- Continued growth in both the ACE and BCE programs. Though final numbers won't be known for several more weeks, both ACE and BCE are poised for growth. If this holds to be true, BCE would be posting 2 years of growth in a row, which is unprecedented in recent years.
- The ACE Support Committee has been watching the ACE exam scores since the new test debuted in early 2014. Overall the average score has decreased by about 2-3 percentage points. The ASC feels that an ACE applicant should be putting in a minimum of 40 hours of dedicated self-study prior to taking the exam
- The board recommended that Jim Fredericks (NPMA) and Shripat Kamble (Univ of Nebraska) be appointed to fill the two Ad Hoc positions on the Certification Board. Though the ESA Certification Corporation Governing Board makes the official appointments, they often rely heavily on the advice of the Cert Board (as was the case here, when the ESACC GB approved a motion to have Fredericks and Kamble fill the slots).
- Discussion about the new mission statement of the Certification programs that was developed during 2014.
ESA Certification Corporation Mission Statement: To establish and maintain standards of professionalism for all who work with or study insects and related life forms.
- There was some considerable discussion about the fact that the annual Business Meeting (which is historically held during the ESA Annual Meeting) is always poorly attended and by its nature excludes those who cannot come to the meeting. Several different options were discussed, but the following motion carried unanimously: "Move that the 2015 Certification Business meeting be held as a webinar immediately subsequent to the ESA Annual Meeting." The Business Meeting webinar is now tentatively scheduled for 11/23/2015.
- The CEU Committee Chair agreed to review the BCE Professional Maintenance and Certification Report (PM&C) for any needed changes or updates to eligible CEUs.
- The board agreed that all BCE exams should be reviewed approximately every 5 years. The Medical/Veterinary specialty is already under review and the General Core exam will be reviewed starting in 2015.
Additionally the Board agreed to the following meeting schedule for 2015: February 17, May 12, August 18, and the annual meeting on November 15 (the first three are conference calls, the last is held in conjunction with the ESA Annual Meeting). Anyone who has business to bring before the Certification Board should be mindful of those dates.
