Dear Department Chair/Head:

As you know, the ACS Committee on Professional Training is working on the next revision of the ACS Guidelines for approval of bachelor’s degree programs in chemistry.  Unlike the major revision process that resulted in the 2008 Guidelines, this revision is relatively modest in scope.  At our meeting last month, CPT finished developing a white paper that outlines the proposed changes that we are considering as part of this revision.  The white paper is posted on the ACS website and can be found at www.acs.org/cpt. 

The Committee encourages you to distribute the proposed revisions within the department and welcomes feedback from the department as a whole or from individual faculty members.  Comments may be sent tocpt@acs.org.

We would also like to bring your attention to two events occurring at the ACS National Meeting in New Orleans.

An extended open meeting of the Committee is scheduled for Sunday, April 7, from Noon to 1:30PMin the New Orleans Downtown Marriott Convention Center Hotel.  A light lunch buffet will be served, so an RSVP is appreciated but not required to attend the open meeting.

A symposium, Evolution of the ACS Approval Process: Moving Beyond the 2008 Guidelines, will be held Monday, April 8 starting at 1:30PM in Room 223 of the Morial Convention Center.  This symposium is organized under the ACS Division of Chemical Education.    

Please share this invitation with your colleagues who are attending the ACS National Meeting.  The Committee looks forward to receiving your comments on the proposed revisions and to seeing you at these events.

Anne B. McCoy, Chair, ACS Committee on Professional Training

Ron W. Darbeau, Vice Chair, ACS Committee on Professional Training