Building Upon Our Strengths: Report of the 2002-03 Argus Commission

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 2003 by Kabat, Hugh F, Cohen, Jordan L, Nahata, Milap C, Roche, Victoria F, Smith, Robert E

INTRODUCTION

The AACP Argus Commission is comprised of the past five Presidents of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). Its purpose is to scan the environment for the Association and offer its views for AACP action and policy. The Commission also responds to specific AACP Presidential requests for discussion and analysis.

The 2002-03 Argus Commission was charged to assist the newly appointed Executive Vice President in evaluating several key AACP priorities, including assessing the overall strengths and weaknesses of the Association, preparing a strategic approach to increasing outreach to audiences and constituencies beyond pharmacy and pharmaceutical education, and maximizing the opportunities for AACP and ACPE to collaborate in assuring quality pharmaceutical education.

The Commission met initially by conference call in December 2002. The primary focus of the call was to discuss Association strengths and weaknesses. In addition, the commission had a preliminary discussion of the importance of expanding the external advocacy function and discussed means for achieving this goal. The Commission then met during the AACP Interim Meeting in Long Beach, CA and continued discussions regarding formation of an external advisory body as a primary means of expanding external outreach. During the second meeting the commission also reviewed current history related to the relationship between AACP and American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE).

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF AACP

Each member of the Commission was asked to elaborate on their perceptions of the Association's strengths and weaknesses. These were summarized as follows:

Strengths

* Vision of the Association as a uniting organization to channel and focus the voice of pharmacy education and practice at the national level; mission-driven (improving academic pharmacy)

* A commitment to improving academic pharmacy and enhancing the quality of all schools and colleges, regardless of their institutional mission

* Strength comes from collective efforts of schools, collaborative efforts of individual members, strong service delivery and good representation

* Strong support services from association, especially benchmarking institutional data

* Contributions in area of research analysis and support are essential to R-I schools

* Current staff is an asset/strength

* Investment in dues (institutional) strongly considered worthwhile

* Very important contributions (a center of excellence) in pedagogical skill development

* Outreach to younger faculty (1st year dues, teachers seminar/primer)

* Explicit promotion and active support of the concept of the scholarship of teaching and learning

* Expanded advocacy efforts are making a difference

* Fostering and honing leadership among faculty and academic administrators

* Assessment agenda (helping schools be more effective, connection to accreditation)

* AACP meetings are rich environments for learning, corridor conversations/networking, collaboration, and platforms for new faculty development

* Current Association leadership structure (Board of Directors, councils, sections)

Weaknesses/challenges

* Pharmaceutical science faculty issues (faculty engagement in AACP, increased number of non-pharmacists who need to fully appreciate how their science relates to the contemporary practice of pharmacy)

* Need for even greater collaboration in advocacy efforts but too small and underfinanced to be effective in advocacy as a free standing organization

* Evolution of practice faculty (increasingly specialized) and their allegiance to other practice associations

* Need to develop clinical faculty as scholars (especially critical with opening of many new schools)

* Diversity of missions and focus among member institutions beyond doctoral pharmacy education poses unique challenges in meeting individual and institutional member expectations

* Individual membership legacy and Council of Deans / Council of Faculties policy structure may preclude the rapid establishment of strong political positions

* Less than maximally effective in stimulating interest in academic careers among graduate students, residents and fellow; lack of a clear and effective means to reach out to these students to promote an academic career track

It was noted that these are times of extraordinary opportunities for AACP. There will be many demands on the Association to launch new programs and collaborations and this is for the most part a very healthy and positive situation. The concern expressed by the Commission is that such times demand discipline and focus such that our limited resources are used in ways that truly advance pharmaceutical education and best serve AACP members. Good planning and effective execution are essential for success.

Recommendation 1: The AACP Board should engage in disciplined planning efforts that culminate in the revision of the july 2000 AACP Strategic Plan with a prioritized agenda for the next 3 to 5 years. In doing so, AACP should utilize feedback from both institutional and individual member needs assessments, external constituencies and external scanning activities to determine which new programs, products and services to develop to best meet member needs.