Delegates to PRSA’s 60^th Assembly, and the inaugural PRSA Leadership Assembly, turned their attention toward the Society’s strategic planning as they met prior to the start of PRSA’s 2010 International Conference, “Powering PRogress.”

Delegates were provided with a vision for PRSA’s future as part of the annual State of the Society Report, given via a joint presentation by Gary D. McCormick, APR, Fellow PRSA, 2010 PRSA chair and CEO, Rosanna M. Fiske, APR, chair-elect of PRSA and William M. Murray, CAE, PRSA president and CEO.

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The attention being focused on accreditation as a result of the debate about PRSA governance and the requirements for national board service has overshadowed the work being done to raise awareness of the credential and enhance its value. This already has been a particularly active year for accreditation, and it is about to get busier in the coming months.  Here’s a quick status report.

Updating the current APR Examination. The Policies and Procedures of the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) — the multi-organizational body that maintains the accreditation program — require that an analysis of the public relations profession be conducted every ten years. The 2010 practice analysis was completed earlier this year, providing perspective for the new roles, methodologies and technologies that the profession has adopted over the past decade.

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PRSA recently became aware that six of its members have formed an ad hoc committee and are circulating a petition in support of an amendment to PRSA’s Bylaws. The amendment would remove the requirement that PRSA’s national officers and Board members be Accredited in Public Relations (APR).

The committee is following a time-honored, democratic tradition of bringing forward important issues for the PRSA Assembly to debate and decide — on behalf of all Society members. Like it or not, this is the way that the egalitarian governance process functions at PRSA. It’s possible that still other proposed amendments will be brought before this year’s Assembly.

Continue reading " To Remove — or Not To Remove — the APR Requirement for Board Service "

The other day, the head of a well-respected New York firm delivered a blistering critique of the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) credential on his blog. Somewhat curiously, a similar outburst appeared on his partner’s blog a day later.

PRSA admittedly has had its challenges in trying to establish the value of the APR mark in the minds of agency hiring managers, which is something we’re working to change. But, we’re always surprised when we run into someone who is against the ideas of self improvement, learning and recognition for those efforts — ideals which are fundamental to us as Americans.

Continue reading " APR Critics: Down with Education! "

As 2009 Chair of the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), it’s my pleasure to lead a team of distinguished, senior-level public relations professionals who oversee and guide the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) program. With April having been designated “Accreditation Month” by PRSA, I’d like to share some of my personal thoughts on APR certification, and to answer a question that I’m frequently asked, which is, “What is the value of the APR mark?”

To give you a little bit of background, I’ve held my APR since 1995. When I began the journey toward Accreditation, I was pregnant with my daughter, who is now 14, so we both came through the process just fine.

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