A Confirmation of Excellence

By Louisa Ajami

Following an intensive review, the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing has been reaccredited by a major US nursing education body.

LAU’s Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing (ARCSON) has been reaccredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), a body that establishes quality standards for nursing education. It also works to improve healthcare and “promotes public support for professional nursing education, research, and practice,” according to the CCNE.

ARCSON has achieved a lot since its launch in 2010. Already one of the top nursing schools in the region, it is a leader in interprofessional, clinical and blended learning, and boasts state-of-the-art resources, including its faculty.

Accreditations from internationally recognized commissions raise universities’ profiles and let potential students and their future employers know of the caliber of the institutions that were accredited. LAU as a university has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE, previously known as NEASC) since 2009. In addition to the institutional level accreditation, many of LAU’s schools and programs are accredited, including ARCSON, which has been accredited by CCNE since November 2013.

ARCSON Dean Anahid Kulwicki and her colleagues at the school have been working toward reaccreditation for much of 2018. Nursing schools must demonstrate to CCNE that their faculty, equipment, curricula, faculty-to-student ratio, research, and mission meet exacting criteria. This spring, a delegation from the CCNE traveled to Byblos campus, where ARCSON sits, to do the reaccreditation.

While touring the ARCSON facilities, the CCNE evaluation team interviewed school and university officials, faculty, students, alumni, and community representatives. It also reviewed materials submitted by ARCSON and observed classroom and clinical activities.

In its report published after the tour, the CCNE presented a positive review of ARCSON’s mission and governance, institutional commitment and resources, curriculum and teaching-learning practices, and assessment and achievement of program outcomes.

“We are very proud to have been reaccredited by the CCNE,” said Dean Kulwicki. “We have always put maximum effort into our faculty, facilities and programs, and the reaccreditation confirms that our work has been successful.”

In a statement, LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra said, “ARCSON’s reaccreditation is recognition of the standards we hold ourselves to. We are constantly being acknowledged for our excellence in teaching, innovation and community outreach. These together form the three pillars of our Third Strategic Plan, which acts as a guide on our constant development and enhancement as a leading institution of higher education.”

“There are no words that can explain my appreciation to our president, our family of academics, our community partners and to our students, who make us shine in every way imaginable by adhering to the highest standards of professional nursing performance,” concluded Dean Kulwicki. “I am so proud to lead such a great program and thankful for our president, provost, my colleagues in administration and our partners, who continue to support us in achieving higher levels of success.”