For release: November 12, 2012
For press information, contact Curt Guenther, 901-678-2843

Only four years after its creation, the School of Public Health at the University of Memphis has been accepted as a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The Council approved the School’s request to begin the accreditation process last month, and the School will have up to two years to submit a self-study document and host an on-site visit by CEPH to achieve full accreditation.

As a result of CEPH’s acceptance of the School as a candidate for accreditation, the Association of Schools of Public Health has accepted the School as an associate member.

“This is a rare event,” said Dr. Daniel Gentry, associate dean for academic and faculty affairs with the School, “to be chosen for candidacy so early. It has taken two decades for the number of fully accredited schools of public health to grow from 27 to 50, and that is worldwide, not just nationwide. There are still states in this country without an accredited school of public health, or even candidates for accreditation.

“The step to candidacy is half the battle toward accreditation. The candidacy itself is difficult to achieve.”

Dr. Lisa Klesges, founding dean of the School, said this milestone toward accreditation is the result of the work of the SPH faculty and staff as well as the office of the president and provost of the University. “Their contributions in supporting the growth of the School have been integral to our success.”

Gentry will direct the School’s accreditation efforts. He said many of the requirements for full accreditation have already been met. “We have only a few benchmarks yet to achieve. We could very well be visited by CEPH within 18 months, much sooner than the two-year window allowed for self-study,” he said.