University Counseling and Psychology Center earns national accreditation

In an enthusiastically affirming decision from the American Psychological Association, Lehigh’s University Counseling and Psychological Services (UCPS) earned a seven-year accreditation following the first-ever application for review of the UCPS as an accredited doctoral training site. The seven-year designation is the highest level a program can achieve, according to APA guidelines, and reflects the assessment team’s professional judgement that Lehigh’s program is in full or substantial compliance with all guidelines and principles for accreditation. No deficiencies were found in Lehigh’s program.

Programs that fall short of this level can be awarded five- or three-year status, be considered “accredited but inactive,” be placed on probation, or have an earlier accreditation status revoked.

Notification of the exceptionally high-ranking designation was considered “a great result” by Dr. Ian Birky, who has been leading UCPS for well over 25 years.

“It’s an unexpected win to earn a seven-year accreditation status on the first application,” said Birky, who is also a sports psychologist at Lehigh. “Most centers would be justifiably happy to get a one- or three-year status on the first go-through.”

APA representatives were on campus in early October 2015 as part of their evaluation, Birky said. The visit followed a nearly two-year preliminary self-study and review completed in April, 2015, captured in a 300-plus page document reviewed by the site committee team and “scrutinized for congruence with actual practice” during the on-campus site visit. 

With an over-arching goal of maintaining a high level of quality in higher ed, the APA conducts an extensive peer review to evaluate operating policies and practices. The programs are reviewed based on criteria that included teaching and research, professional or specialized program curriculum, ethics and integrity, evaluation and assessment of outcomes, professional staff qualifications, financial resources, learning resources, missions and planning, organization and administration, physical facilities and student support services. An accreditation team conducts the review, which included on-site visits, and makes a recommendation to the APA review board before a final decision is rendered.

The accreditation effort involved the entire team in the center, from support staff, graduate student assistants, and all psychologists working on staff. Equally important, said Birky, was the support of this effort from the entire university community including board members, the university president, faculty, coaches, police, and members of Student Affairs and their associates. 

“It’s an NCAA finalist-type win, significantly dependent on the collaborative assistance of the Lehigh community,” said Birky, who was honored by his peers in 2013 with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors. 

Birky said the site visitors were impressed by how interconnected the UCPS was with various parts of the university, the collaborative working relationships on campus, the quality of support provided to Lehigh students, and the fact that they were able to meet with the president and a board member during their visit. That, Birky said, was something the site visitors had not experienced before. 

Dr. John Smeaton, vice provost for Student Affairs, said he was “very pleased, but frankly not surprised” by the top tier rating from the APA reviewers.

“Ian and his colleagues are extraordinary clinicians and educators. Our Center has been on the leading edge of scholarship and innovation evidenced by its leadership in maximizing client results through the use of group modality. This is a tribute to the commitment to excellence exemplified by Dr. Birky and his staff,” Smeaton said.

The APA’s accreditation process is designed to assure the educational community and the general public that an institution has “clearly defined and appropriate objectives and maintains conditions under which their achievement can reasonably be expected.” The process also encourages improvement through continuous self-study and review, and fosters excellence in post-secondary education through the development of principles and guidelines for assessing educational effectiveness.

The APA Commission on Accreditation (APA-CoA) is recognized by both the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the national accrediting authority for professional education and training in psychology.