Standard 1: Success with respect to mission

A.The institution/program has a mission statement.

Provide your mission statement.

B.The institution/program has program objectives that are consistent with its mission and are appropriate in light of the degrees or certificates awarded.

List your program objectives and explain how they are consistent with your mission and appropriate for each of the degrees and/or certificates you award.

C.The institution/program is successful in achieving its stated objectives as evidenced by internal evaluation and meeting the criteria established by MEAC .

MEAC evaluates success with respect to mission using the following criteria:

  1. The majority of matriculatingstudents complete the program, including the required clinical experiences, within the timeframe stated.
  2. Seventy percent of graduates in the past three years who sought state licensure or national certification have been successful.
  3. The majority of graduates in the past three years have been state licensed; certified by the North American Registry of Midwives; or are working as midwives or in related fields.

Explain how your institution/program measures your success in achieving your stated objectives and report your results. Complete the Student Enrollment Report and Graduate Placement Report.

Standard 2: Curricula

A.An overview of the program is provided that includes the program objectives; graduation requirements; a list of the modules, courses or other discrete units of instruction; and a description of how students progress through the curriculum.

  1. Provide an overview of the program that includes:
  1. The program objectives;
  2. Graduation requirements;
  3. A list of the modules, courses or other discrete units of instruction; and
  4. A description of how students progress through the curriculum.
  1. List all of the documents and specific page numbers where this information is provided to applicants and students and attach the documents.

B.The curriculum addresses the stated program objectives.

Briefly describe your curriculum and provide a table that explains how each of your program objectives is addressed by the curriculum.

C.The curriculum fulfills the minimum requirements established by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM).

  1. Describe how you make the most current information concerning NARM certification requirements available to your students.
  2. Complete MEAC’s Abbreviated NARM Verification Form that specifies where the essential knowledge and skills identified by NARM are taught in your curriculum.
  3. Describe how your students obtain the clinical experience, including minimum clinical hours, required by NARM. Please consult the NARM Requirements for MEACSchools and Programs guidebook.
  4. The site visitors will review your student and graduate files to see that you have documented each student’s progress in mastering the skills and obtaining the clinical experiences required by NARM using either MEAC’s Abbreviated NARM Verification Form or NARM Verification Form 201.

D.The curriculum incorporates the core competencies established by the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA).

Complete the MANA Core Competencies 1994 Checklist that specifies where each of the core competencies established by the Midwives Alliance of North America is taught in your curriculum.

E.The midwifery model of care is integrated into the curriculum.

Describe how students are introduced to the midwifery model of care and how it is integrated into the curriculum.

F.Course materials are provided to students for each module, course or other discrete unit of instruction that include learning objectives, learning activities, learning resources, and evaluation tools/methods.

Provide an example of the course materials, including learning objectives, learning activities, learning resources, and evaluation tools/methods, distributed to students for one course. Site visitors will audit school files and interview students to verify that the required course materials are complete for each module, course, or other discrete unit of instruction.

G.The curriculum is evaluated and revised periodically to ensure that new developments in midwifery care are acknowledged; learning resources are current; and learning activities, learning resources, evaluation tools/methods are appropriate to the learning objectives.

  1. Describe how your system of curriculum review addresses the following elements:
  1. New developments in midwifery care;
  2. Current learning resources; and
  3. Learning activities, learning resources, evaluation tools/methods are appropriate to the curriculum.
  1. Provide an example of a revision made in your curriculum as a result of the evaluation process.
  2. Explain how and when students, faculty, alumnae and any other groups are included in the evaluation process. The site visitors will interview students, faculty, and alumnae to determine how they participated in the evaluation process and whether appropriate revisions were made.

H.Degree-granting institutions incorporate in their curriculum the general education components required by the relevant state postsecondary education authority and the level of study is appropriate to the degree(s) offered.

  1. If seeking accreditation as a degree-granting institution, describe your general education courses and/or how students obtain the necessary general education courses for the degree(s) offered. Cite the specific requirements of the relevant state postsecondary education authority.
  2. In all degree-granting programs, it is expected that for each hour in the classroom (or equivalent in courses not based in a classroom), students study two hours outside of class. The site visitors will interview students and faculty and review curriculum files to determine that assignments and projects reflect this level of study, investigation, and research.
  3. Masters and doctoral degree programs must include successful completion and defense of a major independent project involving original research and application of knowledge. Explain how your curriculum prepares students for this level of work and how you have determined that your requirements conform to generally accepted standards. Site visitors will interview faculty and review research projects to determine that your graduate degree programs meet these standards.

Standard 3: Faculty

A.All faculty are appropriately qualified.

MEAC requires that all course instructors hold certificates or degrees appropriate to their areas of responsibility or, when neither certificates nor degrees are available in this subject area, have a minimum of three years experience in the relevant field.

Course instructors in the core midwifery curriculum and clinical preceptors must be qualified as follows: nationally certified midwife (CPM, CM, CNM); or legally recognized in a jurisdiction, province or state as a practitioner who provides women’s health or maternity care; or a midwife who has been a primary attendant without supervision for at least 50 out-of-hospital-births and a minimum of three years.

In degree-granting institutions, at least 75% of all course instructors must hold degrees at the degree level or higher to which they are teaching. Appropriately qualified faculty must supervise course instructors who do not hold degrees.

  1. Provide a table that lists all of your course instructors and clinical preceptors, identifies the course(s) or other aspects of the curriculum for which they are responsible, and their qualifications. Specify those courses that are part of your core midwifery curriculum. Please use the Faculty Table. The site visitors will examine faculty files to find evidence of relevant certificates, degrees, and/or licenses and evidence that the school has verified experience when appropriate. You may use the Faculty/Administrative Personnel Form for each faculty member.
  2. If your curriculum includes courses that the student completes independently, provide evidence that appropriately qualified individuals designed each of these courses. Site visitors will examine curriculum files to determine that that this requirement has been met. Also note whether or not you rely on a proctor to oversee or administer these courses.

If you are seeking accreditation as a degree-granting institution, you must also address the following criteria:

  1. If you are a degree-granting institution and have faculty that do not hold the appropriate degrees, explain how a qualified faculty member supervises each of those instructors and/or clinical preceptors. The site visitors will examine faculty files to find evidence of degrees or documentation of supervisory relationship.

B.Faculty rights and responsibilities are clearly established.

  1. Provide a copy of your faculty job description(s) and terms of employment as well as policies and procedures that clearly state that faculty are recruited, appointed, and promoted without discrimination in regard to sex, race, marital status, ethnic origin, creed, age, sexual orientation, or physical ability. Explain how this policy is made known to faculty and potential faculty.
  2. Provide a copy of the faculty policies and procedures that address how the faculty participates in the development, implementation and evaluation of the curriculum; evaluation and advancement of students; and periodic evaluation of the student admission’s criteria and the program’s resources, facilities and services. The site visitors will examine meeting notes and/or other documentation that illustrates how these policies and procedures have been implemented.
  3. Provide a copy of your faculty grievance policies and procedures. Site visitors will review any recent examples of faculty grievances to determine if the policies and procedures were followed.
  4. If you are a program residing in an accredited institution, provide a copy of the faculty policies and procedures that clearly state that faculty must, within the context of the course objectives, have academic freedom regarding methods of teaching, textbook selection, grading policies, student examination and evaluation. Site visitors will interview the program director and individual faculty to determine that these policies and procedures are implemented.

C.Faculty performance and overall faculty resources are evaluated periodically to ensure that program objectives are met.

  1. Describe your method(s) for evaluating faculty performance and explain how any weaknesses found in the evaluation process are addressed. The site visitors will examine faculty files to determine that performance evaluations are completed at least annually and that weaknesses have been addressed.
  2. Provide evidence that your faculty have opportunities for professional growth and training.
  3. Explain how you determine that your faculty is adequate in number to provide students with the necessary instruction, meet individual learning needs, and provide responsible supervision. The site visitors will review results of faculty evaluations by students that solicit feedback in each of these areas and any other evidence that the institution or program uses to determine faculty resources are adequate.

Standard 4: Facilities, equipment, supplies and other resources

A.Classroom facilities, equipment and supplies are adequate to meet the needs of students and faculty and to meet safety standards.

  1. Describe your classroom facilities in general and, more specifically, theteaching aids, equipment and supplies that are necessary for teaching your curriculum, including MANA core competencies and NARM skills. Explain how these are adequate to meet the needs of all currently enrolled students. Site visitors will interview faculty and students to determine that supplies and equipment are adequate to meet the learning needs of the students.
  2. Provide your policies for inspection and maintenance of all educational equipment and list the equipment that you’ve repaired or replaced in the last year.
  3. Describe how classroom facilities, equipment and supplies meet safety standards, specifically:
  1. Provide evidence of inspection by local authorities for building and fire safety of classroom facilities that are located in public or commercial buildings or, in other facilities, evidence that a smoke alarm, fire extinguisher and emergency exit plan are in place.
  2. Provide your policies and procedures for infection control precautions, hazardous materials management (e.g. bleach, chemicals) and hazardous waste management (e.g. proper storage and disposal of bodily secretions).

Site visitors will interview faculty and students to determine that supplies and equipment are adequately maintained.

B.Clinical site facilities, equipment and supplies are adequate to meet the needs of students and to meet safety standards.

  1. Describe in general terms the clinical site facilities used by students and show how they are sufficient in number and variety to meet the clinical requirements for all currently enrolled students.
  2. Describe how the program ensures that all clinical sites meet the following criteria:
  1. There are opportunities for students to participate in well-women’s health care and care of clients throughout pregnancy, labor, birth and the postpartum.
  2. Accommodations are made for students to eat, rest, or study during lengthy clinical experiences.

Site visitors will interview faculty and students to determine that supplies and equipment are adequate to meet the learning needs of the students.

  1. Describe how you ensure that clinical sites meet safety standards for facilities, equipment and supplies, specifically:
  2. Provide evidence of inspection by local authorities for building and fire safety of clinical sites that are located in public or commercial buildings or, in other facilities (not including client homes), evidence that a smoke alarm, fire extinguisher and emergency exit plan are provided.
  3. Provide your policies and procedures that ensure that clinical sites meet federal and state standards for infection control precautions, hazardous materials management (e.g. bleach, chemicals) and hazardous waste management (e.g. proper storage and disposal of bodily secretions).

Site visitors will interview faculty and students to determine that supplies and equipment are adequately maintained. Site visitors will review documentation provided by clinical preceptors that the safety standards described above are met.

C.Library resources are adequate to meet the needs of students and faculty.

Describe the library resources available to your students and faculty. Explain how students and faculty access current research literature and the core references used by NARM.

The site visitors will interview students and faculty to determine if the reference books used by NARM are readily available to them.

D.The administrativeoffice facilities, equipment and supplies are adequate to meet the institution or program needs.

  1. Describe the office space and equipment and explain how you’ve determined that these are adequate to meet the program's needs.
  2. Describe how student, personnel and other files are made accessible and secured for confidentiality.
  3. Describe how the institution/program ensures that student transcripts are protected from damage or loss and will be stored and made permanently accessible.
  4. Describe how the school’s financial records, including student ledgers, are protected from damage or loss, are stored and made accessible.

E.Classroom, clinical site, library and administrative facilities, equipment and supplies are evaluated periodically to determine if program objectives are being met.

  1. Describe how you evaluate whether or not classroom, clinical site, library and administrative facilities, equipment and supplies are adequate to meet program objectives.
  2. Provide a specific example of how a change was made as a result of the evaluation process.
  3. Describe your plan for making reasonable accommodations for students, faculty and staff with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  4. Explain how students, faculty, alumnae and any other groups are included in the evaluation process. The site visitors will interview students, faculty, and alumnae to determine how they participated in the evaluation process and whether appropriate revisions were made.

Standard 5: Fiscal and administrative capacity

A.The institution/program has a two-year business plan that includes a mission statement, description of the business and operations, financial analysis, marketing plan, and risk assessment.

Provide a description of your business or attach a business plan that includes:

  1. The services you offer and products you sell; equipment; physical location; and unique features that distinguish your business from others.
  2. An overview of your business organization, including the legal form of ownership and a list of the functions of any staff, their qualifications and compensation.
  3. Financial projections, including an operations budget for two years and monthly cash flow figures for a minimum of one year or long enough to show how you will meet your commitments to all currently enrolled students.
  4. Financial history for two years, providing the school has been in operation (you may use the Financial Statement Worksheet).
  5. Your marketing plan, including your target markets, your marketing goals for promotion, advertising, publicity and community relations as well as an estimated budget and timeline for marketing.
  6. A list of possible external events and internal problems that might hamper your success. Select one of the most significant risks and describe your contingency plan.

B.Policies and procedures that ensure financial accountability of the institution/program must be in place, such as financial controls, an accounting system, student ledgers, and other mechanisms.