For more information contact Anne DeLotto Baier, USF Health Sciences Public Affairs at 813-974-3300 or abaier@hsc.usf.edu

USF College of Public Health receives full reaccreditation

Tampa, FL (May 17, 2004) -- The University of South Florida College of Public Health today received full 7-year reaccreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the national accrediting body for schools of public health. Seven years is the maximum period of continuing accreditation that CEPH awards.

"This is incredible news," said Stanley Graven, MD, interim dean of the college. "Our accreditation is continued for seven years with no contingencies – that's the highest vote of confidence a college of public health can get."

Dr. Graven said the successful reaccreditation was a "college-wide" accomplishment of faculty, staff and students led by Betty Gulitz, PhD, RN, associate dean for academic affairs, and Barbara Kennedy, MPH, ARNP, who helped prepare the college's self-study report needed for reaccreditation.

The announcement of reaccreditation culminates a process that began spring 2003 with the creation of a self-study report detailing the college's governance, demographics, strategic plans, research, education and service programs.

In October, a 4-member team from CEPH visited the college and met with the administration, faculty, students, alumni and community representatives. 

"The commitment and passion of the faculty for public health is evident in the classroom, in the research arena where there is a good balance of traditional and community-based research, and in the community where the school has garnered widespread support," the team wrote about the college's strengths in its report.

CEPH commended the "cultural richness" brought to USF by its diverse population of public health students, and recommended that the college strengthen its efforts to attract an equally diverse faculty. The college recently adopted a formalized plan for recruiting and retaining more minority faculty members, Dr. Graven said. 

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The University of South Florida College of Public Health at the USF Health Sciences Center is the only accredited college of public health in Florida and one of only 34 accredited public health programs nationwide. A leader in health promotion, the College prepares tomorrow's public health professionals to be vital stewards of the public's health and safety. With more than $29 million in grants and contracts in 2002-03, the College is home to five federally-funded Centers of Excellence. Its results-oriented, population-based research helps to promote health and prevent disease across the life span in Florida and the global community by targeting a spectrum of groups to influence behavior toward healthy choices. It also performs extensive workforce re-training for topics ranging from OSHA standards to training first responders in biological defense; disaster management and humanitarian assistance to public health leadership.