Information for Volunteers

Program Evaluators Make Quality Happen!

Program evaluators are the heart and soul of quality assurance and the heart and soul of CSAB. These volunteers don’t shuffle papers–they visit campuses around the country and the world to help improve computing education. They tour labs, talk to faculty, meet students and alumni, and work closely with their fellow evaluators and team leader along the way. If this sounds interesting, keep reading!

Who Are the Evaluators?

Evaluators are professionals in their fields. They might be computer scientists, chief security officers, IT specialists, or software engineers. They are professors, executives, administrators, managers, and technical experts. They work in research institutions, private consulting, Fortune 500 companies, government services, and public and private universities. They are a diverse group, but they all have one thing in common: They care about computing education. Learn more about where our volunteers come from.

How Do I Get Involved?

Membership in ACM, ASA, INFORMS, or the IEEE Computer Society is required. Strong written and oral communication skills (in English) are critical.

Applications are evaluated based on the factors listed below. Be sure to make these evident on your ABET application form:

• membership in ACM, ASA, INFORMS, or the IEEE Computer Society;
• appropriate computing professional credentials (degree, experience);
• technical currency;
• written English proficiency;
• oral communication skills;
• demonstrated ability to work as part of a team;
• dependability;
• strong work ethic; and
• the ability to meet deadlines.

The factors listed above are a subset of the ABET criteria used each year to evaluate the performance of PEVs following each visit.  For that reason, all applicants are encouraged to be mindful of the ABET PEV Competency Model while formulating answers to application questions.

In your application, please ensure that you concisely describe how and why you feel qualified to evaluate a program in the discipline(s) in which you seek approval.  Applications that do not contain sufficient detail will be disregarded. Vitae are not considered as substitutions for incomplete application forms.

Selection may also take into consideration other factors related to the composition of CSAB’s entire PEV pool, including the need for a broad mix of evaluators representing different institution types, ethnicities, genders, geographic regions, professional backgrounds, and educational experiences. The projected demand for accreditation in each CSAB discipline is also a factor.

A special note to those who wish to become a program evaluator in the discipline of Data Science.  Because Data Science is a discipline that is reviewed by two distinct commissions, the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) for programs with a significant computing emphasis and the Applied and Natural Science Commission (ANSAC) for programs with a significant statistics emphasis, applicants for Data Science must specifically highlight in their application the commission for which they desire to be approved (including the option of both).  That is, applicants must specify CAC, ANSAC, or both and provide a corresponding justification of their qualifications for each.

If Your Application Is Approved

If your application is approved, you will be asked to complete online evaluator training pre-work, 1.5-day face-to-face training (travel costs covered by ABET), and a 2-hour webinar. If the training is completed successfully, you are ready for your first campus visit!

And just a reminder, if selected as a PEV, normally you will be expected to participate in an on-site ABET visit in the Fall of each year.  This will require the ability to travel and participate in on campus visit team activities, usually leaving home on Saturday and returning Tuesday night for visits in the US. In addition, an ABET visit may involve significant walking, and for visits outside the US, climbing stairs as well.

How to Apply

If you are already an ABET PEV in a computing discipline and you want to add another/new discipline, then just login to the AMS using your existing ABET login/password, and look for the “PEV Application” button on the left side panel of the AMS dashboard.  From there you can “Start a new application” in whatever area you want to add.  Please do NOT create a new AMS login!!  Use the existing one.

If you are not yet an ABET PEV, and you are comfortable with the qualifications, it’s time to apply. First, be sure to read about the various training expectations of you at https://www.abet.org/program-evaluators/become-a-program-evaluator/.  Once you are on that page, follow the link labeled “How to Become a PEV” at the bottom of that page, or just go directly to https://www.abet.org/program-evaluators/become-a-program-evaluator/how-to-become-a-pev/.  The application link is at the bottom of that page.

Application Deadline

Applications typically must be submitted by November 30. CSAB reviews applications annually in January. Approved applicants should expect a notification by the end of January.

More Information

Still not sure? Then visit http://www.abet.org/network-of-experts/join-us/ to learn more about this important role and the many great reasons to volunteer.

To learn more about volunteering for CSAB, email csab@csab.org.