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Accreditation - Report of the CAC/CAPC Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Cooperation

Summary

In response to the recommendations of the 1997 CAC Ad Hoc Committee on Accreditation Report, a joint initiative was undertaken by the Board of Directors of CAC and CAPC to form a new ad hoc committee of members of both organizations. The CAC/CAPC Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Co-operation was charged with the assignment to investigate, identify and recommend a model of cooperation for the two organizations, using the models as outlined in the CAC Accreditation report as a starting point.

The models were examined and tested against a set of criteria to determine the impact each would have on the operations, bylaws and legal status of the two organizations:

• Status Quo: both organizations remain independent, and continue to undertake joint projects (ie: pamphlet publications) on an ad hoc basis.
• Linkage: both organizations remain independent, and develop formal ties which promote and encourage cooperation.
• Fusion: amalgamation of the two organizations with CAPC becoming a professional accreditation committee within the CAC Board structure.
• Competition: CAC would establish a standing committee on accreditation, thus duplicating the mandate of CAPC.

Other external models, based on similar non-licensed organizations were also tabled for discussion, and were rejected because of their lack of similarity to CAC/CAPC. Committee Recommendations

The committee decided that the Linkage model was the most appropriate choice to promote cooperation between the two organizations at this time. This recommendation was presented to the CAC and CAPC Boards of Directors, and was approved by them. The linkage model was also tabled at the respective AGMs for discussion. Under a linkage agreement, CAC and CAPC would develop formal ties in the following ways:

• Mutual Recognition: CAC would formally accept the principal of the accreditation process, as executed by CAPC, provided that the process is validated by an external independent audit. CAPC would officially acknowledge CAC's mandate to further the dissemination of knowledge concerning the conservation of Canada's cultural property and heritage. Both organizations would adopt bylaws to this effect.
• Joint Board Meetings: A minimum of two joint board meetings would be held each year. These meetings may take the place, or be held in addition to, regular meetings of each respective board.
• Liaison Board Positions: New liaison positions would be created on each of the CAC/CAPC Boards of Directors. These elected positions would serve for a term of two years. The purpose of the position would be to ensure that issues of mutual interest are brought to the attention of the respective boards, and that each board is kept current with the other's activities.
• Joint Activities: The two organizations could, in the future, establish formal joint standing committees on publications and training. However, at present the two boards will continue to work together on mutually interesting initiatives, like the update of the Code of Ethics, on an ad hoc basis. The CAPC Newsletter would become an integral part of the CAC Bulletin, with its own well-defined section. This merger would not require a bylaw change. CAPC would be responsible for editing the contents of its section.
• Financial Links: Separate dues and budgets would be maintained by each organization. The CAPC board would adjust membership dues to account for the fact that CAPC members who are not CAC members would also be receiving the CAC bulletin as part of the new combined publication.

The CAC and CAPC memberships must vote on the proposal that a linkage model be adopted to formalize ties and further cooperation between the two organizations at their respective Annual General Meetings. However, the linkage proposal will only be tabled at the CAC/CAPC 1999 AGMs if a simple majority of each membership approves the linkage model in principal, by a postal ballot to be conducted in late fall 1998.