By ALISA THOMAS

Staff Writer

The Council on Aviation and Accreditation, located on Auburn University's campus in Auburn, Ala., has granted Tech's aviation department its third accreditation and second reaccredidation this past month.

Dale Sistrunk, head of the department of aviation and a professor of aviation, said the university is currently the only certified and accredited aviation school in the state.

"There are other aviation departments at other universities, but we are the first to be accredited, which is something to be able to inform parents and future students about," Sistrunk said.

The process, which is reviewed every five years, began in spring 2003 when Joe Brotherston, a retired associate professor of aviation, requested the first accreditation in February 1992 and lead the procedure.

"It's a good thing to have attended a university in which your particular field of study is top notch and certified to teach at a level above other universities in the state," John Koahl, a graduate student of aviation, said.

Requirements included filling out and meeting terms in a self-study report provided by the Council on Aviation and Accreditation.

These requirements ranged from being able to meet the needs of disabled students, having a certain number of airplanes for the flight program and having enough classrooms available to teach the required courses.

Sistrunk said the council goes over each department's course description and course syllabus, provides resumes for faculty and makes sure faculty have the proper credentials to teach.

Gary Odom, an assistant professor of aviation, said that faculty and staff were under review while the council visited the school in November 2003.

After the council's visit, the department turned in the final paperwork and collected letters of recommendation from council members and other local businesses that can vouch for the aviation department.

The entire aviation faculty and students participated in the accreditation process this year.

"[It] sets Tech apart from other aviation departments in the region," Sistrunk said. "It also allows us to advertise and recruit, and it credits us to get good, quality students."

Odom said he holds a sense of pride working for and being a part of a department that is recognized as credible and accredited.