ACHS Program Advisory Councils

About the Program Advisory Council

ACHS’s close ties with the aromatherapy, herbal medicine, holistic nutrition, and holistic health industries is key to our success and high quality. We want our students and graduates to have a worthwhile experience as a student that then transitions to the workplace.

Leaders, educators, and employers in the holistic health and wellness industry have a strong self-interest in helping holistic health education improve and in helping students succeed. Well-trained competent graduates not only are more effective employees, salespeople, and ambassadors, they reduce compliance costs and liability exposure and help advance the industry.

One of the most effective ways of providing a link between industry and college is through the ACHS Program Advisory Councils (PACs). ACHS PACs are essential to successful programs and play an important role in guiding, strengthening, and improving existing programs.

What is a Program Advisory Council? Each department at ACHS has a Program Advisory Council with members who are industry experts, including employers and employees who advise ACHS on the needs assessment and learning outcomes for new programs and revision of existing programs. PACs are made up of individuals with experience and expertise in the occupational field that the program serves.

The goal of the ACHS PACs is to ensure that ACHS programs align with employers’ needs for caring, knowledgeable, committed, and informed employees who enter the workforce with holistic health expertise and fundamental job-success skills.

Download more information about our expert advisory council members online here.

Role of Program Advisory Councils

Overview

Connection with industry and employers is key to the success of a higher education program in the 21st century.

ACHS’s PACs are formally constructed to meet accreditation standard III of the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), ACHS’s institutional accreditor (set out below). ACHS also has a long history of exchanging information with PAC members, industry experts, employers, and other professionals.

PAC Qualifications & Skills

DEAC requires that PAC members are practitioners and employers in the field for which the program(s) prepares students.

ACHS will provide the following to PAC members:

Key indicators and outcomes assessment data that it uses to demonstrate that it is effectively carrying out its mission
Program Catalog
Relevant program details including program description and outcomes and syllabi for included courses
Access to courses within a program if review is requested

Appointment Details

ACHS Program Advisory Council (PAC) members are a valuable asset to ACHS. As leaders in their industry and professional experts, PAC members serve as a bridge between ACHS and the professional communities we serve. PAC members provide important perspectives that we here at ACHS may not be exposed to otherwise. In return, PAC members have the opportunity to influence and inform the content and quality of ACHS curriculum, thereby benefiting both students and our communities at large. We rely on PACs to participate in program development, review, and updates in a number of ways, including, but not limited to:

Advising, assisting, supporting, and advocating for programs
Providing suggestions for appropriate learning outcomes for a program
Helping to assure the proficiency and preparation of program graduates
Assessing program quality and offers suggestions for improvement where needed. For example, the Advisory Council might suggest ways to modify the curriculum, review teaching materials for accuracy and currency
Offering suggestions for program resources such as textbooks, software, lab materials, etc.
Providing volunteer/intern/work experience type positions where appropriate
Promoting the programs in the community where appropriate
Providing industry expertise including information on workforce needs
Facilitating relationships between ACHS and relevant stakeholders such as professional organizations, employers, other institutions, etc.

ACHS PAC Members:

Are public members who are not otherwise contracted with or employed by the institution
Are appointed by the President in collaboration with Program Chairs
Have ongoing terms as long as they continue to be practitioners or employers in the field
Are asked to provide written notice 60-90 days before effective PAC resignation date

Required Minimum Participation

ACHS PAC Members:

Attend a minimum of one PAC meeting per year;
Complete reviews and preparations to facilitate active engagement in that meeting including reviewing draft or existing program and course learning outcomes or objectives;
Provide feedback on the College mission and institutional learning outcomes;
Provide advice on the current level of skills, knowledge, and abilities individuals need for entry into the occupation;
Provide recommendations on the adequacy of educational program outcomes/educational objectives, curricula, and course materials;
Provide advice on the professional competencies needed for graduates to enter the fields for the program;
Are available for a phone call from accrediting reviewers during the regular five year reaccreditation review; and
Maintain strict confidentiality when reviewing any and all proprietary ACHS content (including but not limited to ACHS matrices, ACHS online lecture content, ACHS eTextbook content, ACHS program development content, and the like).

Optional Additional Engagement

While the minimum requirements to be a PAC member are set out above, PAC members may also be involved in the following, depending on their expertise:

Curriculum development
Outcomes assessment
Institutional improvement initiatives
May serve as subject matter experts if qualified
May serve as liaisons between ACHS and the employers or professional industries each member represents

Apply to Join an ACHS Program Advisory Council

Are you a practitioner, business owner, educator, or other professional within the integrative health and wellness or sustainable business industries with a passion for shaping the future of these exciting industries? If so, you may be eligible to join an ACHS Program Advisory Council. ACHS is always seeking new members to collaborate on the educational standards, experiential learning activities, and professional skills for success in these dynamic fields.

To apply, tell us more about your background and experience online here, and our team will reach out to you with more information.