The Iowa State College of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) recently received continued accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS).

ISU is one of only 64 colleges to be accredited nationwide.

The accreditation process covers many different categories contributing to the overall quality of education in the program.

Joyce Crouse, chair of AAFCS, said the FCS program at ISU was especially good.

“On behalf of the Council for Accreditation, we are especially pleased to recognize the quality of the faculty and programs of this Family and Consumer Sciences program,” she said.

Carol Meeks, dean of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, said the accreditation process is extremely comprehensive.

“The accreditation committee looked into the undergraduate curriculum, integration, faculty and facilities,” she said.

“There were seven volumes of paperwork analyzing the College of Family and Consumer Sciences here at ISU,” Meeks said.

The accreditation process occurs every 10 years and is difficult to maintain, Crouse said.

Mary Jo Glanville, communications specialist with the FCS college, commended the college for being accredited for 20 years.

“The ISU College of Family and Consumer Sciences has been accredited continuously since 1979,” she said.

“Although accreditation comes every 10 years, there are still yearly evaluations that the college must pass,” Glanville said.

Meeks said the college’s recent accreditation and 20 previous years of accreditation allows FCS to continually provide ISU students with a quality program.

“This national recognition corroborates our belief in the continuing quality and strength of our programs, faculty and students,” Meeks said.