DES PLAINES, IL (November 5, 2004) – To help universities and colleges seeking accreditation of their safety and health programs, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Foundation announced today the availability of funds through a new program to assist their efforts.

The ASSE Foundation’s “James A. Oppold Accreditation Fund” will provide financial assistance to colleges, universities and other institutions that are seeking accreditation through the Applied Science Accreditation Commission (ASAC)/Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) for their occupational safety, health and environmental programs both at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The grants will not exceed $3,500 of the total accreditation process fee for initial accreditation and $1,750 or less for reaccreditation. The deadline for applying for the grants is April 30, 2005. Currently there are 72 institutions in the U.S. with ABET accreditation offering various safety-related programs and degrees.

“As the demand for occupational safety, health and environmental practitioners continues to grow, we need to provide students a greater selection of collegiate programs to meet these needs,” ASSE Foundation Trustee and Chair Kennith D. Brock, CSP, said. “This new program was developed to encourage and facilitate universities in obtaining ABET accreditation of their safety and health programs by providing near matching funds.”

The “James A. Oppold Accreditation Fund” was established in memory of ASSE's ABET Board representative and ASSE member emeritus James A. Oppold, CSP, Ph.D., who passed away in Raleigh, NC, in 2002 at the age of 70. Oppold was actively involved with ABET and ASSE participating in the certification and accreditation of university and college safety, health and environment programs. Oppold served as director of the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) before retiring in 1992. He also worked for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, GA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Morgantown, WV, as director of the safety division and the Tennessee Valley Authority in Chattanooga, TN, and Florence, AL. Oppold received a B.S. in Physics from Loras College, Dubuque, IA, an M.S. from Kansas University, KS, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida.

To be considered for the fund, the institution must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education (i.e. the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC); offer a bachelors, masters, or associate degree in an academic safety and health program administered and taught by qualified faculty whose competence is also evidenced by participation in professional societies and applicable certification issued by nationally accredited credentialing bodies; and, be seeking accreditation or reaccreditation in either a bachelors, masters, or associate degree program in occupational safety and health. Only one degree program per institution shall be eligible.

Further, if funds are limited, the award of the grant will be based on the earliest post- marked date as well as other criteria including but not limited to whether an active ASSE student section exists with a viable annual program; the student section has a faculty advisor; and, a local ASSE chapter is affiliated with the student section. A site verification visit is the central criterion for fund approval.

All requests for funding should be sent in the form of a one or two page letter to ASSE Foundation Manager Mary Goranson, attn: Accreditation, ASSE Foundation, 1800 E. Oakton Street, Des Plaines, IL 60018, by April 30, 2005. For a full copy of the “James A. Oppold Accreditation Fund” rules please check ASSE’s website at www.asse.org under Foundation.

Chartered in 1990, the ASSE Foundation is committed to ensuring the future of the occupational safety and health profession by providing financial resources to individuals and organizations. Funding for the Foundation comes from corporations and voluntary donations from ASSE members - individual and through chapters countrywide -- for applied safety research, scholarships, fellowships, internships and professional development.

Founded in 1911, the Des Plaines, IL-based ASSE is the oldest and largest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment. Its 30,000 occupational safety, health and environmental professional members manage, supervise, research and consult on safety, health, transportation and environmental issues in all industries, government, labor and education.