We Are C R A Z Y around here, work faster, faster... Zombies!

In the Schools or Colleges of Education at any University, from time to time, every living breathing human faculty member, in education, becomes CRAZY!  No, we do not have the Zombie Virus, we have Accreditation Preparation.  Ask anyone in higher education and you will be told accreditation is worse than a zombie attack.

How can "preparation for earning accreditation" be worse than brain eating zombies?  Simple.  In some fields of study, like education teacher preparation, the university student can earn a degree and a license for professional practice.

If any university student in any American university wants to work as a physician, dentist, nurse, or teacher, et al, the degree is nearly "worthless" without also getting a license.  (Think university of large mythical birds dies in fire and rises from the ashes, worthless). And, a university or college can only grant a license if the institution is accredited by the state government and national organization.

Who would want a professional degree without a license to practice (sorry you big dying and rising bird, no accreditation for you).  The answer is NO ONE wants a professional degree without a license.  While my School of Education colleagues and I can withstand snow days, absent students, students not following directions, technology disasters, and cold offices, we cannot withstand losing our accreditation to grant state teacher licenses.

Now, our accreditation review is coming; we are all CRAZY with worry (see the title of this post).  We are frantically reviewing all syllabi, all rubrics, all assignments, all standards, all dispositions, all data collection, all data analysis, and all handbooks!!!!  We are working faster, faster.  Oh My God, how long do we have before zombie attack, before accreditation review and accreditation visit?  One week, one month, three months?

Nope, we have until Spring 2020. Yep, that's right...2020 (that is the year, not the name of a TV News Show).  Now in your head please hum the tune of a song of the 60s, "In the Year 25, 25...".  If you do not know the melody, search on iTunes or Google Play.  So, with this truly depressing song from the 60s playing in our heads, the School of Education faculty marches off to prepare for zombies or accreditation.  Nearly every faculty member is hoping (silently and secretly) that the zombies get us first.

We are frantic, we are anxious, we are worried, we are sick, we are crazy, CRAZY!  What if we don't get accredited in 2020?  We will have to get real jobs!  Someone help us.

We are hoping for the zombie attack!  Well, I am creating a new word: "Credi" attack.  That's right we are facing a Credi Attack.  A Credi Attack!  A Credi Attack is worse than a zombie attack. You know I am right because "Credi Attack" has capital letters. Yikes!

To my friends and colleagues in higher education: if you are in the midst of a Credi Attack, breathe slowly, smile, go have some fun, and "Keep Calm and Carry On" or Eat Chocolate.

We are professionals, we use best practices, we care about future teachers, we will flourish.  We will say, "We beat the Credi Attack, bring on the Zombies."

Dr. Robert, Education Pirate Rebel
Author of the words, "Credi Attack"
Oxford English Dictionary, "Call me."