Responsibilities of Sponsors of JRCERT Accredited Programs

Policy Statements

The Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT):

11.501	believes that sponsors of educational programs accredited by the JRCERT have fundamental responsibilities.
11.502	recognizes the importance of sponsors to be self-defining and self-determining.
11.503	recognizes that sponsors expect the JRCERT to conduct its business fairly, with proper regard for the sponsor’s freedoms, objectives, and rights.
11.504	recognizes that sponsors define their preferred methodology for conducting ongoing program evaluation and analysis.

Specific Responsibilities

11.501A	Sponsorship
	The sponsor shall:
	i.     define and establish its organizational and administrative structure and management.
	The sponsor is responsible for maintaining administrative and academic control of the program, including its clinical education settings, and for assuring the quality, availability of resources, supervisory accountability for and validity of the education conducted.
	ii.    select and to change clinical settings.
	The sponsor is responsible for informing the JRCERT of changes in clinical settings, curriculum, and other factors as required inPolicy 11.400, Procedure 11.405D.
	iii.   determine the format and content of contractual agreements.
	The sponsor is responsible for clearly describing in writing, its obligations and those of its clinical settings.
	The sponsor is responsible for establishing affiliation agreements as identified inPolicy 11.400, Procedure 11.405D, if the sponsor uses clinical settings outside its ownership.
11.501B	Resources
	The sponsor shall:
	i.     provide and manage its physical resources.
	The sponsor is responsible for ensuring that the resources and facilities required for effective learning and clinical education are adequate and appropriate for the needs of the number of students enrolled.
	ii.    determine its financial practices.
	The sponsor is responsible for assuring that there are adequate funds to maintain the quality of the program until commitments to enrolled students are satisfied.
	iii.   assess qualifications and to employ program officials, faculty, and staff in accordance with sponsor policies.
	The sponsor is responsible for assuring that program officials and faculty meet the qualifications in the relevant accreditation standards.
	The sponsor is responsible for notifying the JRCERT of changes in program officials within thirty (30) days of the change.
	iv.   promote and grant tenure for officials and faculty in accordance with sponsor policies.
	v.    monitor and provide professional development opportunities for the continuing competence of its faculty by the most effective means available.
	The sponsor is responsible for monitoring and promoting continuing competence of its faculty.
	vi.   establish formal articulation agreements with post-secondary academic institutions for the purpose of establishing student options for attainment of academic degrees.
11.501C	Curriculum
	The sponsor shall:
	i.     determine the curriculum format, sequence, duration, and methods of instruction.
	The sponsor is responsible for designing a curriculum with sequence and process based upon sound educational principles.
	The sponsor is responsible for notifying the JRCERT of changes in the curriculum as identified inPolicy 11.400, Procedure 11.408A.
	ii.    assign course credits and/or clock hours and establish graduation requirements.
	The sponsor is responsible for assuring appropriate course requirements based on course content and student contact hours.
	iii.   determine and grant the terminal award.
	The sponsor is responsible for ensuring that the curriculum is adequate in content to prepare graduates to meet the entry-level requirements for the radiologic sciences.
11.501D	Students
	The sponsor shall:
	i.     establish admission requirements and to select students in accordance with its policies.
	The sponsor is responsible for formulating policies for admission and acceptance of students that are in agreement with the relevant accreditation standards and for establishing and publishing admission requirements that ensure fair and equitable selection of students.
	ii.    establish program length, tuition, fees, and refund policy.
	The sponsor is responsible for assuring that program length supports the development of a competent practitioner and is appropriate for the terminal award granted. A refund policy must be provided to students.
	iii.   determine the method for permanent maintenance of student records.
	The sponsor is responsible for retaining official records for each student enrolled and for assuring the future availability of these records.
11.501E	Fair Practices
	The sponsor shall:
	determine the manner in which it observes and satisfies fair practice standards for accredited educational programs.
	The sponsor is responsible for assuring that its program(s) operate(s) in compliance with the fair practice requirements of the JRCERT.
11.501F	Program Evaluation and Analysis for Continuing Accreditation
	The sponsor shall:
	define its means of conducting evaluation, analysis, and outcomes assessment.
	The sponsor is responsible for assuring ongoing program evaluation, analysis, and outcomes assessment.  In the event that the JRCERT determines that program faculty would benefit from education regarding accreditation or assessment processes, the JRCERT may require that a program official(s) attend a JRCERT-sponsored accreditation seminar and/or assessment workshop.
	The sponsor is responsible for documenting the achievement of program students based on the following acceptable parameters for continuing accreditation:
	i.    A five-year average credentialing examination pass rate of not less than 75 percent at first attempt within six months of graduation(for Radiography, Radiation Therapy, and Magnetic Resonance only); A five-year average credentialing examination pass rate of not less than 75 percent at first attempt within the next testing cycle after graduation (for Medical Dosimetry only); identifies mitigating circumstances hindering attainment of this outcome. Programs that document less than five years of data may be limited to a continuing accreditation award of no more than five years, and a progress report will be required. At the time of the progress report, programs that fall below 75 percent may be placed on probation, and accreditation may be withdrawn if there is no possibility for the program to document compliance with the relevant accreditation Standards.
	ii.    A five-year average job placement rate of not less than 75 percent within 12 months of graduation; identifies mitigating circumstances hindering attainment of this outcome. Programs that document less than five years of data may be limited to a continuing accreditation award of no more than five years, and a progress report will be required. At the time of the progress report, programs that fall below 75 percent may be placed on probation, and accreditation may be withdrawn if there is no possibility for the program to document compliance with the relevant accreditation Standards.
11.501G	Program Evaluation and Analysis for Initial Accreditation
	The sponsor shall:
	define its means of conducting evaluation, analysis, and outcomes assessment.
	The sponsor is responsible for assuring ongoing program evaluation, analysis, and outcomes assessment. In the event that the JRCERT determines that program faculty would benefit from education regarding accreditation or assessment processes, the JRCERT may require that a program official(s) attend a JRCERT-sponsored accreditation seminar and/or assessment workshop.
	The sponsor is responsible for documenting the achievement of program students based on the following acceptable parameters for initial accreditation:
	i.    A five-year average credentialing examination pass rate of not less than 75 percent at first attempt within six months of graduation(for Radiography, Radiation Therapy, and Magnetic Resonance only); A five-year average credentialing examination pass rate of not less than 75 percent at first attempt within the next testing cycle after graduation(for Medical Dosimetry). Programs that document less than five years of data may be limited to an initial accreditation award of no more than two years, and a progress report will be required. At the time of the progress report, programs that fall below 75 percent may be placed on probation and accreditation may be withdrawn; or the continuing accreditation process may be expedited.
	ii.    A five-year average job placement rate of not less than 75 percent within 12 months of graduation. Programs that document less than five years of data may be limited to an initial accreditation award of no more than two years, and a progress report will be required. At the time of the progress report, programs that fall below 75 percent may be placed on probation and accreditation may be withdrawn; or the continuing accreditation process may be expedited.

Cross References

10.600  Developing and Applying Accreditation Standards
10.800  Alternative Learning Options
10.900  Fair Practice Standards in Education
11.400  Requirements for Sponsors of Accredited Programs
11.700  Verification of Qualifications of Program Officials
12.200  Program Closure

Adopted by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology:  04/04
Revised:  10/09; 10/10; 10/14; 04/19, 10/23
Editorial Revision:  12/13; 12/14; 01/23