The beginnings of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) date back to 1870 when the Conference of Schools of Pharmacy was first formed at the annual meeting of the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA). The Conference dissolved in 1883 due to an inability to solve the issues of pharmaceutical education which faced them. At the 1898 annual meeting of the APhA it was suggested that colleges of pharmacy form an organization similar to those recently formed by the dentistry and medical professions. Therefore, at the turn of the century the American Conference of Pharmaceutical Faculties came into being. Later, in 1925, the name of the organization was changed to its present name, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Throughout its history, the basic goals of the organization have been to set educational standards and clarify educational objectives for the pharmaceutical profession.
The largest section of this collection is dated 1956-1984. During this period, the AACP enlarged its role as an information clearinghouse and advocate for pharmaceutical education with federal agencies, Congressional committees and the White House, and dealt with issues such as health manpower, capitation and grant funding, special project proposals, and selective service. This was also a time of greatly expanded recruiting programs, a growing emphasis in education on clinical pharmacy requirements, and ongoing debate concerning the Pharm.D. degree.
Several large-scale projects and surveys initiated by the AACP during this period include the Study Commission on Pharmacy, Pharmacy Manpower Information Project, Pharmacy College Admission Test, externship program survey, drug abuse education, minority recruitment, and curricula.
The Pharmacy Manpower Information Project involved a national census of the profession and analysis of the findings. The Study Commission on Pharmacy, chaired by Dr. John S. Millis, was an independent body commissioned by the AACP to study pharmacy practice as an integral part of the health service system and the process of pharmacy education, and its future. Commonly known as the Millis Commission, it met from July 1973 to December 1975.
The AACP organizational structure went through several changes between 1960 and 1983. A permanent headquarters and fulltime executive secretary-treasurer position were established in 1960-1961. The first executive secretary, Charles W. Bliven (1960-1975), was succeeded by Christopher P. Rodowskas, Jr. (1975-1981) and John F. Schlegel (1981-1984). The 1973 reorganization shifted political power from the pharmacy school deans, to the newly-formed House of Delegates, which included not only the Council of Deans, but also the Council of Sections (replacing the Conference of Teachers), the Council of Faculties and the Council of Students. In the 1983 reorganization, the Council of Students and Council of Sections were eliminated, although the sections themselves were retained.
Other administrative offices created during this period were assistant executive director, legislative counsel, and offices of information services, public affairs, recruitment, educational research and development, and student affairs. Some of these were later renamed, reorganized, or discontinued.
