Again Bill, well spoken.  I would like to see the ICRM go that way...;
however, it is likely more a matter of the "state of the profession and
its acceptance."

Best regards, Steve
Steven D. Whitaker, CRM
Records Systems Manager; City of Reno

>>> [log in to unmask] 10/19/05 11:36AM >>>
>>The recent discussions of certification in which the CRM is compared
to other certifications is I am afraid mixing apples and oranges.  The
case of certification or licensure of doctors, attorneys, nurses etc.
the government has by force of law conferred a monopoly on the holders
of these certifications.<<

I may be mixing a couple of different types of apples but they all
fall
from a tree.  State mandated licensing is the result of either a
groundswell of desire to "enforce" a certification process or by the
desire of the legislating body to insure standards.  Who decided that
doctors, attorneys, & nurses would be "licensed" and CPA's would be
"certified" and why are the processes exactly the same?

Regardless of the designation, the path is always the same:
1. The body of knowledge required is such that a "standard" ought to
exist.
2. Those who have met the "standard" create enough interest to create
a
"certification".
3. Those with certification administer the process that determines who
will be "certified".
4. When enough individuals become "certified" the group collectively
has
enough political stroke to require "certification" as an eligibility
requirement for activities or positions.
5. When enough activities or positions have accrued, the certifying
body
has its responsibilities codified in statute.
6. When enough "entities" (states in the US) have codified the
requirement for "certification", the Council on Uniform Laws creates a
model law that is generally adopted by individual states.

The difference between licensing of attorneys, doctors and nurses
differs from certification of CPA's is semantics.  The difference
between licensing CPA's and CRM's is based on where each organization
is
in the process above.

Frankly, I believe that we would be very likely to get government to
confer a monopoly on the ICRM for certification if we were to work to
that end.  The question is this, are we ready for that?

Bill R

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