Nov. 27, 2020
Message from CAATE President: Eric Sauers, Ph.D., ATC, FNATA
Focused on Growth: An Exciting and Promising Future for the CAATE
The CAATE Commission remains focused on the future. To enable us to tackle the next steps in our growth, we have been exploring management options that will advance our mission and vision as we continue to evolve.
SmithBucklin is the leader in association management, and they have extensive experience in providing tailored management and consulting services to more than 100 organizations, several of which include accreditation programs such as ours.
While the CAATE has sound and effective accreditation practices in place today, our partnership with SmithBucklin will help the CAATE achieve our mission to improve athletic training education, advocate for the AT profession and more effectively articulate the importance of accreditation as a means to ensure standards of quality in all aspects of the profession.
We have some significant opportunities ahead of us, and the CAATE leadership strongly believes that this partnership with SmithBucklin is the right answer for us and will allow us to serve our current and future stakeholders at the highest possible level.
As part of this process, I am pleased to introduce our Interim Executive Director, Christine (Chris) Murphy Peck. Chris is a member of the executive team at SmithBucklin and is an association professional with 35 years of experience in nonprofit management, strategic education program development and accreditation management.
We cannot do this without you: our colleagues around the globe who are working in partnership with us. You have my assurance that you will continue to feel the same connection to the new CAATE team. The team will include members of the current staff as well as new team members from SmithBucklin who bring expertise in specialty areas such as marketing, education and finance.
For additional information about the transition, feel free to contact me or Chris Peck directly.
Thank you for your continued support. We value you and look forward to our ongoing work together!
Commission Approves Temporary Change to BOC Pass Rate Accreditation Action Algorithm
The Commission has listened to and heard the concerns expressed by stakeholders surrounding the unpreventable cancellation and subsequent rescheduling of the March/April 2020 BOC exam due to COVID-19. The Commission acknowledges this unprecedented situation, the stress and anxiety this may have caused students, and the apparent negative impact it may have had on some students’ exam performance.
The Commission assembled a task force to evaluate the 2019-2020 exam data, benchmark with peer health care accreditors, review CHEA and DOE guidance regarding programmatic outcomes, and provided a recommendation to the board regarding how to best respond to stakeholder concerns. During the Commission’s November Board meeting, the following decision was made regarding the 2019-2020 BOC exam performance.
The Commission approved a temporary change to our accreditation action algorithm for pass-rate noncompliance due to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on exam performance during the 2019-2020 exam year. Accreditation actions regarding noncompliance with our pass-rate standards are taken during the February meeting of the Board of Commissioners. This accreditation action algorithm only applies to Standard 11 of the 2012 Professional Standards and Standard 6 of the 2020 Professional Standards.
Read the full statement.
2020 CAATE Accreditation Conference
Earlier this year, the CAATE decided to pivot our in-person conference to create our first virtual event to ensure the safety of our attendees, speakers, exhibiting companies and the communities they serve. The virtual conference will take place on Dec. 4-5 and will feature a wide variety of lectures, learning lab sessions, panel discussions and peer-to-peer learning opportunities for professional and residency programs.
In addition, invited speakers will discuss gender and racial equality in AT education and host implicit bias group discussions. Although we will not be together in-person, you can still connect with other AT educators through our virtual platform and meet with exhibiting companies about their products and services in the Virtual Exhibit Hall.
The virtual conference will have both asynchronous and synchronous sessions for professional and residency programs that will focus on Program Design, Quality, and Assessment, with specific focus on Standards 1-7 (Professional), Standards 8-19 (Post-Professional) and Standards 14-25 (Residency).
- Daily programming
- Asynchronous and synchronous sessions
- Lectures, learning labs and networking
- Concurrent programming for professional and residency programs
- Engagement with all presenters and sponsors
Learn more and view the conference schedule.
CAATE Award Recipients
The CAATE will honor award recipients, along with all our volunteers, at the CAATE Virtual Accreditation Conference on Dec. 4-5, 2020. The CAATE appreciates the dedication and service that each of these deserving recipients have provided to accreditation and the profession of athletic training.
Pete Koehneke Award Recipient: LesLee Taylor, Ph.D., ATC
The Pete Koehneke Award honors an outstanding leader who has made significant, ongoing contributions of exceptional value to athletic training education and accreditation over a sustained period of service. Recipients of this award, through their dedication and work, have had a lasting influence on the course of the profession at the national/international level.
Bob & Lynn Caruthers Service Award Recipient: Pamela Hansen, Ed.D., ATC
This service award is given to individuals that demonstrate the character and performance traits Bob and Lynn Caruthers displayed in their respective careers; it is intended to be a reflection of the commitment to professional education and service shown by the Caruthers.
President’s Award Recipient: Jack Weakley
The CAATE President’s Award is presented at the discretion of the CAATE president to recognize and honor an individual who has demonstrated exemplary service and leadership to the CAATE organization and the athletic training profession nationally and internationally.
New Educational Resources Available: Webinars, Focus Group Series and Podcasts
The CAATE Education Committee is proud to present the following new educational resources that can be accessed on the CAATE website here.
Contemporary Expertise Webinar and Focus Group Series:
Framework Webinar and Focus Group Series:
Athletic Training Research Agenda
The Athletic Training Research Agenda is meant to identify research priorities and unify research with clinical practice. Every member of the AT community has a stake, so take action to ensure and improve patient care. Together, we can advance the profession. Use the infographics below to learn more:
2018-2019 Analytics Report Now Available
The 2018-2019 Analytics Report is now available. This report contains descriptive data collected from the 2018-2019 Annual Report, and programmatic trends over the last three years are also provided. This report provides details of all accredited programs from the 2018-2019 academic year.
Access the report.
2020 Professional Standards Updates
Please visit the CAATE website to view the October 2020 Commission approved updates to the 2020 Professional Standards. The CAATE now has a dedicated space for stakeholders to view a summary of the most recently approved updates to the Standards. Additionally, the updates are reflected in the 2020 Standards for Accreditation of Professional Athletic Training Programs Document.
Questions about any of the Standards changes can be directed to the CAATE Office.
CAATE Welcomes New Commissioner: Toni Torres-McGehee, Ph.D., ATC
The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) is pleased to welcome Dr. Toni Torres-McGehee as our new Commissioner as the Chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Leadership Development Committee. Dr. Torres-McGehee assumed her seat on the Commission in October 2020.
Dr. Torres-McGehee currently serves as an Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. Within the Department of Exercise Science, she also serves as the Director of Athletic Training Programs and the Program Director of the Post Professional Athletic Training Programs. Dr. Torres-McGehee’s research interests include sports nutrition, eating disorders, body image and the female athlete triad. Additionally, she is interested in prevention programs and screening methods for mental health disorders and the female athlete triad for collegiate dancers, athletes and military personnel.
Dr. Torres-McGehee has served the CAATE in numerous capacities. She has been an accreditation site visitor for the past seven years and has served as a member of the CAATE Review Committee for six years from 2013-2019. She is currently the Chair of the CAATE Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Leadership Development Committee. Dr. Torres-McGehee was awarded the 2019 SEC Academic Leadership Development Program Alumni Fellowship, where she traveled to three other SEC institutions to strengthen her leadership skills working with other higher administrators in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion.
We extend our warmest wishes to Dr. Torres-McGehee and thank her for her willingness to serve and contribute to the CAATE!
Upcoming Events
Dec. 4-5, 2020 CAATE Accreditation Conference
Dec. 8, 2020 CAATE Monthly Commission Meeting
Jan. 12, 2021 CAATE Monthly Commission Meeting
Feb. 19-20, 2021 CAATE Strategic Planning