In 1972 the AVMA House of Delegates (HOD) authorized a program of accreditation of training for animal technicians and assigned the responsibility for the program to the Council on Education. At the same time, the HOD authorized the Executive Board to appoint a Committee on Accreditation of Training for Animal Technicians (CATAT) to function under the guidance of the Council on Education to carry out all duties associated with implementation and continuation of this program. The Board made the initial appointments in1972. In 1974 the charge to the Committee was extended to include all matters pertaining to animal technicians and its title was changed to the Committee on Animal Technician Activities and Training. In 1989 the HOD approved a change in nomenclature substituting the title veterinary technician for animal technician. In 1990 the AVMA Executive Board approved the name change to the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA).
The intent of the CVTEA is stated in its mission statement developed in 2001: to shape the future of veterinary medicine by promoting veterinary technology and the veterinary professional team through education, quality, integrity, service, leadership, and collegiality.
CVTEA accreditation of educational programs serves to inform the public of those institutions providing quality education for veterinary technicians and to benefit graduates by providing a measure of recognition and enhancing their prospects of employment mobility.
Objectives
- To accredit veterinary technology programs.
- To assist in the development and improvement of veterinary technology programs.
- To study all matters pertaining to the activities of veterinary technicians and to advise the AVMA Executive Board on implementation of AVMA policy concerning such matters.
Membership
The Committee consists of 19 members. The membership includes ten veterinarians—one each from the following categories: AVMA Council on Education, state boards of veterinary medical examiners, private large animal practice, private small animal practice, laboratory animal medicine, regulatory veterinary medicine, industrial veterinary medicine, faculties of colleges of veterinary medicine, educators of veterinary technicians, and at-large. In addition, the Committee includes six veterinary technicians (two of whom must be non-program affiliated, and one who must be an educator in a veterinary technology program), a Canadian member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) Animal Health Technologist/Veterinary Technician Program Accreditation Committee (AHTVTPAC) who may be either a veterinarian or a veterinary technician, and two public members who must be engaged in activity other than veterinary medicine or employment as a veterinary technician. All US technician members must be members in good standing of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. Canadian veterinary technician members must be members of the Canadian Association of Animal Health Technicians and Technologists, and Canadian veterinarian members must be members of the CVMA.
Appointment and Tenure
The Executive Board appoints fifteen members; the Council on Education appoints one member from its membership. Public members are appointed by the Committee when a vacancy exists. Canadian members are appointed by the AHTVTPAC. Members serve six-year terms, beginning at the close of the AVMA annual meeting. The COE representative is appointed by the chair of the COE to serve as a voting member for a one-year renewable term. A member shall represent only one area in the context of appointment to the Committee. A member whose area of activity changes during the term of office may complete the term for which he/she was appointed. No member shall serve more than one term. For this purpose, a period less than three years shall not be considered a term.
Meetings
Meetings are held twice each year in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Reports
The Committee reports its activities to the Council on Education twice each year, including evaluations and assignments of accreditation status. The Council on Education refers appropriate sections of the Committee reports to the Council on Veterinary Service for recommendations.
Expenses
The AVMA reimburses committee members for expenses associated with attendance at Committee meetings.
Confidentiality
In accordance with AVMA policy, all information related to the CVTEA accreditation of a veterinary technology program (VTP) is strictly confidential. This includes, but is not limited to, reports of evaluation, letters, self-evaluation and accreditation materials, interim/annual/biennial reports, correspondence, and the content of any discussion related to the VTP and/or its accreditation. All requests for information related to a specific institution and/or VTP must be referred to AVMA staff, or to the respective institution.
Freedom of Information Acts which may be applicable in a given state do not apply to AVMA confidential information related to the accreditation of veterinary technology programs. Information requested through such acts may be obtained through due process from the respective institution or state office.
Statement On Integrity
To foster ongoing confidence in the specialized accreditation process, both the veterinary technology program and the AVMA CVTEA must be assured that functions assigned to each entity are clearly understood. The following are some of the areas where special efforts must be made to assure integrity of the process:
Integrity – Veterinary Technology Program
- The program must present accurate information to the CVTEA for accreditation evaluation, and must allow access to all parts of the operation during the site visit.
- The program must refrain from misleading advertisement of the program, and must correct any inaccuracy in a timely manner.
- The program must make every effort to protect students. The protection must include, but is not limited to, unbiased grading procedures and access to educational opportunity, scholarships, and student services.
- If a program releases information regarding its accreditation status, the information must be correct. Should misinformation be released, the college must correct the information in a timely manner.
Integrity – CVTEA
- The CVTEA must conform to the Conflict of Interest Policy.
- During the evaluation process, the CVTEA must evaluate the program only on the Standards of Accreditation that have been approved by the AVMA Executive Board. Application of the Standards to all programs must be unbiased.
- The site visit and deliberation toward the assignment of accreditation status must be conducted with the highest ethical standards.
- All material, discussion, and decision of the CVTEA regarding accreditation must be confidential.
- The CVTEA must recognize institutional and program diversity when making accreditation decisions.
- The CVTEA must inform all state, institution, and program officials of matters related to accreditation in a timely manner.
- No current CVTEA members may serve on a site visit to a program in a state in which they reside.
|
= AVMA/SAVMA Members Only
