IMG_1633.JPGFive years ago, after many months of planning, the college launched a brand-new degree program within the Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics. The program, in construction management technology (CMT), was specifically designed to meet the needs of the construction industry, which had provided considerable input during the formative stages. On campus and within industry, it was considered a strong program, but until the first class had graduated, it couldn’t be accredited.

With that milestone reached, the college applied for accreditation with the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) this past year. In spring 2010, a group of ACCE evaluators visited the campus to assess the CMT program, reviewing coursework, labs, course materials and student work. The team interviewed full-time and part-time faculty in the program, the dean and the provost, and they met with members of the Industry Advisory Board.

The evaluators liked what they saw. A few were so impressed that they asked if they could emulate what CSUN had done in their own universities. They found no areas of weakness or concern—almost unheard of for a program going for first-time accreditation—and were especially taken with the depth of knowledge of the faculty and with involvement of the Industry Advisory Board. The evaluators enthusiastically recommended that the program receive a full five-year accreditation, and the ACCE confirmed the recommendation at its general meeting in July.
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