The University of Iowa College of Public Health has signed on as a founding member of the newly formed Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH).

ASPPH connects public health schools and programs accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Officially launched Aug. 1, 2013, ASPPH is the successor to the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH), which represented the 50 CEPH-accredited public health schools and eight associate members.

“This is a seminal moment in CEPH-accredited public health education,” says Dr. Harrison Spencer, president and CEO of ASPPH. “Representing both accredited schools and programs of public health gives the association and our members an opportunity to strengthen public health education, research, teaching, and practice.”

The move to bring schools and programs under one umbrella has been embraced by both CEPH-accredited schools and programs of public health. To date, more than one-third of the 101 CEPH-accredited public health programs have joined as founding members of ASPPH.

ASPPH will continue to work to bring in all CEPH-accredited programs of public health. Visit its web site at http://www.aspph.org/.

CEPH is the independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accrediting body for public health schools and programs.