All Articles

On May 2, the Accrediting Council of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC) granted Greenlee its 11th consecutive reaccreditation. In fact, the school’s self study was so impressive it now appears as an example on the ACEJMC website.

But the Greenlee School doesn’t care to stop at just one accreditation. Currently it is seeking a similar credential with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for Greenlee’s public relations major. The Certification in Education for Public Relations (CEPR) is granted by the PRSA, said Alyssa Rutt, Greenlee program coordinator.

Greenlee wants this accreditation for the value it would add to its two-year-old PR degree, said Erin Wilgenbusch, senior lecturer and PRSSA adviser.

The process for the PR accreditation is very similar to the process for the ACEJMC project. Two years prior to the actual inspection by the accrediting body, the school conducts a self-study to determine what work needs to be done for compliance. Rutt, who is managing much of the preparation for the PR accreditation, compares that process to “a student studying for a test. We are comfortable going in.”

On Oct. 4-6, PRSA representatives visited campus to inspect the workings of the PR major. While the site visit went smoothly, results aren’t expected until early 2017.

**By Tom Nelson**