SEARCY: Harding College of Pharmacy accredited

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LITTLE ROCK — The Harding University College of Pharmacy has received precandidate accreditation status and will seat its inaugural class this fall, President David B. Burks announced to students, faculty and staff in chapel.

"A newly instituted doctor of pharmacy program of a college or school of pharmacy must be granted each of two pre-accreditation statuses at the appropriate stage of its development," said Julie Hixson-Wallace, dean of the College of Pharmacy. "Our faculty members are hired, and we look forward to enrolling 60 students for our inaugural class in August."

The school had been scheduled to open in the fall of 2007 but was delayed as Harding looked for faculty. This will be the second school of pharmacy to be in Arkansas. The other is in Little Rock at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. When the pharmacy school opens at Harding, it will be the 93rd in the United States.

A total of 35 students - representing 11 states - have been interviewed and accepted for enrollment this fall. More than 245 applications have already been received for the approximately 25 remaining spots.

On Nov. 14-15, representatives from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) conducted a precandidate accreditation site visit at Harding. The College of Pharmacy was awarded precandidate accreditation status through June 30, 2009, by the board of directors of the ACPE at its January 2008 meeting. The granting of precandidate status indicates that a college's or school's planning for the doctor of pharmacy program has taken into account ACPE standards and guidelines and suggests reasonable assurances of moving to the next step, that of candidate status. ACPE will schedule a site visit for spring 2009 to consider the college's advancement to candidate status.

Hixson-Wallace formerly served as assistant dean for ad ministration and clinical associ ate professor at Mercer Universi ty Southern School of Pharmacy in Atlanta. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Mercer University Southern School of Pharmacy, where she worked in various capacities from 1994 un til her appointment at Harding in 2006.

The College of Pharmacy will offer a four-year program of study leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Curriculum will emphasize the integration of faith, learning and living; development of Christian scholarship; promotion of Chris tian ethics; and promotion of citizenship within a global per spective through participation in mission efforts.

Plans for the new health sci ences center are proceeding on schedule. The 40,000-square foot facility will house both the pharmacy and physician assistant programs.

Three Rivers, Pages 55 on 01/17/2008