existing courses?
A copy of the latest bulletin or catalog describing the curriculum and course descriptions plus general university information should be included with the Program Evaluation Report.

D. Student Data (Undergraduate Curriculum

1.      Current Enrollment
Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Students with a prior baccalaureate degree
Total Enrollment
2. Number of graduates during the past five years
a. September 1, 19     to   August 31, 19
b. September 1, 19     to   August 31, 19
c. September 1, 19     to   August 31, 19
d. September 1, 19     to   August 31, 19
e. September 1, 19     to   August 31, 19
3. List all graduates for the last two school years and identify their current activity (employment) or status and location.
4. Describe enrollment changes and trends and how the trend may affect the program. What are the projected enrollment figures over the next five years? Projected faculty FTE?
   5. What is the program capacity at the current level of faculty, funding, and facilities?
   6. Is there a graduate level program in environmental health science and protection? Degree offered? What is the total enrollment of the graduate program?
   7. How or in what ways are the graduate and undergraduate programs integrated (e.g., students in same classes, faculty involvement with the two programs?

E. Faculty

1. List all faculty who are direct participants in the professional program and include their faculty rank, degrees, role or assigned responsibility, and if they are full-time or part-time. Include in the appendix a curriculum vitae for each of the faculty listed.
2. What are the program or university guidelines for teaching and advising loads for the faculty?
3. How is faculty performance evaluated?
4. What professional activities are faculty expected to carry on outside the institution?
What faculty development activities are available to the faculty (e.g., leave arrangements, travel money for professional meetings, release time for study)?

F. Facilities and Resources

1.   Summarize available library facilities directly relevant to the faculty and students.
2.    Describe computer and internet resources available to the faculty and students.
3.   What laboratory facilities and equipment are available for teaching the professional/technical courses?
4.   What instructional facilities and learning-aid resources are available to the faculty?
5.   What changes are anticipated regarding facilities and equipment availability to faculty and students?
6.   What external facilities/agencies/organizations are available and used for field experiences--field trips, internships? List external training used by students in this program.

7. Is there an advisory committee for this program? If so, identify the members of the committee, the service provided by the committee, its meeting schedule, etc.

G. Program Funding

1. Describe the major sources of funding for this program and their relative stability.
2. Describe research or special project grants which enrich the program through faculty support, opportunities for student employment, or similar enhancements.

H. Faculty/Administration Evaluation

1. What are the major strengths of this program?
2. Describe problem areas which are of current concern.
3. Summarize the long-term plans for this program.

I. Official Signatures

Signatures of the environmental health science and protection faculty member directing the program and an authorized official of the institution are required (e.g., dean of the school, vice president, or president).

Environmental Health Science and Protection Program Director	Date

Authorized Official of the Institution, Title	Date

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XI. Schedule of Fees--Baccalaureate Program

Application for Accreditation, one time only	$500
Application for Reaccreditation	None
Site-Visitor Expenses	Actual and reasonable
Annual Accreditation Fee	$1,000
Annual Accreditation Fee for Graduate Program When Undergraduate Also Accredited	$200

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XII. Fair Practices in Education
The National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council expects programs and sponsoring institutions to comply with the following fair practice standards in education.

Announcements
Announcements and advertising must accurately reflect the program offered; they must not misrepresent or mislead. Fully accredited programs may represent themselves as being fully accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council. Conditionally accredited programs may represent themselves as being conditionally accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council.

Nondiscrimination
Student and faculty recruitment and student matriculation practices shall be nondiscriminatory with respect to race, color, creed, sex, age, handicap(s), or national origin.

Safety
The health and safety of students, faculty, and the public associated with student educational activities must be adequately safeguarded.

Matriculation
The program must be educational and students must use their scheduled time for educational experiences.

Student recruitment practice must permit students to exercise free choice of programs.

Student and faculty recruitment practices must not be misrepresentative. Over-statement of financial rewards must be avoided in order to prevent unrealistic income expectations on the part of graduates.

Financial
Costs for students must be reasonable and must be accurately stated and published.

Policies and processes for student withdrawal and tuition refund must be fair, published, and made known to all applicants.

The program must not use high pressure techniques with students in recruiting, registering, or contracting. Unexpended tuition or fees to which the student is entitled must be refunded.Financial arrangements must be fair to the students and to the school. Students must not be encouraged to arrange loans with excessive interest rates or to take out loans which lead to indebtedness that is excessive in relation to the potential earnings of a program graduate.

The program must not assign excessive credit hours to course work to obtain unjustified tuition income.
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XIII. Policy Statement on Conflict of Interest in the Accrediting Process
The National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council defines a conflict of interest in the accrediting process in the following manner: No member of the Council shall participate in any Council decision in which the member has a personal interest, either real or perceived.

To avoid and prevent conflicts of interest, the Council has adopted the following procedures and practices, divided according to the categories of individuals that participate in the accrediting process.

Council Members
Council members are required to reveal to the Council the existence of any of the following real or potential conflicts of interest with a program under consideration prior to evaluating the site visit report on that program and/or discussing and voting on the accreditation of that program. When any of the following conflicts exist, the Council member will remove him/herself from the discussion and voting on that program:

Council member has a current or previous affiliation with the institution under consideration, including as an administrator, faculty, staff, employee, appointee, or as a current or former candidate for any of the previously mentioned positions.
Council member is an employee of, or is in some way affiliated with, an institution or program in geographic proximity of, or in direct competition with, the program/institution under consideration.
Council member currently serves, or previously served (during the last three years), as a paid consultant to the institution/program under consideration.
Council member is, or was, a student of, or is a graduate of, the institution under consideration.
Council member has a member of his/her immediate family with a relationship to the program/institution. Should unforeseen conflicts develop at any time during the period of consideration of a program/institution before the final decision is made, the Council member is required to notify the Chair of the Council.

Site Visitors
Site Visitors are required to decline participation in a site visit team when any of the following actual or potential conflicts of interest exist:

Individual has a current or previous affiliation with the institution under consideration, including as an administrator, faculty, staff, employee, appointee, or as a current or former candidate for any of the previously mentioned positions.
Individual is an employee of, or is in some way affiliated with, an institution or program in geographic proximity (avoid, where possible, individuals within 200 miles) of, or in direct competition with, the program/institution under consideration.
Individual currently serves or previously served (during the past three years), as a consultant to the institution/program under consideration.
Individual is, or was, a student of, or is a graduate of, the institution under consideration.
Individual has a member of his/her immediate family with a relationship to the program/institution. A conflict of interest form must be signed prior to the visit and submitted to EHAC Executive Office. Individuals should decline from serving on a site visit if they have a conflict of interest, or if prior associations could lead to a perception of a conflict of interest. Because clues to potential conflicts may only emerge through a review of the program self-study, early reading of that document is important.

Individuals selected for a site visit team will notify the Council within 10 days of actual or potential conflicts of interest with that program/institution so that substitutions can be made in the composition of the team.

Should unforeseen conflicts develop during the site visit or before the final decision is made on the accreditation of the particular program, an individual is required to notify the Chair of the Council.

Programs Seeking Accreditation or Renewal of Accreditation
Programs seeking accreditation or re-accreditation will have the opportunity to review the composition of the site visit team in order to identify potential or actual conflicts of interest. Programs will be able to challenge the inclusion of a particular individual with probable cause. Programs also have the obligation to identify Council members or site visitors who may have positive relationships with their program that could be deemed as conflicts.

Programs also will have the opportunity to identify Council members with potential or actual conflicts of interest. The Council must be notified of these conflicts at least 30 days before the Council meeting at which the program will be discussed and accreditation approved or denied. (This statement was based on the conflict of interest statement of the Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation.)
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The National Environmental Health Science & Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC)
2632 SE 25th Avenue, Suite F. Portland, OR 97202
Ph.(503) 235-6047 Fax (503) 235-7300
ehacinfo@aehap.org