Accreditation Council Application Form

Name*

First NameLast Name

Email*

example@example.com

Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Phone Number*

Please enter a valid phone number.

Organization You Currently Work For*

How many years of programming experience do you have in the field of adventure-based experiential education?*

How many years of administrative experience do you have in the field of adventure-based experiential education?*

Summarize your level of education, and any degrees held.*

Are you or is your organization a current AEE member?*

YesNo

Is your organization accredited by AEE*

YesNo

Please describe why you would like to be on the council.*

Please describe any licenses, certifications, or other credentials you hold.*

What unique skills or knowledge will you bring to the council?*

Describe your approach/style when working on a committee/board. Give an example in which your opinion differed from others in the group. How did you resolve your differences?*

Please describe what role you believe “standards” and accreditation should play in outdoor and/or adventure education.*

As a council member, you must attend one face-to-face meeting annually (members from outside the U.S. are only required to attend one face-to-face meeting) and monthly video calls. You will also be asked to perform committee work. AEE has limited funds to assist council members with their travel and accommodations. Would this time or financial commitment be a problem for you?*

Is there anything else you would like to share with the council, or do you have any questions?

Describe your familiarity with the AEE accreditation process.*

Have you participated in an AEE Accreditation Review? If so, please provide the dates of the review(s) and name of the organization(s).*

Are you, or is your organization, a current AEE member?

YesNo

Please check the educational settings in which you have professional experience or significant personal expertise:*

Please check the activities in which you have significant personal or professional expertise*

If you would like, briefly describe any other relevant experience in the field of adventure programming. If you have a climbing résumé, activity transcript, or similar document, please upload it to this application.

File Upload

Please provide three references not related to you and their contact information:*

Please upload a brief cover letter if you have anything you want to add to the application.

Optional

Please upload résumé or curriculum vitae*

1. Confidentiality

Any information provided by the organization for the purpose of accreditation will be considered confidential and will only be used by the Accreditation Council, AEE staff, and AEE reviewers in the accreditation process. Any documents provided for the purpose of completing the accreditation site visit must be safeguarded and maintained in confidence. The deliberations, status, and results of the site visit review are reported only to the appropriate members of the program, the AEE Accreditation Program Staff, and the Accreditation Council.

2. Conflict of Interest

Volunteers or staff associated with the Accreditation Program must avoid any situation where there is a real conflict of interest. Any persons with a real conflict of interest, or who may not be able to act impartially, shall recuse themselves from the accreditation process. Furthermore, volunteers or staff should avoid any situation that might compromise their professional judgment or be perceived as a conflict of interest. Examples of conflicts include: a reviewer who is also an owner, staff member, or a member of a Board of Directors of an applicant or accredited organization; and a reviewer who is a recent employee of an applicant or accredited organization. Real or potential conflicts of interest should be discussed with the Director of Accreditation.

3. Affiliation

Reviewers act as agents for AEE for the purpose of the program review. In serving as such agents, reviewers honor the mission statement, codes of conduct, and other policies and procedures set forth by the AEE's Board of Directors and the Accreditation Council. Reviewers make it clear to the organization being reviewed that they will not be conferring or denying accreditation, and that this is the role of the Accreditation Council.

4. Competence

Reviewers conduct activities within the level of their competence. Competence for reviewing is based on previous education, training, supervision, experience, and practice. Reviewers do not become involved in situations where personal issues or conflicts will impair judgment.

5. Training

Reviewers pro-actively work on staying abreast of current information in the field and participate in on-going efforts to maintain their knowledge, practice, and skills as a professional and as a reviewer.

6. Professional Conduct

Reviewers conduct activities with honesty, fairness, and respect, both in interactions with other reviewers and organization personnel. This includes, but may not be limited to:

a) making no false, misleading, or deceptive statements when describing personal qualifications or reporting findings of the review;

b) being aware of how their own belief systems, values, needs and limitations affect the review process;

c) being clear with program staff as to their roles and obligations as a reviewer;

d) accepting responsibility for their behaviour and decisions;

e) possessing an adequate basis for professional judgments;

f) respecting the fundamental rights, dignity and worth of program staff;

g) striving to be sensitive to cultural and individual differences -- including those due to age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and socio-economic status; and

h) not engaging in sexual or other harassment or exploitation of program staff and participants

i) conduct the AEE accreditation site visit based on AEE accreditation standards, not their personal standards.

7. Right to Autonomous Decisions and Feedback

Reviewers respect the right of program staff to make autonomous decisions and if appropriate assist them in understanding the consequences of their choices as they pertain to the accreditation process. Reviewers also provide appropriate opportunities to discuss the preliminary results, interpretations, and preliminary conclusions of the review with appropriate staff before the exit interview.

8. Permission to Review/Observe

The organization under review will obtain consent from appropriate organization staff and participants prior to beginning site visit observations.

9. Social Responsibility

Reviewers are aware of their responsibility to the program being reviewed, the AEE, and the profession. Some of these areas include, but are not limited to:

a) appropriately encouraging the development of standards and policies that serve their participants' interests as well as those of the public; and

b) respecting the rights of others.

10. Dual Relationships

Reviewers avoid dual relationships with organization staff and participants that could impair professional judgment. These types of relationships will be disclosed to the AEE Accreditation Director This includes, but is not limited to:

a) past or future business relationships (e.g., marketing one’s services while conducting the review to clients or the program, or having been an employee or consultant in the past)

b) close personal relationships, and

c) recruiting staff.

Reviewers agree to not enter into a business relationship with the program being reviewed for a period of 12 months after the conclusion of the site visit.

11. Professional Courtesy

Reviewers are guests of the program being reviewed. In this light, reviews are conducted as unobtrusively as possible, not interfering with programming. Reviewers are also careful not to become involved with "internal politics" existing outside the purview of the accreditation review.

12. Financial Compensation

Accreditation Program reviewers will not receive any financial reimbursement for review services, however, all reasonable expenses (i.e., travel, food, lodging) will be billed by AEE to the organization hosting the site visit.

Please sign here to agree to the Ethical Statement Agreement and to also to attest that all the information you have provided in this application is accurate and truthful.*

Date*

Date

AEE Accreditation Council Application Form

Ethical Guidelines and Agreement Association for Experiential Education Accreditation Program