On May 19-21, 2010 Yo San University will host a team of site visitors from the Accreditation Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) who will be on campus to evaluate the MATCM program. As a Department of Education authorized accrediting body, ACAOM constitutes the peer review process that assures that Yo San University and all other accredited TCM schools adhere to the rigorous standards of the Commission and engage in processes that assure the continuous improvement of all aspects of our academic, clinical and organizational functions. ACAOM last visited Yo San and reaffirmed our accreditation status in 2006. The 2010 site visit will be structured around fourteen specific standards that range from basic purposes/objectives, governing board and legal structure, through admissions, academic/curricular and faculty issues as well as assessment, student support and publications. The site visit will culminate well over a year’s preparation that included the drafting of the institution’s Self Study Report. The final Self Study report was an effort that involved the entire Yo San University community.
During the three days of the site visit in addition to affirming the content of the Self Study document, the ACAOM team will examine a wide range of documents and will also interview administrators, staff, faculty students and members of the Board of Directors. For the 2010 visit we expect that considerable focus will be placed on how the institution assesses the achievement of its educational objectives. Over the past four years all students, faculty, staff, alumni and even board members and clinic patients have participated in a number of assessment procedures that pertain to our institutional, purpose, educational objectives and many other factors that make Yo San the self-reflective and continuously improving institution that it is today. It is expected that the site visiting team will pay close attention to the data that emerged from those many assessments, and how the institution has utilized that data to make informed and appropriate improvements to the institution and its programs. The visit will result in a report and recommendations to the Commission.
This is a time of self-reflection regarding our strengths and our challenges. Your participation in this process is vital to our success. As you interact with the site visitors, we encourage you to be candid and honest regarding your perspectives. As the site visit dates approach, we also welcome all students, faculty, staff, and others to review the Self Study document that forms the basis of the site visit. The Self Study document can be accessed through the Office of the President.