I was recently on a conference call with the accreditation administrator for a large government agency and several of my West Professional Development colleagues. The conversation turned to concerns about a particular state’s application process and getting programs approved…and the agency accreditation administrator and I were off! Once we’d begun, we were swapping stories, sharing anecdotes, discussing best practices, and gathering opinions… We did finally manage to get back to the point of the call (which was not initially intended to be about the application process) and finish the business at hand.
At the call’s conclusion, one of my colleagues, who does not deal with the accreditation of programs, commented that it was as if the government accreditation administrator and I had been speaking a foreign language. While I had to laugh, I began thinking about the work I do and the relatively small group of people who understand what is involved. We really do speak a different language, and while it is admittedly a small group who want to speak it, I always enjoy the conversations I have and the people with whom I have them.
As I begin this blog, I want the posts to initiate more of these conversations – with my accreditation colleagues, with CLE professionals, with interested attorneys, with those involved in the regulation of CLE, with anyone crazy enough to want to talk about CLE. Post a comment. Ask a question. Submit a topic suggestion. Let’s start talking, in English or in “Accreditation-ese” – I’m even willing to translate as necessary!
