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Savannah, Georgia – The Commission of the Council on Occupational Education (COE) has granted accreditation to the Graduate School, USDA. Announcement of the action was made by Mr. Russell Shelton, Commission Chair, following the Commission’s meeting held in Savannah, GA on September 15-17, 2007.
The award of accreditation status is based on an evaluation to demonstrate that the institution meets not only the standards of quality of the Commission, but also the needs of students, the community, and employers.
The Commission’s evaluation process includes an extensive self-study by the institution and an intensive review by a visiting team of professional educators representing the Commission’s member institutions from other states.
The Graduate School, USDA began its self-study in January, 2007 and underwent a team visit in July, 2007. The visiting team chairperson was Dr. Howard Steed.
The Council on Occupational Education, based in Atlanta, GA, offers quality assurance services to postsecondary technical education providers across the nation. Organized as a nonprofit corporation, the mission of the Council is to assure quality and integrity in career and technical development. Services offered include institutional accreditation (recognized by the U.S. Department of Education), program quality reviews for states and technical education providers, and informational services. Most of the Council’s work is carried out by qualified professional volunteers who are experts in technical education.
Institutional membership in the Council is voluntary, but can be achieved only by becoming accredited. The Council’s current membership makes it unique. Members include postsecondary public technical institutes, specialized military and national defense schools, Job Corps Centers, private career schools, nonprofit technical education providers, corporate and industry education units, and federal agency institutions. No other agency accredits and serves the diversity of organizations served by the Council. There are over 400 institutional members at the present time.
The Graduate School, USDA is a vibrant learning community with a mission to develop people and to make government more efficient and effective. The School offers a range of services that includes individual assessments, career-related courses and continuing education, including distance learning. The School’s experts provide training and education solutions, including conferences, workshops and symposia, for participants from U.S. federal, state and local government agencies as well as the private sector and international organizations. The Graduate School, USDA is on both GSA Schedule 69 (Training) and Schedule 874 (MOBIS). The School is dedicated to academic excellence, lifelong learning, and the entrepreneurial spirit.
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