Whereas: The Strategic Planning Committee identified the development of an improved means for formally identifying, recognizing, advocating, and supporting new areas of specialization that warrant an accreditation program as a strategic initiative; and

Whereas: The Special Committee on Accreditation of Specialization was formed to consider such development; and

Whereas: The Special Committee has concluded the accreditation of specialized practice areas is needed as a bold marketing venture to provide for the future economic well-being of members; and

Whereas: The Special Committee's Report was approved by the Board of Directors in February 1998; and

Whereas: At its April 1998 meeting, the Board of Directors, after reviewing the discussions at the 1998 Regional Council meetings and the comments of other interested parties, recommended the approval by Council of the Special Committee's Report with the following modifications: 1) To make clear that NAC's oversight process should be continuous and rigorous and that aspects of specific accreditation programs, such as market and CPA acceptance, competition, and entry and maintenance requirements must be routinely monitored and evaluated. NAC should expeditiously recommend and implement changes to programs when necessary and ultimately oversee the sunset of accreditations if appropriate; and 2) To clarify the approval/ratification process as follows: Due to the time-sensitive demands of implementing and branding new and emerging services, approval of the specific details of each new accreditation program as established by NAC, should be made by the Board of Directors. New accreditation programs should then be readied for market entry pending ratification by Council of the proposed accreditation. It is understood that no final implementation of a new program would be undertaken during the period between Board approval and Council ratification. This method would permit bringing new accreditations quickly to market prior to the emergence of non-CPA competing designations. In addition, accreditation and maintenance requirements need to be flexibly determined for each specialized practice area. Such requirements would be most expeditiously set by NAC (reporting to the Board for its approval); now, therefore, be it

Resolved: That Council hereby approves the February 1998 Report of the Special Committee on Accreditation of Specialization subject to the two modifications as recommended by the Board of Directors.