National Property Management Association Professional Property Certification Program

Transcription

1 09/29/2016 National Property Management Association Professional Property Certification Program Policies and Procedures

2 Table of Contents I. Introduction... 4 A. Mission... 4 B. Goals... 4 C. Principles of Ethics... 4 II. Certification Procedures... 4 A. Eligibility Requirements Pre-Examination Study Options Applying for Exam... 6 B. Certification Renewal Requirements... 6 C. Certification Emeritus (Lifetime)... 7 III. Policies... 7 A. General... 7 B. Protection Against Undue Influence... 7 C. Autonomy in Executive Board (EB) Interaction Proctors Liaison Officer... 8 D. Assessment Instruments Standardized Secure Administration Scoring Validating the Assessments Results Exam Statistics

3 E. Records... 9 F. Confidentiality... 9 G. Nondiscrimination H. Disciplinary Policy and Procedures I. Appeals

4 I. Introduction A. Mission The Certification Governing Board s (CGB) responsibility is to structure and govern the National Property Management Association (NPMA) certification program appropriately for the profession, occupation, role and skill of certifying parties. The NPMA certification program assures quality and integrity in the careers of asset/property professionals worldwide. The CGB ensures the certification process is efficient, effective and available to all asset/property professionals at increasing levels of education and experience. B. Goals Ensures the certification program is operated competently and effectively Establishes protection against undue influence that could compromise the integrity of the certification process Provides certification in the field of asset/property management Provides guidance and network support for the asset/property professional seeking a level of certification C. Principles of Ethics Acts of falsification, misrepresentation, or deception are not tolerated. Acts of dishonesty includes but not limited to the following: cheating, fabricating data, facilitating another member s act of dishonesty, i.e., taking an exam for another member; or using technology to disseminate exam questions and answers. In support of the Policies and Procedures for the Certification Program, the following principles of professional ethics apply: Maintain fair, ethical, and clearly stated practices by accurately and fairly representing the profession and its services. Ensure proper and ethical administration of the financial aspects of the Certification Program. Embrace self-regulation, which is inherent to the certification process. Demonstrate a commitment to the people served by the profession. II. Certification Procedures A. Eligibility Requirements There are three levels of certification available through NPMA; Certified Professional Property Specialist (CPPS), Certified Professional Property Administrator (CPPA) and Certified Professional Property Manager (CPPM). The CPPS designation is for people who are new to property management or work as a specialist in a specific area (e.g., shipping, receiving, or inventory, etc.). The CPPA designation is for people who have already achieved their CPPS designation, and have worked in property for at least three years in at least seven 4

5 of the functional areas (see for more information) of property management designations. The CPPM is for property managers who have achieved the CPPA certification, worked in property for at least six years, have work experiences in at least seven of the functional areas, and four years of managerial experience. Managerial experience includes supervision, decision-making, or management of resources (not necessarily personnel). This would include project management; program management; financial management (budget); team leadership; or sole property manager in an organization, corporation, agency, etc. (see of property management designations for more information). NPMA membership is not required for participation in the NPMA Certification Program, however, members do receive a discounted rate. Training courses and chapter preparatory sessions are available to assist applicants with the course materials, however, they are not required. Any fees or charges incurred by taking a training course or preparatory session are not a part of the official certification examination fee. 1. Pre-Examination Study Options a. Instruction There are several different study options available prior to the initial certification: Self-study of materials Study groups Instructor led study classes through NPMA b. Application Process (All Levels) To apply for testing, complete the on-line application. The application can be found at: CPPS: CPPA: CPPM: For the CPPA or CPPM exam, a work experience summary fill-in form must be approved prior to the exam. Go to the NPMA Web site ( or contact NPMA Headquarters (HQ). Candidate information collected, including examination results, are held in strict confidence by the NPMA. c. Study Guides Electronic study guides for the two CPPS and CPPA Module exams are provided to each certification candidate. 5

6 2. Applying for Exam To take the examinations: Pay the required application fee which includes study materials. Locate and contact an NPMA approved proctor in your area from the listing on the NPMA Web site when ordering your exams. Purchase modules 1 and 2 for the CPPS exam, or modules 3 and 4 for the CPPA exam arranged with a proctor. CPPS and CPPA are each written or electronic and require satisfactory completion of a two-part examination. Each exam part or module is composed of 50 multiple choice questions with a 90-minute time limit. CPPM exam is a written situational judgment examination and is not specific to any specialty curriculum. The exam is comprised of three situations each having two multiple part questions. Scheduling Exams Candidates complete the online application process, which includes study material, and make a payment. However, all exams for the certification program must be completed prior to their expiration date. Rescheduling or Cancellation of an Exam Exam fees are non-refundable, but exams can be rescheduled. If a candidate must reschedule or cancel an exam they must contact their Proctor to reschedule. Under certain extenuating circumstances, NPMA may extend the expiration date of the exam. If you need an extension, contact NPMA HQ at certification@npma.org or call (404) B. Certification Renewal Requirements All certifications are valid for five years, during which time the certified person must participate in the required professional activities listed on the NPMA Web site. The acceptable activities eligible for renewal credit are listed at: In order to revalidate certification for an additional five years, a completed Certification Renewal Application and a processing fee must be submitted to the NPMA National Office for approval and processing. Individuals who are certified may be notified via when the certification renewal is due; however, it is the member's responsibility to keep up with the expiration dates. Meeting certification renewal requirements and applying for renewal must be done within a five year date from the date the certificant received certification, or the expiration date listed on the certificate provided to the Certificant. If the application is received between 30 and 120 days after the expiration date, a late fee will be imposed. Applications received more than 120 days after the required renewal date will be rejected and the Certificant will be required to retest at the highest level previously obtained or the Certificant will drop to the level below the highest level they did not renew. 6

7 Late renewals or failure to meet all of the renewal requirements may be appealed to the certification CGB Disciplinary/Appeals Committee. C. Certification Emeritus (Lifetime) The Certification Emeritus (Lifetime) certificate applicant submits an application for review and approval. The criteria for this certificate is granted at the highest level of certification earned and by meeting one of the following: Totally and permanently disabled Retired from the field of Property Management at age of 60 or older Retired from the field of Property Management with 20 years of continuous service Emeritus status indicates one who is permitted to retain, as an honorary title, the certification(s) last held. If approved, the Emeritus is an honorary title only for the last certification level held. The Emeritus status remains in effect only if the criteria stated above does not change. The Emeritus status does not require future renewal requirements. The Emeritus certificate is only valid during a period of retirement or disability from Property work, and does not require a 5-year eligibility requirements. If the Emeritus candidate desires to depict certification on any official document, Emeritus must be included with the certification level (i.e. CPPA, Emeritus). The Emeritus status remains in effect only if the criteria stated above does not change. Should the status change or the Emeritus wish to reinstate their active certification status, they would be required to meet the renewal eligibility requirements for reinstatement as an active certificant. III. Policies A. General Certification is a voluntary, self-regulatory process, based on published standards, policies and procedures judged by a non-biased accreditation board of knowledgeable peers. Proof for meeting accreditation standards rests on the Certification Board, which must provide evidence of the administrative oversight that produces significant and beneficial outcomes. The NPMA s educational mission, goals and objectives must demonstrate successful outcomes obtained by applicants and employers based on the competency factors per each certification criteria. B. Protection From Undue Influence The certification process will be protected against undue influence by ensuring dynamic and competent representation on the CGB. The certification process and the activities of the CGB are protected against undue influence by the NPMA Executive Board (EB) by their encouragement of EB members to participate on the CGB as non-voting members. The VP of Certification is a permanent non- 7

8 voting member of the CGB expected to have input into discussions and a commitment to projects. This partnership between the CGB and the EB recognizes the mutual benefit of an independent certification program servicing the asset/property management profession. C. Autonomy in Executive Board (EB) Interaction 1. Proctors Proctors are test administrators. Individuals may apply to be a Proctor if they are a CPPM or if they are a Human Resource person, Educational staff or similar professional. Proctors are required to read the Proctors Manual, complete an application (includes two references, sign the required Ethics Statement) and return to NPMA HQ for approval. Once the business references have been contacted, the Proctor status is entered into the NPMA data system. In special circumstances, the Certification Specialist at NPMA HQ can be contacted if there is a need to request a deviation from the NPMA Policy outlined in the NPMA Proctor Manual. 2. Liaison Officer The Liaison Officer is the VP of Certification, is a non-voting member of the CGB and will: Intervene between the CGB and the NPMA EB to communicate and coordinate activities as required Achieve the best utilization of resources or employment of services of the NPMA and the CGB Coordinate events to protect ongoing activities and information critical to achieving and maintaining certification and also work to achieve mutual understanding or unity of effort among members Provide technical or subject matter expertise or guidance to members and provide status on ongoing issues. D. Assessment Instruments 1. Standardized The criteria for the content of the exam questions and the number of questions from each chosen subject, comes from the Job Task Analysis survey answered by professional members. 2. Secure Exams are kept on a secure, password protected server by NPMA Staff. The pass/fail results of examinations are only available to the student and NPMA staff. Results will not be provided over the phone. 8

9 3. Administration Administration of the certification program is the responsibility of the Certification Specialist located at NPMA. 4. Scoring The CPPS and CPPA module exams are 50 questions each. Candidates receive a pass/fail notification only. Passing is based on receiving a score of 76 percent or higher. The CPPM exams are scored by NPMA graders, who hold a CPPM certification. CPPM exams are situational judgment. Each exam is three two-part questions. Passing based on receiving a score of 28 or better. 5. Validating the Assessments To ensure the alignment, relevance and achievement of the objectives of the exam, the NPMA will contract with a Psychometric firm to re-evaluate and validate relevant content, questions (items), policies and procedures as it relates to the update of all study materials, legal changes, and updates to personal property every 8-10 years. 6. Results Candidates may review test results under their personal profile on the NPMA website Upon passing the exams, students will receive the appropriate Electronic Certified Professional Property certificate, they may request a hard certificate and Lapel Pin. 7. Reexaminations/Rationale Should candidates fail an exam, they may retest at any time. Because there is an exam question pool, candidates will not receive the duplicate exams. 8. Exam Statistics Exam statistics are gathered annually and published in an annual report which will be posted to the NPMA Web site under the certification tab. E. Records Paper records are scanned into electronic records. Paper records are destroyed after two years and the electronic records are kept indefinitely. F. Confidentiality/Conflict of Interest Confidentiality of certification exams and exam results is guaranteed by the CGB. Pass or fail exam results will be posted to the individual record and are only accessible by the Certification Specialist or their designee and the certificant taking the exam. The actual percentage of the individual s results will not be posted, and is known only to the Certification Specialist at the NPMA. Examinee results will not be provided to Proctors or Instructors. 9

10 Exam results are not authorized for release to any other persons without the written consent of the Certificant/Candidate. NPMA Staff has access to: personal information of all candidates and certificants, exams, exam results, applications and proctor information. SMEs, exam writers, and graders have restricted access to exams (e.g. SMEs and/or writers will see only exams, which they are constructing. Graders will only see exams, which they are assigned to grade). They have no access to personal information. Certification board members (except SMEs, writers, or graders), proctors, instructors do not have access to the exams. They have no access to personal information. Conflict of Interest defined There may not be a disqualifying conflict of interest, either clear, potential, or perceived, in an individual s overall capacity to serve. Proctors and judges may not have a vested interest in the outcome of any examination. In those situations where there is a conflict weather clear, potential or perceived the proctor or judge must recuse himself or herself from service. For information regarding Proctors, their duties and responsibilities and possible recusal see the NPMA Proctors Manual. Everyone who comes in contact with exams, (Proctors, Admin staff, vendors, item writers, CGB members, judges) is required to sign an annual NDA. The NDA includes Conflict of Interest as outlined. Conflict of Interest is defined in the Proctor manual and the Policy/Procedures. Proctors and Judges are precluded from proctoring/judging exams for candidates in their chain of supervision. G. Nondiscrimination NPMA does not discriminate based on race, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and age, status as a parent, marital status, military status, genetic information or any other category protected by federal, state and local laws and will report any acts of discrimination to NPMA that occur during the examination. H. Disciplinary Policy and Procedures NPMA holds its certification program to a very high standard of integrity. Should an infraction occur, such as, but not limited to: cheating, falsifying application data, misrepresentation or other forms of dishonesty, the infraction will be submitted to the Disciplinary Board. The Disciplinary Board, comprised of members from the CGB, will review and discuss the infraction and determine 10

11 what, if any, action is to be taken. Any person(s) involved in the infraction will be permitted to speak to the CGB and submit substantiating documents. The CGB may revoke a certification for the following: A violation of the ethics or criminal actions which may bring a discredit to the certification process or property profession Violation of the NPMA Affidavit of Subject Matter Expert Acknowledgement and Non-Disclosure False application or examination results obtained in a fraudulent manner Physically providing answers to another person or party including making copies, photographs or notes of exam questions before, during or after the exam Altering, destroying, defacing or attempting to electronically send any examination material Disciplinary actions may include, but are not limited to: A written warning to the person(s) involved Revocation of Proctor status Delayed eligibility to take exam(s) for certification(s) Permanent ineligibility to take exam(s) for certification(s) Loss of previously granted certification Results may be provided to the NPMA Executive Board I. Appeals A candidate may appeal the Disciplinary/Appeals Committee s decision with the Appeals Board by submitting a detailed description of pertinent facts germane to their specific case for the CGB Committee consideration. In order to appeal an exam score, candidates must submit, in writing, a request to the NPMA Certification Specialist within 30 days of receiving examination results. The NPMA Certification Specialist will forward the appeal to the CGB Disciplinary/Appeals Board. Appeals will be handled on a case by case basis. Adjustments may be made pending resolution of the investigation. The Disciplinary/Appeals Committee shall act upon appeals concerning certification renewal: Appeal concerning denied activity requirements Failure to submit an acceptable application within the expiration guidelines 11