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ACPHA Bylaws

A. Preamble

By-Laws are essential to enable an organization to begin its work; to provide guidelines for the operation of an organization; to amend procedures as needed in the life of an organization.

B. Name & Duration

The name of the organization shall be the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA) herein referred to as the Commission. The period of duration for the Commission is perpetual.

C. Mission Statement

The mission of the Commission is the quality assessment and the quality enhancement of hospitality/tourism programs at the Associate and Bachelor Degree level

D. Organization of the Commission

  1. Composition – The Commission membership is composed of representatives from hospitality/tourism education, the hospitality/tourism industry, and the public-at-large. The Commission shall be composed of eleven (11) voting members as follows:
    1. Hospitality/Tourism Educators: Eight (8) members from accredited programs representing two and four year programs’.
    2. Hospitality/Tourism and Related Industry Representatives: Two (2) industry representatives from the hospitality/tourism and/or related industries.
    3. Public-at-Large Representative: One (1) individual from the public sector, representing the consumer interests of hospitality administration programs at the national or  international level.
    4. Immediate Past Chair: The Immediate Past Chair may serve the Commission in an “Emeritus” position if requested. This position does not have voting rights during Commission discussions. If the Past Chair is not interested or not available the “position” remains open until such time as a seated Chair exceeds their term limits and is willing to continue to serve.
  1. Terms of Office; Nominating and Vacancy Procedures
    1. All seats on the Commission are two (2) consecutive 3-year terms. No member of the Commission may serve more than two (2) consecutive terms with the exception of the Immediate Past Chair who may complete his/her two-year commitment in this role should this exceed the two consecutive term maximum. After completing two (2) consecutive terms, a Commissioner may return for another three (3) year term after he/she has been off the Commission for one (1) year. 
    2. The Commission Chair shall establish a Governance/Executive Committee composed of the current Chair, Chair Emeritus and the Executive Director along with selected chairs of the Commission’s Committee’s as needed.
    3. The Commission will solicit Education nominees from ACPHA accredited programs. Nominees will submit a CV and letter of interest for review by the Governance /Executive Committee and include evidence of their participation on team visits, 3 or more, as a team member, and their service as Chair on at least two visits in past three years to serve as Education Representatives.
    4. Public at Large and Industry Representatives will be solicited by the current Chair and Executive Director as required to fill positions. No team visit experience is required but would be considered desirable. 
    5. The Governance/Executive Committee will present the vetted/new member nominations, industry, public at large or education representatives, to the full Commission for eVote in advance of the Annual ACPHA Summer meeting or as needed to fill unanticipated vacancy. 
    6. The names of the newly elected Commissioners will be announced at the annual membership meeting and electronically published to be made available to the ACPHA member programs.
    7. In the case a Commissioner is unable to fulfill his/her term the Commission Chair will propose a qualified appointee to the Commission for approval.  The appointee shall complete the term of the vacated member and then will submit a CV and letter of intent for review by the Governance/Executive Committee if he or she wishes to seek additional terms on the Commission. In the case a Commissioner moves from his/her constituency base representation; the member shall relinquish his/her seat on the Commission.
    8. A Commissioner may be removed from the Commission by a vote by three-fourths (3/4) of the Commission. 
  1. Officers, Elections, and Vacancies
    1. The Commission will elect a Chair to serve a three-year term. The elected Chair is eligible to serve an additional three year term to coincide with their Commission service. Upon completion of the Chair’s term, he/she can then serve as Chair Emeritus (Immediate Past Chair) if interested. 
    2. The names of the elected Commission officers will be electronically published and made available to the ACPHA member programs.
    3. An officer of the Commission may be removed from office/Commission by a vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the Commission.  
    4. In the case where the Commission Chair is no longer able to serve, the Chair Emeritus (Immediate Past Chair) will become the interim Chair until the next regularly scheduled meeting.

E. Commission Function and Responsibilities

  1. Develop and enhance standards and guidelines for evaluating program effectiveness in the field of hospitality/tourism education; to foster excellence in programs; and to publish those standards and guidelines for evaluating program effectiveness. 
  2. Ensure the effectiveness of and objectivity in the accreditation process.
  3. Ensure the accreditation process recognizes the diversity of hospitality/tourism education and provides assurance that accredited programs are in compliance with existing standards.
  4. Provide counsel and assistance to established and developing hospitality/tourism education programs and to disseminate information to programs that will stimulate overall improvement in hospitality/tourism education. 
  5. Develop, maintain, revise and distribute standards, guidelines, and appropriate materials for programmatic self-study.
  6. Develop and implement appropriate training of all evaluators, including site visit teams.
  7. Review all materials relevant to the accreditation process and to be responsible for a final decision on accreditation of a hospitality/tourism education program. 
  8. Receive, review and arbitrate written appeals from any program claiming to be aggrieved by a negative action of the Commission. 
  9. Function at the Associate and/or a Bachelor’s degree level as the policy-making body in all matters of accreditation with hospitality/tourism education programs.

F. Meetings, Attendance, Quorum, & Voting Rights

  1. The Commission will hold a minimum of two (2) meetings per year. Each meeting is for the purpose of general Commission business and accreditation actions. One meeting will be held virtually in the winter and the second meeting will be held in- person usually in conjunction with the annual summer ICHRIE Conference.
    • The Summer Meeting allows for an annual Membership Meeting, where Award Presentations are announced, to provide a forum for networking of member programs and leadership; and where important announcements relative to ACPHA operations are announced. 
    • Electronically-distributed notices of meetings shall be made available to all ACPHA-accredited programs via the online newsletter. 
  2. Only elected members of the Commission may vote on matters before the Commission.
    • Each Commissioner may have only one (1) vote.
    • A quorum requires the presence of a minimum of six (6) voting members. Three-quarters (3/4) affirmative vote of the quorum is needed to act on specific programmatic accreditation, including accreditation denial, probation, or withdrawal. 
  3. A Commissioner will forfeit his/her seat on the Commission if the member is absent from two (2) or more meetings during his/her current elected term.
  4. Meetings of the Commission are open to interested parties, except when the Commission convenes Executive Session to consider accreditation actions (accreditation, denial, deferral, probation or withdrawal) on  specific programs’ files.
    • A Commissioner will recuse himself/herself in the case of perceived conflict of interest. The Commissioner should notify the Executive Director so that a quorum may be ensured. Each Commissioner will complete a COI form in advance of each meeting to ensure compliance. This form will be kept on file and in case of a conflict will be indicated in the meeting minutes.
    • A seated Commissioner may serve as a member of a visiting team, but must recuse himself/herself during the Commission review and action.

G. Committees

The Commission may establish, as needed, one or more of the following committees and elect or assign a chair and members:

  1. Executive/Governance Committee
    1. The Commission may establish, as needed, one or more of the following committees and elect or assign a chair and members:
      • Executive/Governance Committee
        • The Executive Committee would consist of the current Chair, the immediate Past Chair, Committee Chairs, and the Executive Director.
        • Sub-Committees may be assigned as needed by the Chair.
        • Specialty Liaisons may be appointed by the Chair in consultation with the Executive Director.
          • Accreditation Liaisons: Two (2) individuals representing hospitality /tourism education who have served as Chair/Past Chair, Commissioner or from a currently accredited program. These appointments cannot be selected from currently seated Commissioners. These individuals will be appointed by the Executive Director, in agreement with the current Chair, based on past involvement in accreditation activities. This appointment is for a period of 3-years and subject to renewal by Chair and Executive Director based on performance.
          • Training Liaison: One (1) individual representing hospitality/tourism education who has served as a past Commissioner or from a currently accredited program. This individual will be appointed by the Executive Director, in agreement with the current Chair, based on past involvement in accreditation activities. This appointment is for a period of 3-years and subject to renewal by Chair and Executive Director based on performance.
          • Academic Outlook/Engagement Outreach Liaison: One (1) individual representing hospitality/tourism education who has served as a team chair/member, a past Commissioner, from an accredited program or other associated organization. This individual will be appointed by the Executive Director, in agreement with the current Chair, based on past involvement in accreditation activities. This appointment is for a period of 3-years and subject to renewal by Chair and Executive Director based on performance.
    2. Education Committee
    3. Finance Committee 
    4. Standards Committee

H. Dues, Fees, & Funds

The Commission is authorized to charge a program applying for accreditation appropriate fees as well as an annual fee.  Expenses of members of the visitation team are the responsibility of the programs applying for accreditation. Until all financial obligations have been paid, accreditation will not be finalized.

I. Indemnification of Committee Members

The ACPHA Corporation will indemnify all members of the Commission in accordance with current Commission By-Laws and practices against any and all expenses as a result of pending or completed action in connection with official activities of the Commission.

J. Amendments

Amendments to these Bylaws of the Commission may be amended by a three-quarters affirmative vote of a quorum which requires a minimum of six (6) voting members. The vote can be done either in person or via electronic poll.

Any Commissioner may propose an amendment to the By-Laws. Notice of any such amendment must be done in writing and presented to the Commission Chair not less than 30 days prior to the next scheduled meeting for inclusion in the planned agenda.

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