FAQ’s for CIDA-accredited programs responding to coronavirus
First and foremost, CIDA extends our support to interior design programs and faculty members as you work to serve your students and protect your communities during the response to COVID-19. We understand your immediate priority is safely delivering education to your students under unforeseen circumstances and navigating the dynamics of a stressful time. We applaud your focus, ingenuity, and resilience and wish you good health.
Below are some common questions we have received from programs along with information that may be helpful as you consider potential new modes of educational delivery. Please feel free to send any additional questions or topics you think should be addressed to: holly@accredit-id.org.
Will moving our teaching online due to campus closure for spring 2020 impact our CIDA accreditation?
No, moving your teaching online for the remainder of your spring term does not impact your CIDA accreditation. We understand this is not a planned circumstance and your program is simply responding to necessity. We support your effort to meet your commitment to students through virtual delivery. That being said, a longer term, more permanent switch in delivery method is considered a significant program change and will need to be reported to CIDA as such. See CIDA’s policy and procedure, Section VII. Maintaining Accredited Status, page 2. Additionally, the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) is collecting and sharing information from educator members about successful distance learning methods: IDEC distance learning information
Will changing to a credit/no credit format impact our CIDA accreditation?
No. CIDA does not require any specific type of grading or credit system. Our focus is on sustainable educational quality. It is incumbent on the program and institution to determine how best to achieve quality student learning outcomes relative to CIDA’s accreditation standards.
How will a change to virtual delivery impact our preparation for an upcoming accreditation review?
If your program is preparing for a CIDA accreditation review in the coming year, please continue to track virtual delivery and collect digital student work. CIDA is accustomed to reviewing course materials and student work from courses that are delivered online. Guidelines for displaying digital student work can be found in CIDA’s policy and procedure, Section V. Site Visit, page 8. Also, please stay in close communication with CIDA about your program's circumstances and work with Megan Scanlan, Director of Accreditation, megan@accredit-id.org, to navigate any questions or concerns you have.
Some CIDA-accredited programs are delivered entirely online. You may wish to reach out to these colleagues for guidance on what has worked well for them. CIDA’s list of accredited distance education programs can be found at https://www.accredit-id.org/accredited-programs/#online.
We anticipate students’ internships will be impacted. How does this impact our CIDA accreditation?
CIDA standards do not require students have an internship; however, we understand that this may be a critical component of your program curriculum. We encourage programs to connect with one another and with the professional community to find alternative solutions. Many interior design firms are practicing remotely and this may assist with shifting students’ work experiences to virtual formats. Again, CIDA standards allow for a wide variety of methods to achieve student learning outcomes so our requirements should not prevent your program from implementing alternate plans. The Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) is currently working on a repository of innovative ideas, materials, and resources for what a remote internship or "eINTERN" might look like. IDEC plans to update their website with this information in mid-May.
Our program has an upcoming accreditation review and we are concerned that the student work from spring 2020 will not reflect our standard delivery. Will CIDA consider this?
Programs are encouraged to use CIDA standards as a planning tool as shifts are made in content and delivery. CIDA standards focus on content and outcomes and are achievable regardless of program delivery method. That being said, we fully recognize that short term disruption and unanticipated stress on systems may impact program outcomes. For programs slated for accreditation reviews in the near future, we are making plans to accommodate a longer term view to ensure that present circumstances do not result in misrepresentation of program quality. We will be working closely with programs slated for upcoming reviews on a case-by-case basis to ensure fair and equitable treatment. Above all, we are working with you to navigate through this crisis and our goal is to emerge stronger and more resilient.
What next?
CIDA is planning to connect with accredited and applicant programs in mid-May 2020 to learn more about your program’s circumstances and response to COVID-19. We anticipate there will be patterns that emerge and are useful for policy development. We also expect that connecting with programs will alert us to individual program circumstances requiring consideration. For our part, we are conducting scenario planning for the future and working to ensure CIDA’s accreditation process is as flexible as possible in the event travel and social distancing restrictions continue to be in place during fall 2020 and beyond.
We believe that CIDA Professional Standards are a grounding mechanism that can help your program ensure continued quality through a time of change and uncertainty. We hope you will use the standards as a central part of your program’s response and planning. We invite you to connect with us about any concerns you have and offer our partnership in forging meaningful, positive outcomes during these tumultuous times.
Megan Scanlan, Director of Accreditation: megan@accredit-id.org, cell phone 517.290.7842
Holly Mattson, Executive Director, holly@accredit-id.org, cell phone 616.970.6668