BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE – April 2014

By Dianne M. Cearlock, PhD; Chief Executive Officer

At the April 10, 2014 meeting of the NAACLS Board of Directors, in addition to accreditation and approval awards recommended by the RCAP and PARC, the following items were addressed:

• A letter from the National Society for Histotechnology (NSH), recommending a change to Standard I.D.2.g that would require accredited Histotechnician (HT) programs to culminate in an associate degree or higher, or a certificate for students who hold or complete an associate degree or higher. The Board voted to release the recommended change for public comment. The public comment period will be announced on NAACLS website and is scheduled for June-July, 2014.
• The NAACLS Annual Volunteer Report is posted on the website for review. The NAACLS Annual Volunteer Report contains a statistical performance analysis of volunteers for programs reviewed in 2013. The report also contains a volunteer information packet, and a public recognition of outstanding volunteers that are acknowledged through the Volunteer Recognition Program. The report indicates a high level of program satisfaction with NAACLS and its services.
• Several editorial and minor changes were approved for Standard I.D.1-4, Standard II.B, and Standard IV.A.1.d  to improve clarity. The Standards and Standards Compliance Guides as amended may be found on the NAACLS website.
• Elections to Board, RCAP and PARC positions were held. Re-elected for a second term to the Board is William Hunt (ASCLS representative). Re-elected to the RCAP for a second term are DeAnne Maxwell (MLS Educator) and Evelyn Paxton (MLT Educator). Elected to the RCAP for a first term are Linda Riipi (Two Year Educator), Cheryl Germain (Pathologist Assistant Educator), Mark Bailey (HT Educator), and Mark Edmunds (Clinical Pathologist Educator). Angela Norwood was elected to the PARC for a first term in the position of Phlebotomy Educator.