Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Electrical Engineering, Receive Accreditation

Continuing in the tradition of programmatic excellence, quality teaching, and high standards, two programs at the College of Staten Island (CSI) have received accreditation beginning this fall.

The Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate program at CSI has received an accreditation from the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) through 2021. The program, which leads to licensure in mental health counseling, was cited by MPCAC site visitors for such highlights as being “exemplar of the mission of the school.” Research, advisement, faculty collaboration, strong connections with the community, and recent scholarship and grant opportunities were also noted.

The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BS EE), which has been offered since Spring 2014 by the Department of Engineering Science and Physics is also now accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET). The accreditation action extends retroactively from October 2013 and therefore covers students who have already graduated.

The Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate program celebrates its place as the first such program in CUNY to receive this accreditation.

“This is a big deal because we are in the company of schools like Columbia University’s Teachers College, NYU, and the University of Massachusetts,” noted Frances Melendez, PhD, Director of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, adding that this accreditation “will help in recruiting new students, as this gives us real validity in the quality of work and the quality of students entering the field of mental health counseling.”

MPCAC reported that “Dr. Frances Meléndez is an asset to the program, through her strong leadership, advocacy, vision, and commitment to students’ clinical training and professional development.”

Psychology Department Chair Katie Cumiskey, PhD said, “This accreditation is a testament to the commitment of Dr. Meléndez and the hard work of our dedicated core faculty, staff, and students. I’m inspired, though not surprised, that the MPCAC officials were so impressed with our prestigious program. Our program’s emphasis on social justice in mental health counselor training sets us apart in the State of New York and well prepares our students for the many challenges facing the Staten Island community and the world.”

Regarding the BS EE accreditation, Neo Antoniades, PhD, Chair of the Department of Engineering Science and Physics commented that, “Achieving initial ABET accreditation for the BS in Electrical Engineering so quickly after the launch of the program is a testament to the strength of our faculty, as well as the program and our students! This high program quality will ultimately lead to excellent and high-paying jobs for our student graduates.”

CSI is the second institution within The City University of New York (CUNY) and one of only a few in the greater NY/NJ metropolitan area offering an ABET-accredited Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

“The five-year initial accreditation places the program among the elite in the field and validates the quality of the faculty, the laboratories, and the institution,” Antoniades lauded.