University of Alabama at BirminghamKelly Allison, professor in the Department of Theater  Professor Kelly Allison has been elected to a three-year term on the National Association of Schools of Theatre Commission on Accreditation.  

The commission is NAST’s working group, and its primary function is reviewing applications and voting on accreditation and reaccreditation. It meets for five days each year to review applications for accreditation and reaccreditation from colleges and universities across the United States.

This year, the group reviewed 41 applications for accreditation, reaccreditation or responses to deferred accreditations. Each application includes a self-study, a site visitor’s report and a response to the visitor’s report from the institutions. The commission reviews reports from institutions that were accredited the previous year.

Allison, chair of the Department of Theatre in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences,

was asked to serve based on his work as a NAST site visitor for the last six years.

“The best thing about being on the commission is the deep dive we do into other programs,” Allison said. “I learn a lot about how other theater departments operate and overcome challenges. It is also gratifying to provide a useful assessment for other departments and serve as an advocate for excellence with their administrations. It is one of the most rewarding service experiences of my career.”

Established in 1965 to improve educational practices and maintain high professional standards in theater education, the National Association of Schools of Theatre is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges and universities with approximately 184 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for theater and theater-related disciplines and helps institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational and other theater-related endeavors.