The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) recently awarded full accreditation to Fort Valley State University’s (FVSU) Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) program for the next 10 years ending in 2034.
AAFCS is a professional organization dedicated to professionals and students in FACS. It also provides them a platform to share knowledge, research and promote a high quality of life to families and communities with experts in the FACS field.
“This accomplishment is a testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment of our faculty, staff and students. Achieving accreditation signifies that our program meets rigorous standards of quality and excellence in education,” said Dr. Francine Hollis, chair, of FVSU’s FACS Department.
Furthermore, the FVSU faculty member said that meeting the mark for accreditation confirms the effectiveness of the program’s curriculum and teaching methods. Hollis added that accreditation promotes the relevance of the program in preparing students for successful careers in the field.
“Personally, I feel a deep sense of pride and gratitude. This achievement reflects the collaborative effort of our entire department. I am thankful for the support of our university community and the AAFCS, who believe in the quality of our program,” Hollis said.
Some of the certification criteria include mission and goals, curriculum, learning outcomes, assessment and evaluation, faculty qualifications, diversity and inclusion and community and professional engagement.
Hollis elaborated about the advantages of having a fully certified program. Some of them include improved chances for employment, increased networking opportunities and students being recognized as products of a quality educational program.
“Employers often look for graduates from accredited programs because it assures them that students have completed a rigorous curriculum from qualified faculty,” she said.
“Graduating from a fully accredited AAFCS Family and Consumer Science program at FVSU not only enhances a student’s qualifications but also prepares him or her to make meaningful contributions to their careers and communities,” Hollis said.
With the program garnering accreditation, Hollis said that FVSU FACS will not stand idle.
“Now that the program has achieved accreditation, my vision is for us to maintain our status by implementing recommendations approved by the AAFCS. This will allow us to further enhance our program and continue to work on strategies identified in our strategic plan,” she said.
Currently, some of the strategies include the acquisition of more full-time faculty and the recruitment and retention of more students, which Hollis said is a top priority.
“We will also focus on enhancing curriculum relevance, strengthening community partnerships, expanding efforts on research and innovation and building on alumni relationships. This will assist us in marketing and recruiting for the program,” Hollis said.
“Discipline-specific accreditations are a wonderful validation of an academic program’s value and quality,” said Dr. Keith Howard, dean of FVSU’s College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology (CAFST). “We are extremely proud that our FACS Department, led by Dr. Hollis, has been reaccredited by the AAFCS. This is a well-deserved achievement for the department and we applaud the efforts of Dr. Hollis and her staff in meeting the needed requirements for this important milestone,” Howard said.
Fort Valley State’s FACS program offers one major with two concentrations, food and nutrition along with infant and child development. Currently there are more than 20 students enrolled in the program.
For more information about FVSU’s FACS program, visit https://bit.ly/3TjoXbk.