News that the FAMU College of Pharmacy (CoPPS) has been placed on probation until June 30, 2008 by the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE) has caused some students to look for a plan B.
"I will have to apply to another school as a backup, to save time just in case," said Gerald Kilpatrick, 21, a third-year pharmacy student from Tampa. He said one of the main problems with the pharmacy program is that it does not have enough teachers to train the 1,036 students within the college.
He said he plans to apply to the University of South Florida or the University of Florida as a safety net.
Frederick Brown, 22, a fourth-year pharmacy student and class president, said he was initially concerned about whether his degree would be in jeopardy, but was quickly relieved to find out that probation did not mean the pharmacy program had lost accreditation.
He said, however, the College’s status could affect the University in another important area ---recruitment. "It shows that we're not invincible and that we do have problems just like any other college at the school."
According to a FAMU press release, the CoPPS was found to be in compliance with only 11 of the 30 standards set by the ACPE.
A spokesman for the CoPPS contends, there are only four concerns that will change the program's probation status.
“The four major areas that need improvement are: curriculum evaluation, systemic planning and assessment, inadequate clinical experiences for students and the lack of financial resources,” said James L. Moran Jr., coordinator of advancement/alumni affairs in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
"We have taken these concerns and been working on them since the Christmas holiday," Moran added.
ACPE is set to return to the University in March 2008 to determine whether the outlined recommendations have been addressed and corrected.
If the University does not correct the problems cited by ACPE before they return, the college of pharmacy could lose its accreditation.
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