Revisions to Two-Year College Guidelines

Use of the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year College Programs

See how institutions have implemented the Guidelines with this 2012 collection of case studies provided by two-year college chemistry faculty and administrators.

Since 1970, ACS has maintained guidelines to promote high-quality chemistry education for students in two-year college programs. In 2005, the Society Committee on Education (SOCED) assembled a task force to coordinate the most recent revision and dissemination of the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year College Programs.

The goals of the most recent revision were to:

  • Reflect changes in pedagogy, technology, accountability
  • Facilitate student transfer by aligning with the revised ACS Guidelines for Bachelor’s Programs and emphasizing communication with receiving institutions
  • Provide a more useful resource for strengthening programs by offering guidance for ongoing curricular change and improving the working environment

Throughout the revision process, the task force collected input from both the two- and four-year community. The community provided feedback on their current needs, the original Guidelines, the proposed changes to the Guidelines, and the draft revision of the Guidelines. In 2009, the final changes to the Guidelines were approved by SOCED, and the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year College Programs were disseminated.

Supplements to the Guidelines

As mentioned, the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year College Programs were revised to parallel the ACS Guidelines and Evaluation Procedures for Bachelor’s Degree Programs in language, format, and content. Additionally, supplements and other resources are under development to assist two-year colleges in the implementation of the Guidelines.

The purpose of supplements to the Guidelines is to provide clarification and/or justification for sections of the Guidelines. In 2010, a supplement addressing the needs of chemistry-based technology programs was released. Other supplements and resources will be developed as needed.

Members of the Task Force on the Guidelines

The following people served on the SOCED Task Force on the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year College Programs for some or all of its 2005-2009 tenure:

  • John Clevenger (Chair), Truckee Meadows Community College, NV
  • Dolores Aquino, San Jacinto College Central (CHED Committee on Chemistry at the Two-Year Colleges)
  • Carlos Gutierrez, California State University-Los Angeles (Committee on Professional Training)
  • Tom Higgins, Harold Washington College, IL (Committee on Minority Affairs)
  • Ed Kremer, Kansas City Kansas Community College (CHED Committee on Chemistry at the Two-Year Colleges)
  • George Kriz, Western Washington University
  • David Malik, Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis
  • Doug Sawyer, Scottsdale Community College, AZ
  • Maureen Scharberg (Past Chair), San Jose State University, CA
  • Uni Susskind, Oakland Community College, MI (College Chemistry Consultants Service)
  • Linette Watkins, Texas State University (Committee on Minority Affairs)
  • Jodi Wesemann (Staff Liaison), American Chemical Society, DC

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

Please email ACS Office of Two-Year Colleges or call (800) 227-5558, ext. 6108, with any questions on the Guidelines revision process, comments on the Guidelines or supplements, or suggestions for future supplements or Guidelines revisions.